RED DEER, Alta. (Staff) – A government proposal to set aside 12 percent of the province’s land base for preservation has cattle producers uneasy.
The proposal focuses on preservation rather than protection of land, with a bias toward the environmental community, said Larry Helland, provincial affairs chair for the Alberta Cattle Commission, who submitted a critical assessment of the government’s report Special Places 2000.
“We didn’t feel the stakeholders in the industry that were going to be … impacted had the weight in the report that they deserved,” said Helland, who ranches near Lomond.
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“We did say throughout the public consultation that grazing had to be an integral part of any program to create new ecological reserves or new natural areas.”
Six meetings were held throughout the province where 80 people representing 60 interest groups made presentations about the direction they see for land preservation. Another 500 written submissions were received by the department of environmental protection
As assistant deputy minister for parks and recreation in the department of environmental protection, Dave Chabillon, said he understands producers’ concerns.
But many problems arise through misinformation. The government isn’t going to ram legislation through without more public consultation, especially with landholders’ concerns regarding grazing.
“We see no reason why grazing shouldn’t continue. The same thing would hold true in a protected area. If grazing is an accepted practice now we would see it continuing,” Chabillon said.
But at the same time there is pressure on the land and a decision on its future must be made quickly.
Helland questioned the need for legislation and suggested the government look for alternatives. It could work with existing environmental groups which focus on land and water preservation and increase public education of the importance of protecting land.
