Alberta Wilderness Association

News Release: November 17, 2005

A mere two years after it was designated amid much pomp and ceremony, the Suffield National Wildlife Area (SNWA) in southeastern Alberta is the focus of a proposed intensive drilling effort by EnCana Corporation. AWA opposes any further industrialization of this federally protected native grassland.

"This area is of national and international significance, and wildlife values must take priority-after all the Government of Canada saw fit to designate it a National Wildlife Area," says Cliff Wallis, AWA past-president and grasslands expert. "We don't need more studies to know the value of this native grassland. We want to go straight to a public hearing and challenge the very essence of this project- industrial natural gas development in one of Canada's crown jewels of wildlife habitat."

The federal government recognizes that natural grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the Canadian prairie with as little as 6% of native prairie remaining free from human interference; that the purpose of the SNWA is to ensure critical habitat protection for species at risk and reverse habitat loss and fragmentation trends; and that the SNWA is to act as an ecological benchmark.

"Obviously EnCana's vision and that of the National Wildlife Area protectors in the Government of Canada and the public are on a head-on collision course," says Wallis.

EnCana plans to drill up to 1,275 gas wells in the area over the next three years, doubling the number of wells already drilled in the past 30 years. The scale of this project will cause significant disruption to surface vegetation through access roads, wellsites, pipelines and well servicing and to wildlife with vehicular traffic. It is well known that native prairie is sensitive to invasive species and that this level of fragmentation is at odds with protecting an ecosystem.

When the SNWA was designated, new exploration and development was not expected. AWA's goals are to reduce footprint in the area; restore wellsites, pipelines, and other disturbances; and establish timelines for phasing out energy production in sensitive areas. A public hearing will allow concerns to be expressed and explored in an open and transparent way.
"I have had the great pleasure of being able to walk for miles through the extensive grasslands, riparian woodlands, coulee springs, sand plains and sand dunes. They support an incredible variety of marvellous plants and animals including a host of rare and federally listed species," says Wallis of the 458km2 area.

"We need a real commitment to protect what we have left of our native prairie," he adds. "If we can't protect a National Wildlife Area from industrial activity, what hope is there for other sensitive grasslands? This is one of six key grassland landscapes left on the Northern Great Plains-we will not let this affront to its future slip idly by. We have enlisted the support of national and other provincial and local groups in this fight."

Or visit:

• Alberta Wilderness Association
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry
• Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife Area
• National Wildlife Area

What you can do:

Please note there is a deadline of December 12th, for letters about this project. If you need a sample letter, check Nature Canada's website. www.cnf.ca/parks/suffield.htm.

There is a link from the FAN website to this site. For information, the Environment Canada website about CFB Suffiled is execellent, with scenery, scientific studies, history and just about anything else you might need to know. Click through the items on the left side.
http://www.pnr-rpn.ec.gc.ca/nature/whp/nwa/suffield/dd02s00.en.html

Please write to them, and express concerns about the lack of protection, of a "protected area", concerns for the welfare of 14 threatened species, like burrowing owls, swift fox, ferruginous hawks, loggerhead shrike, various rare plants etc , concerns with water withdrawals needed for drilling, disposal of the waste water and "additional nutrients", and the possibility of setting a precedent for other "protected areas. This project is NOT economically sound, and is unecessary!!