tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16381183191513294252024-03-13T23:02:27.959-07:00dry rot journalal granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-41621060832512631992018-04-11T13:43:00.001-07:002018-04-11T14:43:10.392-07:00E.COLI in RANGELAND STREAMS 2017: The problem continues.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our new report: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> for 2017 is the fourth in a series of reports documenting E.coli in range-land streams.<o:p></o:p> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">see
the full report:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli2017.pdf"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here<o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The project began in 2007 and has shown that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>E.coli counts are almost entirely related to
range-cattle presence or absence and that E.coli counts that could be attributable
to wildlife (in the absence of cattle) are negligible or frequently nil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Monthly stream testing going back to 2007 firmly established
the patterns of contamination to the point that further monthly testing at our
own considerable expense is no longer necessary to prove the point. It is
interesting however to periodically sample, based on cattle activity in
riparian zones, and when observations suggest, that contamination is likely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our new report again focuses on Johnstone Creek, Ingram
Creek, Gilpin Creek and the Gilpin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notably two of the areas of sampling are within Provincial
Parks, Johnstone and Gilpin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As in past years the stream contamination speaks to the
inability or unwillingness of oversight agencies to prevent damage and
contamination on public-lands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the full 2017 Report and links to the three preceding
reports,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli2017.pdf"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here<o:p></o:p></span></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDxu2ly1Tc4/Ws6AntGF-SI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/XOcT0ltktEM10OZAs-IseXOl-NONOKyswCLcBGAs/s1600/dugout%2B1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDxu2ly1Tc4/Ws6AntGF-SI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/XOcT0ltktEM10OZAs-IseXOl-NONOKyswCLcBGAs/s400/dugout%2B1.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dugout in Gilpin Grasslands. See report for contamination results.<br />
click to enlarge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbssFgGg-qY/Ws6AodLKjCI/AAAAAAAAAKA/RtHy_DJncc8hQ2HG1Jyr14DdQmxmqlh8ACLcBGAs/s1600/dugout%2B2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbssFgGg-qY/Ws6AodLKjCI/AAAAAAAAAKA/RtHy_DJncc8hQ2HG1Jyr14DdQmxmqlh8ACLcBGAs/s400/dugout%2B2.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same oozing dugout as in above picture.<br />
click to enlarge</td></tr>
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al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-81661335198122696112018-04-10T13:31:00.000-07:002018-04-11T13:34:23.536-07:00ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION: Is it working? We say no.<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent years a number of Ecosystem Restoration (Ecological Restoration) projects have been undertaken in the Boundary area, closely following the examples of projects in the Kootenay Trench area where projects have a 12 year or more record.<br /><br />The effectiveness and “success” of these projects is questionable. It is apparent from reports, “reading between the lines of reports” and talking to land managers, that planned objectives are rarely met, and that the same old stories of cattle and wildlife competition (in the Kootenays) are unresolved. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the Boundary our observations of various projects are that excessive thinning and removal of forest have detrimentally affected wildlife habitat in a variety of ways.<br /><br />Funding for these projects has drawn on various public funded sources with significant contributions from the Habitat Conservation Fund which is largely funded by hunter/fisher contributions. In our view the extent to which projects have detrimentally affected wildlife habitat has not yet been recognized by those interested in protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat. We are working on it.<br /><br />Our new article focuses on the Johnstone Creek Park project, west of Rock Creek. <br /><br /> See full article and pictures <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/jcparkcombined.pdf"> here.</a><br /><br />An area designated as Important Ungulate Winter Range and an important wildlife corridor. This treed area was the only substantial north south wildlife corridor west to Osoyoos, North to Westbridge and East to Greenwood. <br /><br />The Park is being logged heavily to the point that the important aspects of Important Ungulate Winter Range are being trashed, with removal of any effective snow interception cover, thermal cover and security cover.<br /><br />The rational for this and similar projects is “returning” an area to some previous, unspecified point in time when the forest may have been more “open.”<br /><br />“When invoking some ‘desirable” point in time to recreate, plan authors need to not only document the period and the specifics, but <strong>consider the intervention on a landscape scale, recognizing adjacent and area changes that have occurred, transforming surrounding areas</strong>.<br /><br />Forest removal by agriculture, forest removal for commercial use, much of it clearcuts, except for local woodlot treatments that generally provide thinning while retaining favourable wildlife habitat. Substantial forest loss to wildfire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />After recognizing these changes, planners might better "see" the value of a forested remnant area like Johnstone Creek.<br /><br /> A couple of before and after pictures from the Johnstone Creek Project:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xysMgoSB2Sg/Ws5uL4r0TcI/AAAAAAAAAJk/ydrlxpk8HiMAKbv8w2xSeUcqtcWyKqpuACLcBGAs/s1600/JC%2BPark%2Bwest%2Bend%2Bbefore%2Blogging%2B%2Bdec%2B2017.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xysMgoSB2Sg/Ws5uL4r0TcI/AAAAAAAAAJk/ydrlxpk8HiMAKbv8w2xSeUcqtcWyKqpuACLcBGAs/s400/JC%2BPark%2Bwest%2Bend%2Bbefore%2Blogging%2B%2Bdec%2B2017.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West end of Johnstone Creek Park before logging</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZOIa6-7FJo/Ws5ui9BaJOI/AAAAAAAAAJo/WyZm7oTSm74yVSHyaPDRrW_SAxNshicRQCLcBGAs/s1600/JC%2BPark%2Bwest%2Bend%2Bmar%2B11%2B2018.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZOIa6-7FJo/Ws5ui9BaJOI/AAAAAAAAAJo/WyZm7oTSm74yVSHyaPDRrW_SAxNshicRQCLcBGAs/s400/JC%2BPark%2Bwest%2Bend%2Bmar%2B11%2B2018.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After logging. This tree density provides no effective snow interception cover,<br />
thermal cover or security cover.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the full article and pictures: </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/jcparkcombined.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a></div>
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al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-81803410837091221762018-04-09T11:16:00.000-07:002018-04-11T11:20:25.630-07:00CRYPTOGAMIC SOIL LOSS and other damaging effects of Cattle Grazing<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CRYPTOGAMIC SOIL LOSS & OTHER CONSEQUENCES of CATTLE
GRAZING on PUBLIC LANDS</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Photo-essay in which we:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(1) show range-cattle effects on Cryptogamic Crusts, AKA
Biological Soils or crusts, Microbiotic Soils or Cryptobiotic Soils. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cattle
trampling results in loss of these soils, encourages weed spread, particularly
cheat grass and knap weed, forest expansion into grasslands and has various
other land degrading effects. Beneficial effects include maintenance of soil
stability, atmospheric nitrogen fixing, infiltration, nutrient contributions
and resistance to water and wind erosion. See Addendum to read more on
Cryptogamic Crusts/Soils and Cheatgrass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(2) show other damaging effects by range-cattle on
grasslands and vegetation, including inhibited recovery of plant communities as
a result of overgrazing, soil compaction, time of grazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While this article illustrates some of the degrading effects
of range-cattle grazing, other damaging effects, particularly in riparian
zones, impact water quality and quantity. These effects are the subject of
several other reports on our website, documenting damage and water contamination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See the full article with pictures:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/cryptogamic_crusts.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here<o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4C2t4jkCgUk/Ws5Pma3YaDI/AAAAAAAAAJM/NtX-buauzOIDIYEvVCN5XgEZTKXFUiz-wCLcBGAs/s1600/DSCN5186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4C2t4jkCgUk/Ws5Pma3YaDI/AAAAAAAAAJM/NtX-buauzOIDIYEvVCN5XgEZTKXFUiz-wCLcBGAs/s400/DSCN5186.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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An area ungrazed by cattle. Here the Cryptogamic crusts provide </div>
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protection against weed growth and forest ingrowth.</div>
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al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-87288074146657199532018-04-07T10:46:00.000-07:002018-04-11T10:59:33.821-07:00CANNINGS & COWS<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> CANNINGS & COWS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Area representative M.P. Dick Cannings recently authored a piece in local papers in support of the National Park proposed for the Okanagan in which he advocated the continuance of cattle grazing on public land.<br /> <br />As supporters of the National Park idea, we have published articles of support with our support contingent on removal of the cow.<br /> <br />See:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/nationalpark.pdf">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/nationalpark.pdf</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/scientists_parkdeclaration.pdf">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/scientists_parkdeclaration.pdf</a><br /> <br />We recently wrote to M.P. Cannings to take issue with his support for cattle grazing, the precedent that would be created that could affect other National Parks, and the background reasons behind his cattle grazing support. <br /> <br />In the absence of any acknowledgement or reply by M.P. Cannings, we are now publishing an <strong>Open Letter to M.P. Cannings. </strong> <br /> See full story </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/canningsandcows.pdf"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The following is an extract from our “Open Letter to M.P. Cannings.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Your support for continued cattle grazing, and the precedent that would be established in a National Park is an unfortunate proposal that fails to promote willing seller, willing buyer discussions that would result in removal of the cow. More significant is that your support for continued cattle grazing ignores the role of cattle as “degradation agents” whose presence has greatly damaged grasslands and habitat, and continues to do so.</span></div>
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We might have expected, given your environmental interests, you would be well aware of the economic and environmental absurdity of cattle grazing on public land.</div>
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We were aware however of a cautionary note when we saw/heard your reported comment, prior to your election, that cattle grazing in the Okanagan benefitted some birds. In enquiring (to people better acquainted with your work) as to whether this might mean that you would support continued cattle grazing in a Park, respondents thought good sense would prevail, not cows.</div>
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<strong>It seems clear that desired habitat for some nesting bird is of more concern to you than the wide-ranging damage occurring, thanks to cattle grazing.</strong></div>
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Some comment on the bird in question may be useful.</div>
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To quote from your own book and your other comments, “Lark Sparrow, (nesting is)associated with bare earth between grass clumps and shrubs in grasslands, <strong>so may actually benefit from cattle grazing”.</strong></div>
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Interestingly, the Audubon Society, perhaps better aware of cattle damage, describes the Lark Sparrow as “fairly common and widespread in the West....nesting in open country, bare ground, <strong>overgrazed pastures</strong>”</div>
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We provided the following partial list of cattle related problems and damage to M. P. Cannings.</div>
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<strong>A partial list of problems associated with cattle grazing:</strong></div>
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<ul>
<li>grassland and riparian degradation</li>
<li>absurd water consumption raising low value crops</li>
<li>water contamination</li>
<li>cattle contribution to weed spread, cheat grass and other invasives.</li>
<li>public fencing costs</li>
<li>ecological-restoration costs (millions in public funds spent to repair damage, without removing the root cause, cattle)</li>
<li>lost opportunity costs</li>
<li>forest regrowth damage</li>
<li>conflicts with wildlife, habitat, food</li>
<li>growing awareness of cattle contribution to global warming. </li>
</ul>
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For the complete story see the full article: <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/canningsandcows.pdf"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><br /><br /> </span></div>
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al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-25739566354583955702018-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:002018-04-10T15:08:49.444-07:00PROFESSIONAL RELIANCE REVIEW: Our Comments<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">B.C Government Professional Reliance Review: Our Submission</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Provincial Government
recently requested public input on the question of “Professional Reliance.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We provided a response and
published it together with a response by Dr Brian Horejsi of Speak Up For <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wildlife Foundation.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See the full
submissions:</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/professionalreliance.pdf">here<o:p></o:p></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In our view Professional Reliance
has been increasingly used to off-load Governments oversight of public <span style="font-family: "calibri";">resources and has resulted in a
handover of resources to proponents and those developing or exploiting <span style="font-family: "calibri";">resources, effectively enabling
industry to dictate conditions affecting public resources.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While Government has defended the
PR model, together with so-called “Results Based” <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">oversight, some of the more
egregious examples of failure of the model, Shawnigan Lake,<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mount Polley, will continue to
demonstrate the problems inherent in the model.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The model also distances the
public from engagement with processes having an effect on public <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">assets, enables proponents to
limit information provided, based (for example) on spurious <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">claims of withholding
“proprietary” information, and enables proponents to effectively control <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">public input or concerns. The
latter being the transfer of responsibility of public hearings to <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">proponents while Government removes
itself from the process.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the myth that PR can
effectively represent the public interest is propagated by <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Government and proponents. It is
the opinion of this writer:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>that professionals employed by or contracted by proponents have an inherent conflict of <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">interest and that to a greater or lesser degree
can be expected to prioritize the interests of <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their employer/agency, over the public
interest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>Given the expectations of proponents, their
ability to dictate Terms of Reference, devote or <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">withhold resources or information and their
ability to control and edit information, an <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">essential bias in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>favor of the proponent’s interests is
inevitable. When you add the weight of <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
control proponents have over the future advancement, re-employment prospects of
the <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">professionals involved, some degree of bias
is a natural, predictable and inevitable outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What checks and balances are in
place to counter such bias? Increasingly, nothing effective, <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but a disingenuous claim by
Government that critics of PR should take their case to the <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Professionals Regulatory Bodies.
(See BC Auditor report and concerns re Mount Polley where <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Government replied to the
criticisms by suggesting that, “concern about over reliance on <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">qualified professionals is a
criticism of professional body’s ability to regulate their professions.”)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Government is suggesting that it is the responsibility of professional bodies to maintain some mythical level of objectivity that will maintain the public interest, while being well aware that regulation within professions is a moveable attempt to mostly control the ways in which professionals should avoid "stepping on each other". This has resulted in various efforts by professions to silence, punish or remove members who have "in their professional actions" taken issue with another professional. So much for expectations of objectivity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Extract from Dr Brian Horejsis’s
comments:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<em>Each and every
corporation, company, commercial entity, individual and/or association that </em></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em>is engaged </em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em> in the use of or exploitation of public “resources”, (land, water,
forests, wildlife,</em><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em> fish and birds) must be subject to scrutiny and regulatory
oversight by an accountable, structured, disciplined and supervised Public
Service Ministry</em>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If any reader thinks the Forest
Practices Board (FPB) could presently fill that role, we add Dr Horejsi’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>comment on the FPB as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<em>The Forest
Practices Board of today is an offshoot of the Professional Reliance
revolution. It <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was born to
provide technical analysis of the consequences of Public Service and Ministry<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">behavior <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">but was designed deliberately to be
neutered of regulatory authority</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While it
produces report upon report of Ministry failures and land user misconduct, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">it<o:p></o:p></b></span></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">remains but a pimple on the chin </b>of the
Ministry of FLNRO, and continues dutifully to have no <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">material bearing
on the actions of commercial and corporate land users.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We would note that a former Chair
of the FPB has proposed that the FPB should be the entity to do the oversight
in a variety of areas. Other recent public comment has proposed that the FPB
should provide oversight of Oil and Gas production.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In our opinion the FPB as
presently structured does not and can not provide meaningful oversight for the
reasons noted above by Dr Horejsi (highlights by us) and we have a number of
personal experiences that confirm those concerns.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is unlikely that some
“restructuring” of the FPB would result in the necessary regulatory oversight
needed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We propose a completely new
structure.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To read the full submissions </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/professionalreliance.pdf"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
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</div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-50249727429740166482018-02-17T13:44:00.000-08:002018-02-17T13:44:05.876-08:00LIVESTOCK WATERING REGULATIONS PROPOSALS: Our Comment
<span style="color: #888888; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jan 2018 the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change (MOE) issued Intentions Papers to enable ranchers to more easily access water on Public (Range) Land.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #888888; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #888888; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Intentions Papers, although issued by MOE appears to have been written by the cattle industry or Range Branch and contains so many misleading statements that we doubt that this is a credible process undertaken in good faith.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #888888; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the emphasis on the objectives of protection of the environment, this process comes from the demands of the cattle industry for easy access and effective ownership of a public resource.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: #888888; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The proposed regulations, with the numerous misleading statements in the
Intentions Papers make us doubt that this is a credible process.</span></span></span></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Anyone who thinks this narrowly focused attempt to respond to the wants of the
cattle industry will result in meaningful improvements is ignoring the history
and the failures of oversight agencies to prevent damage and public cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>A few of the problems associated with
cattle grazing</strong>:</span></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
grassland and riparian degradation…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
absurd water consumption raising low value crops…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
water contamination…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
cattle contribution to weed spread, cheat grass and other invasives…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
public fencing costs (decaying infrastructure which will result in huge public
cost.)…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
ecological-restoration costs (millions in public funds spent to repair damage,
without removing the primary root cause, cattle)…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
lost opportunity costs……</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
increased fire risk (and fire season) from cattle induced cheat grass
infestations…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
forest regrowth damage…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
conflicts with wildlife, habitat, food…..</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
growing awareness of cattle contribution to global warming……<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have submitted comment to Government and have detailed the :</span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broader Issues</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Misleading Statements</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why Existing & Proposed Regulations Fail to serve the Public Interest</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusions & Recommendations</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> However it appears that MOE is not publishing submissions (as has been the practice on other issues) nor have we received any confirmation of receipt of our submission. That suggests further that this process may not be credible.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our detailed submission can be viewed at:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/livestockwateringsubmission.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/livestockwateringsubmission.pdf</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<strong>Our recommendation in that submission is that these proposals should be shelved
pending a full comprehensive and independent economic analysis of public land
(Range) use to include public and environmental costs including lost
opportunity costs.</strong></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
It is our expectation that an independent, objective analysis would show that
the public cost of Range use greatly exceeds the Public benefits, even before
the inclusion of lost opportunity costs. Similar analysis in the US (with a
similar range use regime) shows that public costs far exceed benefits, to the
point that it would be cheaper in the mid to long term to pay ranchers to
relinquish grazing permits, for payment. Paying ranchers in effect for grazing
rights that they do not in fact “own.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proposal of a full
economic/environmental assessment/study then poses a difficult question.</span></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
No Ministry in our experience could be relied upon to produce or commission
such a study without inserting the usual bias in favour of the ranching
industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps it is a job for the Auditor
General</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #494949; font-family: Myriad-Pro; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">................................................................................................................................................<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Gov't also provided short term access to a blog to allow comment on these proposed regulations. It appears that the blog is now closed for comment. For now the comments can be viewed at:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/2018/01/12/blog-post-24-proposed-livestock-watering-regulations-what-do-you-think/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://engage.gov.bc.ca/watersustainabilityact/2018/01/12/blog-post-24-proposed-livestock-watering-regulations-what-do-you-think/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
</div>
</div>
</div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-90395566385833201162017-03-18T13:47:00.000-07:002017-03-18T13:55:15.584-07:00KETTLE RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN: A CRITIQUE<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2010 the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary began a
process for a Kettle River Watershed Management Plan (KRWMP). The Plan was
finalized and published 2014/2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The process began after repeated appearances of the Kettle on the Endangered Rivers List.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.’s Endangered Rivers List</b> of
March 2011 listed the Kettle River as the #1 Endangered River in the Province.
The Kettle reached this sorry position after climbing up the list over several years,
having been #2 in 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See our full critique here:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/krwmp_a_critique.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/krwmp_a_critique.pdf</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our extended article critiques the way this process was
initiated, the inadequate Terms of Reference and critical gaps, errors and
omissions in the Technical Assessment (Summit Environmental Report) and the
KRWMP Report. The article also criticizes the adequacy of the Plan in
addressing current and future issues affecting the Kettle Watershed and in
creating full public awareness of those issues. The KRWMP is less a “Management
Plan” than a limited overview of the issues, lacking concrete actions to
address the issues, and a Plan which largely suggests other levels of
Government do what is needed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our extended article expands on the following topics:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Background<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Terms of Reference<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Process Structure, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">How well did the KRWMP Structure Work ?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Public Meeting Format<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Water Quality & Source Water Protection<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Water Quality: Heavy metals & substances<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Low water flows & High temperatures<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Conclusions & Recommendations<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our final recommendation is that no one should use the KRWMP
as a template.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our extended article also links to our youtube video below.<br />
If your devices and download speeds allow, video is available in up to 1920 x
1080 high definition.</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KETTLE RIVER DRONE TOUR<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aeBIDWAS4aw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aeBIDWAS4aw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Other KRWMP articles can be found on our website and the website page
below:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our KRWMP page: </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_014.htm"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "calibri";">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_014.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-89465913950303929252017-03-18T09:55:00.000-07:002017-03-18T10:09:23.392-07:00E.COLI COUNTS IN RANGELAND STREAMS: 2016 EDITION<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our <strong>full report</strong> on testing of representative rangeland (public land) streams in 2015 and 2016 is available in the link below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.colireport2016.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.colireport2016.pdf</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As in previous reports, the patterns show that E.coli counts are almost entirely related to range-cattle </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">presence or absence and that E.coli counts that could be attributable to wildlife (in the absence of cattle) are negligible or frequently nil.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The multi-year, multi-month scope of this study is unusual in that most studies monitor over shorter periods.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our 2015-2016 results together with our other reports going back to 2007 provide compelling evidence that<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">E. coli contamination in streams relates directly to the presence or absence of range-cows.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Testing in 2015-2016 is a continuation of earlier studies, reported in earlier articles:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli_report2013.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli_report2013.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ecolireport2009.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ecolireport2009.pdf</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The 2013 Report has a full discussion of factors affecting stream contamination (in addition to tenure holders) including the roles of Ministry of Forests and Range, Forest & Range Evaluation Program, BC Cattlemen's Association.</span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>For all E.coli & Cattle related articles see our web page:</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm</strong></span></a></div>
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<br />al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-5526488124579373902017-03-17T15:09:00.000-07:002017-03-18T08:41:12.784-07:00GILPIN GRASSLANDS SAGA: 2016 Edition<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>The sorry history of “range management” in the Gilpin
continued in 2016</strong>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the complete story see extended article at:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/gilpin_saga2016.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/gilpin_saga2016.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The video below tells part of the tale, and if your devices
and download speed allow, the video is viewable at up to 1920 x 1080 high
definition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H8v9864zPRU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H8v9864zPRU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Drone views provide a new perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2016 we saw repeats of earlier issues plus some new ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Range cattle invading, damaging, and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>contaminating parkland, and a protected area at Gilpin Creek.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New wildlife unfriendly fencing installed in the Gilpin.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Flooding of Lost Lake area by tenure holder or agents through failure to set up cattle waterer.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will the tenure holder do the right thing in 2017 to prevent damage? Will Range Branch, MFLNRO, ensure it?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cattle grazing on public land makes no economic or ecological sense</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>For previous articles on problems in the Gilpin and on range cattle issues see </strong><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/">www.boundaryalliance.org</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">and the page <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm</a></span></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-24697350040004362982017-03-17T10:43:00.000-07:002017-03-18T08:40:18.165-07:00LOGGING in BC: 32 YEAR TIMELAPSE VIEW<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Timelapse is a global, zoomable, view on Google Earth showing how the Earth has changed over 32 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Navigate to areas of interest as usual within Google Earth, mosaics can be viewed at various speeds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Navigate to the Boundary area BC, for a startling view of the extent of logging in the area. Although the Timelapse video indicates it covers the period 1984 to 2016 it appears that their info is taken from 2 year old source views, so the last couple of years of active logging in the Boundary don't show.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sustainable?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/#v=50.42741,-119.97841,9.911,latLng&t=1.20"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://earthengine.google.com/timelapse/#v=50.42741,-119.97841,9.911,latLng&t=1.20</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our thanks to independent Biologist Brian Horejsi for the link.</span>al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-9958272080849809452017-03-17T10:12:00.000-07:002017-03-23T14:56:03.397-07:00NEW ZEALAND RIVER WORLD'S FIRST LEGAL ENTITY2017:<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New Zealand passed a bill recognizing the Whanganui River as a legal entity. A world first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Ruling means the river will be entitled to representation in court proceedings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The New Zealand Parliament passed the bill making it the first natural resource to be given a legal personality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I know the initial inclination of some people will say it's pretty strange to give a natural resource a legal personality, " said New Zealand's Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson. "But it is no stranger than family trusts, or companies or incorporated societies."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39282918"><span style="border: currentColor;"><span style="border: currentColor;"><span style="color: #047ac6; font-family: "calibri";">http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39282918</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
Wit</span>h extracts from BBC and Daily Mail</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Our comment:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Good to think about the possibility of legal status for rivers here. Locally the Kettle River was given Heritage Status years ago, but Heritage Status and the recent Kettle River Watershed Management Plan, have failed to protect the Kettle River system from past, present and future threats.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><strong>A few days later:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">An Indian Court, acknowledging the New Zealand action, has given similar protection to the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, "meaning that if anyone harms or pollutes either river, the law would view it as no different from harming a person." See more:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/indian-court-gives-2-rivers-same-rights-as-a-human-1.3333556"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "calibri";">http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/indian-court-gives-2-rivers-same-rights-as-a-human-1.3333556</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-83787758350404087072016-01-12T10:51:00.001-08:002016-01-12T11:08:20.673-08:00LOST LAKE REVISITED <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end of April 2014 a group of public minded citizens
replaced a section of fence around Lost Lake in the Gilpin Grasslands to better
protect the area from off-road vehicles and range cow damage. The new fence was
constructed as fully wildlife friendly fencing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Story on the new fencing was originally reported Nov
2014<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In spring 2015 Range Branch and Ministry of Forests Lands
and Natural Resources (MFLNRO) and Ministry of Environment, installed signage
and a seating bench at Lost Lake, some six years after their original fence construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The major message on that signage appears to
have been prompted by the concerns raised in our original Nov 2014 article: see
section on “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Waterer Not Activated.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Incredibly
the major message on the Governments new signage in 2015:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tried to justify the original placement of the fence as bounding existing riparian vegetation.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">introduced a long winded and misleading rationale for why there was no water in the waterer.</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Regarding
(1) it became apparent over time that the older fence failed to protect
existing riparian<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>vegetation which
showed up outside that fence and also failed to provide any worthwhile setback
from such vegetation. The original fence placement also did not prevent a
throughway for off-road vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
new wildlife friendly fence installed by public minded citizens in 2014 fixed
those problems.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Regarding
(2) the claim on the new signage blaming the City of Grand Forks for not
providing water for the waterer, is contrary to what was claimed by MFLNRO in
extended conversations with the writer<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>June
20 2014. See more detail on those discussions in our Nov 2014 article:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf</span></span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crucially
however, the Government’s claim on the sign, that the City of Grand Forks would
not provide water for the waterer, is according to the City of Grand Forks, not
true.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">In
addition to the misleading (or worse) information provided on the sign, the
sign is placed looking down the length of the new fence installed in 2014 by
volunteers. Viewers of the sign might expect that this new wildlife friendly
fence was the work of Government. On the contrary, Range Branch and MFLNRO have
resisted such installations despite public concerns and the advice of the
Forest Practices Board. MFLNRO was in fact engaged in “investigating who was
responsible” for the “unauthorized” new fence while placing this misleading
signage that suggests it is their work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
addition to the serial misrepresentations of the signage, it was installed
together with a bench and sign celebrating off-road vehicle usage in the area.
The scars on the land from such activities will be apparent in upcoming
articles. We wonder if those supporting or sponsoring the signage including the
Trails signage are fully aware of the damage done to public land by
range-cattle and off road activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2P_1GQudyHk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2P_1GQudyHk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">youtube video 3.14 min</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if your devices and download speed allow, available at up to 1080 HD</span></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our
November 2014 article on installation of the new wildlife friendly fence:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">made a
number of complaints and suggestions regarding Government oversight of public
resources and faulty installation of fences and waterers in the Gilpin
Grasslands and elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The misleading
signage installed by Government in 2015 further demonstrates their lack of
competence and inability to honestly deal with the damaging realities of Range
use and oversight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Extended pdf version with additional pictures, background and transcript of message on signage, available at:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.boundaryalliance.org</span></a></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>
</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-37805350331793142152015-12-07T10:33:00.000-08:002015-12-07T10:33:04.536-08:00Our Fencing Project on Nature Trust Land: Revisited
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As told in an earlier article
July 2015:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/naturetrust.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/naturetrust.pdf</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">A portion of damaged Nature Trust property in the Gilpin Grasslands has
been fenced by volunteers to protect a spring and riparian area. This will be
the first time since the property was acquired by Nature Trust in 1973, that
this piece, approximately 6 acres, will be protected from range cows and
off-roaders. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The fence was proposed at
meetings of the Committee for the Enhancement of the Gilpin. Work began late
2014 and was completed June 2015. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Approximately 6 acres of Nature Trust land is now protected
by <b>wildlife friendly fencing </b>as per recommendations of Montana State
Wildlife Friendly Fencing Brochure. See details on
www.dryrotjournal.blogspot.ca Lost Lake blog of Nov 2014. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
For more on that story see the link above.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Volunteers returned to the newly fenced area Oct 2015 to
remove the dysfunctional fence installed a few years earlier by Range Branch,
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
That Range Branch fence deserves further comment as it was a non-wildlife friendly
fence installed too close to a spring and seasonal flow to provide any
worthwhile setback or protection from range cows. The Range Branch fence was
constructed in a U shape, open at the North end where it was apparently assumed
that dense brush would prevent cattle access. The assumption was wrong, cattle
pushed into the supposed enclosure and having done so, exited through the wire,
damaging the fence. The fence did not extend into the headwaters area of the spring
which remained open to cattle damage. In order to construct that fence, Range
Branch or designates felled numerous trees in the area and left them where they
fell. That fence and the damage were done on Nature Trust property without
permission or notice to Nature Trust.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other examples of Range Branch’s work can be found in the
Gilpin and elsewhere in the Boundary. Poorly planned, poorly executed, non-wildlife
friendly fencing and fencing along the edge of riparian zones that are
hazardous to wildlife. See more on that in our Nov 2014 article: </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf</span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The following YouTube video shows the new fence construction and the
take down of the older Range Branch dysfunctional fence.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pwOy4O4pMA4/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pwOy4O4pMA4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> If your device and download speed allow, select up to 1080 high definition video.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is our hope that this initiative will:</span></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Allow recovery of the Nature Trust Spring and surrounding area.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Demonstrate improved natural values in the absence of cattle grazing and off-roading.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Demonstrate the effectiveness of wildlife friendly fencing in the face of Range Branch’s reluctance to use same.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the latter point we are less than optimistic. Range
Branch has shown no ability or inclination to change their practices for the
benefit of anything other than cattle grazing.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>This article and video link are also available as a printable pdf at </strong><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/"><strong>http://www.boundaryalliance.org</strong></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-73505543143367917112015-11-27T10:55:00.003-08:002015-11-27T11:27:55.923-08:00SCIENTISTS DECLARE SUPPORT for OKANAGAN NATIONAL PARK<br />
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">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.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">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: </span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm"><span style="color: #6666ff; mso-themecolor: hyperlink; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm</span></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="line-height: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Al Grant for
Boundary Alliance.</span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></div>
<br />
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</h4>
<h4 style="line-height: 15.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 3.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
DECLARATION of SUPPORT for NEGOTIATIONS LEADING to a NEW FRAMEWORK for PROTECTING the SOUTH OKANAGAN LOWER SIMILKAMEEN</h4>
<div style="line-height: 15.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 3.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 3.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
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....</div>
<div style="line-height: 15.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 3.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 15.95pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 3.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for full text, maps and list of signatures see: </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/scientists_parkdeclaration.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.boundaryalliance.org/scientists_parkdeclaration.pdf</span></a></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-86100811552473972622015-09-22T08:52:00.000-07:002015-09-22T08:52:51.143-07:00SOUTH OKANAGAN NATIONAL PARK ?
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A guest piece this time from <b>John & Mary
Theberge</b>,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>biologist’s from Oliver
B.C. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">John & Mary’s recent book, <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ptarmigans Dilemma</i></b> expands on
grasslands issues in North America. We recommend the book and the opinions
contained in their letter below that first appeared in the Oliver Chronicle
September 11 2015. That book and <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wolf
Country: Eleven Years Tracking the Algonquin Wolves</i></b> are available at
amazon.ca <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">National Park </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">– </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Reasons for Concern - The Position of 2 of the
Proposal</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">’</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">s Initiators <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>John and Mary Theberge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oliver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We are 2 of 4 biologists who initiated the South
Okanagan national park proposal back in 2002.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">During the public
feasibility study, we put in years of effort to inform the public about its
high priority, ecological rationale, including staging a 2-day public science
forum to explain the meaning and values of a national park in this area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But a problem arose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The BC government pushed Parks Canada into
the untenable position of abandoning its foremost principle of maintaining
ecological integrity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With cattle
grazing, the lands before and after national park establishment would look and
feel very little different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>National parks are
meant to preserve and protect nature in as unimpeded a way as possible, to be
places where we stand back, for ethical and moral reasons, and let nature have
its way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dYn8iurZf6w/VgF3gtxPzTI/AAAAAAAAAFM/iohuvCap0iM/s1600/SOS_Barlee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dYn8iurZf6w/VgF3gtxPzTI/AAAAAAAAAFM/iohuvCap0iM/s320/SOS_Barlee.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Livestock grazing,
along with commercial logging and mining are prohibited, by Act, Policy and
Regulations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While any legal or
procedural changes to accommodate livestock grazing in a South Okanagan
national park undoubtedly would be restricted to this particular park, a dangerous
precedent would be set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>History has
shown that once you entrench rights in any park, national or provincial, the
legal prospects of removing them are in doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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We have already made far more concessions to outside
commercial interests than has the U.S. National Park system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For decades we have
championed national parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
university teacher, John has helped train many of the Agency<span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif;">’</span>s senior employees in
ecological park management, and chaired a national task force for the federal
Minister of the Environment on finding ways to complete the national park
system. The minister wanted to be able to make national parks without being
held to ransom by the provinces, as had happened so often before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, it has happened again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As ecologists, we recognize that livestock
grazing, even managed as well as possible, is invariably extremely destructive
in the dry southern interior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
lands never supported bison, which are roughly ecological equivalents to
cattle, and so are not adapted to the presence of a 1,200 pound grazing and
trampling herbivore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Delicate soils that
depend on cryptobiotic crusts for nitrogen, sensitive riparian habitats, and
the ubiquitous presence of seed sources of invasive plants, all make livestock
grazing and ecological integrity totally contradictory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Parks Canada</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">s statement in 2011 that they would manage </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">continued livestock grazing in the park concept area
in a manner consistent with ecological objectives and park values</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is scientifically absurd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, however, the
game has changed with the province<span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif;">’</span>s
recent press release of a proposed jurisdictional split into national park and
provincial park/conservancy lands, and its call for public comment by Oct.
12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking a big chunk out of the
national park proposal, BC would likely continue to despoil the lands it
manages, but it may withdraw the offending caveat on provincial crown lands it
hands over to Parks Canada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A real
national park, not a bastardized one, could happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similar to Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan,
it would accumulate gradually, probably over decades, assembled only as
ranchers willingly decide to sell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
no land included in a national park would remain cattle pasture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Act, Policy and Regulations, and the
whole ideal of national parks, would stay intact.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unhappily, we do
not know if that is in the cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Far
too little information was provided in the province<span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif;">’</span>s press release.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a real national park without grazing is in
the offing, we support it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, we
continue our objections and hope that people concerned with protecting and
restoring the wild beauty of an intact ecosystem, will object too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the current
ambiguity, and especially after the years of unresolved debate over appropriate
land uses, this request for public comment is almost insulting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ideally, BC together with First Nations,
should make clear what land uses they foresee, and extend the period of public
comment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But related to a national park,
at a minimum, Parks Canada should exploit the opportunity, right now, to
determine if the province has backed away from the livestock grazing ransom,
and issue a press release reassuring Canadians that it will not entertain
commercial ranching in any lands that may become a national park.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">John and Mary Theberge, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oliver
B.C.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This article and other background info on the park proposal can be found at <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/nationalpark.pdf">www.boundaryalliance.org/nationalpark.pdf</a></span></div>
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al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-76413018354732708552015-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:002015-09-21T11:03:30.778-07:00AGRI WASTE CONTROL REGULATION: Our comments<br />
<h1 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2e74b5;"><span style="font-family: Calibri Light;">AGRI WASTE CONTROL REGS REVIEW: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
comment….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sept 2015 <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri Light;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-themecolor: text1;">While there are multiple sources of waste contamination our submission
focuses on an area that receives little attention as per the following</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2e74b5;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1>
<br />
<h1 style="margin: 12pt 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #2e74b5;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri Light;">Submission to Agricultural Waste Control Regulation Review by: Al Grant for
Boundary Environmental Alliance Org.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri Light; font-size: large;">www.boundaryalliance.org</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2e74b5;"><span style="font-family: Calibri Light;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>September 14 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This writer approaches this process with great skepticism
informed by 40 years of farming and 30 years as an active environmentalist
(particularly in stream protection) in the Fraser Valley and here in the
Boundary area for the last 20 years. Having been a participant in numerous
exercises promoted by Government to address myriad environmental concerns, one
constant has been Government reluctance to do what is necessary to protect the
environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Twenty five years ago I wrote a report for the Langley
Township Council’s Environment Committee on Water Quality and Preservation of
Natural Resources. That report led to an Environmentally Sensitive Areas Study
by UBC. Both reports documented farm and other waste problems affecting streams
and large aquifers in the Fraser Valley. There was nothing new in this
information as the various sources of degradation had been known for years.
Despite numerous government and producer initiatives over the years these same
problems still persist and nitrate and other potentially harmful toxins have
increasingly created dead streams and ever increasingly tainted aquifers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This AWCR process has been going on for years, frightened it
appears, to move with any deliberate speed due to perceived agriculture
industry resistance and has indicated that any (presumably weak) changes will
be implemented over some extended timeline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This writer farmed as a (fairly large) hobby farmer for 40
years and in doing so had an inside perspective on industry concerns and
industry contributions to environmental problems. For those who perhaps regard
“hobby farming” as not real farming, I would point to the B C Cattle industry
which is the target of our upcoming criticisms, and point out that the recent
government Ranching Task Force pointed out that most ranches in BC have outside
work to support their hobby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since 2006 Boundary Alliance has documented damage and
pollution created by ranching operators in the Boundary area. The primary focus
has been on damage to public lands, so called range land made available to
ranching operators at an absurd rental. Other examples of damage on private
land exist and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>links are provided below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Earlier input into the AWCR process indicates a substantial
number of contributors want to preserve the status quo and resist “owning”
their contribution to the problem or even acknowledging the problem. One
response seemed to encapsulate this mindset by saying “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the samples of the Coldstream & Osoyoos Aquifer (given in an AWCR
update/review ) are not representative of watercourses and aquifers throughout
BC and are therefore not sufficient to demonstrate that broad based regulatory
changes are required</i>”. <br />
While the AWCR could have supplied a multitude of other documented problems, it
was not the purpose of that report to provide that long list. The problems of
Coldstream and Osoyoos aquifer are indeed representative of BC aquifers and
streams and in fact there are far more problems than government has so far
seen<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fit to acknowledge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The latest AWCR update/review referred to Best Management
Practices on Crown Land in Community Watersheds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our linked reports we note in detail that
MFLNRO has promoted the notion that some higher level of care, (guidelines only
and unenforceable) applies to Community Watersheds. The Forest Practices Board
and the organization representing logging on private land have both stated that
there is no justification or worthwhile rationale for distinguishing between
officially designated “Community Watersheds” and the many undesignated
watersheds on which many are dependent. The Ministry of Environment needs to
require all watersheds get protection and not follow the artificial distinction
that Ministry of Forests… has promoted.<br />
The notion that Best Management Practices will effectively address any range
use problems is only possible if one ignores all earlier criticisms of range
practices by Forest Practices Board, FREP and other observers who have noted
that Range Branch and rancher oversight is insufficient to protect public
resources. There are compelling reasons, including economics and attitudes that
that will remain so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The AWCR update/review of July 2015, footnoted (8) on
Section 10, page 9 that “</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Management Plans
for grazing leases do not consider water quality and that dispersed grazing for
low intensity well distributed livestock on grazing leases generally poses a
low environmental risk to water quality”.<br />
</i>Our articles and links that follow show this claim to be utterly
unjustified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The following reports document damage and pollution,
primarily by range cows, and demonstrate that the levels of contamination are
directly related to the presence or absence of range cows. The reports also
show that the level of contribution of wildlife to E.coli contamination of
streams is not significant, contrary to claims by Range Branch and ranchers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Links for our reports: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Problem with
Range Cattle,</b> a report sent to Ministry of Forests…, Ministry of
Agriculture, Min of Environment April 2010. Ministry of Environment never
replied to this report. Min of Forests indicated they were working on changes.
We have never seen them. The issue of contaminated water begins on page 10 of
that report, however the whole report refers to contributory factors.<br />
</span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/rangecattle%20problem.org"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.boundaryalliance.org/rangecattle
problem.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ecoli Counts in
Streams</b>, a 2009 report on several representative streams in the Boundary.<br />
</span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ecolireport2009.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.boundaryalliance.org/ecolireport2009.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pathogens and
Protection</b>, report which covered cattle range use in our sensitive dryland
area and the consequences to water quality, riparian zones.<br />
</span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/pathogens_and_protection.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.boundaryalliance.org/pathogens_and_protection.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Patterns of E.coli
Contamination in Public Land Streams related to the presence of Range Cattle.
2013</b> This study is ongoing. Results for 2014 and 2015 have not yet been
published but so far confirm the earlier results.<br />
</span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli_report2013.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli_report2013.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eholt Creek: A
Damaged Stream</b>.<br />
An example of private land damaged including video from 2014<br />
</span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/eholtcreek.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.boundaryalliance.org/eholtcreek.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A number of other complaints relating to cattle damage can
be found at our blog: <br />
</span><a href="http://www.dryrotjournal.blogspot.ca/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.dryrotjournal.blogspot.ca</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
with expanded versions on our website: </span><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.boundaryalliance.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Al Grant for Boundary Alliance Org</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A printable PDF version can be found at <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/AWCRcomments.pdf">www.boundaryalliance.org/AWCRcomments.pdf</a></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tags:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agricultural
Waste Control Regulation Review, Best Management Practices, Range Cow damage,
Stream damage by cows, E.Coli contamination of streams<o:p></o:p></span></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-75849191658315754012015-07-12T14:41:00.000-07:002015-09-22T08:57:00.495-07:00NATURE TRUST: Spring in Gilpin protected after 42 years<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A portion of damaged Nature Trust property in the Gilpin
Grasslands has been fenced by volunteers to protect a spring and riparian area.
This will be the first time since the property was acquired by Nature Trust in
1973, that this piece will be protected from range cows and off-roaders.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">See the Gilpin Grasslands Story:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_017.htm">here</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The fence was proposed at meetings of the Committee for the
Enhancement of the Gilpin. Work began late 2014 and was completed June 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Approximately 6 acres of Nature Trust land is now protected
by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">wildlife friendly fencing</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> As per recommendations of Montana State Wildlife Friendly Fencing Brochure. See</span> link to Montana State fencing
guidelines on dryrotjournal blog: Lost Lake..... Nov 2014.</span></div>
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</span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWkYHB2KsI4/VaLdUuUfaJI/AAAAAAAAAEo/cF4QD7wYmEE/s1600/GoogleEarth_Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWkYHB2KsI4/VaLdUuUfaJI/AAAAAAAAAEo/cF4QD7wYmEE/s320/GoogleEarth_Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">newly fenced area outlined. lost lake shows nearby to NW<br />
click on pics to enlarge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Barry Brandow and Al Grant of <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/">www.boundaryalliance.org</a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>initiated, led and financed materials for the
project and substantially completed the work with occasional help from other
volunteers and some hours contributed by Nature Trust’s Nick Burdock and
helpers. The fence represents a contribution by volunteers of $9,300.00 to
$10,700 value (based on contactor prices of $14,000 to $ 16,000 per km.)</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGb9BHkvlKA/VaLd9B68OlI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OfpZ9jDh1hM/s1600/20150501_135119%2528002%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OGb9BHkvlKA/VaLd9B68OlI/AAAAAAAAAEw/OfpZ9jDh1hM/s320/20150501_135119%2528002%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The original fence proposed would have expanded the area of
a dis-functional fence installed by Range Branch several years ago. At the
request of Nature Trust the area was expanded and ground conditions dictated a
further expansion, so that the protected area is now 70% larger than originally
proposed. It was originally intended that the fence be in place before arrival
of range-cows in May. We were unable to complete the enlarged area on that
schedule so some cow damage re-occurred in 2015 before completion of the
exclosure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We expect that exclusion of range cows and off-roaders will
result in a significant improvement in the natural attributes of the area in
future years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The range-cattle are supposedly in the area from May 7 to
June 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> each year but the reality is that range-cows have often
frequented the area from May through Oct/Nov with significant damage to
riparian zones and undue pressure on forage. See dryrotjournal blogs: Lost Lake .... Nov 2014 and Mike Pearson....June 2015 for biologist Mike Pearsons' report on this site and others in the Gilpin.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prior to this initiative various public funds have been
expended by Range Branch in the Gilpin grazing tenure, usually poorly planned,
poorly constructed, non wildlife friendly and frequently dysfunctional.
Examples abound outside the Gilpin area as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is sad irony to this writer that he volunteered time ,
equipment and expense to this project when the rational solution to degraded
grasslands, contaminated streams and absurd public costs, would be removal of
the cow from public lands. See dryrotjournal blog articles: Cattle Impacts Global & Local
Nov 2014 and Cattle as an Invasive Species Dec 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To illustrate the economic and ecological absurdity of
cattle grazing on public lands using this small local example, this pasture on
the Mehmel grazing tenure collects grazing rents of approx. $400 to $500 P.A.
The extended version of this article which will be published at <a href="http://www.boundaryalliancer.org/">www.boundaryalliancer.org</a> will have further comment on the inadequacies and unenforceable conditions in the Mehmel
Range Use Plan.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The “cost” to protect a small portion of Nature Trust’s lot,
amounted to “value” of $9,300 to $10,700. Various other public and private
costs in the same pasture have likely exceeded this amount while the majority of the
Nature Trust and public land portions remain mostly unprotected from
range-cattle damage and off-roading. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While it is our hope that this initiative will:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Allow recovery of the Nature Trust spring and
surrounding area<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Demonstrate improved natural values in the
absence of cattle grazing and off-roading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Demonstrate the effectiveness of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">wildlife friendly fencing</b> in the face
of Range Branch’s reluctance to use same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the latter point we are less than optimistic. Range
Branch has shown no ability or inclination to change their practices for the
benefit af anything other than cattle grazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">More detail, location maps of NT property, expanded comment
and more pics to come in the website expanded version) at: <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/">www.boundaryalliance.org</a></span></div>
</span><br />
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<br />al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-2827969214963604982015-06-24T10:41:00.000-07:002015-06-24T10:41:08.239-07:00Mike Pearson, PhD, RPBio reports on Gilpin Problems<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mike Pearson, PhD, RPBio visits the Boundary</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 2015, fisheries and habitat biologist Mike Pearson visited the Grand Forks and Gilpin areas to assess various streams and wetlands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mike and his company, Pearson Ecological Inc, work primarily in the Fraser Valley on restoration/conservation work and Mike's concerns over habitat damage and endangered species have received frequent attention in the press and in extended artricles by environment reporter Larry Pynn in the Vancouver Sun.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thanks to the efforts of Barry and Midge Brandow, Mike visited the various sites and was speaker at a public meeting in Grand Forks April 10 2015. (See April 1 2015 post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The writer was pleased to sponsor the meeting on behalf of <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/">www.boundaryalliance.org</a> and introduce Mike.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mike's Habitat Assessment Report report is self-explanatory as to causes of problems and potential solutions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We note that since his report was written, "<strong>The Spring on Nature Trust Property, Gilpin</strong>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">has been fenced by volunteers who also funded the project.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Barry Brandow and this writer (Al Grant) primarily constructed the new <strong>'wildlife friendly fence</strong>' to replace a smaller poorly constructed and non functional fence installed by Range Branch a few years ago. We received some help with the work from Nature Trust and several other volunteers. Our thanks to all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Nature Trust property in the Gilpin was the first Nature Trust acquisition in BC in 1973 and for the first time in 42 years a small section will now be protected from range-cows and off-roaders. The remainder of this plot and several others in the Gilpin remain unprotected.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We expect that this new fenced area of about 6 acres will provide a model for wildlife friendly fencing and may prompt Range Branch to utilize similar fencing on future projects, something they have been reluctant to do.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">For this writer, the issues covered by Mike are some of many longstanding issues that have not been remedied by Range Branch or other various Ministries over the years and we do not expect that these issues will be addressed in any meaningful way by the Kettle River Watershed Management Planning Process. More to come in future articles about the KRWMP and it's shortcomings and potential threats.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">See Mike Pearson's full report; <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/pearsonreport.pdf">here</a></span>al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-7553539791462786142015-04-01T12:44:00.000-07:002015-04-01T12:44:03.617-07:00PUBLIC MEETING, GRAND FORKS, APR 10 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jYIArvM6qrQ/VRxKHXtGJUI/AAAAAAAAADg/IG9EdGV2RTk/s1600/pearson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jYIArvM6qrQ/VRxKHXtGJUI/AAAAAAAAADg/IG9EdGV2RTk/s1600/pearson.jpg" height="308" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-28091280685243176212015-02-12T09:51:00.002-08:002015-02-12T09:51:46.890-08:00EHOLT CREEK: A Damaged Stream<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Late summer 2014, I visited a section of Eholt creek with Barry
Brandow of Grand Forks. The area of concern is a farm property a few kilometers
east of Greenwood where Eholt Creek meanders through the property for more than
a kilometer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of a lack of riparian fencing various farm animals
access the creek with resultant damage to the stream, stream banks and water
quality. A couple of Youtube videos illustrate the problem and the damage</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/k67fZEGiYlc/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/k67fZEGiYlc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Barry Brandow at Eholt Creek </span></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> talks about Riparian Management. 2.15 min</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">check your youtube settings to get best quality of 720p</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rpEKDJmHOWA/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rpEKDJmHOWA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eholt Creek Damage: Al Grant. 2.30 min</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></o:p> <o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;">check your youtube settings to get best quality of 1080p</span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For this writer, the visit brought on a sense of déjà vu as
the location was similar in many ways to properties in the Fraser Valley where
the writer was extensively involved in stream protection initiatives and work
more than 20 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then as now, protection of streams and other public
resources is largely dependent on the complaints and noise created by a
concerned public. Then as now, various levels of Government have failed to
effectively address and prevent damage and through various permit granting
functions are frequently continuing to contribute to the damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Kettle River Watershed Management Plan that has been
underway for four or more years appears to offer no effective solutions for
stopping such damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More on the KRWMP in a future posting</span>,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A pdf version with more pictures is available at our website:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/">www.boundaryalliance.org</a></span></div>
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al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-24326445770429943772014-12-09T14:29:00.000-08:002014-12-09T14:29:19.011-08:00CATTLE as an INVASIVE SPECIES<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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RANGE CATTLE ?</div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The following definition is essentially mirrored in worldwide invasive species definitions.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">"Invasive species refers to any harmful alien or non native species including animals, plants and other organisms whose introduction or spread threatens the environment, the economy or society including human health</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Invasive Species Council of B.C.</i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Not surprising then that cattle permitted to graze public lands (range cattle) are increasingly recognized as an invasive species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Environmental Effects</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In B.C. Range Use has resulted in degraded grasslands, degraded riparian zones, degraded water quality, degraded forage capacity.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Using the
kind of logic that might have emerged from Alice in Wonderland's rabbit-hole,
Government and organizations set up to "deal with" invasive species,
fail to acknowledge the role of cattle in these degradations. In that topsy
turvy world,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"invasive weeds and
grasses" are an economic cost to ranchers. That these weeds and invasive
grasses are primarily a direct result of cattle grazing on public lands, is
apparent from comparisons with un-grazed private lands. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The
Double D effect:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>disturbance and
delivery. Cattle disturb protective biological soils (cryptogamic soils) or
duff, while delivering invasive seeds, enabling and encouraging invasive plant
growth and tree seed growth at grassland, forest land, interfaces. </span></div>
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</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A notice on Range Land indicating that:<br />
Noxious weeds have the potential to devastate wildlife habitat in this area. Please be careful not to introduce them."<br />
Within 50m of the sign, numerous cattle loafing/resting areas infested by knap weed and cheat grass delivered by cattle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Economic
Effect:</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There has been no economic assessment of
Range Use in B.C. and the Ministry overseeing range use claims the Ministry's
mandate doesn't require any assessment. A U.S. Economic Study on Range Use
estimated public costs of $35 for approx $ 1.30 of range rental paid. We
estimate B.C. public costs would greatly exceed U.S estimates due to costs
of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>infrastructure, fences, cattle-guards
etc, on the smaller B.C tenures, as well as the tens of millions in public
funds spent (in Boundary-Kootenay alone) to "improve" forage, in
mostly ineffective efforts to solve wildlife/range cattle conflicts.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Human
Health Effects</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">:
risks from water contamination have been well documented in Boundary Alliance
articles on water quality and cattle related contamination of streams:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ecolireport2009.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">E.Coli Counts in Dryland Streams,
including Pathogens & Protection Report 2009</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">,</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli_report2013.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Patterns of Ecoli
Contamination......related to Presence of Range Cattle 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Some may
argue that range cattle do not qualify as invasive species as they are away
from rangeland for the winter months. Not much difference though to the
dormancy of various invasive grasses and weeds in the same period.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Do range
cattle qualify as invasive species?</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">"If
it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck................." </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="202" 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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" width="269" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Government sign on Range Land:<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">However,</span><br />
Primary source of Pollution in many range-land areas, cattle contamination of streams, but concerns raised are diverted to Ministry responsible for range use, the Ministry that fails to protect water quality.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This post can also be seen on the Boundary Alliance website</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://boundaryalliance.org/invasives.pdf">here</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-91445957254573296662014-11-28T14:30:00.000-08:002014-11-28T15:32:20.691-08:00CATTLE: GLOBAL & LOCAL IMPACTS<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Many <span style="color: black;"><u><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/beef-environmental-impact_n_5599370.html">new studies</a></u></span> on
global impacts of cattle, and comparisons with other choices:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">"Calculations
show that environmental cost per calorie of dairy, poultry, pork and eggs are
mutually comparable, but strikingly lower than the impacts of beef." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Report above indicates Beef production
requires 28 times the land of the other averaged group, 11 times the irrigation
water, and produces 5 times Greenhouse Gases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qja-8CJaVp4/VHjwFY3cXTI/AAAAAAAAABc/yHOAcAe-Sp0/s1600/water%2Bneed%2Bfor%2Bfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qja-8CJaVp4/VHjwFY3cXTI/AAAAAAAAABc/yHOAcAe-Sp0/s1600/water%2Bneed%2Bfor%2Bfood.jpg" height="308" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Following charts from UBC Virtual Water Report, show
water requirements and water use in the Okanagan and the high consumption for
beef production. Some recent calculations by the Ministry of Agriculture for
the Kettle basin indicate water demand estimates for beef production at more
than 83% of total demand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Vi8bZs7vmU/VHjwkadHfnI/AAAAAAAAABk/qPeqc2Swmz8/s1600/water%2Breq%2BOKanagan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Vi8bZs7vmU/VHjwkadHfnI/AAAAAAAAABk/qPeqc2Swmz8/s1600/water%2Breq%2BOKanagan.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gvzmd2Wqo3k/VHjw5V8xZEI/AAAAAAAAABs/QrxDtQlP7Ow/s1600/ok%2Birrigation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gvzmd2Wqo3k/VHjw5V8xZEI/AAAAAAAAABs/QrxDtQlP7Ow/s1600/ok%2Birrigation.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">"Beef requires the largest amount
of water, has one of the most inefficient energy conversion rates, produces by
far the highest nutrients in manure."</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UBC
Report on Virtual Water. Hans Schreier & Darren Pang<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">See also Schreier Report: <span style="color: black;"><u><a href="http://www.blue-economy.ca/report/better-by-the-drop">Better by the Drop</a></u></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">GLOBALY<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Livestocks ( primarily
cattle's)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>contribution to environmental
problems is on a massive scale. The impact is so significant that it needs to
be addressed with urgency. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 125%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 12pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 12.0pt; text-indent: -12pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The environmental impact per
unit of livestock production must be cut in half, just to avoid increasing the
level of damage beyond its present level. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 73% of rangelands in dry areas, have been degraded to some extent, mostly through overgrazing, compaction and erosion created by livestock action</span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 125%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 12pt; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 12.0pt; text-indent: -12pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Livestock sector is
responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2 equivalent.
This is a higher share than transport.</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 125%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 12pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 12.0pt; text-indent: -12pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Livestock now account for
about 20% of the total terrestrial animal biomass, and the 30% of the earth's
land surface that they now pre-empt was once habitat for wildlife.</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="Body" style="line-height: 125%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 12pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list 12.0pt; text-indent: -12pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">While regulating scale,
inputs, wastes and so on can help, a crucial element is the correct pricing of
natural resources such as land, water and use of waste sinks. Most frequently
natural resources are free or underpriced. which leads to overexploitation and
pollution.</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Body" style="line-height: 125%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 12pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list 12.0pt; text-indent: -12pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">A top priority is to achieve
prices and fees that fully reflect the full economic and environmental costs,
including all <span style="color: black;"><u><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality">externalities</a></u></span>.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This list from: <i>Report by Food &
Agriculture Organization of the U.N.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.htm">Livestocks Long Shadow</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></b></i></span></div>
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</div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Other
resources on local impacts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Forest
Practices Board Report:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.bcfpb.ca/reports-publications/reports/effect-range-practices-grasslands">The Effect of Range Practices on Grasslands</a></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">historical grazing has resulted in
significantly altered grassland status today (i.e.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it is far from its natural condition); <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>•
recovery of grasslands towards a natural condition is slow, and in some
cases<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>may not be possible without
further intervention; and, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>•
recent grazing practices have further slowed the recovery to natural condition on
some sites.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Forest
Practices Board Report:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><u><a href="http://www.bcfpb.ca/reports-publications/reports/effects-cattle-grazing-near-streams-lakes-and-wetlands-results-based">Effects of Cattle Grazing near Streams, Lakes & Wetlands</a></u></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">"The public would not tolerate this
level of damage if it were caused by a logging operation,” said board chair
Bill Cafferata. "Clear and measurable standards are needed to protect
sensitive riparian areas.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Boundary
Alliance Reports on Water Quality:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/e.coli_report2013.pdf">E.coli Counts in Local Streams 2013</a></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/ecolireport2009.pdf">E.coli Counts inLocal Streams 2009</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Boundary
Alliance article: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/rangecattleproblem.pdf">The Problem withRange Cattle</a>.</span> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">A copy of this article is posted on the
Boundary Alliance website:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="Body" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/"><span style="color: black;">www.boundaryalliance.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;"></span><br />al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-39099641349225756732014-11-25T14:53:00.003-08:002014-11-25T14:53:58.788-08:00
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: #37601c; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">GRASSLANDS CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF B.C. award,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border: currentColor; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-shadow: yes; mso-padding-alt: 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: #37601c; font-size: 16pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">BEYOND BAFFLING</span><span style="border: currentColor; color: #528f2a; font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">In July 2014 the GCC made an award to Doug & Erika Fossen for
"demonstrated excellence in grassland stewardship"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><a href="http://lifeonabccattleranch.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/grasslands.pdf"><span style="color: black;">http://lifeonabccattleranch.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/grasslands.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In
August 2014 visiting biologists John and Mary Theberge<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of Oliver BC who have studied grasslands
throughout North America described the degraded weed infested grasslands
portion of the Johnstone Creek Range Unit (AKA the Spring Pasture) as amongst
the worst they had seen. I recommend their recent book, The<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ptarmigan’s Dilemma, in whole, and Chapter 10
in particular, for the chapter on grasslands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0FMJ0Mkkxc/VHUGp9aLS7I/AAAAAAAAAAs/V0T3P9Nx6Uo/s1600/johnstone%2Bcreek%2Baug%2B2014%2B010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0FMJ0Mkkxc/VHUGp9aLS7I/AAAAAAAAAAs/V0T3P9Nx6Uo/s1600/johnstone%2Bcreek%2Baug%2B2014%2B010.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cheat grass & knapweed dominated pasture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">The GCC which is supposedly dedicated to the protection and enhancement
of native grasslands has badly damaged its credibility with the above award.</span><span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">We note that the current chair of the GCC (as has been the case in
recent years) is a rancher and also a past president of BC Cattlemen’s Association.
Ms Jackson and another former GCC director were quoted last year as follows:
"to feed one cow for a month costs $125.00, and the answer is a longer
grazing season."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">We presume their proposal is to extend grazing on already damaged
grasslands while paying approx.. $2.00 per month for an AUM (animal unit month
usually a cow & calf pair) while the other costs are </span><span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externality"><span lang="EN-CA" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">externalized</span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"> to public
cost. To give some comparison, rancher provided figures for grazing on private
land are between $15 to $30 per month (AUM). It would cost the rest of us us
more than $ 2.00 per month to feed a pet rodent.</span><span style="border: currentColor; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Compounding the absurdity of the award are complaints by Mr
Fossen to the Western Producer of competition from exploding populations of
deer and elk and suggestions<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that declining
forage has forced wildlife to move more into grasslands and riparian areas. Mr
Fossen complains that lessees cannot turn cattle out until the grass is ready
and that it is difficult for ranchers to assess when the grass is ready when
wildlife are grazing it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any non-rancher in this area (except some town dwellers and
a few ranchers, but there's another story there that doesn't reflect well on
cattle grazing) would know that wildlife populations have declined over the
past 20 years and more, and blaming wildlife for delaying grass readiness for
cattle, is an absurdity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many factors
affect grass emergence in spring but the primarily natural ones are the
variables of moisture and temperature. It is evident that private ungrazed
lands adjacent to the Range Unit show significantly better growth and variety
of desirable plant communities, than the range area. These contrasts are
evident before <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the annual arrival of
range cows. Clearly soil compaction, overgrazing, poor grazing timing, poor
oversight or some combination of these factors is making the significant difference
between range and private land. While Mr Fossen and many other ranchers blame
forest ingrowth and wildlife for degraded and poor pastures, they and the responsible
ministry need to address the major cause, cattle grazing itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A so called Ecosystem Restoration project in the Johnstone
Creek pasture began two years ago. The project has spent several hundred
thousand dollars sourcing a variety of public funds, to primarily benefit range
cattle grazing on public land where the annual rental fee has been around
$160.00 or less. While Government claims that this project is primarily to
benefit wildlife and obtained the majority of funding from the BC Habitat
Conservation Fund, the reality is a project of primary benefit to cattle
grazing which doesn't meet the mandate of HCF or the expectations of the
hunter/fishers whose fees on licences, form the bulk of HCF funding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is more than unfortunate and a great cost to the public,
that ranchers complaints about declining forage and wildlife effects, are
accepted as guiding principles by MFLNRO while the primary causal effects of
cow grazing on the degraded resource are largely ignored. It is more than time
for change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">More detail and pics available
in the extended version on the Boundary Alliance website: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/award.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">here</span></a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638118319151329425.post-26637118448725730982014-11-22T11:30:00.001-08:002014-11-26T13:26:26.652-08:00Lost Lake, Gilpin Grasslands and a Random Act of Public Good<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span></o:p></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">April 2014 a group of public minded citizens
replaced a section of fence around Lost Lake in the Gilpin Grasslands to better
protect the area from off-road vehicle traffic and damage by range cows. The
replacement fence was built as "wildlife friendly fencing".<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ir4GO8K585s/VHDfGcnB8TI/AAAAAAAAAAM/HtHP8DZNkgw/s1600/DSCN3712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ir4GO8K585s/VHDfGcnB8TI/AAAAAAAAAAM/HtHP8DZNkgw/s1600/DSCN3712.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New fence protecting riparian vegetation using minimal setback</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA">The
Original Fence</span></b><span lang="EN-CA">: was built by Range Branch and Ministry
of Forests, Lands & Natural Resources (MFLNRO) a few years ago to partly
address cow damage and actions of off-road vehicles including mud-boggers. The
installation was one of several made in the Gilpin which included fencing and
waterers and were done at public expense. As is common, these installations
were poorly planned, badly executed and non-wildlife friendly. As in the Gilpin
and elsewhere these installations have usually failed to prevent the damage they
were supposedly designed to prevent. Much of the non-friendly fencing was
located along the edge of drop-offs substantially increasing the hazard to
wildlife. See Montana State Wildlife Friendly Fencing brochure: <a href="http://fwp.mt.gov/fwpDoc.html?id=34461">here</a></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA">Public
complaints</span></b><span lang="EN-CA">: despite several years of public
concerns over the effectiveness of the installations, no changes or improvements
were made.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA">A Waste
of Public Funds</span></b><span lang="EN-CA">: The writer does not know all of
the motivations of the public-spirited group that re-fenced part of Lost lake
at their personal expense and time, but on the basis of his own experience has
surmised motivations would include a complete lack of confidence that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MFLNRO and Range Branch are properly
representing the public interest on public lands. I could go on, and I will</span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">…</span><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">..See expanded version: <a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/award.pdf">here</a></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA">Waterer
not activated</span></b><span lang="EN-CA">::June 19th 2014 we saw that a waterer
installed near Lost Lake had never been activated after cows arrived. New cow
damage to the Lost Lake fence and riparian areas resulted. After MFLNRO were
notified of the damage they offered some specious and ass-covering reasons why
the waterer was not activated and blamed the cow damage on the new fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their reasoning is simply not credible.
Although MFLNRO advised that cows were supposedly moved out of the area before
June 19th, the reality was that numbers of cows were still in the area and
continued to do damage. Cows remained in the area until October or later. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Ministry
Investigating </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">‘</span><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Random Act of Public Good</span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">We hear that MFLNRO is now
"investigating" the new Lost Lake fence, possibly with the intent of
punishing those responsible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">We suggest that MFLNRO acknowledge that the new
structure has partly fixed a problem of the Ministry</span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Helvetica;">’</span><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">s own making and has done so at no taxpayer expense. The new fence
portion has provided an example and future model for "<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">wildlife friendly fencing</b>" that could address an issue that
the Ministry has so far avoided. While the Ministry might be acting to
discourage any further "Random Acts of Public Good," we suggest the
Ministry accept the new fence as a lesson and model and publicly congratulate
those responsible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA">The Future
of Cattle Grazing on Public Land</span></b><span lang="EN-CA">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">While the foregoing might suggest a call for MFLNRO
to do a better job, this writer is of the opinion that cattle grazing on public
lands should cease as it is environmentally and economically unjustifiable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Future blog and web articles will cover these
issues.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><strong>An extended version of this post including other pics </strong></span></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.boundaryalliance.org/lostlake.pdf">here</a></h4>
al granthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12789808985065530631noreply@blogger.com