BREAKING NEWS (December 22, 2020): The Alberta Government has just RESCINDED their plans to eliminate 164 provincial parks, natural areas and recreation areas!
NOW, call on them to expand their protected areas system to protect its native and endangered ecosystems - grasslands, parkland, foothills, Rockies, and boreal ecosystems!
Take Action DOWN BELOW!
Under massive and broad-based citizens pressure, the Alberta government has just backed down from its plan to "de-protect" or eliminate at least 164 provincial protected areas, totalling 16,000 hectares (including threatened and endangered grasslands, aspen parkland and foothills ecosystems). See: https://globalnews.ca/news/7538553/alberta-provincial-parks-delisting-closure/
THANKS to the many thousands of Albertans and Canadians who spoke up, and to the work of local conservation organizations like CPAWS Southern and Northern Alberta, the Alberta Wilderness Association, and many other conservation and recreation organizations who spearheaded the campaign!
This was an absolute no-go and was adamantly fought tooth and nail by citizens, businesses, recreationists, and those who believed in democracy – the Alberta government planned to do so without guaranteeing any public consultation, despite campaigning prior to the last election for transparency and public consultation regarding parks and land-use changes.
Most of the world is moving to expand protected areas, and the Alberta government was one of the only governments in modern North American history, along with the Trump administration, to make the outrageous plans to eliminate protected areas.
In the era of COVID-19, having more parks and recreation areas is all the more important to prevent crowding while people visit nature, as well as being vital to help avert both the extinction and the climate crisis.
Protected areas are also vital for our health and well-being, and boost the economy via tourism, recreation, enhanced real estate values, attracting skilled labour and high tech, carbon offsets, supporting clean water and recreational fisheries, supporting non-timber forest products (eg. wild mushrooms), and providing ecosystem services like water conservation, flood control, natural sewage treatment, erosion control, and regional climate regulation.
NOW, the Alberta government must move to protect it’s endangered ecosystems and systematically expand the protected areas system based on science and our national and international commitments (Canada’s international commitment to expand protected areas to 25% by 2030, and 30% by 2030, while scientists are calling for safeguarding 50% of the planet in nature by 2030) including support Indigenous Protected Areas and a land acquisition fund to purchase and protect private lands.
SEND a MESSAGE HERE!
YOUR MESSAGE WILL BE SENT TO: Your federal MP, and for Alberta residents, your local MLA.