World Heritage Site

AS she surveys the bountiful boreal forest spreading out in all directions from the boulder strewn shore of Weaver Lake, Sophia Rebliauskas reflects on what this land on the east side of Lake Winnipeg means to her people.

"It is our home," says the resident of Poplar River First Nation, who is the community coordinator for Pimachiowin Aki Corporation (PAC) World Heritage Project.

Weaver Lake, which is located about 280 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and is only accessible by float-plane or boat, has been home to a First Nations healing camp for the past decade.

I was one of a group of five media representatives invited to spend two days recently at the healing camp meeting with participants and sharing in the opening session of the gathering. The healing camp, which was attended by Ojibwa elders from four Manitoba First Nations, coincided with the first national hearing in Winnipeg of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on residential schools.

We were also taken on a boat tour of this proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site -- an area that has been touted as a better route for Manitoba Hydro's new Bipole III transmission line from northern generating stations to Winnipeg than the longer and more expensive west side route.

In 2004, the Government of Canada added the Pimachiowin Aki area to its list of "tentative World Heritage Sites," signaling the launch of the World Heritage Project, explained Gord Jones, project manager since 2007.

"I am opposed to an east side hydro line because this is intact boreal forest," said Rebliauskas, the mother of three adult children and one grandchild.

"But, an all weather road is a necessity. This year, the winter road melted quickly. We were driving through ruts."

In fact, she admitted that meetings are now being held between the First Nations communities and government representatives for an east side road planning authority.

Nevertheless, any sort of development would disrupt the ecosystem and life on the land, added the gregarious Rebliauskas, who mentions that Pimachiowin Aki is Objiwe for "the land that gives life."

Besides Poplar River, the other members of PAC include Pikangikum First Nation, Pauingassi First Nation, Little Grand Rapids First Nation, Bloodvein First Nation, Manitoba Conservation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

The project area consists of some 40,000 square kilometres and includes Manitoba's Atikaki Provincial Park and the adjoining Woodland Caribou Provincial Park in Ontario -- both are prime canoeing and wildlife areas.

During our boat trip on a mostly sun-splashed afternoon, we stopped at a site containing the faded outlines of ancient rock paintings.

Indigenous people have been here for 5,000 to 6,000 years -- since the last glaciers receded, remarked Jones, as we stood atop a rocky ridge gazing at Thunder Mountain on the distant horizon with Weaver Lake below us and the thick forest extending as far as the eye could see.

"The boreal forest is recognized as a valuable eco-system," he said.

"It's recognized as the lungs of the Earth. It sequesters carbon and is a good place to study climate change. It also sustains indigenous people who have been part of this region for thousands of years. Indigenous people have knowledge and belief systems important for everyone."

There are 890 World Heritage Sites located in 148 countries, according to information from UNESCO. Of these, 689 are cultural, 176 are natural and 25 are mixed properties. Such spectacular sites as the Grand Canyon, the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (one of 13 World Heritage Sites in Canada), the pyramids of Egypt, and Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia have all achieved the designation.

Both Jones and Rebliauskas believe that having the region declared an official World Heritage Site would help create income for the First Nations communities by stimulating eco-tourism.

"When a place gets recognized as a World Heritage Site people from all over the world will want to visit the land," said Jones, who noted that the formal nomination for a WHS will take place in February 2012 with a further 18 months for review and approval by UNESCO.

Already, some First Nations lodge owners in eastern Manitoba are planning on how they can help create jobs through eco-tourism, observed Rebliauskas, who, along with her husband, runs a lodge in Poplar River.

"For our First Nations, the forests are our heritage," stressed one elder to me back at the healing camp as I nodded my head in agreement.

Indeed, the land that gives life must be protected for all of us.

Martin Zeilig is a Winnipeg writer.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 3, 2010 h6

A group of First Nations from Manitoba and Ontario are working together to have their traditional lands deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"There are fewer and fewer places in the world that have been left undeveloped, unchanged by human activity" said Gord Jones, with the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage group.

The group involves the Poplar River, Little Grand Rapids and Pauingassi First Nations in Manitoba and the Pikangikum First Nation in Ontario, with support from Ontario and Manitoba's governments.

The UNESCO designation would protect 40,000 square kilometres of forest, rivers and traditional territories.

"Our people have lived here for thousands of years and without that land they wouldn't have been able to survive," said Sophia Rabliausku, who wants the land protected under the UNESCO designation.

Hidehiro Otake, a freelance photographer from Japan, travelled to the area to capture images of the wild wolf because the animal is extinct in his homeland.

"It's very important so this place should be protected somehow," said Otake.

The Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage group plans to submit all its nomination material to UNESCO's world heritage committee by February 2012.

- with a report from CTV's Rachel Lagacé

It is important to note that a World Heritage site on the east side of Lake Winnipeg will be a huge economic boost for Manitoba. If Bipole III is constructed through the east side, we severely reduce our chance of receiving this internationally prestigious designation and consequently the best free marketing available for promoting eco and cultural tourism -- two of the fastest-growing industries in the world. I point to recent examples.

UNESCO took the severe step of removing the World Heritage Site designation from Germany's Dresden Elbe River Valley in 2009, after construction began on a four-lane bridge through the heart of the area.

In 2009, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador reversed its decision to construct a Bipole through Gross Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because they were informed that doing so could jeopardize the park's UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.

In the spring of 2010, the B.C. government announced a ban on mining and oil and gas development in the Flathead River Valley because a United Nations team of experts visited the region and called for a moratorium on any potential future development in the region as it would have an impact on Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Keeping the east side healthy and well, without Bipole III, is a win-win! We preserve the intact east side ecosystems while local communities embrace new economic opportunities for businesses and jobs. This GDP boost and protection of our environment will be beneficial for all Manitobans.

Ron Thiessen

Winnipeg

CPAWS' Ron Thiessen (left) delivers a CD containing almost 10,000 letters from concerned international citizens to Hugh McFadyen (right).

Today, copies of almost 10,000 letters from North Americans who support a World Heritage Site on the east side of Lake Winnipeg were delivered to the Manitoba legislature. The letters ask the province to maintain the quest for the prestigious international UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the ecologically and culturally significant region and to hold strong on its decision to not run a major hydro corridor through the area.

Representatives from three leading Manitoba environmental groups made a point of hand delivering copies of the letters to Manitoba Tory leader Hugh McFadyen, the main proponent for an east side hydro corridor routing. A major hydro transmission pathway through the region would jeopardize Manitoba’s chance of UNESCO granting a world heritage site.

The competition to achieve World Heritage Site designation is challenging as many apply, few are chosen. Manitoba needs to make its application the best it can be. Contrary to assertions that a major hydro route would not harm the world heritage site bid, in the past year UNESCO removed WHS status from a site in Germany because of inappropriate developments and warned others that status may be lost if proposed developments are given the go-ahead.

People across North America are recognizing the ecological and cultural values of the largest intact boreal forest on earth, and are standing up to ensure conservation opportunities aren’t lost to unchecked industrial developments. The Heart of the Boreal is one of the greatest storehouses of carbon, and greatest sources of fresh water on the planet. First Nations communities in the Heart of the Boreal are putting conservation and communities first by requesting protection for the lands and waters of the East Side.

Prior to the Manitoba government’s 2007 announcement that they would not allow a hydro line to be built through the East Side, 13,000 letters from Manitobans were sent to the province supporting conservation and the World heritage Site bid in the Heart of Boreal.

Today’s letters were delivered on a CD, together with blank sheets of paper visually representing the number of letters. Mr. McFadyen was encouraged to use the 100% post-consumer, recycled, non-chlorine-bleached paper in his office.

The Heart of the Boreal initiative is comprised of the Boreal Forest Network, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, and the Wilderness Committee. The U.S. based Natural Resources Defense Council is working with the groups to assist in educating North Americans about the conservation opportunity on the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

Contact:

Ron Thiessen, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, 204–794–4971, ron@cpawsmb.org
Eric Reder, the Wilderness Committee, 204–997-8584, eric@wildernesscommittee.mb.ca
Susanne McCrea, The Boreal Forest Network 204-297-0321, borealaction@gmail.com
Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, The Natural Resources Defense Council, 202-289-2366, sclefkowitz@nrdc.org

For photos, video and link to action, see Website: www.heartoftheboreal.ca
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• Send an electronic letter to support Manitoba's designation as a World Heritage site

An environmental coalition surprised Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen Tuesday with 10,000 letters urging the province to stand firm against a major transmission line down the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

McFadyen and his party have long opposed the government's stance, arguing BiPole III should be built down the east side, rather than west of lakes Winnipegosis and Manitoba, the route the government chose in 2007.

Ron Thiessen, Manitoba director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, had a brief discussion with McFadyen as he presented him with a CD version of the letters and one blank piece of paper symbolizing them.

"Debate and perspective on these issues is good," McFadyen said, noting that his party has "a respectful disagreement" with CPAWS and its partners in the initiative, including The Wilderness Committee, the Boreal Forest Network and the U.S.-based Natural Resources Defense Council.

The groups argue running BiPole III down the east side would jeopardize a bid to have the area designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as compromising the ecological and cultural benefits of keeping the forest intact.

A spokeswoman for the Tories said the vast majority of the signatories to the letters are American, with only a handful coming from Manitoba.

Today, Manitoba Tory leader Hugh McFadyen got a message from nearly 10,000 international supporters of the proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site, who agree with the Province of  Manitoba that the east side of Lake Winnipeg is no place for Manitoba Hydro’s next major transmission corridor – BiPole 3.

The Manitoba leaders of the Boreal Forest Network, the Wilderness Committee and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society personally delivered the letters to McFadyen, the main proponent for an east-side hydro-corridor routing.

The groups made it clear that a major hydro transmission pathway through the region would jeopardize Manitoba’s chance of UNESCO granting the area World Heritage Site status.
 
People across North America are recognizing the ecological and cultural values of the largest intact boreal forest on earth, and are standing up to ensure conservation opportunities aren’t lost to unchecked industrial developments. The Heart of the Boreal is one of the greatest storehouses of carbon, and greatest sources of fresh water on the planet. First Nations communities in the Heart of the Boreal are putting conservation and communities first by insisting on protection for the lands and waters of the east-side boreal area.

The letters were delivered on a CD together with blank sheets of paper visually representing the number of letters. Mr. McFadyen was encouraged to use the 100% post-consumer-recycled, non-chlorine-bleached paper in his office.
 
The U.S.-based Natural Resources Defense Council initiated the action alert with the support of the Canadian groups, and is working to assist in educating North Americans about the conservation opportunity on the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

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Re: East side tourism (March 24). I was pleased to read the province will be investing $2.5 million on a new aboriginal cultural centre near Hollow Water -- the gateway to the heart of the boreal forest on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The announcement also includes a separate fund for a loans program that will kick start local tourism ventures.

Done right, eco and cultural tourism is a tremendous opportunity to create employment by keeping the region healthy and unbroken. With the upcoming World Heritage Site designation, people will come from all over the world to see the world's largest intact section of northern forest. This will be a huge economic boon for local communities in need of jobs.

RON THIESSEN

Winnipeg

WINNIPEG - Environmental groups counter-attacked Wednesday in the growing war of words over Manitoba Hydro’s plan to build a $1.1-billion power transmission line down the west side of the province.

Manitoban, Canadian and U.S. groups launched an education blitz to urge the Manitoba government to keep its commitment and not construct the Bipole III hydro line on the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

Spearheading the attack is a new website called The Heart of the Boreal at www.heartoftheboreal.ca.

"We feel it’s important that proponents of an east side hydro corridor are aware of the tremendous support for keeping the region intact and unspoiled," Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) Manitoba spokesman Ron Thiessen said.

CPAWS, the Boreal Forest Network, the Wilderness Committee and the Natural Resources Defense Council say they’re confident the Selinger government will protect the east side from development to help win an UNESCO World Heritage Site for the area.

But they’re also calling Canadians and Americans to lobby the province to stay true to its word.

"We need to ensure that Manitobans, and people around the world, know about the Heart of the Boreal and it’s value," Wilderness Committee spokesman Eric Reder said. "We literally walk into classes in Winnipeg and ask who knows about the Amazon. All the kids do, but they can’t tell us about the biggest forest in the northern hemisphere, or the greatest source of fresh water on the planet."

Critics, including the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, have become more outspoken against the longer west-side route. They say it will cost more than $600 million more than a line down the shorter east side route.

The PCs also said the province should save that money especially as the government now faces a $555-million budget deficit in the 2009-10 budget year.

On Wednesday Carman PC MLA Blaine Pedersen held a public meeting in Haywood over the issue.

He said 150 people showed up with most concerned about Hydro’s plans: A west-side route will go through the Haywood area.

Pedersen said residents are worried about how they will be compensated should the route be built on their land and the impact the lines will have on them and livestock, plus what the lines mean to potato farmers who irrigate their land.

"Manitoba Hydro had a public consultation meeting in the area in December," Pedersen said. "From what I heard I don’t think public consultation is done here."

Last week several First Nations say they will oppose the west-side route until the full impact of hydro development on their communities is studied.

Reder and Thiessen said a lot of information about the UNESCO designation being bandied about isn’t factual, which is why they created the website.

"There are lots of opinions and editorials," Reder said. "We wanted to ensure there was some positive and factual information about this global treasure available."

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

The political opposition in Manitoba, Canada has revived a proposal to run a major hydropower transmission line directly through the boreal forest on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. It’s an odd choice for an election issue. The current government had already made a decision to work with local communities to protect one of North America’s most outstanding sanctuaries for woodland caribou, timber wolves and songbirds – the Heart of the Boreal – as a World Heritage Site. That means that local communities make decisions about what to protect and how to encourage environmentally healthy development. It means that there can be local roads and businesses, but that the bulk of this untouched wilderness of emerald forests, marshes, lakes, and rivers is recognized for its ecological and cultural values. It means no industrial transmission line in a part of the province where the wilderness values are so high.

Manitoba has made an interesting choice around placement of the transmission line and one that should resonate in the United States as well. Our need for energy is often in conflict with our need to protect special places. Manitoba decided that the Heart of the Boreal region was so valuable that it was worth paying more to put the industrial transmission line elsewhere. In fact, what I suspect Manitoba realized, is that developed corridors should always be preferred over wildlands. Even if the cost appears to be greater, in reality developers usually fail to include the cost of the controversies that accompany efforts to build in untouched places. These can include special mitigation measures, delays, litigation, and the need for additional public relations and outreach – all of which cost money. This is a lesson to learn from as we face conflicts over how to get energy to the markets where it is needed. The on-the-face monetary cost of a project is not the only thing to consider: ecological and cultural values of the land should be considered equally with other aspects of where a transmission line goes.

The international environmental community has long supported the efforts of local First Nations communities to establish a World Heritage Site in this region – called Pimachiowin Aki. The site would span 10.6 million acres in Manitoba and Ontario and encompass two provincial parks in addition to First Nations traditional territories. A hydropower transmission line through this region would seriously jeopardize the World Heritage Site nomination.

Already several years ago, NRDC designated this region as an international BioGem. NRDC members and activists have long recognized the Boreal forest wilderness on the east side of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba as an area of global importance, sending  thousands of messages calling for protection over the last few years. Today, our Manitoba environmental partners launched a new website celebrating the Heart of the Boreal. And together with our Manitoba partners, we are once again asking the public to let Manitoba know that the Heart of the Boreal is deserving of permanent protection – and that means no industrial transmission line.

So, stand firm Manitoba. You have the right values in place and made a good decision to move forward with a World Heritage Site nomination that is based on local, First Nations community planning, instead of an industrial transmission line. I think that the opposition will learn that Manitobans value their natural heritage. And I think that they will learn that local communities appreciate having a say in what happens on their traditional lands.

The Government of Manitoba won a 2009 Boreal Award for championing the proposed Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage Site, announcing a $10M Trust Fund to support the leading First Nations, and for passing legislation for First Nations land planning and management of their traditional territories.

The Boreal Awards are chosen by a committee of the Boreal Leadership Council. The Council recognizes leadership, innovation, cooperation, and excellence among those who live and work in Canada’s Boreal Forest region. CPAWS Manitoba nominated the province for the award.

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