Troubled by national park....

[Darkwolf]

The Canadian Federal government is currently reviewing the idea of designating the public land in the south okanagan region of B.C. as a national park. Development and road building are threatening the area which is a unique ecosystem. However, ranching, hunting and off-road use of the area, home to elk, bighorn, bear, deer and gamebirds, will, of course be outlawed. The major newspapers have all taken up the cause, as well as environmental groups.

I'm all for protection of this area, but I have a problem with putting it in the National Park system.

It eliminates almost all traditional resource use for the local people, including the native peoples, the ranchers who have been there for hundreds of years and other residents in favour of "No-impact" use by occasional urbanites.

Jasper and Banff National parks are proof positive that National parks are just as, if not more environmentally destructive as non-parks.

Any suggestions?

[kootenaykiller]

i agree with you 100 percent,but unfortunatly there is probably nothing a person can do about it.decisions like that are all made by goverment and not by people like us,who use that land treat it with respect because its our own backyard.the goverment gets in there,turns it into a park because all they see is dollar signs.they just dont understand that once it is a national park there will be 10 times as many people to deal with.most of which are tourists,so the goverment just makes more $$$$$$$$$.there is a similar problem in the east kootenays,but there not doing any thing to remedy.it involves a major wintering ground for elk and mule deer.all of the roads are closed.but any given weekend if you go there you will see a pick up or quad racing around.its redicleous,i have to walk an hour or two just to take pictures or hunt,or whatever.and then seeing vehicles everywhere in the road closeures .and its stuff like that which leads goverment to make it into a park.any way good luck with your fight,from the east kootenays