Logging Banned in Manitoba Provincial Parks

After years of campaigns and tens of thousands of letters from citizens, the provincial government has announced an end to industrial logging in provincial parks. Approximately 850,000 ha, or an area 21 times the size of Winnipeg, will now be protected from commercial forestry in Manitoba.

CPAWS Manitoba Executive Director, Ron Thiessen, spoke alongside Premier Gary Doer and Conservation Minister Stan Struthers at the Legislative building on Friday, November 21st.

“Our parks are spectacular areas,” said Thiessen. “They’re for recreation, education, for future generations to enjoy and of course, to protect our wilderness and wildlife.”

“For the many of us who have dedicated countless hours toward this outcome, individuals who expressed their opposition to government about park logging, and for all Manitobans, this is a huge victory for conservation,” stated a jubilant Thiessen.

When asked why the province made the decision to ban logging from parks, Minister Struthers said “Manitobans have been speaking about it for a number of years. So we have moved forward on what Manitobans have been asking us to do, so this is very much in response to the wishes of Manitobans.”

Effective April 1, 2009, industrial logging will be illegal in 79 out of 80 provincial parks, including all future parks. According to the province, “the complexity of agreements with commercial harvesters in Duck Mountain Provincial Park will not allow operations to end at this time.”

CPAWS commends the Manitoba government as well as forestry companies Tembec and Tolko for their efforts in safeguarding our treasured provincial parks.