The following is a guest article,
Declaration of Support…….produced and signed by 26 scientists. The article is a
response to the B.C. Gov’ts recent request for comments for reactivated
proposals for a South Okanagan Park.
Boundary Alliance made its own separate submission
online and in the format requested by Gov’t. That online process made no
provision for identifying whether the submission came from an individual or
group/organization. Unlike similar processes, e.g. submission of comments re
Water Act changes, comments/submissions are not being published online. This
lack of transparency can hide any public awareness of “stacking” of responses
by so called stakeholders.
While we largely support the following Declaration by
scientists we do have concerns over a “balanced” approach to cattle grazing in
any Park unless that “balanced” approach incorporates an honest assessment of
the public and environmental costs of cattle grazing on public land. The
absence of any honest “costs” assessment to date has resulted in misleading
claims of positive economic values to grazing. See our articles covering this
topic at: www.boundaryalliance.org/ba_008.htm
Al Grant for
Boundary Alliance.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECLARATION of SUPPORT for NEGOTIATIONS LEADING to a NEW FRAMEWORK for PROTECTING the SOUTH OKANAGAN LOWER SIMILKAMEEN
We the undersigned, as members of BC's scientific community, join with Parks Canada, the Province of BC, the Okanagan Nation Alliance, and a majority of local residents in supporting enhanced protection for the ecosystems of the South Okanagan and Lower Similkameen. We encourage the government of British Columbia. Parks Canada and the Okanagan Nation Alliance to initiate formal negotiations to finalize boundaries, relationships, and commitments for the creation of a National Park Reserve (NPR) and for the long term protection and management of this remarkable area....
for full text, maps and list of signatures see: www.boundaryalliance.org/scientists_parkdeclaration.pdf
