In which the writer proposes:

Splitting conventional wisdoms and inspecting for rot.
Wrestling with the status quo.
Weighing environmental and economic absurdities.
Disentangling metaphors.

Friday 27 November 2015

SCIENTISTS DECLARE SUPPORT for OKANAGAN NATIONAL PARK


The following is a guest article, Declaration of Support…….produced and signed by 26 scientists. The article is a response to the B.C. Gov’ts recent request for comments for reactivated proposals for a South Okanagan Park.

Boundary Alliance made its own separate submission online and in the format requested by Gov’t. That online process made no provision for identifying whether the submission came from an individual or group/organization. Unlike similar processes, e.g. submission of comments re Water Act changes, comments/submissions are not being published online. This lack of transparency can hide any public awareness of “stacking” of responses by so called stakeholders. 

While we largely support the following Declaration by scientists we do have concerns over a “balanced” approach to cattle grazing in any Park unless that “balanced” approach incorporates an honest assessment of the public and environmental costs of cattle grazing on public land. The absence of any honest “costs” assessment to date has resulted in misleading claims of positive economic values to grazing. See our articles covering this topic at: www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm

             

Al Grant for Boundary Alliance.

 

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DECLARATION of SUPPORT for NEGOTIATIONS LEADING to a NEW FRAMEWORK for PROTECTING the SOUTH OKANAGAN LOWER SIMILKAMEEN


We the undersigned, as members of BC's scientific community, join with Parks Canada, the Province of BC, the Okanagan Nation Alliance, and a majority of local residents in supporting enhanced protection for the ecosystems of the South Okanagan and Lower Similkameen. We encourage the government of British Columbia. Parks Canada and the Okanagan Nation Alliance to initiate formal negotiations to finalize boundaries, relationships, and commitments for the creation of a National Park Reserve (NPR) and for the long term protection and management of this remarkable area....

for full text, maps and list of signatures see: www.boundaryalliance.org/scientists_parkdeclaration.pdf