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Park fails to protect, says wilderness group Most important habitat outside park's boundaryKassina Ryder Northern News Services Published Monday, Aug 27, 2012
"There is extensive science and research that went into assessing the region," said Kris Brekke, executive director of the Northwest Territories chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). "It all suggested these areas be protected." Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the creation of the park on Aug. 22 while visiting Norman Wells as part of his annual Northern tour. Brekke said while the organization is pleased it has been created, the park's boundaries leave out important areas, including a large portion of the Nahanni Woodland caribou herd's breeding grounds and tributaries that feed the South Nahanni River. There were originally three boundary areas proposed for Naats'ihch'oh, according to Parks Canada. The first option would protect 6,450 square km, including 94 per cent of the upper South Nahanni River watershed and habitat for 95 per cent of the area's grizzly bears. It would also protect 81 per cent of the Upper Nahanni woodland caribou's summer habitat. This is the option CPAWS wanted. "CPAWS submitted that boundary (option) one, or better, should have been protected," Brekke said. The second option would have protected 5,770 square km, including 84 per cent of the watershed. The boundaries announced by Harper last week resemble option three, with 4,850 square km protected, including 70 per cent of the upper South Nahanni River. Information from Parks Canada states the third option favours mineral development. "Option 3 was developed to take full advantage of mineral potential availability within the proposed national park reserve while still providing minimal protection of conservation values," the information stated. "This option offers minimal protection to important conservation values." Brekke said the goal when establishing a park such as Naats'ihch'oh should be to protect the area from development. "It doesn't make sense that in a national park, potential industrial value is trumping the ecological value," he said. The area is also home to Dall sheep, mountain goats and the Redstone mountain woodland caribou herd - a species of special concern under the Federal Species at Risk Act. NWT Premier Bob McLeod said the territory's process for developing parks and protected areas was followed. "That process was adhered to and everybody had input," he said. "The process worked as envisaged." McLeod said he believed the park's boundaries reflect a middle ground. "I think the balances have been struck between conservation and development," he said. Tom Hoefer, executive director of the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines, said the chamber supported option three. He said mineral extraction is vital to the territory's economy. "They're the backbone of our economy," Hoefer said. "High mineral potential is also rare in the country and is worthy of protection. You just don't find minerals that are economic to mine anywhere." He said protecting land now prevents economic benefits later. "When a national park is created, it transfers ownership of that land to the federal government forever," he said. "It takes that land out of development opportunities forever." Lands outside the park are still under the jurisdiction of the Sahtu Land Use Plan, Hoefer said. The plan, which must be approved by the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated and the territorial and federal governments, will be reviewed every five years. "It's a locally-based decision-making process rather than giving the land back to the federal government," he said. "Northerners will have the ability to decide if they want to develop lands anywhere in the area or not." Rick Hardy is a Metis elder and the chief negotiator and legal adviser for the Tulita District Naats'ihch'oh Working Group. He represented the Tulita Land Corporation, the Fort Norman Metis Land Corporation, the Norman Wells Land Corporation, the Tulita Renewable Resources Council and the Norman Wells Renewable Resources Commission during the negotiation process. He said focus should be directed toward the opportunities the park will now provide to members of the land corporations, rather on disappointment with its boundaries. "There are employment opportunities," he said. "There are, I believe, eight or nine full time jobs. Our members will have the first opportunities to get those jobs." Hardy said jobs will include positions required to manage the park. Training opportunities, including university education, will ensure members get the qualifications they need to get hired. Parks Canada also offers a $50,000 scholarship to members taking parks management programs at post-secondary school, Hardy added. Hardy said despite federal cutbacks and hundreds of Parks Canada staff members losing their jobs across the country, the employment opportunities at the new park are guaranteed. "We've discussed that specifically," he said. "The jobs promised under the agreement will come to pass." Hardy said a visitors centre and Parks Canada offices will be built in Tulita. "The infrastructure required to support the park, that will be built in Tulita and will be owned by the land corporations and will be leased back to Parks Canada," he said. He said construction could begin as early as next summer. Hardy said traditional hunting and fishing would be permitted in the park, as well as camping and cabins. Big game hunting will not be allowed. Hardy said he believes the area chosen for Naats'ihch'oh is acceptable - for now. "Let me put it this way, the boundaries that have been set would not have been ones that we would have chosen, but they are what they are and we accept them," he said. "We will continue to work to enlarge the boundaries. We think this can be accomplished over time." Brekke said he will also work toward that goal. "From our end, it's a matter of bringing this issue back to the public," he said. "Renewing the public interest and amending the boundary and getting it done right."
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