 |
|
|
|
|
||
|
Canadian Environmental Network
Manitoba Eco-Network gratefully acknowledges the support of Manitoba Conservation
Eco-Journal
Eco-Journal
Volume 12, Number 1
January/February 2002
Index
Climate Change: Sinks, Sources, and Science
by Garrett Westmacott
Climate Change Hub Established
Simplot Hearing: Insufficient Information
by Liz Dykman and Glen Koroluk
What's Happening? - Calendar of Events
Seedy Saturday takes root in Manitoba
Down to Earth: Guide to Organic Food in Manitoba
Improving the Public Registry System
from the Alice Chambers Memorial Library
by David Neufeld
Erosion Control in the Northern Plains: A Volunteer's Report
by Lindy Clubb
Groups Call for Full Federal Review for Proposed Dam
Climate
Change: Sinks, Sources, and Science
By Garrett Westmacott 1
Earth's
atmospheric climate is changing, threatening both human health and
the environment. One particular change in the atmosphere is the
concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). It has been increasing
at an alarming rate since the Industrial Revolution over 200 years
ago, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, but also due to
land-use changes, especially deforestation. As a result, our planet
is also heating up -kind of like a person sick with a fever. A few
years ago this fact was still in question, but it is now generally
accepted by the vast majority of scientists that the accumulation
of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (such as CO2) in the
atmosphere is primarily responsible for the increasing average global
temperature (about 0.6°C over the last century, and predicted to
rise to between 1.4 and 5.8°C over the next century.2)
Efforts
are now being undertaken by the international community via the
Kyoto Protocol to mitigate the threatening effects of climate change.3
Here in the Province of Manitoba we are not exempt from taking responsibility
for our own actions, which, depending on what we do now, could be
critical for the future of our province, as well as for the planet.
A
Recent report by the Manitoba Climate Change Task Force, commissioned
by the provincial government, states that Manitoba, specifically,
can expect an average temperature increase of 4 to 6°C within a
century-just a few family generations away. The report discusses
the many ways in which climate change will affect our province.
One important concern this report raises, though unfortunately does
not emphasize, is the effects climate change will have on parks
and wilderness. As an example of the predicted impact on parks,
consider Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP): a report by Environment
Canada and the Faculty of Environmental Studies at the University
of Waterloo concluded that such warming in and around RMNP will
lead to a lowering of local water tables, an invasion of exotic
species adapted to higher temperatures, a decline of native species,
an almost doubling of the amount of forest fires, and an increased
mortality rate of large mammals who cannot survive the changing
habitat within the finite boundaries of the park.4
Even
without the science, intuitively we know that climate change will
affect wilderness-not to mention our economy and industries-in Manitoba.
So what can we do about it? One mitigation strategy that is getting
a lot of attention lately is to use wilderness, particularly forests
and plant life to help off-set (soak up) our CO2 emissions.
Sinks
and Sources
It
is scientifically well established, though not fully understood,
that there is a carbon cycle in nature: CO2 is taken
from the atmosphere and converted into organic material through
photosynthesis by plants (this process is often referred to as sequestration
in a carbon "sink"), and CO2 is released back
into the atmosphere by the respiration of plants and the natural
decomposition of organic matter (a natural carbon "source").
Another source of carbon is natural disturbances, such as insects
and fires, which can release large amounts of carbon from organic
material in a relatively short period of time. In general, with
respect to climate change, sinks are considered good because, by
definition, they soak up and reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
whereas sources, especially unnatural sources like the burning of
fossil fuels, are considered bad because they release greenhouse
gases.
During
negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, Canada has
strongly argued that our forests act as net carbon sinks and, thus,
should be counted as credit towards reducing greenhouse gases and
to meeting Canada’s
carbon dioxide emission targets set in the Kyoto protocol. (The
perceived advantage for acquiring "credit" for sinks is
that Canada would not have to reduce its emissions from fossil fuel
/ energy consumption as much as we would if there was no credits
for sinks.) To this end, the Manitoba Climate Change Task Force
specifically recommends that "forests [in Manitoba] could be
managed as carbon sinks."
The
Science
Indeed,
there is scientific evidence that supports such a recommendation,
claiming that conserving natural landscapes-forests in particular-
is important for reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere
via CO2 sequestration. For example, a report by Schulze
et al concluded that "for at least 14 years after logging,
regrowth forests remain net sources of CO2
to the atmosphere. This has important implications regarding...forest
management on atmospheric concentrations [of CO2].
For many years after logging has taken place, regrowth forests remain
weaker sinks for atmospheric CO2 than are nearby old-growth
forests."5
Furthermore, according to Nigel Livingston, director of the University
of Victory's Centre for Forest Biology, modern logging (harvesting)
and processing procedures also release a substantial amount of tree-stored
CO2
, where a minimum of 40% of the carbon stored in the trees
is released to the atmosphere.
There
are other reports, however, that suggest that the carbon sequestration
cycle is more complex. For example, Natural Resources Canada states
in Climate Change and Forests (1999) that "whether Canada's
forests are net sinks or sources of carbon depends on timescale.
Measured in eons, the tendency is towards a net carbon sequestration.
Over a 100,000 year period there is a balance between carbon released
and carbon sequestration; and, over 1000 years, the direction of
the balance varies within the 1000-year segment chosen."
A more recent report by Schimel et al in the prestigious
scientific journal Nature states that, as forests age, they do not
soak up as much carbon dioxide, and, furthermore, mature forests
release about as much carbon as they produce. They concluded that
most of the carbon uptake is due to new forest growth, such as young
forests growing on farms abandoned in North America in the 1980s
and 90s.
A
Simple Analogy
The
science about sinks and sources is complex, but I propose this simple
analogy: Think of forests as sponges for CO2 gas. When
forests are relatively young and, thus, rapidly growing (like second
growth forests), they can soak up CO2 from the atmosphere,
like water soaking into a dry sponge. It is this "soaking up"
of CO2 that is helpful for climate change mitigation.
However, as forests age, they will soak up less and less until they
are mature, old-growth forests, where, like a saturated sponge,
the amount of CO2 absorbed is balanced by the amount
of CO2 released (at least over a long enough time period-tens
or hundreds of thousands of years). When a forest is mature and
there is an equilibrium between the amount of CO2 absorbed
and released, if we start chopping and cutting (harvesting), much
of the CO2 that has be stored up in the forest will be
released-just as water is released when we poke or cut a saturated
sponge. Of course, the release of CO2 works against our
climate change mitigation efforts.
Questions,
Questions, Questions
The
Manitoba Climate Change Task Force and the government of Canada
recommend that the forests be managed as carbon sinks. Well, according
to science, forests can be carbon sinks and long-term "carbon-warehouses,"
but, practically speaking, what exactly does it mean to "manage"
forests as carbon sinks? How much can forests actually offset our
fossil fuels emissions here in Manitoba? How will forestry operations
and park management plans need to be refined to account for carbon
sequestration? A scarier question for conservationists is, Can second
growth forests be used to offset the emissions from the harvesting
of old-growth forests? These are important questions that need to
be answered soon so we can quickly move ahead with our efforts and
strategies to mitigate climate change.
Despite
the science and all the unanswered questions about carbon sinks
and sources, one of our main goals as environmentalists should remain
no less clear: we need to protect and conserve the remaining wilderness
in our province, and strive to increase the amount of protected
natural areas. Moreover, whether or not the remaining different
types of natural areas are proven to be carbon sinks or sources,
they still deserve protection from any further development.
1 Garrett Westmacott is a board member with the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). His e-mail address: Garrett.Westmacott@mts.net
2 To put this in perspective, the average temperature difference between now and the coldest point during last ice age about 20,000 years ago is about 5°C. Thus, a few degrees makes a significant difference.
3 For more information, see the web site for International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) at http://www.iisd.org/climatechange.htm. Also visit the web site for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at http://www.ipcc.ch.
4 See www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/airg/pubs/parks.htm for more information.
5 E.D. Schulze et al, in Global Change Biology 6 (Aug 1999) p. 703-722.
CLIMATE CHANGE HUB ESTABLISHED
Manitoba Eco-Network is pleased to announce the beginning of a pilot project to create a Climate Change Public Education and Outreach Hub in Manitoba. This project is being co-chaired by the Eco-Network and Fort Whyte Centre, and hosted by the Network at the Eco-Centre. Funded by the Federal Climate Change Action Fund, the Provincial Climate Change Action Fund and Manitoba Hydro, the Hub will have as its primary objectives increasing public awareness about climate change, and encouraging Manitobans to become involved in activities and lifestyle changes that will aid in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Our plan is to bring together organizations and stakeholders already active in climate change education and outreach to share their energies and successes and to work collaboratively to increase the reach of their programs. A Steering Committee representing a wide range of sectors has been set up to guide the work of the 18-month pilot project.
Hubs are also either underway, or being created in the other provinces and territories of Canada and we will be able to learn and share much from their experiences.
We are pleased to welcome Jennifer Duggan as the Manager for the Manitoba Hub. Jennifer’s most recent work was with the ETC group (formerly Rural Advancement Foundation International). She has also worked for the Canadian Cancer Society and as an intern at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. Jennifer hails from Prince Edward Island, where rising sea levels resulting from climate change pose a future threat to her family’s land in the small community of French River. Jennifer said “Climate change is a personal area of concern for me and I feel fortunate to be able to now make it a focus of my work. The Hub will be a terrific resource for concerned Manitobans.”
We are at the point of developing a workplan for the Hub pilot phase and it seems likely that areas of focus will include urban transportation, agriculture and northern aboriginal communities. The Hub will also be creating a website with an emphasis on Manitoba information and activities, and sponsoring public workshops on impacts and actions. Stay tuned for further information about the Manitoba Climate Change Hub!
Please accept our apologies for the late publication of this issue of Eco-Journal. No excuses…we’re just real busy!
Also, we inadvertently left out the Institute of Urban Studies in our listing of member groups in the December Eco-Journal. Here’s their contact information:
346 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0C3
Contact: Michael Dudley 204-982-1140
Fax: 204-943-4695
Email: ius@uwinnipeg.ca
Website: www.uwinnipeg.ca/~ius/index.htm
Welcome back to the Network:
Mixedwood Forest Research and Advisory Committee.
Box 22021, Brandon MB R7A 6Y9
Contact: Dan Soprovich 204-725-3308
Email: dsop@mb.sympatico.ca
Or Lindy Clubb 204-475-9608
Email: lindy@frozen.ca
Simplot Hearing – Insufficient Information Available
By Liz Dykman and Glen Koroluk
As reported in Volume 11, Number 4 “Simplot: Reduced Flow for Assiniboine” by Lindy Clubb, J.R. Simplot Inc. hopes to develop a potato processing plant in Portage la Prairie. The Clean Environment Commission hearings on the project were held Dec. 11-12 and reconvened Jan. 8-9 in Southport. A Joint Group of intervenors, consisting of the Coalition to Save the Assiniboine, Resource Conservation Manitoba and the Canadian Nature Federation made presentations to the hearings and argued that insufficient information was available to make a decision on this development proposal.
The Joint Group of intervenors raised several concerns during the hearings including the lack of availability of key information, failure to perform Sustainable Development Impact Analysis and Climate Change Modeling or assessment of the treatment process to be used for wastewater and failure to address cumulative impacts.
Key reports not available
Several key reports were not available at the time of the hearings. Of particular note are the Instream Flow Requirement Study and the Preliminary Report on All Point and Non-Point Sources of Nutrients. It was specifically set out in the terms of reference for the CEC hearings that the Commission's report include recommendations regarding instream flow requirements of the Assiniboine River as a result of the projected withdrawal of water from the river for irrigation purposes, and quality of the water and downstream uses of the Assiniboine. All of these reports are expected to be complete in early 2002.
No Sustainable Development Impact Analysis was performed on the proposed development. This is required under section 12(1) of the Sustainable Development Act when provincial funds are involved.
Impacts of drought?
Climate Change Modeling was not performed even though climate change is likely to have a dramatic impact on water availability. If climate change results in drought the demands put on the Assiniboine River for irrigation and processing purposes are even more likely to be greater than available supply.
It is not clear whether there has been an environmental assessment of the sequential batch reactor (SBR) wastewater treatment process to be used at the expanded Portage la Prairie Water Pollution Control Facility. Dr. Paton, one of the numerous experts hired by the Joint Group, pointed out that SBRs work at only 60-70% efficiency.
Cumulative impacts of other developments along the Assiniboine were not addressed. Phase 2 of the development, which will require another upgrade of the Portage treatment plant and the effects of a second shift at the Maple Leaf Hog Processing plant in Brandon will have cumulative impacts downstream.
Other problems
An obstacle faced by the Joint Group was the inability to obtain information about the costs of the proposal and the value of subsidies provided by government. Incomplete information was obtained through a Freedom of Information request and is still under appeal. This prevented the economist engaged by the group from conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the proposal.
Also at issue in these CEC hearings is the potential conflict when the province is acting as proponent by providing subsidies to the development and undertaking the review of the project as well.
An extremely positive aspect of this process was that it set a precedent regarding participant funding. Although the Environment Act, enacted in 1987, allows the minister to require a proponent to provide financial assistance to any person or group participating in the assessment process, this had never before been done in the province. Hopefully in the future it will be less difficult to argue that participant funding be established to help intervenors participate fully in the environmental assessment process.
Although the Joint Group was not successful in delaying the decision until all relevant reports were available, the contribution of the Joint Group was considered significant and drew attention to deficiencies in the process. The CEC will be hard pressed to recommend that the development be approved, given the concerns that were raised at the hearing.
What's
Happening? - Calendar of Events
Wed. Feb.
20 Media Jam – A Festival of Alternatives, University of Winnipeg,
12-8 pm. Tradeshow, Workshops and Speaker Judy Rebick.
Call UW Students Association for more information at 786-9792.
Wed. evenings
Feb. 27 – Mar. 20 Workshop: “Landscaping Your Yard – Naturally”
with landscape architect Barb Haffner.
Make a beautiful, biodiverse habitat in your backyard.
To register call 989-8364, members $100, non-members $115.
Mon. March
4 Manitoba Naturalist Society Annual General Meeting 7:00 pm
followed by “Australia: Plants of the Desert and the Rainforest”
with Dr. Karen Johnson. Call Ruby Tekauz 338-0767 or the MNS office
943-9029 for more information.
Tue. March
5 Manitoba Clean Environment Commission and the Manitoba Model
Forest Network are co-sponsoring a public forum on the future of
the Boreal Forest. The purpose of this free one-day forum is
to share perspectives on, and raise awareness of, the boreal forest
ecosystem. To register contact Rory Grewar rgrewar@gov.mb.ca
or 945-7091 (800-597-3556 toll free).
Tue. March
19 Organic Food Council of Manitoba is holding a meeting open to
all interested individuals. Room 218 Plant Science Bldg, University
of Manitoba. Call 873-2676 for details.
Friday March 22 - Thursday March 28 U of M Environmental Awareness Week. The theme of this year's environmental awareness week is Environmental Issues in Manitoba. Presentations will feature speakers on Hog barns, alternative transportation, Hydro issues (and Cross Lake's struggle), straw bale housing, vegetarianism and other! Environmental displays and movies will also be shown. All presentations take place in University Centre. Call 474-9118 for more information or to get involved.
Thurs. April 4 Coalition to Save the Elm Workshop on Insect Pests of the Home Landscape, with Ken Nawolsky, City of Winnipeg Insect Control Branch. 7-8:30 pm, $5 for non-members, members free (Membership in the coalition is only $15 per year) Call 832-7188 for details.
Monday April 8 Manitoba Eco-Network Organic Lawncare Workshop at Seven Oaks Wellness Centre, 7-8:30 pm. Cal 947-6511 for details.
Free Composting Workshops!
Some dates for Resource Conservation Manitoba’s Basic Composting Workshops this spring have been set:
April 30: Pembina Trail Library, 7-8 pm
May
1: St. Boniface Library, 7-8 pm
May 4: Assiniboine Park Conservatory, 2-3 pm
May
7: Henderson Library, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
May 9: Wellness Institute, Seven Oaks Hospital, 7-8
pm
May 14: Sir William Stephenson Library, 7-8 pm
Call
the Compost infoline to register at 925-3777.
Seedy
Saturday takes root in Manitoba
By Margaret Brook
Manitoba's
second annual Seedy Saturday will be held March 2, 2002, 10:00am
to 3:00 pm, at the beautiful Assiniboine Park Conservatory, with
the co-operation of The Friends of the Conservatory and Seeds of
Diversity Canada. The day will celebrate the horticultural heritage
of the prairie region, and give gardeners a full day of inspiration
and conversation.
The
heart of Seedy Saturday is the swap table, where people exchange
seeds they have grown and saved in their own gardens. These are
seeds from open pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties of vegetables
and flowers. After years of selection by home gardeners, these varieties
are well adapted to the local growing conditions. They may be treasured
for flavour, the ability to withstand drought, cold or disease,
a heavy yield, an unusual colour, or as a family heirloom. Please
prepare individual packages of seed for the swap table with information
on variety, colour, etc as well as your name and phone number in
case the recipient has more questions for you. If you can't find
just what you are looking for on the swap table, resource lists,
featuring seed companies selling more of these heritage varieties,
will be available.
Prairie
plants represented
Native
prairie plants are well represented at Seedy Saturday by local nurseries
selling seeds and books, and offering advice on growing native species.
Presentations and displays on a diversity of topics will run throughout
the day. The program will wrap up with a questionnaire panel taking
questions from the crowd.
Schedule:
10:00
am Displays open
11:00
- 11:45 am Ted McLachlan, University of Manitoba Department of Landscape
Architecture. "Winnipeg Wild: Bringing Biodiversity Home"
- landscaping with native plants to improve wildlife habitat in
your yard.
12:00
- 12:45 pm Hugh Skinner,
Skinner's Nursery and Arboretum Trail, Roblin, Manitoba. "Hardy
Roses, Lilies, and Lilacs" - varieties developed for the prairies
by Dr Frank Skinner.
1:00
- 1:45 pm David Neufeld,
Room to Grow Greenhouse, Boissevain, Manitoba
"Growing Food for Love and Profit" - farming, food,
and the link between urban and rural folk; from the perspective
of a Manitoba farm family who have travelled through North and Central
America. David's letters from his travels were broadcast on CBC
Radio Noon.
2:00
- 3:00 pm Questionnaire
Panel, moderated by Reg Sherren of CBC TV's "Country Canada".
These women have the answers to your gardening and seed saving questions!
Wendy Mackie, Director of Horticulture, City of Winnipeg; Anne Lindsey,
Manitoba Eco-Network; Shirley Froelich, Prairie Originals Nursery;
Charlene Rowland, Organic Food Council of Manitoba.
Displays
include: Resource Conservation Manitoba on composting, Manitoba
Eco-Network on organic lawn care,
Living Prairie Museum, Metis Horticulture and Heritage Society,
Pip's River Nursery, Prairie Habitats, Prairie Originals, Sage Garden
Herbs, the Herb Society of Manitoba, and special guests, the Quack
and Cluck Poultry Club of Anola.
Set
amidst the lush greenery of the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, this
unique educational and social occasion is a great way to warm up
a winter day. Admission is by donation. If you have questions please
call the Friends of the Conservatory at 837-4324.
Down
to Earth – Guide to Organic Food in Manitoba
With concerns
about food safety and the effects of industrial agriculture growing,
more and more people are taking a closer look at the sources and
production methods behind the food they eat.
Other issues to consider in our food choices are the cost
and pollution associated with long distance transport of food, soil
degradation and water pollution, and health effects of pesticides.
In response to these concerns, there is an increasing demand
for organic and locally produced food.
Tracking down sources of organic food can be difficult, especially
outside major urban centres, but a new booklet is available to help
people find sources of organics in their area.
The Organic Food Council of Manitoba (OFCM) has just released
the 2002 edition Guide to Organic Food in Manitoba.
The guide provides information on local sources of organic
food (organized by region), including farms, stores and restaurants.
It also includes articles on topics such as how to make a
sheet mulch garden and the OFCM Farm Mentorship program.
The Guide outlines the many reasons to buy organic/local
and includes contacts for more information.
Annual updates of the Guide are planned for the future.
Copies of
the guide can be purchased at local organic food stores or from
Manitoba Eco-Network for $4.
More information on OFCM or its parent organization Canadian
Organic Growers can be found at www.cog.ca.
From “Down
to Earth – Guide to Organic Food in Manitoba”
Turning the
Story
Not long
ago most of the people of Manitoba knew where and how their food
was grown and who was growing it.
Today most urban children are hard pressed to name a farmer.
And we are equally hard pressed to find young persons in
our rural communities who are preparing to be farmers.
The Guide to Organic Food in Manitoba is one part
of the effort to turn this story around.
We who live
on the prairies have become accustomed to exporting most of the
food we grow and to importing most of the food we eat.
That we have a food system based on transporting goods great
distances should not be a surprise to us.
Ever since there have been cities and armies, the powerful
have found ways to extract what they need from the more vulnerable-
usually rural- areas. This
continent was explored and settled in order to feed the appetites
of European investors. The
pattern continues to this day.
Some of the most powerful companies in Canada depend on the
transportation of food to maintain their wealth.
We who labour to feed the exporters and power centres hardly
ever question what value this system is to ourselves and to our
communities. Nor do
we often enough imagine and plan for a renewed and more intimate
economy that depends on our growing more food in a sustainable way
for ourselves and each other.
And this guide is about changing our world in a thoughtful,
gentle, yet determined way.
We increasingly
have more choices in what we eat.
Perhaps organic, locally-produced options are not yet available
at your corner grocery store, but with your dedicated involvement
we’ll see the options and their accessibility improve every year.
David M. Neufeld
Improving the Public Registry System
From the Alice Chambers Memorial Library
The public registry (PR) provides a window into events that have shaped and continue to shape Manitoba’s environmental landscape. Any proposed developments that require approval pursuant to Manitoba’s Environment Act must be filed in the PR. It includes a wealth of information on proposals, including environmental impact statements (EIS), management plans, maps and facility diagrams, reports from technical advisory committees and verbatim transcripts of Clean Environment Commission hearings.
Recommendations about improving the public registry system are contained in two recent documents that will shape the PR of the near future. These are the Report of the Consultation on Sustainable Development Implementation 1999 (COSDI) and Building a sustainable future: proposed changes to Manitoba’s Environment Act: a discussion paper 2001 (DP) which reiterates some of the COSDI recommendations. This article examines the recommendations that deal with access to information, specifically section 5M of COSDI. This section contains recommendations that are meant to ensure ease of access to current, and historically relevant information.
5Ma. Expand the PR system to include planning and resource allocation activities, in addition to the current environmental approvals information. The main result of 5Ma will be an increase in the material released through the PR. This potential growth of documents reinforces the importance of recommendation 5Mb and its many sub-points.
5Mb) Improve public registries and access to registry information, which should include : i. effective cataloguing ii. positive outreach functions v. long-term retention of registered information viii. ease of access to registry information for those seeking information and x. user friendly, plain language summaries of technical documentation.
i) Cataloguing would greatly
improve the utility of the PR by allowing users to search for documents
based on keywords such as location or type of development. A less
intensive process that would also make the PR easier to use would
be indexing the contents of files. This would help keep heavily
used files complete and give users a quick overview of a file.
v) Long-term retention of, and public access to, all registered
information Retention ensures that the PR continues as an important
historical depository of Manitoba’s environmental approvals.
x) User-friendly, plain language summaries of technical documentation provided to registries by proponents This would aid researchers in getting to the nuts-and-bolts of a proposal as well as helping individuals digest large and multi volume reports quickly in order to develop a response. The turnaround time from a proposal landing into the PR to deadline for comments is a narrow one and simplified summaries of technical documents would allow for more effective public comment.
Positive outreach functions are dealt with in sections 5Mbii) and 5Mc-e with recommendations to create project-specific, “local” and “regional” registries, and joint federal-provincial registries where applicable, encourage proponents / departments to meet with the public to explain registry contents and to clearly define the role expected of the proponent with respect to these registries (such as positive outreach on a project specific basis). These recommendations would serve to increase the number of registries and improve the dissemination of information to the public.
5Mf) Establish an electronic registry for computer access, while recognizing the present limited access to electronic media. Essentially, this recommendation will influence how the PR is served up and accessed over the Internet and could greatly increase the accessibility of the PR. The only web presence at the moment for the PR is in the form of file summaries and the text of the licence issued.
By
David M
Editor’s
note: {Patrick Moore was the guest speaker at the recent Annual
General Meeting of the Manitoba Canola Growers Association. His
speech was on the benefits of genetically-modified crops – a topic
of great interest to canola farmers, much of whose crop is of the
genetically-modified variety. David Neufeld of the Organic Food
Council of Manitoba was on hand for Mr. Moore’s speech and posed
some questions. Here is David’s view of Mr. Moore’s responses.
This letter was previously published as a Letter to the Editor
in the Manitoba Co-operator}.
Would
you agree - that the best environmentalist is the land owner who
knows the value of maintaining a good measure of 'wild' on the farm,
is part of a supportive family and community and gets enough for
the food he/she grows to be able to afford to keep a healthy balance
on the farm? It seems to be a no-brainer but when I asked Patrick
Moore (formerly of Greenpeace) that question at Ag Days, he couldn't
answer. He seemed to distrust my question.
In
his speech Mr Moore proved to be no friend of environmentalists
or farmers. It simply seems to satisfy his agenda to fuel the fire
between farmers and environmentalists. But whether or not there
is a difference of opinion between these professionals is not the
question. The question, it seems to me, is How can we change the
agricultural economy to ensure that farmers can afford to be environmentalists?
The
cheap food policy is clearly the enemy here. Playing to the dictates
of ever increasing efficiency will ensure that we all drain, burn
and plow down every habitat that is not dominated by machines. We'll
destroy every earthworm and microbe in our soils. And we won't have
one child who wants to buy in to our lunacy. This, as I tried to
articulate at Ag Days, is what I have seen happening in Africa,
Mexico and Central America. The corporate driven chemical and seed
companies have been contributing to farmers leaving the land - as
they have in Manitoba. Can someone please help me understand why
farm organizations and governments support a process and policies
that discourage farmers from farming?
Take
the GMO issue. It's clear enough that consumers in Europe, Asia
and increasingly in North America do not what GMOs in their food.
They don't trust the science and when we embrace the science they
don't trust us. We are losing markets due to our embracing of this
technology. I don't get it. Why would we embrace the dead end GMO
technology over and above the booming organic market possibilities?
And please don't tell me this is about feeding hungry people in
Africa or that African leaders are begging for this technology.
Does our Prime Minister speak for the interests of our farmers?
No, this is about very big business wanting to manipulate the situation
to satisfy their over-the-top salaries and profits. Why would we
as a farming community let ourselves be distracted so? Do we or
do we not want more farmers - more people thriving on the land -
here and in Africa?
At
the end of my little tussle with Mr Moore, I asked him if we couldn't
work together to nurture more farmer-environmentalists. He must
have been too stressed out to think by then because he said, "Maybe
we don't need more farmers. Maybe we need more machines doing the
work." Surely I didn't hear you agreeing with him.
Lets
call it straight folks. Mr Moore is being hired these days because
he is promoting the GMO industry. He isn't interested in what is
good for Manitoba farmers or rural communities. It worries me that
the Manitoba Canola Growers Association would, first of all, pay
Mr Moore to speak, and secondly, that they billed him as being with
Greenpeace. He has not been with Greenpeace for some time and he
clearly has no love for that organization. I have no connection
with Greenpeace but I can't imagine them being as anti farmer and
as anti rural vitality as Mr Moore seems to be.
Hopefully
we can shake off distractions such as this and get back to the work
of forming a united voice - as Mr Dewar of KAP expressed so well
through the farewell interview he gave to The Co-perator. I look
forward to the day when the Organic Food Council or Manitoba and
Organic Producers Association of Manitoba see the benefit of sitting
at the KAP table along with MCGA and the other member groups. How
do we hasten that day? Because, as another story covered in last
week's Co-operator states, Environmentally sustainable agriculture
is no passing fad. I trust farmers farther than any other professionals
and I know that we all want our children and grandchildren to be
free thinking, quality food growing farmer-environmentalists - if
we can work out a way of ensuring they can make a good living doing
so. Get behind us Mr Moore.
David lives with his family in the Turtle Mountains where they run an organic greenhouse and an eco-retreat business. He is active with the Turtle Mountain Community Development Corporation and the Organic Food Council of Manitoba.
Erosion Control in the Northern Plains - A Volunteer's Report
by
Lindy Clubb
Over
this past year, in volunteering for the Northern Plains Chapter
of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA NP) I have
learned a bit more about erosion control. Some of it comes from
direct experience, like finding out that hands and knees, at least
for me, is the best approach for stapling blanket into place. Squatting
is a poor second choice.
I've
also been warned not to build on the bend of a stream or river,
since it is the area most likely to move and erode with the stream's
hydrology. After visiting a large concrete house, within three feet
of being cantilevered over a bank sweeping several feet down to
the shores of the Favel River, that message stuck. I met with homeowners
who have lost not only the large old trees that drew them to the
riverbank location in the first place, but have recognized, with
horror, that their house is on the few remaining yards of grass
that separate it from a steep undercut bank, also over the Favel
River. Both of these places are in the Swan River Valley, a floodplain
that gets the spring runoff in volume from the escarpment of the
Duck Mountains. I happened to be with two trouble-shooters for erosion
control and was in awe of their ability to solve problems. Children
had built a weir out of sight around the bend of the river, by the
second house. The homeowners need to undo this little project to
help save their house, among several other remedies. Revegetating
the banks of the Favel river, and scooping out the sediment deposits
across the water will help re-direct the river's course away from
undercutting the banks and destroying the property above. We like
to live by rivers and lakes, but do we care about the consequences?
I'm meeting the people who do care about consequences and solutions.
Putting
solutions into practise
It
takes expertise and experience to know how to prevent the problems
of erosion, and how to help mitigate problems. Each site is different
and needs to be evaluated. There are lots of choices. There are
plans to put in place, formulas like the universal soil loss equation
to be worked out, and a growing variety of products that suit and
solve the specific problems.
Logging
companies like LP (Louisiana Pacific) are learning about solutions
and putting them into practise. In turn, the employees they've educated
and taught are making presentations to enlighten other people. Manitoba
Hydro is solving some of their erosion problems in visible and remote
locations. Manitoba Highways are installing erosion control blanket
on the side of slopes and over areas they want nature to carry on
with, giving the grasses a head start with a green cover. That sends
a good message to passersby, if they know what that funny stuff
is by the side of a construction project. (The artificial green
of hydroseeding spray - a wet mix of seed and mulch - was described
as 'alien blood' by interested spectators north of Thompson, Manitoba).
I've
learned something about the process of erosion, too, not just its
control. Soil is displaced in particles by raindrops, and sediment
sheets or runs off to new places when plants aren't there to stop
it. Chemicals and contaminants go along for the ride. One of the
ways to prevent this from happening is for water to permeate or
percolate through openings in the soil. I found out from the main
speaker at an erosion control symposium in Swan River last fall
that concrete lets in more water than sod. Who knew? Sod is dense,
with short close roots that form a mat so that water can't get in.
That means all our nice urban, suburban, rural and lakefront lawns
and golf courses - groomed, green and gleaming - are causing water
to sluice off faster than from our paved streets, sidewalks, driveways,
and highways. They don't call it runoff for nothing. Stormwater
control has become an issue in the States, and it's just beginning
to be recognized here.
Seeing
erosion everywhere
Of
course, now I see erosion everywhere I go. On the banks of the Assiniboine
where huge new houses bear down and cause slumping, on the scars
of treeless slopes that line the Minnedosa valley, and by the front
entrance to the Southport facility where the latest Clean Environment
Commission Hearings were held, in part, ironically, to address issues
like the erosion impacts from fields of potatoes grown for Simplot's
new plant. All we had to do was step out the door to see an example
of what happens when soil is exposed and allowed to drift with the
forces of wind and water. The message sticks with the same weight
as the mud clinging to my boots from an area without plant cover.
Public
and professional education
Education
is a good beginning for some progress on our erosion control problems.
Northern Plains has partnered up with organizations, institutions
and individuals to put on some conferences and seminars for public
education this past year. The high school in Swan River held one
in November with Jennifer Hildebrand from Jackson Landscaping in
Minnesota (a lively, intelligent, personable professional - great
to see a woman at the front of the room ) speaking to a rapt audience
of students, teachers, contractors, construction companies and Manitoba
Conservation staff. Unlike some of the other erosion control seminars,
there was more than one environmental activist in this audience.
That was nice for me.
Jay
Michels, an instructor with the Minnesota Erosion Control Association,
spoke to an audience of 80 people during a successful October conference
in Minnedosa called 'Rules and Tools'. It was the following day
that I got a chance to brave a cold wind and staple erosion control
blanket into place on the Neepawa golf course (I love field days).
Manitoba Transportation and Highways personnel, Fisheries and Oceans
biologists, Conservation District managers and Woodlot Association
members all enjoyed the newly renovated Minnedosa conference centre
and the town's hospitality. A technical course, sponsored by IECA
NP, held in Winnipeg last spring, featured David T. Williams as
an instructor. A manual was distributed with the course.
The presentation material was comparable to a university
course (at least for me) and designed for professionals. These types
of courses are really important to advance the progress of erosion
control in the field, on our highways, on logging roads, on streambanks,
and on our lake shores. I just need someone else to do the math
for me. Requests are still coming in from various municipalities
for presentations on erosion control techniques. Word is getting
around.
Another
new thing for the chapter is our own phone line. If you would like
to learn more about native plant sources, erosion control techniques,
educational activites, or just ask questions, please call the IECA
NP resource line at 204 478-1322 in Winnipeg, or check out the IECA
website at www. ieca.org. A website for Northern Plains Chapter
is in the works and will be ready sometime in 2002, at IECANP.org.
Groups Call for Full Federal Panel Review of Proposed Dam
A number of Manitoba environmental groups are calling for the Federal government to assess the impacts of a proposed new Hydroelectric dam for Manitoba.
Manitoba Hydro (MH) has applied for environmental licences to build the Wuskwatim Generating Station and Transmission Line (File #'s 4724 and 4725 respectively, in the Public Registry).
Hydro has been proposing the generating station project as a joint venture with the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN), with whom they have been in consultation for several years, and with whom they have signed an Agreement in Principle for the project. NCN is likely to become co-owner of the generating station and thus would become a co-proponent for the project.
Federal Issues
While these are proposals for development in Manitoba, they have also been reviewed by the federal Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA). The Agency has determined that there are federal issues involved, and that the Responsible Authority for the project would be the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). At the Federal level, a minimum of a Comprehensive Study will be carried out. (This is kind of an intermediary step between a basic "screening" and a "full panel review"). Under the Harmonization Agreement for Environmental Assessment Co-operation, an agreement is in place between Manitoba, CEAA and DFO with Manitoba identified as the Lead Party for the assessment. Manitoba's Minister of Conservation, the Hon. Oscar Lathlin, has instructed the Clean Environment Commission to hold public hearings for the consideration of these proposals. However, several environmental groups, including Manitoba’s Future Forest Alliance, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Consumers for Responsible Energy, Canadian Nature Federation and Resource Conservation Manitoba, have examined the proposals for these two projects and have concluded that all would be better served if the environmental assessment were carried out by the Federal Government with a Full Panel Review under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. This would allow the broadest possible consideration of impacts, as well as the need for and alternatives to the project, under a Panel qualified to examine these issues. The groups are joining together to call on the Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to order a Full Panel Review.
Letters
The groups
have enumerated their concerns in letters being sent to the Federal
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and to other relevant parties. The concerns
may be summarized as follows:
1. Possibility
of conflict of interest: The
Manitoba government is essentially a co-proponent, given that Manitoba
Hydro is a Crown Corporation governed by Acts of the Legislature. Federal review alleviates the situation of the “proponent
reviewing itself”.
2. Need for full consideration of the Need for and Alternatives to the project, given that Hydro has stated that new generation will not be needed for domestic use till at least 2018 and will be utilized for export sales until that time. The groups argue that other means of energy creation must be examined. Federal EA demands that these aspects be taken into consideration. In addition, Manitoba's Consultation on Sustainable Development Implementation (COSDI) recommended that Need for, and Alternatives to, projects, be taken into consideration in environmental assessments. The COSDI recommendations were adopted by the Doer government.
Fiduciary responsibility for aboriginal peoples: recent legal judgements have confirmed that governments have responsibility for full and meaningful consultations with any First Nations which stand to be affected by a development. There is concern that the resources to fulfill this responsibility may not be available at the provincial level
Federal requirement for Panel members with expertise relevant to the proposal, which would provide the review with greater capacity for its work.
The groups are now awaiting the Federal response.