• WC congratulates Bill Blaikie and Rob Altemeyer

New conservation minister and conservation legislative assistant

The Wilderness Committee congratulates Bill Blaikie for being selected to the important post of Manitoba conservation minister. The Wilderness Committee also congratulates Rob Altemeyer as being named conservation legislative assistant. Both MLAs have activist roots, and the Wilderness Committee hopes this translates into the Conservation department closely following the expressed wishes of Manitobans, who themselves actively speak out for better environmental protections.

Read the full press release by clicking here.

• Selinger needs to keep road out of Grass River Park

Letter issued Oct. 27 as a final appeal

Today, Manitoba Wildlands and the Wilderness Committee are sending their final appeals of the recent environment license that bisects Grass River Provincial Park with a logging road. The license was issued to Tolko Industries mere months after logging was supposedly banned in Grass River Park. The earlier formal appeals, filed in September, were denied by Conservation Minister Stan Struthers without explanation. The two environmental organizations are appealing to Premier Selinger to review this decision, and decide whether a logging road is a logging development, and whether the woodland caribou in this park deserve protection.

Read the full press release by clicking here.

• Meditation Lake development decision a victory for Manitobans!

Wilderness Committee calls for Backcountry zoning and algae study as sustainable uses of important Whiteshell lake

The government's decision to cease development plans for Meditation Lake in the Whiteshell Provincial Park is a great victory for Manitobans and the Wilderness Committee. The Government of Manitoba should be congratulated for making the decision to leave Meditation Lake as a walk-in, remote-access destination.

• Winnipeg forest activist wins North America’s top environmental prize for youth

Student Earns Award For Effort to Protect 1.5 Million Hectares of Boreal Forest From Industrial Logging

Robin Bryan, a longtime staff member and volunteer of the Wilderness Committee, will be among the six recipients of the 2009 Brower Youth Award this week. Hosted by Earth Island Institute, the Brower Youth Awards are North America’s most prestigious prize for young environmental leaders. Bryan is the second Canadian to win the award in its 10-year history.

• Grass River Provincial park logging road license appealed

Wilderness Committee files formal appeal after environmental license issued to build a logging road across Grass River Provincial Park

The Wilderness Committee, Canada's largest environmental citizen group, filed a formal appeal of the environmental license issued to build a logging road across Grass River Provincial Park in northwestern Manitoba.

You can see details of the news conference by clicking here.

• Government authorizes more park logging destruction, despite newly legislated park logging ban.

Giving away our provincial park for a private corporation’s profit

On August 12, the Manitoba government took the shocking step of authorizing the Dickstone South Road, a LOGGING ROAD that will cut Grass River Provincial Park in half! After spending 8 months trumpeting their legislation to finally end park logging in Grass River Provincial Park and three other parks, this decision to allow the logging road is unethical, against the spirit of the Park Logging ban, and against the wishes of the majority of Manitobans.

On August 19, the Manitoba Liberal Party, the Manitoba Green Party, Manitoba Wildlands, and the Wilderness Committee held a joint news conference to protest this road.

You can see details of the news conference by clicking here.

• Government withholds information about Meditation Lake as public consultations close
Freedom of Information Act requests still unanswered after 49 days, now no chance to inform public before government closes public consultations on Sunday.

Freedom of Information requests were filed on April 9, just days after the development was announced. The Wilderness Committee asked Premier Doer, Conservation Minister Struthers, and the Conservation department that public open houses be delayed until the information requests were answered, but to no avail. The public consultation window opened on April 30. On May 6, the government sent a letter saying they could not answer the information request in the required 30-day period, and extended the time period for another 30 days. Now, mere days before the public consultations on this project are closing on May 31, the information requests have not been answered.

You can read the news release by clicking here.

• Meditation Lake research camp finds public support for protecting Meditation Lake from development

The Wilderness Committee established a research camp at Meditation Lake on the May long weekend, to do water quality testing and survey people in Whiteshell Park about the development.
Click here to read more about the Meditation Lake research camp

• NEW! Meditation Lake development information page and opinion form now online!
Click here to visit the page.

• Wilderness Committee applauds Newfoundland and Labrador for taking back control of public lands and waters

Largest environmental citizen group in Canada supports government decision to rescind corporate tenure rights over public lands and waters after a contract violation

The Wilderness Committee is congratulating the Newfoundland and Labrador government decision to repatriate provincial lands and waters from multinational corporation AbitibiBowater. A century-old contract gave AbitibiBowater the rights to lands and waters in central Newfoundland in exchange for operating a mill and providing employment in the area. When the mill announced closure, the government stepped in to take back control over the provincial lands and waters.

You can read the news release by clicking here.

• New Protection Available for East Shore Wilderness Area
Province introduces legislation that will give legal status to land-use plans prepared by aboriginal communities located in the East Side.

On December 1, 2008, the Manitoba government presented a wonderful opportunity to preserve more of Manitoba for future generations. Bill 6, The East Side Traditional Lands Planning and Special Protected Areas Act provides a mechanism for communities on the East Shore to protect their traditional territories from development. With the acclamation of this Bill, communities may approach the government with land-use plans they have prepared for their traditional territories, and have the plan be given full legal status.

For several years, the Wilderness Committee has advocated for protection and permanent designation of the Poplar Nanowin Park Reserve, as requested by the Poplar River First Nation. At the press conference at the Manitoba Legislature after the introduction of Bill 6, Poplar River spoke in support of the Bill.

"This legal tool is important for us at Poplar River as we finalize our land-use plan," said Chief Russell Lambert of the Poplar River First Nation.

Click here to read more about Bill 6

Victory for the Wilderness Committee and the citizens of Manitoba!

Wilderness Committee congratulates government on protecting most of Manitoba's parks, finally ending park logging

The government of Manitoba announced an end to nearly all park logging on November 21, 2008. The citizens that make up the Wilderness Committee from across Canada would like to congratulate Premier Doer and Conservation Minister Struthers for this historic step. While more work remains to be done with Duck Mountain Provincial Park, today will be remembered as a great and historic day for wild lands in Manitoba.

Click here to read the November 21 Manitoba government news release and backgrounder
Click here to read the November 24 Manitoba government news release and backgrounder

Click here to read the Wilderness Committee Media Release

NEW Click here to read the Wilderness Committee review of Bill 3: The Park Logging Ban

• Winnipeg Free Press article

You can read the November 22, 2008 Winnipeg Free Press article by clicking here.

• First Wilderness Committee Open House is on October 19th

On Sunday, October 19th, everyone is invited to attend our first Wilderness Committee Open House. This will be a fun evening for people with any level of interest in conservation of biodiversity to get informed, inspired and involved in our citizen-led campaigns to protect the gems of Manitoba's wilderness. We'll start with a picture and video expo of the recent wilderness expeditions, with updates on the campaigns we're working on, and opportunities for volunteer involvement over the next month. After that we'll move into taking some action with letter writing to decision-makers, plus making signs and billboards with progressive, informing messages about the way we want our wilderness to be treated. To finish off the night, we'll open up the floor for some discussion, mingling and refreshments. Your presence and participation at the Open House will be greatly appreciated by us, and will have a positive impact in moving forward our efforts to achieve greater protection for Manitoba's public wild areas.

Who: Everyone interested in the wilds of Manitoba
What: An Open House to learn how citizens can make a difference
When: Sunday, October 19, 2008, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Robert A Steen Community Centre
980 Palmerston Ave, Winnipeg

• The Nopiming Park Protection Ride, a Wilderness Witness Tour
October 4–5, 2008

The Wilderness Committee invites you to enjoy a weekend of beautiful fall cycling in Nopiming Provincial Park! Come join us on the 4th and 5th of October as we embark on a two-day, 100 kilometre cycle tour from Lac Du Bonnet area to Tooth Lake. This unique tour will feature secluded lakes and old-growth boreal forests contrasted against recent industrial logging and mining sites. Food and transportation for two days is $40, camping is free or lodging is $25 a night.

Get the details by clicking here

• Winnipeg Free Press article

You can read the September 24, 2008 Winnipeg Free Press article about the rallies for Forest Week by clicking here.

• Rallies and Actions kick off National Forest Week

September 21 to 27 is National Forest Week, a time to raise awareness of the importance of forests in our lives. The Wilderness Committee is observing National Forest Week by drawing attention to the fact that forests in our provincial parks are not protected.

From Monday to Thursday next week we will be holding rallies downtown at the Manitoba Legislature.
- At 3:30 p.m. we will gather in front of our office on the northeast corner of Portage Avenue and Donald Street, and walk down to the Manitoba Legislature with our banners about park logging.
- At 4 p.m. we will camp out at the Legislative Grounds near the corner of Broadway and Osborne until 5:30 p.m., when the legislature session ends for the day.

Every day we will have a new banner with more messages about park logging, and the effects it is having on our province.

On Friday at 11:30 a.m. (the day the Legislative Assembly doesn't assemble), we will gather on the corner of Broadway and Kennedy, display all of our banners that we've used throughout the week, and give out information and free greeting cards to people.

Please make time to come down and see us during National Forest Week. Decisions about our parks and the health of our forests are being made right now. Let elected officials know how you feel about protecting our parks by attending these rallies.

Monday to Thursday, 4 p.m.
Manitoba Legislative grounds
Park protection rally

Friday, 11:30 a.m.,
Broadway at Kennedy
Park protection gathering and give-away

• Mass species die-off in Whiteshell Provincial Park

Clams dead in secluded lake near logging operations in Whiteshell Provincial Park

The Wilderness Committee is investigating a mass die-off of freshwater clams near a logging operation in Whiteshell Provincial Park. Meditation Lake is only accessible by hiking, and appears to have suffered a large toxic algae bloom in July, which may have killed off many of the freshwater clams.

You can read the press release by clicking here.

• Logging NOT the Answer for Whiteshell Provincial Park
An article in the Winnipeg Free Press on Sunday, June 23 mentioned the logging of Whiteshell Provincial Park. Currently, an area of forest in the Whiteshell that was flattened in a windstorm last summer is being logged to lessen the risk of fire. The article perpetuated some fallacies about the role of logging, fires, and provincial parks. Most Manitobans know that we don't need logging in our parks, and most jurisdictions around the world already ban logging in parks, yet the logging community in Manitoba is clinging to false justification for their continued destruction of our cherished forests.

You can read the newspaper article by clicking here.

You can read the response letter from the Wilderness Committee by clicking here.

• Stephane Dion speaks up for Endangered Species in Canada
At a luncheon for the Canadian Club in Winnipeg, federal Opposition Leader Stephane Dion was asked about endangered species in Canada. Canada's Species At Risk Act is five years old, and roundly considered to be failing to protect our wildlife. Mr. Dion affirmed that his federal government would do more to make the Act effective, including putting more attention to critical habitat identification.

You can read the press release by clicking here.

• Government missteps with public consultation on Fisher Bay
The government of Manitoba has released a public consultation brochure on the Fisher Bay park reserve. Unfortunately the government neglected to inform the Fisher River Cree Nation, who has been working with government for years to have this area permanently protected. As well, the public consultation is on boundary adjustments for the park reserve, yet the government brochure neglected to inform people of the proposed boundary adjustments that were proposed by the Fisher River Cree Nation last year, and are a result of extensive ecological studies.

This is a disappointing and disrespectful step that the government has taken. The best way to respond is to email the government your opinion about having the Fisher Bay park reserve become a new protected provincial park, with the boundaries proposed by the Fisher River Cree Nation. Use the link below to quickly do so.

You can read more about the concerns with this public consultation by clicking here.
Click here to go to our Fisher Bay park reserve main webpage.

• Liberal Leader Dr. Jon Gerrard levels astute questions at government on parks and caribou
The Wilderness Committee applauds Dr. Jon Gerrard, Leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, for holding the government of Manitoba accountable for their plans to allow a logging road to bisect a protected park.
The Wilderness Committee applauds Dr. Jon Gerrard, Leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party, for holding the government of Manitoba accountable for their plans to allow an all-weather logging road to bisect a protected area of Grass River Provincial Park. On May 13, during Question Period in the Manitoba legislature, Gerrard rose to pose a question about the NDP government's plans. Quoting directly from Hansard:
"Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): To the Premier: I understand the Premier is working with his government on the all-weather permanent Dickstone Road which crosses through the Grass River Provincial Park with a permanent bridge to be constructed across the Grass River. I understand this is a major initiative of the government undertaking in one of the most beautiful and pristine parks in Manitoba, the Grass River Provincial Park. Why is the road being built through the park instead of north of the park and direct to Highway 10, and will there be public consultations, including First Nations and Métis in Snow Lake, Sherridon, Pukatawagan, Flin Flon and Winnipeg?"

Winnipeg Free Press reporter Dan Lett, who was in the House, wrote in his column the following day: "Transportation Minister Ron Lemieux rose to answer Gerrard's first question, but he failed to provide a reasonable answer. When Gerrard pressed in a second question, it was Premier Gary Doer who got up on his feet. The fact Doer rose to handle the question was a clear tell the government side of the chamber was a tad concerned about what Gerrard might make out of the proposed Grass River road. "The often-overlooked Grit was succinct, direct and lucid in his attack on government. And he did what the Tories were generally unable to do yesterday: He got the government to flinch. The best strategy is to ask questions that are so direct and well constructed, the premier is left scrambling to save one of his ministers. That is something that over time will catch everyone's attention."

The follow-up question posed by Gerrard raised a very important point (from Hansard): Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): "…Can the minister table today the peer-reviewed management plan for woodland caribou in that area or even the park plan which is now more than 20 years old?"
Unfortunately, Premier Doer did not answer the question in his response. The Wilderness Committee has been asking for a woodland caribou management plan, or even current location data for the threatened woodland caribou herds in the region since 2006. On May 5, the Wilderness Committee was finally assured by Conservation Minister Struthers that woodland caribou herd size and location data for northwestern Manitoba would be forwarded to our office. As of May 16, we have not received anything, and the deadline for public comment on this bridge and road proposal ended on May 14.

• Stop Tolko's Grass River Provincial Park Road and Bridge!
Tolko to bisect Grass River Park with a logging road and bridge, permanently damaging park and woodland caribou population.
Tolko, a private logging corporation, formally submitted a bridge and road building plan to the Manitoba Government's Environmental Licensing branch. Public consultation on this project is going on right now, and will soon close. The Wilderness Committee feels this bridge is not necessary, and is definitely not in the best interests of Manitobans. This bridge will permanently damage a provincial park and threaten woodland caribou populations. The bridge is being built solely to make more money for Tolko.

• Click here to go to the Stop Tolko's Grass River Provnical Park Road and Bridge! page

• Tolko Plans Park Destruction
Logging project to permanently damage Grass River Provincial Park and threatened woodland caribou habitat.
Wilderness Committee demands government action to stop development in woodland caribou habitat, begin public process to legislate an end to industrial logging in provincial parks.
Tolko, a private logging corporation, has applied to build a permanent road and bridge that will bisect Grass River Provincial Park in northwestern Manitoba. The proposed road and bridge will damage protected areas of woodland caribou habitat in a provincial park, and is only being built to make more money for a private company, Tolko.

You can read the press release by clicking here.

• Read the Eco-Journal article on logging licenses and provincial parks.

Click here to read the March / April 2008 Manitoba Eco-Journal article.

• Tembec's Devastating Logging Plans Revealed to the Public
Sneak peek at plan of supposed 'green' corporation includes logging areas 10-times the legal size limit, as well as logging ALL the winter habitat of a woodland caribou herd.
On March 20, Tembec showed off their logging plans for the next several decades in a University of Manitoba classroom. After being alerted by a concerned citizen, Eric Reder, Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee, attended the lecture and recorded it. Both the Manitoba government and Tembec have told the Wilderness Committee in recent weeks that Tembec's logging plan could not be legally released to the public yet.

Tembec's plans for the coming years include logging areas that are over 1,000 hectares in size, ten-times larger than the government currently permits. Tembec also unveiled a plan to log the entire winter habitat of the Owl Lake woodland caribou herd.

You can read the press release by clicking here.

• Cutting down Provincial Parks is cheaper than recycling
Tembec seeks to keep clearcutting in Manitoba, but doesn't respect our environment
Tembec has announced an arrogant and reprehensible plan to stop using recycled newspaper in their pulp and paper plant in Pine Falls, Manitoba. According to CBC News online, Tembec has stated it's cheaper to cut down trees than to use recycled content. This announcement comes as Tembec is trying to renew their license to keep logging our provincial parks for the next 20 years.

"The world is searching for means to lower our impact on this planet," said Eric Reder, Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee. "Yet Tembec is making the distinct decision to increase their devastation of our forests, including our cherished provincial parks. They are not managing their operation in Manitoba in the best interest of people in this province, nor for our future."

You can read the press release by clicking here.

Tembec desires to make more off our forests look like this.

• Wednesday's rally to protect parks a success!
On Wednesday, the Wilderness Committee's rally to stop park logging proved to be a great success. The concerned Manitobans who gathered on the shady (and cold) steps of the Manitoba Legislature were kept engaged by skit, song and guest speakers. Representatives from four political parties were on hand to address the crowd. More photos and details will be posted on the website soon.
Campaign Director Eric Reder speaking next to a banner quoting a 1992 Manitoba government report recommendation, with Conservation Minister Stan Struthers in the background getting ready to speak.