The Manitoba Eco-Network :: Events & Opportunities

August 5, 2010 - Water Conservation and Protection Workshop
Free Admission

Date: Thursday, August 5
Time: from 7:00pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Living Prairie Museum 2795 Ness Avenue, Winnipeg
Topics:
Organic lawn care techniques (MB Eco-Network Organic Lawn Care Project Facilitator Amanda Kinden)
Lake Winnipeg: What You Can Do To Protect Our Lakes and Rivers (Vicki Burns, Community Foundations of Canada)
Xeriscaping techniques (Living Prairie Museum)
Green roofs (Karen Pearce, Assiniboine Park Conservatory)
Please feel free to bring your friends or anyone else who might be interested!

R.S.V.P. by Aug 2nd. to pow@mbeconetwork.org or 943-0318

June 25, 2010 - Workshop Water Governance

Free Workshop
Location: Delta Field Marsh Station (See Map Below)
Date: June 25, 2010 10 am-3 pm.

Speakers:

Kathryn Furlong, University of Montreal: "Creating partnerships for sustainability: municipal challenges and opportunities in water governance"

John Sinclair, University of Manitoba: "Governance for Source Water Protection in Canada: A Canadian Water Network Project"

Donna Smiley, Manitoba Conservation: "Onsite Wastewater Management Systems"

Bryan Oborne & Dimple Roy, International Institute for Sustainable Development: Supporting Effective Watershed Management and Governance

Water Governance Poster.pdf

June 3, 2010 - The Manitoba Water Council is the senior advisory body to the Minister of Water Stewardship. As part of a review of the Manitoba Water Strategy the Water Council is conducting public consultations to determine Manitobans' perspectives on wetlands. The consultation process will be underway this summer. Please see the Eco-Network's Action page for more information and dates for open house consultations in your area.

May 26 Water Caucus Bulletin:

Opportunities:

1) Canadian Water Resources Association Luncheon: Groundwater, Drought and Climate Change (and the Pressures of Humanity)
2) Waterlution presents: The Canadian Water Innovation Lab 2010
3) Buy a Rain Barrel, support the Manitoba Eco-Network
4) Free Lawn Care Workshops
5) OurWinnipeg Roundtable

Resources

6) Trends in global water use by sector
7) Review and Assessment of Canadian Groundwater Resources, Management, Current Research Mechanisms and Priorities
8) Community Foundations of Canada launches blog aimed at protecting and preserving our freshwater supply
9) Jeremy Jackson: How we wrecked the ocean

Special Section: Winnipeg Water Waste News Items and Resources

10) Councillors OK 30-year deal. Despite opposition, Veolia to upgrade sewage plants
11) New law clarifies public-private partnerships
12) Veolia Contract for Waste and Water Upgrades May be Approved Without Full Disclosure
13) Water Watch Rally: Audio

News Items:

14) Stronger protection against bulk water exports from rivers and streams that cross the U.S.-Canada border was announced Thursday by the federal government
15) Manitoba Continues to Work to Restore Health of Internationally Significant Marshes
16) High bacterial rates found in bottled water
17) Federal Government moves to decriminalize sewage pollution

Bulletin May 26 2010.doc

Sylvia Lake: Whiteshell carved up for Tim Horton's Development

This morning, the Province of Manitoba announced the approval of a Tim
Horton's children's camp in Whiteshell Park on Sylvia Lake. This
approval occurred despite the fact that there is still no plan in
place for where and how much development Manitobans want in this
important piece of natural heritage in Southeastern Manitoba.

We have heard a lot about planning in Manitoba recently. Plan Winnipeg
is being replaced by Our Winnipeg. Our Conservation Districts are
embarking on Integrated Watershed Plans. Our elected officials have
even sought fit to ensure a sustainable plan for the Winnipeg Blue
Bombers. So why not a plan for the Whiteshell?

In order for development to be environmentally and socially
sustainable, there needs to be a plan to see how it all fits in place.
Otherwise, a project that may seem harmless or even beneficial at
first glance, may turn out to have negative impacts once we consider
how it fits it in with other projects already underway. We can
lose sight of alternative developments that may be even more
beneficial. Or we may not be aware of their cumulative impacts. But
there still no long term plan for one of Manitobans favourite and most
biologically important parks.

This past spring, I had the chance to take part in a hike to Sylvia
Lake organized by the Wilderness Committee and CPAWS. I was inspired
by the beauty of the isolated location. The Tim Horton's camp will
bring new roads and other forms development into the park, driving out
wildlife and breaking up the habitat. I was also struck by how there
are many opportunities to build the camp outside park. Locations just
outside the park would offer the advantages of access to the
Whiteshell, while not disturbing the integrity of the land. We can
only guess the reasons for proposing to build within the park.
Possibly, it offers Tim Horton's Foundation advantages of not being
responsible for the roads inside the park. Maybe it is cheaper to
acquire subsidized public land rather than pay market price outside
the park. We do not know the answers because there has been no public
input or participation.

It is time to create plans for all our parks in Manitoba before they
are eroded away one by one. Let your elected officials know that you
will not stand for your natural heritage being carved up for private
projects. Go to CPAWS and Wilderness Committee for more information.

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