A note we received from Roberta Clowater, Executive Director, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, NB Chapter:
Hi.
I wanted to let you know that I learned from recent contact with people in government that a government decision is coming soon on whether to go ahead with the protected areas candidates that went out to consultation over a year ago, and whether to further decrease the habitat conservation areas. You may recall that old forest habitats, deer wintering areas, stream buffers had been announced by previous Minister of DNR as being reduced from 30% of Crown forest to 28%, and we thought this was the final decision. Apparently now politicians are seriously considering to reduce it even more to 23%, to encourage “forest industry competitiveness”. This will take us below the limit of viability for many of the habitat objectives. I don’t have any details about what the consequences will be for riparian buffers or the wildlife habitats, for example, what will be deleted from the system next.
The one thing that will work now is for Minister and Premier to hear from people through direct letters/emails/calls to their offices, or letters to editors. I know many of you have written before – please do not let up now! While it may seem odd, these letters are what keep protected areas and special habitat zones on the government radar – they are not listening to the science from inside or outside. Numbers of people in support matters most. CPAWS has created an easy form you can use to email your comments to Minister of Natural Resources – see link below.
You can also email him directly, and copy Premier David Alward:
Minister Paul Robichaud: paul.robichaud@gnb.
Premier Alward: premier@gnb.ca
If you’re on a committee or Board, please feel free to forward this to others who might take action.
Thanks,
Roberta
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For more information:
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, NB Chapter / Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada – section Nouveau-Brunswick
180 rue St. John Street, Fredericton, NB E3B 4A9
Phone / Téléphone : 506-452-9902
Email / Courriel : cpawsnb@nb.sympatico.ca
Web site / le site web : www.cpawsnb.org
On Facebook: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society New Brunswick
Follow Roberta on Twitter: @RCnature