Ecological corridors helpful to Manitoba

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/01/2025 (281 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Assiniboine West Watershed District (AWWD) has now formally withdrawn its involvement with the Little Saskatchewan River ecological corridor project.

The river is in a beautiful wide glacial meltwater channel which already functions as a wildlife corridor.It is sad to see the loss of an investment of $995,000 which could have been very helpful to people living in the watershed.

This result is due largely to fear from people in the valley that the project might alter private property rights.

It has not been helped by misinformation, including from Rob Olsen, with the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF), in his comment that the federally funded Little Saskatchewan River ecological corridor project will neglect farmer’s needs (Federal program failing in agro-Manitoba, Think Tank, Jan. 18).

In fact, a major objective was to provide financial support for farmers to maintain habitat (trees, grasslands and wetlands). The support was to be optional, at the farmer’s choice, not mandatory. Private landowner rights were not to be interfered with.

Many farmers are already providing habitat stewardship at their own initiative and at their own cost. They need to be supported in this effort, which builds on the successful Alternative Land Use Services program, to compensate farmers for the stewardship they provide with an additional source of revenue for those who participate.

Olsen infers the project was designed to be managed by Parks Canada. Though Parks Canada provides funding, the one-year project was to be managed by AWWD, an organization he acknowledges “has been doing outstanding community-based conservation work for years.” Local decision-making, in this case by AWWD, is critically important with ecological corridor projects.

Olsen infers the project was “focusing almost entirely and exclusively on engaging with Indigenous people only.” This is not accurate.

This was not an Indigenous-led project. The Little Saskatchewan River project was to be led by AWWD, a farmer-supporting environmental non-profit organization that is not Indigenous. There is no requirement for an ecological corridor to be Indigenous-led or to become an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area.

Interestingly, the project’s origin was in discussions with farmers in the Rivers area. AWWD took on this project because they have a long history of working with and helping farmers and could ensure farmer’s interests were considered. The project would have involved First Nation Communities as well as municipalities and farmers. The project, though not Indigenous led, had the potential to build bridges and understanding between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities.

Olsen infers the AWWD project would have used regulations. This is not true. AWWD does not make regulations.

Regulations are set by municipalities (for land in the municipality), by First Nations (for First Nations’ communities), or by provinces for issues in their jurisdiction. The federal government may set rules within national parks; it does not do so for ecological corridors. Municipal sovereignty and municipal decision making would not have been altered.

Further, AWWD cannot and could not change rules for agricultural use, or for hunting, angling, trapping, cottage leases, snowmobiling or hiking.

Olsen infers the AWWD project was designed to help Canada reach a goal of 30 per cent of the land protected by 2030. This is not true.

Corridors are a “complementary” approach to protected areas, but are not themselves protected areas. They link protected areas to facilitate the movement of species across landscapes, going to and from protected areas. Corridors can host a variety of land-use activities including ranching, grain farming, forestry, hunting, and more.

Many positives of the AWWD project included a leading-edge hydrologic map to facilitate resilience to floods and droughts, an urgent need given the severe flood in Minnedosa in 2022. Also included were actions to help improve Lake Minnedosa, and to explore the potential for projects to improve fish ladders and connectivity for fish and to assess water quality.

The project included collaboration with Assiniboine Community College and Brandon University to learn about the Little Saskatchewan River and its biodiversity. It would have provided summer employment for students. The project included making all information gathered publicly available in an archive within the Little Saskatchewan River watershed; work done would be fully and transparently available, possibly with an interpretive centre.

The MWF website argues for collaboration of all stakeholders including First Nations on conservation. The AWWD project would have provided for such collaboration.

The MWF is concerned about continued access for its members for hunting and fishing. But, if there is no habitat for wildlife, there will be no hunting. We need to work together rather than being divisive. If we look after our environment, our environment will look after us — including for agriculture — improved grazing land and improved crop yields – and for bird watchers, hunters, fishers, hikers and others — improved potential to enjoy nature and benefit mentally and physically.

AWWD is withdrawing from the project as a result of pressure from Olsen and others. It is a sad loss of a major investment.

Jon Gerrard is the former MLA for River Heights.