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July 18 2019

Op-Ed: The return of the caribou

CPAWS Yukon Blog, BlogArcticRefuge, NewsArticles

Written by Malkolm Boothroyd | July 18, 2019
Photo by Malkolm Boothroyd, Caribou Days celebrations in Old Crow, Yukon.

The community of Old Crow, Yukon, is ecstatic at the sight of the Porcupine caribou herd — one of the last large, healthy, migratory caribou herds on the planet. But these caribou are threatened by oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge.

Read the full editorial as published in The Narwhal on July 18th, 2019.

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Op-Ed: The return of the caribou

A bull caribou walking through the fog on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Photo: Malkolm Boothroyd
“Caribou!” somebody shouts.

Dozens of people spring from their seats and hurry for the doors of Old Crow’s community hall, sweeping me along. The caribou stew I’d just ladled into my bowl sloshes dangerously around as I stumble out into the sunlight. The Porcupine River is swollen with snowmelt from the Richardson and Nahoni mountains. Chunks of ice wash downstream. Fifteen caribou struggle against the current, the ripples in their wake catching the sun.

After five minutes of swimming they reach the far bank. The caribou scramble out from the river and vanish into the spindly spruce trees. People are beaming. The caribou have finally returned.

Visits to Old Crow, Yukon, are the best part of my job campaigning against oil drilling in the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd with the Yukon chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. I’d come to the Gwich’in community in the Yukon’s northern corner for “Caribou Days.” Locals and visitors compete to fry the best bannock, skin a caribou leg the fastest or toss the most rings onto a set of antlers. In the evenings we feast on fresh caribou then jig and waltz to fiddle music.

Caribou Days is meant to celebrate the return of the herd, as caribou flood north toward their calving grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Except lately, caribou have been hard to come by. People here have been starving for caribou meat.

Last spring was a poor time for caribou around Old Crow and during recent autumn migrations the herd hasn’t lingered around the community. Caribou are critical to the culture and subsistence way of life of the Vuntut Gwitchin and essential to food security in Old Crow, where a bag of apples can cost $17 and two litres of milk costs $9.99.

Nobody is certain why the caribou have been sparse of late. I’ve heard people suggest low-flying cargo planes are disturbing caribou, while others wonder if changes in the climate and increasing shrub growth could be factors. The scarcity of caribou around Old Crow is a paradox, because the herd is at a record high. However, the recent meat shortages the Vuntut Gwitchin have experienced foreshadow what could happen should the health of the Porcupine caribou herd take a turn for the worse, like many other caribou herds across the North.

In 2017, the U.S. government opened the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge — the heart of the herd’s calving grounds — to oil drilling. Now the administration is fast-tracking an environmental review that would auction away the birthplace of the herd to the fossil fuel industry.

For decades the Gwich’in have led the movement to protect the calving grounds — efforts that have ramped up since 2017. Lorraine Netro, Norma Kassi, Chief Dana Tizya-Tramm and countless other Gwich’in advocates have made journey after gruelling journey to Washington, D.C., to call for protecting the Arctic Refuge. In March, Chief Tizya-Tramm testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, telling lawmakers “development on the coastal plain amounts to the cultural genocide of the entire Gwich’in Nation.”

It’s in large part thanks to the work of the Gwich’in that the Arctic Refuge stayed off-limits to oil and gas for as long as it did. Once again, the Gwich’in and environmental groups are working to keep drilling out of the refuge by scrutinizing the U.S. Government’s environmental review process, building support for wilderness legislation on Capitol Hill and campaigning for banks to withhold financing for drilling.

The Porcupine caribou herd is one of the last large, healthy, migratory caribou herds on the planet. Farther east in the Arctic, the Bathurst and Baffin herds have declined 96 per cent and 98 per cent over the past 30 years. Collectively the two herds have lost close to 700,000 caribou.

The Fortymile caribou of the central Yukon and Alaska are a shadow of their former selves — once so plentiful the herd could take ten days to cross the Yukon River, bringing the steamships that plied back and forth to the Klondike goldfields to a halt. The fate of many caribou herds is reflected in the alarming loss of biodiversity around the planet. That makes the Porcupine caribou herd’s vitality all the more incredible, and protecting the herd even more critical.

The late-evening sun, still high above the horizon, gleams through one of the windows in the community centre and casts a square of dazzling light in the centre of the hall. Lorraine Netro lays out caribou antlers, a hide and spruce boughs on the hardwood floor. Many of the people filtering in are dressed in vests and mocassins made from caribou or moose hide and decorated with hand-beaded flowers. There’s a fashion show tonight, then a talent show and another dance.

The return of the caribou have lit up the weekend’s festivities and are a reminder of why the Porcupine caribou herd is so important to life in Old Crow. Still, it’s hard to forget the danger that lies ahead. Keeping oil drilling out of the Arctic Refuge calls for monumental efforts from the Gwich’in, and groups like ours that support them in this campaign. Securing permanent protection for the calving grounds could take years, maybe even decades. That’s a long time. But for tonight, it is time for more jigging and fiddle music.

July 17 2019

Canada’s Nature Emergency

CPAWS Yukon Blog, Publications CPAWS, Nature Emergency, Parks report

In Canada we are not immune to the global Nature Emergency. In 2017, WWF Canada found that since 1970 half of all monitored species in Canada have declined. Of those, half declined on average by more than 80%—a shocking collapse of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. As species decline, the capacity for ecosystems to provide clean air, water, food, climate stabilization, and other essential services declines as well. It is in all our best interests, and in the best interests of future generations, for Canada to take swift and large-scale action to protect and restore nature.
The recent report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services (IPBES) is the latest in a string of reports confirming that habitat degradation as a result of human land use change is the foremost driver of nature’s decline in terrestrial regions. This means protecting and restoring habitat must be the cornerstone strategy to solve this crisis. Protected and conserved areas are the primary policy tools to safeguard habitat, and evidence shows that, if they are well-designed and managed, they work. The good news is that Canada has focused significant effort and resources on protected areas in the last few years, which will help us deliver on our 2020 nature conservation commitments, and, hopefully, set the stage for scaled-up action beyond 2020.

Read the report, and our recommendations below:

Download (PDF, 3.73MB)

June 20 2019

Op-Ed: Foreign funding for local environmental groups no conspiracy

CPAWS Yukon Blog, NewsArticles

Written by Chris Rider | Jun 20, 2019

Foreign funding doesn’t mean activism isn’t locally grown.

Read the full editorial as published in the Yukon News on June 20th, 2019.

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Op-Ed: Foreign funding for local environmental groups no conspiracy

Over the past year, Canadians have been flooded with rhetoric about foreign-funded eco-activist agendas. Articles and interviews have been laced with these buzzwords to promote division, fear and anger. According to some, there’s a giant conspiracy that environmental groups are plotting to destroy the resource industry and destabilize Canada’s energy sector.

If there is a conspiracy to destabilize the country, it definitely isn’t run through the perpetually overworked and underfunded non-profit sector. Like most people in the charitable sector, we work in this field because we believe it’s important. Life on the planet is dying at rate that humanity has never seen before.

We passionately believe that protecting the Yukon’s thriving, connected eco-systems are critical to maintaining the culture of the Yukon as well as the survival of the people, plants, and animals that call it home.

It is true that CPAWS Yukon, and many organizations like us, receive part of our funding from abroad. If you want to learn more about where we receive our money, you can read our audited financial statements on the transparency page of our website. The reason that we have chosen to make those documents available is that it’s not something we feel the need to hide.

Canada’s economy is connected to the rest of the world. That’s as true for the environmental sector as it is any other industry. For example, Postmedia newspapers, such as the National Post, have run numerous columns criticizing foreign funded environmental groups. This is despite the fact that their majority shareholder is a U.S. based hedge fund called GoldenTree Asset Management.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), another big critic of foreign funded environmental groups, receives significant funding from foreign companies and even has board members who represent the direct interests of companies based in the U.S., China, Malaysia and Norway. Closer to home, Minto Mine was just bought by the U.K. based Pembridge Resources. These businesses are clearly influenced by their foreign owners, yet we do not complain. It’s part of living in a global economy, and that’s our reality.

Canada’s comparatively small population and the global relevance of our work means that for non-government organizations (NGOs) like CPAWS Yukon, it simply makes sense for us to look internationally for support. We decide the work we want to do and write a proposal to pitch our ideas.

If a foundation buys into our vision, they might agree to fund us. If they don’t like our proposal, they won’t. But they have never directed us on what to do. Those decisions come from people who live in and love the Yukon.

As we head towards election season, we’ve started to see talk of “foreign influence” come to the Yukon. For example, in a recent edition of Canadian Geographic, someone suggested that the campaign to protect the Peel Watershed was blown out of proportion by international environmental groups who leapt in with little understanding of the region.

This is false on several levels. The public campaign was home grown in the Yukon, led by CPAWS Yukon and the Yukon Conservation Society — two organizations who have worked here for decades.

It was done in partnership with the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation — as well as the Teetl’it Gwich’in of the Northwest Territories who all have traditional territory in the Peel. The claim that it was blown out of proportion (perhaps unintentionally) denies the agency of the Elders, leaders and other community members who have consistently worked to protect their home. It’s insulting to suggest that people standing up for their land and their rights are only doing so because they’re part of an international conspiracy.

Our joint victory at the Supreme Court of Canada in 2017 is a clear indication of the importance of our efforts. Canada’s highest court does not hear cases that are blown out of proportion, and the unanimous ruling made clear that Yukon government had acted inappropriately. Without the support of foundations who helped fund the long and expensive legal process, we wouldn’t have had the resources to hold them accountable.

I respect that there are many good people who make their living from mining, and I recognize that it’s an industry that’s currently important to the Yukon’s economy. At the same time, the world is in the midst of a climate crisis and we are seeing a level of biodiversity loss that’s difficult to fathom.

As the world burns around us, the Yukon has an unparalleled opportunity to protect large areas of our land for the wildlife and future generations of people who will call the Yukon home. It’s an opportunity we can’t afford to miss.

The world’s eyes are on Canada, as they should be. We don’t have time to deflect from the issues that plague our world. We need to stop insulting each other and work together to find a balance that respects the incredible wild places that still make the Yukon special. We only have one shot.

June 11 2019

A History of Collaboration and its Role in Protecting the Arctic Refuge

CPAWS Yukon Blog, BlogArcticRefuge Arctic Refuge, canada, collaboration, Porcupine caribou herd, U.S.

Header Image: Porcupine caribou, Peter Mather
Written by: Braden Lamoureux, Conservation and Events Intern

For over 30 years, efforts by the Gwich’in Steering Committee, conservation groups, and the public have been preventing the Arctic Refuge from drilling. This past March, hundreds of Aboriginal Peoples, Yukoners, and First Nation, Territorial and Federal Government came together and wrote comments to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd. Oil and gas extraction in the Arctic Refuge could have devastating impacts on the species and ecosystems within it. We are awaiting the release of the ‘Final Environmental Impact Statement’ (Final EIS) which the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to deliver in August or September. It’s nearly impossible to address all of the issues raised in the scoping and commenting periods in such a short time. A hard look at the evidence should take many years of research and the BLM has time and time again cut corners.

Canada and the U.S. have worked in partnership to conserve key wilderness areas for over 70 years. Through legislation and agreements (old and new), the two countries have emphasized their partnership in the decision making process for conserved lands. We have hope that this partnership will play a large role in keeping oil and gas drilling out of the Arctic Refuge. Comments submitted by experts and lawyers highlighted how the Draft EIS fails to comply with current laws. If the Final EIS still falls short, it is inevitable that this issue will end up in court.

The Arctic Refuge is home to a large diversity of birds such as this Pacific Loon. Photo by Malkolm Boothroyd

Here’s a summary of the legislation and agreements that we found particularly important:

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 (NEPA)

NEPA is the cornerstone of environmental protection in the United States. NEPA states that any major federal project must include an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Since the project will have potentially significant impacts, this statement must make informed decisions from research and public involvement.

The Draft EIS to lease the Arctic Refuge falls short of multiple NEPA requirements such as considering long-term environmental effects, impact reduction efforts, project alternatives, and the livelihood of residents. Over one-million people voiced their support for protecting the Arctic Refuge in the commenting period of the Draft EIS this past December.

The Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA)

This act recognizes the importance of collaboration between the U.S. and Canada in evaluating the impacts of oil and gas development in Alaska. It also re-iterates the purpose for which the Arctic Refuge was created such as conservation of wildlife populations and habitat, fulfillment of treaty obligations for migratory wildlife, and the continuation of subsistence uses.

The Porcupine Caribou Herd Conservation Agreement of 1987 (PCHCA)

This agreement between Canada and the U.S. aims to ensure international cooperation and coordination on the conservation of the Porcupine Caribou herd and it’s transboundary habitat. It also enables users of the Porcupine Caribou herd to be involved in international conservation effort through initiatives like the Porcupine Caribou Management Board.

Multiple species protection acts

The Draft EIS does a poor job of addressing how it will comply with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA), the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, and National Wildlife Refuge mandates.

Inconsistencies with the Tax Act

The Draft EIS is unclear on how the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will administer and manage the oil and gas leasing program, how much actual land will be impacted in total, and how it will implement the components of oil and gas development across the landscape; such as roads and pipelines. The BLM gave short notice for public hearings that occurred in the U.S. and failed to provide public engagement opportunities for numerous regions across Canada as requested by the Vuntut Gwitchin, the Government of Yukon, and the Government of Northwest Territories.

A long history of Arctic Refuge protection

The U.S. and Canada created the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 1960 and they share a long history of collaboration on cross-border conservation priorities. Since the Yukon and Alaska are impacted by developments within each other’s respective territories, consultation is extremely critical as well as addressing the strong history of public support for protecting the Arctic refuge.

New U.S. Bill – Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act

On May 1, 2019 the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources approved a new bill presented by over 100 lawmakers that would prohibit the BLM from leasing to oil and gas extraction companies in the Arctic refuge. The bill is headed to the House of Representatives next, and if passed, will face a tough battle in the Senate.

Grizzly Bear tracks along the Beaufort Sea shore. The Arctic Refuge is home to black, grizzly, and polar bears. Photo by Malkolm Boothroyd

Braden Lamoureux is an environmental science student from Halifax, NS and is joining CPAWS Yukon for the summer as the Conservation and Events Intern. Stay tuned for more updates on his research about the transboundary conservation issues in the Arctic Refuge. Click here to learn more about Braden

May 7 2019

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March 29 2019

Feedback Results 2019

CPAWS Yukon Blog 2019, blog, communications, survey

Written by: Adil Darvesh, Communications Coordinator

Introduction

The communication feedback survey was conducted between February 8^th and February 17^th, 2019. Our goal for the survey was to answer the simple question “Is our work being well received by our supporters?” We felt it was important to ensure that in our efforts to reach new audiences, we weren’t alienating our core supporters who have helped propel us to being one of the many conservation leaders in the Yukon.

Prior to this survey, there were no records of a formalized survey for supporters to provide feedback. In-person conversations and/or emails sent to info@cpawsyukon.org were the main ways that supporters got in touch with CPAWS staff.

CPAWS Yukon is also undergoing some campaign-related changes. For many years, we focused on protecting as much of the Peel Watershed as possible. ‘Protect the Peel’ and ‘CPAWS’ has even become synonymous to some supporters. As we shift to different campaigns, specifically protecting the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd and the Dawson Regional Land Use Plan, it’s crucial that we take what worked from our successful Peel Watershed campaign and improve on what didn’t.

Some points to keep in mind:

There was a random draw for a prize from CPAWS Yukon. The winner would get to choose from some of our merchandise
Survey was sent to CPAWS supporters and people who regularly engage with us and our work

Discussion

There is an assumption that everyone who filled out the survey is a CPAWS supporter. The questionnaire link was shared via the CPAWS Yukon Facebook page and our internal e-newsletter. While it’s safe to assume our mailing list and Facebook page is comprised of environmentally conscious people, the survey URL could have been shared beyond that to non-supporters as well. From the results, however, it’s abundantly clear that survey respondents are happy with the communication methods that are currently in place.

One of the most liked aspects of our communications are timely updates and visibility on social media. This is an important part of our advocacy work highlighted by the 2600+ submissions during final consultations on the Peel Watershed Final Recommended Plan. Ensuring that this continues is crucial for successful conservation throughout the Yukon.

Note: Our average e-mail open rate is 25.9% and click rate is 2.69%. Average open rate for non-profits is 24.11% and click rate is 2.57% according to MailChimp. (https://mailchimp.com/resources/email-marketing-benchmarks/)

There’s often a fine line between keeping supporters updated, and sending too many messages and becoming a nuisance. There were a few respondents who felt our frequency of messaging was too high, but the majority were happy. With 39 total respondents, however, another iteration of this survey should be done with a larger sample size. Of those 39 respondents, 51.3% wanted monthly newsletters with breaking news as it occurs. This falls in line with what we at CPAWS Yukon think is an appropriate amount.

The type of content is also important in how well received our messaging is. The Peel Watershed and the Porcupine caribou herd were the top ranked issues for respondents, followed closely by Climate Change. It’s a safe bet that ensuring our messaging relates to one of those topics will result in some form of action being taken. The affinity towards the Peel and the Porcupine caribou is most likely a result of the time put into sharing the importance of these issues. Future campaigns will need effort to share the stories and importance of the land and wildlife that we are campaigning for. Few people chose “Conservation at large” as an issue that mattered most to them. While this doesn’t mean that the majority of people aren’t interested in conservation at a high level, it could mean that they’re more likely to be engaged in topics that affect them or people they are close to directly (i.e. people affected by land use planning in the Peel, or people who are affected by changes in the Porcupine caribou herd.)

Based on the responses from this survey, it can be determined that supporters are generally happy with the communication we’ve done thus far. Keeping people engaged and providing an opportunity for action should continue to be a key aspect to our communication and campaign strategies overall. Ensuring we continue to find a way to communicate how specific issues will relate to people directly will also play a large role in ensuring conservation success in the Yukon.

Some supporters also don’t live in Whitehorse, where many of our events generally take place. Finding a way to include people in communities to participate to some degree in an event may be of interest in future event planning.

Going forward, it’s recommended to stay the course and continue engaging supporters as best we can. Whether it’s sharing on social media or through e-mails, supporters are interested in staying updated. It would be worthwhile to continue a trend of getting feedback from supporters after campaigns. This would give us an opportunity to continue improving, and allowing supporters an opportunity to express what works for them.

Final Recommendations

Keep supporters updated on campaign status, especially if it’s already a hot topic
Include opportunities for taking action as much as possible
Share the successes and let supporters see the results of their efforts
Use social media, emails and various other forms of communication to spread your message
Positive messaging works better than aggressive or negative comments
Create an option to opt-out of direct mail if desired, or create an option for opt-in digital only
Provide ability for more options in questions, or use questions that prompt more feedback in future surveys
If using a giveaway as incentive to complete a survey, a gift card or voucher for a local business that aligns with our values might be more of a draw than our CPAWS merchandise, especially if supporters already own CPAWS merchandise

March 29 2019

The Yukon urgently needs off-road vehicle regulations

CPAWS Yukon Blog blog, off road vehicles, orv, regulation

Written by Malkolm Boothroyd, Campaigns Coordinator

The Yukon urgently needs proactive off-road vehicle (ORV) regulations to protect the territory’s wildlife, and our alpine, wetlands, and backcountry. Yukoners have been calling for such laws since the 1980s. Now we’re finally seeing regulations in the works. Until April 8th the public can comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed measures.

The Yukon government’s proposed regulatory framework focuses on the creation of ORV Management Areas. It’s a start, but still a patchwork approach. ORV Management Areas could provide effective protections in some areas, but shouldn’t be the Yukon’s sole regulatory tool. The Yukon must find ways to protect the alpine, wetlands and backcountry — on a territory-wide scale.

CPAWS Yukon generally supports the Yukon government’s approach, but emphasizes the need for tools beyond ORV Management Areas. For example, the Yukon could use the Territorial Lands Act to address the proliferation of ORV trails, and use its wetland policy (currently being developed) to restrict the use of ORVs within sensitive wetland ecosystems. We urge the Yukon government to protect the entirety of the territory’s alpine from ORV damage, possibly by designating all alpine areas within a single elevation-based ORV Management Area.

If you agree with us, please use the space provided in the Yukon government’s ORV questionnaire to advocate for additional measures to protect our alpine, wetlands and backcountry. Have your say at: https://engageyukon.ca/en/2019/regulating-road-vehicles-yukon.

March 21 2019

Op-Ed: Do endangered species endanger industries?

CPAWS Yukon Blog, NewsArticles

Written by Malkolm Boothroyd | Mar 21, 2019
Photo by Malkolm Boothroyd, a collared pika (a species of special concern) in the Ruby Range.

The Yukon needs species at risk legislation.

Read the full editorial as published in the Yukon News on March 21st, 2019.

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Op-Ed: Do endangered species endanger industries?

Miners and prospectors are endangered species, and there should be an open season on environmentalists. I’m paraphrasing a comment I read online after CPAWS Yukon called on the Yukon government to write species at risk legislation.

Calls for strengthening environmental laws are often met with the same reaction — that environmental protections destroy jobs and immobilize resource extraction industries in tangles of red tape. It’s a storyline that’s especially prevalent around endangered species. Logging companies can’t clear-cut forests because of spotted owls. Protecting salmon would shut down mines.

Both the U.S. government and the Ontario government are making similar arguments as they attempt to strip key protections from their respective endangered species acts. The Ontario government references “barriers to economic development” as it suggests weakening habitat protections and opening loopholes that could delay recovery actions. One proposed amendment to the U.S. Endangered Species Act would water down protections for species threatened, but not yet endangered. Another amendment would allow officials to consider economic factors when determining whether species are imperilled — potentially giving industry lobbyists influence over decisions that should be based on science.

There’s a reason for the dilemma between protecting species and protecting industries. It’s because humans have pushed so many species to the brink. We’re careening towards the earth’s sixth mass extinction. Species are vanishing between one hundred and one thousand times faster than the natural rate of extinction. Dire circumstances demand bold action.

Last week CPAWS Yukon released a report, explaining why we believe the territory should enact species at risk legislation of its own. Current federal and territorial laws aren’t sufficient to protect the Yukon’s biodiversity. Canada’s Species at Risk Act has little power outside of federal lands, meaning it does not apply on the vast majority of land in the Yukon. Meanwhile the Yukon’s Wildlife Act applies to just five percent of species. Standalone species at risk legislation would give the Yukon the tools necessary to protect our most vulnerable animals and plants.

In the Yukon we have the luxury of being proactive. Like much of the north, we have not yet experienced the breadth of biodiversity loss that much of the planet has. If the Yukon enacts laws that protect species before they are critically endangered, then industries shouldn’t fear lawsuits or stop work orders over species at risk.

It’s even possible that lack of territorial legislation could cause industries unnecessary confusion in the future. The current gaps in legislation could lead to a foreseeable situation where the Yukon government is forced to adapt an existing law beyond its intended purpose to provide emergency protection for a species, causing complications for everybody involved. Far from making miners and prospectors endangered species, territorial species at risk legislation would provide them with more certainty. Protecting species that need help — while also creating clearer sets of rules — should be something we all can agree on.

The online commenter who recommended an open season on environmentalists missed one easy critique of protecting species at risk. It’s the question: who cares? Couldn’t the world do without the spiked saxifrage and the yellow-banded bumble bee? Maybe. But there’s an adage in ecology — take one rivet out of an airplane and it will still fly. But continue removing rivets and eventually the plane will fall from the sky. Species, and the roles and relationships they carry, are the rivets that hold ecosystems together.

I’m in awe when I think of the quirky adaptations that animals and plants have found to flourish on this planet. How is it that newly-hatched semipalmated sandpipers can fly from the Arctic tundra all the way to the shores of South America — without any guidance from their parents? When caterpillars weave themselves into cocoons, do they know they’ll grow shimmering wings and emerge as butterflies? Every time a species vanishes, our planet loses part of what makes it so special.

Many of the Yukon’s ecosystems are largely intact, but we can’t take it for granted. The chance to protect our species and ecosystems while they are still relatively healthy won’t last forever. CPAWS Yukon is calling on the Government of Yukon to enact species at risk legislation. If you agree our ecological identity is worth protecting, please do so too.

March 4 2019

Yukoners overwhelmingly support permanent protection of Peel Watershed

CPAWS Yukon News final consultation, news, Peel

February 27, 2019 (Whitehorse, YT) – CPAWS Yukon and the Yukon Conservation Society (YCS) are pleased to see an overwhelming call for stronger protection in the Peel Regional Land Use Plan What We Heard Report released yesterday.

The report breaks down the 2,674 email, letter, and questionnaire submissions during the final consultations. We are pleased to see that the public has spoken and over 96.4% of people asked for at least the implementation of the Final Recommended Plan (which calls for 55% permanent protection, 25% interim protection). 64.5% of people asked for protection to be stronger than in the Final Recommended Plan.

Over the past 20 years, CPAWS Yukon and YCS have been advocating for permanent protection of this unspoiled landscape that spans over 68,000 km2 – about 14% of the entire Yukon. Home to iconic northern wildlife such as grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou, and lynx, the Peel Watershed provides a much needed sanctuary that is integral for plants, animals, and humans to thrive.

The landmark victory at the Supreme Court of Canada in December 2017 (by appellants First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, CPAWS Yukon, and YCS) provided the public with this opportunity to exercise their right – as laid out in the Umbrella Final Agreement – to help decide the future of this landscape through final consultations on the Final Recommend Plan for the Peel Watershed.

Now that consultations are complete, CPAWS Yukon and YCS hope that Yukon policy- and decision-makers will act on the public desire for a protected Peel Watershed as they finalize the Peel Watershed Land Use Plan.

“We’re thrilled that so many people participated in the final consultations. It’s clear that Yukoners want to see the strongest possible protection for the Peel Watershed, and Yukon government has a great opportunity to show that they’re listening.” – Chris Rider, Executive Director, CPAWS Yukon

“Climate change and industrial development are threats to biodiversity and the health of the land in the Yukon and across the globe. Protecting wildlife and wild places like the Peel Watershed is the key to our shared future.” – Dr. Mike Walton, Executive Director, Yukon Conservation Society

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Contacts

Adil Darvesh, Communications Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
adarvesh@cpawsyukon.org, 867-393-8080 x9

Julia Duchesne, Outreach and Communications Director, YCS
outreach@yukonconservation.org, 867-668-5678 x1

Contacts for quotes

David Loeks, Former Chair of the Peel Commission
867-633-5470, loeks@northwestel.net

Kalin Pallett, President of Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon (WTAY)
867-335-6469, kalin@eddyline.ca

Donald Reid, Conservation Zoologist – Wildlife Conservation Society Canada
867-456-7556, dreid@wcs.org

Google Drive folder with images
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Zb5K0VM4LKPw0nmGSPxcLkdPEFikhyr9

February 1 2019

The ATAC Road to Rau would transform the Beaver River Watershed

CPAWS Yukon Blog, BlogBeaverRiver beaver river watershed, blog, land use planing, rau

Header Image: Dusk on Hanson Lakes. The Hanson Lakes sit just west of the start point of the proposed road. Randi Newton
Written by: Randi Newton, Conservation Coordinator

Almost two years ago, a recommendation from the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) cracked the door open for industry to transform the unspoiled wilderness of the Beaver River Watershed, a landscape perched at the Peel Watershed’s southern doorstep. In May 2017, YESAB recommended that Yukon Government give ATAC Resources, a mining exploration company, the go-ahead to build a 65 km mining road to access the Tiger Gold deposit on its Rau property. The region’s wild creatures, healthy landscapes, and clear waters are at risk.

ATAC’s proposed Road to Rau (dotted in black) leads to mining claims (red) that stretch to the border of the Northwest Territories, far beyond the Beaver River Watershed planning boundary. The road could transform this unspoiled wilderness.

Fortunately, the Beaver River Watershed Land Use Plan – now at the very beginning stages – is a chance to protect the wildlife, habitat, and intact ecosystems that give life to the watershed. We can still ensure that sustainability is at the heart of all decision-making. The Planning Committee is hosting a public meeting in Whitehorse on Wednesday, Feb. 6^th (details below), and meetings have already taken place in Mayo and Keno. Show up to let the committee know that Yukoners care about protecting the watershed’s wildlife and wilderness.

Beaver River Watershed Land Use Plan public meeting

February 6^th, 6 – 8 PM

Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, 1171 First Avenue

Whitehorse

How did we get here and why is the plan so important?

YESAB’s decision to recommend approval of the 65 km Road to Rau stunned many Yukoners. The decision largely ignores the significant impacts on fish and wildlife identified by the Department of Environment and a contracted wildlife expert. Approving such a long road for a mining project still in the exploration phase was unprecedented. For context, the proposed road is only 8 km shorter than the drive from downtown Whitehorse to Carcross.

The proposed route cuts through habitat for moose, grizzly bears, salmon, and scores of other wildlife. The science of road ecology clearly shows these species will be harmed by things like habitat loss, road avoidance, and overhunting. If built, the road will cross 73 rivers and streams, including spawning and rearing grounds for salmon and Dolly Varden char. Only 8 crossings are bridged and, alarmingly, culverts or fords are proposed for the remaining 65. Sedimentation, habitat destruction and the obstruction of fish movement are big concerns.

Despite these concerns, we have a second chance to get things right and maintain a functioning wild landscape for the wildlife that depend on it. Before road construction can be authorized, Yukon Government and the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun agreed that a land use plan for the Beaver River Watershed must be in place. This process is now at the very beginning stage. Getting the land use plan right is critically important because the future impacts of the road extend well beyond the road itself. Construction of the road could ultimately transform the entire watershed from unspoiled wilderness to a forever-scarred mining district.

Let me explain.

Right now, the Beaver River Watershed is largely undisturbed. However, Yukon’s mining recorder shows that the watershed is on the brink of change. A cascade of quartz claims stretch across the entire watershed and beyond, all the way to the border of the Northwest Territories. Quartz claims also extend north, and some are nestled along the Peel Watershed’s southern border. It’s only a matter of time before YESAB faces a torrent of applications to extend the road to these projects. Placer staking is sure to follow. Without a good land use plan in place to set common-sense limits on development and protect the region’s wildlife and wilderness, this single strand of road will lead to a tangled web of development.

What should the Beaver River Watershed Plan include?

While we don’t know much yet about the direction of the Beaver River Watershed land use plan, the future of the region’s wildlife and wilderness rest on a few key things:

Using traditional knowledge, local knowledge, and conservation science to get a better baseline understanding of the region’s environment and wildlife. For example, right now there are almost no on-the-ground assessments of fish habitat at the proposed ATAC road water crossings.
Understanding how the proposed 65 km road and future development will impact wildlife populations. For instance, studies show that grizzly bear survival decreases when roads are introduced. We can use modelling to predict how bears in the Beaver River Watershed will be impacted.
Setting common-sense limits on development. Wildlife needs functioning habitat and we lose wildlife when we put too much development pressure on their habitat.
Developing a robust system for wildlife monitoring and adaptive management. Decision makers need a way to understand what’s happening on the ground so they can make good decisions.

Only once all of these pieces are in place can we decide if the Road to Rau is right for the region.

How you can help

Come to the public meeting next Wednesday and stay involved throughout the process. The Planning Committee needs to know that you care about the watershed. CPAWS Yukon will stay tuned to the plan and let you know what’s happening.