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Citizens of South East False Creek in Vancouver have successfully lobbied to make the yet undeveloped region a model of sustainable development with environmentally sensitive policies. Their efforts were almost derailed by city planning staff who were insisting on economically sound redevelopment.
Forestry reforms and biodiversity in British Columbia British Columbia's environmental policy makers profess to abide by the virtues of sustainable development but its actions indicate the contrary. Continued reliance on industrial forestry, particularly in Slocan Valley, is far from environmentally sound.
Studies done for federal and provincial governments often overstate the costs of environmental policies and regulations with little or no regard for the actual benefits of such policies. A Fraser Institute study even reveals that protecting the environment cost Canadians $85 billion a year.
The World Wildlife Fund Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Ontario Heritage Foundation have teamed up to conserve the natural resources of Carolinian Canada. The region is one of the most diverse ecological zones and supports 40% of endangered species in Canada.
Costa Rican conservation communities are suspicious of the deal between IN Bio and Merck and Co, Inc. IN Bio sought economic assistance for its environmental projects and Merck came to the rescue. The deal allows Merck to procure plant and insect samples from Costa Rica's rainforests.
Feds fish for support: a ripple of cautious optimism greets new 'Oceans Act.'
The 'Oceans Act' is aimed at promoting the preservation and conservation of marine-based resources. The legislation, effective on Jan 31, 1997, also promises a more collaborative decision-making process.
Fire on the land: there's nothing primitive about farmers using fire to sustain biodiversity.
Small-scale fires can be very beneficial to forests because they promote greater diversity of species by regenerating the environment. They also limit the damages wrought by wildfires by limiting fuel accumulations.
Community-based biodiversity programs can thrive provided environmental information, made easy through geographic information systems, is equitably shared for improved environmental management. Rural Mexican areas such as Chichinautzin recognize the importance of such.
The Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) will be one of the main issues in the Nov 1997 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference. MAI promises to eliminate the need for negotiations concerning bilateral investment treaties. MAI, however, may also incite 'corporate rule treaty.'
Once there were millions of passenger pigeons too.
Protecting the monarch butterfly The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada has declared the monarch butterfly an endangered specie. Monarchs migrate to Mexican forests during the winter. However, these forests are threatened by the timber cutters and local residents in the region.
Includes related article on Bill C-65 Canada has launched the Endangered Species and Spaces campaign to promote the preservation of wildlife as well as establish protected areas to preserve biodiversity. The grizzly bear is only one among the 268 endangered species in Canada.
