NO GATEWAY TO GLOBAL WARMING

By Jeff Nagel - Surrey North Delta Leader
Published: April 21, 2010 7:00 AM

Metro Vancouver is planning to spearhead a move to raise the international profile of Burns Bog.

The regional district intends to apply to designate the 2,042-hectare bog ecological conservancy area as a “Ramsar Wetland of International Significance.”

The raised peat bog is dubbed the lungs of the Lower Mainland.

“It would certainly bring more international recognition to Burns Bog,” said Metro parks committee chair Gayle Martin, whose committee passed the staff recommendation last month.

She said the designation could help pull in more government funding for scientific research needed to protect the bog.

Such a move has to be initiated by a local government and would still require the support of provincial and federal officials.

Bog defenders say the designation wouldn’t give more legal protection, but would add moral clout to their conservation efforts.

“This is a step in the right direction,” said Burns Bog Conservation Society president Eliza Olson. “I’m absolutely thrilled.”

There are 1,886 Ramsar wetlands worldwide, including 37 in Canada.

It might also be a stepping stone to an even stronger title.

Metro staff will also investigate the potential to designate the bog a UN World Heritage Site.

Olson lists the South Fraser Perimeter Road as the number-one threat to Burns Bog now, but says there are also grave concerns about the Corporation of Delta’s intent to open up some adjacent lands to industrial development.

The bog is considered an important carbon sink – further damage to it could release trapped carbon and contribute to global warming.

For more information on Ramsar: click here to download a PDF factsheet or visit this website.

jnagel@surreyleader.com

Support the preservation of Burns Bog and its nomination as UNESCO Ecological Site

Delta Municipal Plans Conform with 20th Century Freeway Planning

Over and over, municipalities decades ahead of Delta in planning for infrastructure have expressed gratitude for narrowly rejecting dissection by Freeway like Toronto and Vancouver which had the foresight also to recognize the ecological values of Stanley Park. Show your support for preserving Burns Bog and protecting the endangered Southern red-backed vole found in this area.

Delta Council's failure to uphold bylaws has silently given the Provincial government the impunity to ignore Delta's bylaws, allowing for this rezoning.

Don't let them get away with it.

Your concern shows Council you are watching. Your email tells Council they cannot hide from public scrutiny. Wear green in solidarity with the Society's campaign.

Write a letter to Delta Council or email mayor-council@corp.delta.bc.ca in opposition to Bylaws 6827 and 6828. State these are publicly owned, environmentally sensitive Burns Bog lands that should be added to the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area - NOT REZONED INDUSTRIAL! please copy to the Society and West Coast Environmental Law.

Over a hundred people gathered last month to discuss the social, environmental and economic impacts of the South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) at a townhall meeting in Delta. People voiced their frustration with the lack of leadership by Delta Council grabbing widespread media attention thanks to all of you for attending and forwarding the message about this important meeting.

Loss of farmland, loss of bogland and alternatives to the road were discussed throughout the course of the afternoon, but it all boiled down to two points: The road is not needed and it can still be stopped.

We need your continued support. Help stop the SFPR.

For more information check out the Bylaws by clicking here.

Help designate Burns Bog UNESCO World Heritage Site

BURNS BOG

KRISTINE KRYNITZKI

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Burns Bog, donned “the lungs of the Lower Mainland”, is an extremely important and fragile piece of land for many environmental, historical, and cultural reasons. Bogs not only filter 10% of the world’s fresh water and can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 10%, but Burns Bog in particular also hosts an extraordinary ecosystem of plants and wildlife such as the endangered Southern Red-backed Vole and Greater Sandhill Crane. Preserving organic matter for thousands of years, bogs are places of significant archaeological interest.

For many people, Burns Bog is a great escape from city life, providing the public a beautiful natural green space for walks, bike rides, picnics and general outdoor enjoyment. The bog in your backyard is a magnificent urban oasis that without your help could very well end up a giant parking lot in yet another wasteful commercial development.

The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) exists to protect sites of outstanding value to humanity. Every year they designate approximately thirty places “World Heritage Sites” because as they rightly assert, “cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.”. Among these sites include Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, India’s Taj Mahal, and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks.

Gaining the World Heritage Site status is not an easy feat, and understandably so. Once inscribed on The List, the site’s profile is raised, heightening awareness to local and global communities, which generally garners an increase in interest and support. The World Heritage Committee steps in, often helping with financial support and offering advice from world experts. Due to these extraordinary benefits, many concerned parties have been fighting for Burns Bog to gain World Heritage Site status since 2004. Help protect the bog by simply putting pen to paper. It is a worthy cause that you can bet your lungs on.

Sign the petition online or speak with your local Member of Parliament.

Don’t know who your MP is?