Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Mar 10/00) - The objective of creating protected areas is about to get a big push now that a chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) has opened its doors in Fort Simpson.

Protected areas co-ordinator Stephanie Sibbeston and outreach co-ordinator Heather Passmore are the local representatives for CPAWS. They moved into their office in the Liidlii Kue First Nations building last month.

Their primary role will be to provide information and resources, assist with proposals, hold workshops, act as facilitators, and to combine science with traditional knowledge, said Passmore.

They plan to work closely with the First Nations, the government and other non-government organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund to help advance local environmental initiatives, she explained.

The Horn Plateau, Mills Lake and the Nahanni watershed area, although they currently have different statuses, are examples of protected area initiatives.

"It's the communities themselves that would be driving these actions forward," she said.

Sibbeston added, "Our role is to assist the First Nations and other people who are interested in protecting areas within the Deh Cho region.

"We opened up an office here because it's easier to work at the grassroots level when you're in the region rather than based out of Yellowknife," said Sibbeston, who has spent two years as the lands environment manager for the Dene Nation, is a representative on the Ecological Integrity Statement Committee and has an honours degree in biology.

CPAWS has drawn attention for its Y2Y campaign -- an attempt to establish protected areas from Yukon to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, U.S.A. In the North, there is still an opportunity to create a cohesive series of protected areas, rather than the fragmented situation that exists in the United States where many onerous land reclamation project are under way, noted Passmore, who holds a master's degree in science.

"Ultimately, what you'd like to have is a whole connection of protected areas linked through corridors," she explained. "You try to achieve this balance. You'd like to have responsible development, responsible land use."

Protected areas don't necessarily equate to prohibiting development. There would be core areas where no development would be permitted and buffer zones where limited development could occur, she said. Other parcels of land could be opened up for development as designated by local government.

The office is open Monday through Wednesday and can be contacted by phone, fax or e-mail.