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I thought you may be interested in the content of a message that I sent recently to the Premier. Graham Smith --- I am already well aware of the approach that was taken in preparing the plan for the use of Crown lands. I attended the public meeting in Sackville and made inputs to the process. The problem is that the DNR planners have generally ignored the inputs of many groups which advocated that we keep wild places wild; there is too much exploitation in the plan, not enough protection. The percentage of Crown land is only about 28% in Nova Scotia, and in the DNR plan only 20% of this is in the more protected C3 category. Of that, only one quarter is designated for wilderness. This means that only about 1.5% of the province is protected to any real extent to remain wild. This is a startlingly low figure. We know the value of wild spaces in filtering and cleaning our air and water, not to mention the importance of wildlife habitat. This is the legacy of future Nova Scotians. My request is that these priorities be given their due consideration. The DNR plan needs a complete review, with a proper priority assigned to wilderness protection. Thank you, Graham Smith -----Original Message----- From: Graham & Sue Smith <sage@hfx.eastlink.ca> To: kdegooyer@hotmail.com <kdegooyer@hotmail.com> Date: 2000/Oct/23 7:46 PM Subject: NOVA SCOTIA'S PUBLIC LANDS ARE WORTH SAVING > >TO: Hon. John Hamm, Premier, >PO Box 726, Halifax, NS, >B3J 2T3. >Fax: 424-7648 > >Dear Dr. Hamm: > >The Department of Natural Resources has regrettably proposed a land use >plan for Crown lands that fails to recognize the value that many Nova >Scotians place on saving our limited public land base from resource >extraction. I support the position (below) of the Nova Scotia Public >Lands Coalition, and urge your government to do likewise. I am counting >on you to rescue Nova Scotia's wilderness heritage. Please also add this >letter to the official record of comments for the Integrated Resource >Management (IRM) planning process. I look forward to your response. >WHEREAS Nova Scotia prides itself on being home to spectacular >wilderness including vast forests, rivers, lakes, coastal islands, and >beaches; > >WHEREAS the loss of wilderness in Nova Scotia, including on public >lands, has reached an alarming and unprecedented rate of over >500km2/year; > >WHEREAS our public wildlands provide wildlife habitat, keep air and >water clean, sustain native forests, maintain the beauty, solitude, and >adventure of the back country, offer residents and visitors access to >outdoor recreation, provide new economic opportunities for Nova Scotia >communities, and contribute to the quality of life in Nova Scotia; > >WHEREAS the Province's proposed "Integrated Resource Management" land >use plans would allow industrial development to displace nearly all >unprotected public wildlands; and > >WHEREAS it is reasonable to expect our provincial government to do all >it can to defend the public wildlands it manages on behalf of all Nova >Scotians; > >BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE Government of Nova Scotia: OVERHAUL the >proposed Integrated Resource Management plans to recognize conservation >as the primary role of public lands; > >HONOUR its protected area commitments; > >PROTECT all remaining public wildlands, significant natural areas, and >public lands proposed for protection; and > >BUY TIME for publicly-owned wilderness by placing remaining public >wildlands, potential significant natural areas, and public lands >proposed for protection under an interim development moratorium to allow >an opportunity for proper study of protection options before lands >are lost to development. > >Graham Smith >450 Brookside Rd. >Brookside, NS, B3T 1T3 -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes mailing list (sust-mar). http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Volunteer moderator: Paul Falvo mailto:sust-mar-owner@chebucto.ns.ca To submit a message to sust-mar, please send it to: mailto:sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca PLEASE SEND MESSAGES TO SUST-MAR IN PLAIN TEXT ONLY MESSAGES CONTAINING HTML (MIME) CANNOT BE POSTED
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