Strong Land Use Coordination needed in Yellowstone to Yukon region
Posted Jul 16, 2008
By Wendy Francis
Wendy is Senior Conservation Program Manager at the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation InitiativeCrown lands in the Alberta foothills and mountains are an
integral component of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y).
The Eastern Slopes provide some of the best grizzly bear habitat in
Alberta; yet they are being fragmented by poorly planned and uncoordinated
development. Y2Y is encouraged to see
the Alberta government developing a more comprehensive, regional approach to
land use planning and recently sent the following comments to Premier Stelmach
and Minister Morton:
There is much to be optimistic about in the draft Land-use Framework. Here are a few of more hopeful elements that
we see:
- an
acknowledgment that the current system is not working and needs to be
changed;
- an
acceptance that there are limits to development within ecosystems;
- the
possibility of removing industrial dispositions from within protected
areas; and
- the restoration
of regional-level planning.
On the other hand, there is a great deal that remains to be
specified about how the process will work, including:
- lack
of recognition that healthy ecosystems characterized by ecological
integrity are the foundation of a healthy economy and society (not an equal
consideration to be "balanced" against the latter);
- long
timelines for regional plan development, during which much conflict and
ecosystem deterioration could continue;
- no province-wide
principles to guide regional land use planning;
- a tone
within the document that assumes development can continue at the same pace
with fewer environmental impacts;
- a lack
of interim measures to protect the status quo/level the playing field
during the planning process; and
- lack
of legislation and regulation to backstop against policy failure.
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