Wood Buffalo National Park was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1983. An indigenous tribe asked that the park be designated as “in danger.”

Wood Buffalo National Park was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1983. An indigenous tribe asked that the park be designated as “in danger.”
Photo Credit: Carolyn Matthews

Development plans for national park alarms UNESCO

UNESCO wants Canada to delay hydro and petroleum development in Wood Buffalo National Park, reports the Globe and Mail newspaper. The park in northwestern Canada is one of the largest in the world. Its territory covers 44,807 km2 making it larger than Switzerland and it is home to wild bison and other abundant wildlife.

Hydro-electric and petroleum projects planned

The United Nations’ world heritage committee has agreed to send a monitoring committee to the park, says a representative of the aboriginal Mikisew Cree Nation. That First Nation had petitioned UNESCO to have the park cited as “in danger” because of a hydroelectric dam that has been approved as well as a proposed oilsands development, and an open-pit mine to be built within its boundaries.

UNESCO stopped short of designating the par as “in danger” however it asked that Canada not take any decision on a development project that would be difficult to reverse and to submit an environmental assessment to the committee.

Government ‘happy’ to work with UNESCO

A spokesman for the environment minister sent an email to the Globe stating that the government is committed to conservation in the park and would be “happy” to work with UNESCO on an assessment. The committee asked to see results of an assessment by December 1, 2016.

Categories: Environment & Animal Life, Indigenous, International, Society
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