View topic - Wolf Lake is back on the "Chopping Block"

Ottertooth has published an updated News Brief on Wolf Lake:

http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/newsbriefs.htm

I found this link in my mail box this morning.

http://www.savewolflake.org

Where there is a press release entitled:
"Coalition forms to protect Wolf Lake old-growth forest".

Still getting lots of attention in the Sudbury area

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDi ... ?e=3466153
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDi ... ?e=3465277

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"There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going"-unknown

This Decision was just posted on the EBR Registry:


Policy Decision Notice: EBR Registry Number: 010-7775
Title:
Amendments to remove and re-designate parts of the Wolf Lake Forest Reserve (F175) Crown land use designation and replace those parts with additions to Chiniguchi Waterway Provincial Park, General Use Area G2048 and Enhanced Management Area E183r Ministry:
Ministry of Natural Resources
Date Decision loaded to the Registry:
March 13, 2012
Date Proposal loaded to the Registry:
June 01, 2011




Keyword(s): Land use planning | Protected Areas | Parks

Decision on Policy:

The Ontario government has decided to retain the Forest Reserve designation for Wolf Lake Old Growth Forest.

This decision will result in a balanced approach towards economic development and environmental sustainability by ensuring commercial harvesting of old growth red pine remains prohibited on Wolf Lake Forest Reserve while still allowing for exploration and development of existing mining claims and leases.


Comment(s) Received on the Proposal: 296
Public Consultation on the proposal for this decision was provided for 47 Days, from June 01, 2011 to July 18, 2011.

As a result of public consultation on the proposal, the Ministry received a total of 296 comments: 287 comments were received in writing and 9 were received online.

Additionally, a copy of all comments are available for public viewing by contacting the Contact person listed in this notice.

A selection of these comments are available:



Effect(s) of Consultation on this Decision:

The Ministry of Natural Resources has carefully considered the 296 comments received in response to the proposed changes to the future use of the Wolf Lake Forest Reserve.

The majority of the comments requested that the Forest Reserve designation for the Wolf Lake Forest Reserve be maintained in order to protect old growth red pine. The following summarizes the comments received:

Concern that “irreplaceable” old growth red pine would not be protected;
Concern that the government was not keeping its promise made in its ‘Ontario Living Legacy’ to protect the area;
Concern that the ministry was going to allow increased mining and forestry activity in the area; and
Concern about the long term sustainability of the rare old growth red pine forest ecosystem.
The Ministry of Natural Resources has considered the comments received and has decided to retain the Forest Reserve designation for Wolf Lake Old Growth Forest.

MNR's Press Release on Wolf Lake is here:

http://news.ontario.ca/mnr/en/2012/03/w ... serve.html

Good news and a good start! Now the need is to get the area permanently protected by including this unique forest as part of the Chiniguchi Waterway Park.

Here's a Sudbury event this week that will hopefully raise both some awareness and money for the ongoing efforts of the Wolf Lake Coalition to further protect the area.

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDi ... ?e=3499364

http://ottertooth.com/Temagami/newsbriefs.htm

_________________

"There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going"-unknown

Some more media coverage of today's news in the local Sudbury paper this afternoon -

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDi ... ?e=3499893

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"There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going"-unknown

The initial fight to stop the changes and keep things status-quo has been won. But the real fight isn't over yet.

We cannot and should not rest until Wolf Lake and the surrounding area is made part of the Chiniguchi Waterway PP. The final goal.

Thank you to everyone that mailed a letter, sent an email or shared this issue with others. It's appreciated.

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The Wilderness needs strong voices to protect it. And yours can be one of them.
Visit the Friends of Temagami website to learn more.

It's great news - something positive for a change. I needed that....

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“What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on?” - Thoreau

Jane Goodall speaks out for Wolf Lake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs_qFHIL ... e=youtu.be

Some excellent coverage of this on the local CTV news last night:
http://northernontario.ctv.ca/sudbury/index.html

The Wolf Lake story is the third item in, after the firefighting stories.

Glad to see the issue is still front and center in the minds of Northerners.

Interestingly, today is the day that one of the major leases is set to expire...
With the Ontario Government do the right thing?

Apparently not.

Ontario announced by press release its intent to renew a mining lease on Wolf Lake that expires today.

Minister of Northern Development and Mines Rick Bartolucci calls this a "balanced approach." He said this does not open the area up to new prospecting and mineral claim staking. But it does perpetuate existing prospecting and staking with the goal of mining.

This threatens the largest remaining old-growth red pine forest in the world.

http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/newsbriefs.htm

The fight isn't over yet.

_________________
The Wilderness needs strong voices to protect it. And yours can be one of them.
Visit the Friends of Temagami website to learn more.

The full release is here in the Sudbury Star:

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDi ... ?e=3574782

The rights of one defunct and bankrupt mining speculator have now trumped the rights of paddlers, hikers, tourist lodge owners, canoe tripping camps, environmentalists and First Nations communities.

An entire coalition of hundreds of supporters - business owners, FN communites and individuals alike have spoken out in favour of protecting this area, but those request have fallen on Rick Bartolucci's deaf ears.

Oh Sudbury, how I miss that place and that mentality...

Keep up the good fight!

_________________
Dave

"The way of a canoe is the way of the wilderness, and of a freedom almost forgotten." Sigurd Olson, 1956