Conservation can't wait in NS
December 2003 - Chronicle Herald
By Raymond Plourde
Conservation can't wait! That was the theme of the speech given recently by World Wildlife Fund president Monte Hummel at the annual Nova Scotia Nature Trust fundraising dinner. And in Nova Scotia he's right - it can't. In his keynote address to a Halifax crowd of 300 Mr. Hummel, a member of the Order of Canada and one of the country's most respected environmentalists, spoke with authority and a great deal of knowledge about Nova Scotia and its track record on protecting nature. Mr. Hummel urged the Hamm government to get moving on their overdue commitments to conservation on land and in the marine environment.
Among other things, Mr. Hummel said that Nova Scotia has fallen seriously behind in its national and international commitments to adequately protect our natural landscapes and native biodiversity. He pointed out that although Nova Scotia made some impressive gains in land conservation in the 90s, little has been accomplished since then. We are slipping fast and conservation can't wait, as Mr. Hummel made quite clear. "The fact is that Nova Scotia is lagging behind its commitment to complete a representative network of protected areas, more needs to be done, and time is of the essence"
Earlier this year, WWF released The Nature Audit, a ground-breaking report on the state Canada's environmental health. In it they found that the Maritime Provinces contained the most disturbed natural landscapes in the country. In Nova Scotia's case, almost 90% of the land has been used or changed by man in some way. The result is a fractured landscape with shrinking patches of wilderness for native plants and animals to survive. "WWF's Nature Audit indicated clearly that Nova Scotia has very little intact wilderness to choose from, so you have to save the best of what's left quickly before it's gone." he said. Mr. Hummel also endorsed the notion that more should be done by the province to protect natural areas on publicly-owned Crown land. "There are many important areas on Crown land that could and should be protected, for example the Nova Scotia Public Land Coalition's list of 18 hot spots which would go a long way towards meeting outstanding provincial commitments."
The Coalition of some 40 recreation, tourism, and environmental groups from across the province have proposed 18 "hotspot" areas on public land that are still relatively pristine for permanent protection. Protection would spare these wildlands from development, while leaving them available for most types of recreation, including hiking, camping, hunting and fishing. To date none have been protected.
The NSPLC welcomed this ringing endorsement from such a high-profile environmental authority. According to Mr. Hummel, if these areas were added to the province's Protected Areas Network "the results would be remarkable, and would help Nova Scotia regain its lead in conservation in Canada." Citing a recent commitment made by the Hamm Government to designate two new wilderness areas, Hummel said " if the Minister's promises were acted upon and if the Coalition's candidates were delivered, you would reach adequate or moderate ecological representation for about two-thirds of Nova Scotia's landscape features. That's more than double what you have now, and it would put Nova Scotia 15% ahead of BC (the nation's leader)." It would, in fact, see us reach 2/3 of the way to meeting our 1992 commitments to create a comprehensive network of protected areas across the province.
But Nova Scotia is not BC, where there are still vast tracts of undisturbed wilderness. Nova Scotia has very little intact wilderness left that it can still choose to save. WWF puts it at about 10% of our landbase. And the decline in native wildlife has paralleled the decline of available habitat. Just ask any old-timer who's spent many years in the woods and he'll tell you - the numbers of animals, fish and birds in Nova Scotia have been falling dramatically over recent decades. That's why the provincial government continues to add species after species to its endangered species list- the latest being the majestic mainland moose. When you get right down to it, we humans have simply chewed up too much of their habitat and now they have hardly anywhere left to go.
To halt the decline and hopefully reverse the downward trends for wildlife we first need to set aside the best natural areas left. We also need to set aside these areas for the quite enjoyment of present and future generations of people who love the great outdoors. Bottom line: we need to complete the province's Protected Areas Network as first promised by government in 1992 and recently re-committed to this year in the province's new "Green Plan". But time is running out. We need to do this now! Because as WWF's Monte Hummel said, conservation in this province can't wait - and neither can the moose.
Raymond Plourde is the Wilderness Coordinator for the Ecology Action Centre and member of the Nova Scotia Public Lands Coalition.
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