Send a Letter Now to Protect the Peel Watershed

February, 2009

We’ve successfully reached our first milestone in moving towards protecting the Peel watershed!

But we still need your help. The Peel Watershed Commission has released three scenarios for the future of Yukon’s Peel Watershed.
“Scenario Two” recommends much more certainty for protection of wilderness and traditional values, and the maintenance of healthy wildlife, tourism and guide outfitting businesses.

As the non-renewable industries realize the implications of a more fully protected watershed, our work will become more challenging.

Please write to the Peel Watershed Planning Commission before February 28. Click here for the Commission’s short questionnaire (Acrobat [PDF] file).

Please tell the Commission how much of the Peel Watershed you would like to see free from roads, mining and oil gas exploration and development.

If one of the scenarios illustrates what you would like to see, let the Commission know. Or if you want to see more protection you can also tell them by e-mailing, faxing or mailing the the questionnaire to:

info@planyukon.ca
201-307 Jarvis St, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2H3
Fax: 867-667-4624

Also, consider contacting your Member of the Legislative Assembly and tell them what you value in the Yukon’s Peel Watershed.

Yukon Government
Box 2703, Whitehorse, YT, Canada Y1A 2C6

Join us Monday February 23rd at the CPAWS-Yukon Office
506 Steele St
5–7 pm
For a letter writing party and snacks!
Learn more about the Scenarios and share ideas.

Your voice will help shape the framework for the draft land use plan and the future of this exquisite Watershed.

Summary of Scenarios

Scenario 1

Click here for an enlarged view of the map for the Peel Watershed Scenario #1

• Allows roads, mining, oil and gas exploration and development everywhere except the Bonnet Plume watershed, the Upper Snake and river corridors (16.6% road and development free)
• Provides limited protection of cultural and ecological health, providing insufficient protection of wide-ranging species like grizzly bears, caribou and wolves
• Is not compatible with existing wilderness-based tourism and guide outfitting industries
• Relies on existing management regimes, “best management practices”, and unspecified thresholds to control the pace and scale of development.

CPAWS-Yukon feels this scenario does not assure long-term protection of wilderness values, wildlife, habitats, cultural resources and waters.

Scenario 2
(Recommended as most favourable and balanced scenario for conservation)

Click here for an enlarged view of the map for the Peel Watershed Scenario #2

• Calls for roadless, development-free, intact wilderness for 54.5% of the Peel Watershed including the entire Hart, Wind and Bonnet Plume Watersheds, the Upper Snake and the Turner Lake Wetlands
• Supports existing viable tourism and guide outfitting industries along with trapping, traditional use, subsistence harvesting and recreation
• Provides for potential access to and development of the Crest iron ore deposit and accommodates the majority of oil and gas interests
• Best meets the Planning Commission’s goals and objectives
• Do you think the lower Snake River, lower Peel River, Ogilvie River and Dempster Hwy Corridor should also be protected?

CPAWS-Yukon prefers this more balanced approach as a starting point for a draft land use plan. Scenario 2 offers greater certainty that wilderness, wildlife, natural, and cultural resources are adequately protected while still allowing for resource exploration and development elsewhere.

Scenario 3

Click here for an enlarged view of the map for the Peel Watershed Scenario #3

• Protects no watersheds in their entirety. Calls for fragmented protection of portions of the west Hart River, Upper Bonnet Plume, Upper Snake and a small piece of the lower Bonnet Plume River
• Allows all season or winter roads, mining, oil and gas exploration and development in the majority of the Peel watershed
• Limits protection of cultural and ecological health, including wide-ranging species like grizzly bears, (bonnet plume) caribou and wolves
• Threatens existing wilderness-based tourism and guide outfitting businesses
• Relies on existing limited management regimes rather than clearly defined zoning to control the pace and scale of future development.

CPAWS-Yukon feels this scenario’s strong emphasis on extractive industries and access to mineral claims places the wilderness, wildlife and traditional values of the Peel Watershed at great risk.

Learn more about the Peel Watershed here.