#Fight For Your Parks

Yesterday, October 14, was the CPAWS day of action to stop commercial projects in Banff and Jasper National Parks. Once they're developed there is no going back.

A group of individuals, scientists, business owners, First Nations, environmental organizations & former parks staff have rallied. To learn how you can still take part visit http://www.fightforyourparks.ca/


National park supporters hold day of action against commercialization
 
by Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald, October 14, 2015

BANFF — A national day of action in the Fight for Your Parks campaign featured a rally of a couple dozen supporters in Banff on Wednesday.

The campaign, which was launched in Banff about a month ago, is designed to get Canadians to stand up against commercialization in Canada’s national parks — particularly in Banff and Jasper.

“Today marks a day of action where people across Canada can stand up and say enough is enough,” said Anne-Marie Syslak, executive director for the southern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

It came after a report from CPAWS suggested national parks are under siege with the approvals of developments such as Maligne Lake in Jasper and the future expansion of the Lake Louise ski area in Banff.

Read more here: http://calgaryherald.com/…/national-park-supporters-hold-da…

‪#‎fightforyourpaks‬ | ‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬ | CPAWS Southern Alberta |

From CPAWS: Only 1 day left

CPAWS Southern Alberta reminds us: "Only 1 day left to have your say about the Castle Wilderness area. Provide comments to the minister here http://bit.ly/1FOv1PA"

In the Know about the Bow - Sept 19, 2015

Photo, courtesy Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

In the Know about the Bow - Sept 19, 2015 

How much water do we really have to use on the Blue Planet? Where does our water come from? Who has the right to water from the Bow River?

Find out the answers to these questions and much more tonight at our Speaker Series at the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park with the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation and CPAWS Southern Alberta Education Director Jaclyn Angotti.

Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1Kwz6Uq

‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬

Bow River - CPAWS presentation - Wed Jul 22, 7pm - Preregistration Required

Water - what could be more essential to life? Find out just how much fresh water there really is on our planet. Learn about our connection to the water we know personally, the Bow River, and the ways in which we use it. Find out what we put into our water. Learn how you can help contribute to looking after the liquid source of life that flows through our city. Join CPAWS for the Bow River Water Program at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.

 "We're so excited for the CPAWS Bow River presentation this evening! Have you registered yet? If not, all the info and registration is below!" @glenbowranch CPAWS Southern Alberta

https://app.etapestry.com/cart/GlenbowRanchParkFoundation/default/item.php?ref=715.0.117008439

Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation | CPAWS Southern Alberta | ‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬

Water Woes

Kevin Van Tighem, former superintendent of Banff National Park, spoke at a CPAWS event in Calgary on Friday Feb 27.
Photo, Leah Hennel / Calgary Herald

Water Woes

A local conservationist highlights the water woes plaguing the eastern slopes of the Rockie

The CBC Calgary Eyeopener podcast for Friday Feb 27

Listen here: http://bit.ly/1BNNola

The Upper Bow River Basin: Our Watershed's Future

How does your water get from the headwaters to you and what trade-offs do we need to make for clean water and protection against flood and drought?

via Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and CPAWS Southern Alberta

Conservationist urges province to ‘work with nature’ to reduce flooding

Renowned conservationist Harvey Locke says if more work is done to protect the headwaters of rivers west of Calgary and High River, southern Alberta would have “a lot less of a flood problem.”
Photograph by: Bruce Masterman

Conservationist urges province to ‘work with nature’ to reduce flooding

By Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald March 14, 2014

As Alberta works to protect against future flooding, a well-known conservationist says the province needs to start thinking about what nature needs.

Harvey Locke, who won the prestigious Harkin Award for his lifetime commitment to conservation last year, will speak Friday night at Wild Soiree: Nature Needs Half event, hosted by CPAWS Southern Alberta (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society) in Calgary.

“We have some pretty serious examples of not living with nature’s needs in mind,” Locke said in an interview. “If we protected the headwaters of the rivers west of Calgary and High River, we would have a lot less of a flood problem.

“Let’s work with nature instead of against nature.”

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1iL3Lpd

Nature Needs Half - March 14, 2014

Nature Needs Half - March 14, 2014

CPAWS Southern Alberta writes: "We are so excited that our Wild Soiree: Nature Needs Half event is tomorrow (Friday) night at Hotel Arts! It's not too late to purchase tickets, you can find them online or call our office at 403-232-6686. A huge thank-you to our event sponsors: DIRTT Environmental Solutions, Alpine Club of Canada, and Talisman Energy."

More info here: http://bit.ly/NKbG8l

If you’re worried about floods, look upstream

Photos: Karsten Heuer and Katie Morrison

If you’re worried about floods, look upstream

By Karsten Heuer and Katie Morrison, Calgary Herald January 9, 2014

When the Bow, Elbow, Sheep and Highwood rivers raged through Calgary and area in June, racking up billions of dollars in damages and disrupting thousands of lives, most homeowners probably weren’t thinking about what this disaster had to do with natural areas upstream.

But before our government starts developing elaborate multimillion-dollar flood control projects, such as tunnels, channels and dams, it should look instead at the potential payoff of better protecting our headwater forests.

Read article here: http://bit.ly/1d4QAWR

CPAWS Southern Alberta @ U of C for SSRP - Jan 13

Tonight at UofC! Find out more about the land-use plan that will shape Southern Alberta for decades to come, and learn how you can give your feedback to the government.

CPAWS Southern Alberta @ MEC for SSRP - Jan 12

The Draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (SSRP) is a land-use plan for the South Saskatchewan River basin area of Southern Alberta. 

The land use plan will determine how we use our land and waters for industry, environment and recreation for decades to come. 

The public comment period on the plan is open until JANUARY 15th.  

CPAWS Southern Alberta is holding an information workshop at Mountain Equipment Co-op in Calgary on Sunday, January 12th from 12-2pm in order to:

1) Provide an overview of the Draft SSRP and CPAWS’ main concerns with the plan, and

2) Provide you with a variety of ways to express your views on the Draft SSRP to the Government of Alberta, including writing a letter, meeting with your MLA or filling in a workbook.

Free! All are welcome.

SSRP Info Night - 7pm, Dec 17 at CAOC

SSRP Info Night

7PM - Tue, Dec 17th
at Calgary Area Outdoor Council
 
Learn more about the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan.
The Calgary Area Outdoor Council is holding an evening of information sharing about the SSRP.

What's good about it? What are the problems? How does it affect the outdoor community?

Katie Morrison (CPAWS), and Al Black (Climbers Access Society) will be making presentations and fielding questions about the SSRP.

The Calgary Area Outdoor Council wants to hear your views on the SSRP so that we may feed into the process. Our aim is to ensure the collective voice of the outdoor community is heard as this important plan nears its final implementation.

The deadline for public consultation is on January 15th and CAOC will be using information gathered this evening before submitting our position.

More info from ESRD: http://bit.ly/IR1gkN
and CPAWS: http://bit.ly/1diVRMq
 CPAWS Southern Alberta

Alberta not protecting Castle Special Place

Alberta not protecting Castle Special Place

By Lethbridge Herald, Opinon on December 3, 2013.

Katie Morrison

CONSERVATION DIRECTOR, CANADIAN PARKS AND WILDERNESS SOCIETY – SOUTHERN ALBERTA CPAWS Southern Alberta

The Castle Special Place provides clean water for communities and farms downstream, is home to at-risk species such as grizzly bear and bull trout, and offers world-class recreational opportunities. For more than 20 years, Alberta communities, conservation organizations, recreationalist and local businesses have been calling for legislated protection of the Castle Special Place.

Yet the draft South Saskatchewan Regional Plan, released in October, recommends protecting only the Castle’s rocky mountain tops as a Wildland Park and proposes to designate a few of its valleys as ill-defined Conservation Management Areas. The rest of this iconic landscape, including its headwaters, is left unprotected and is slated for forestry and road-building.

Read article here: http://bit.ly/1dRi3SM

More info here: http://cpaws-southernalberta.org/campaigns/castle