Love Nature? Help Protect the Peel! - Feb 12, 2013

High on a ridge above Hart River in the Peel watershed. Photo Credit: Juri Peepre

Thanks to everyone for sending in your letters in support of protecting the Peel River watershed. We had a strong response to this campaign. Please visit our Peel campaign page for more information and updates.

A Precious Natural Treasure

The Peel River Watershed, located in Canada's Yukon Territory, is considered one of the world's most precious natural treasures.

Ten times the size of Banff National Park and seven times as large as Yellowstone National Park, the area is prime grizzly bear, caribou, moose and Dolly Varden char habitat.

It is also the northern anchor of the Y2Y vision of a network of protected areas connected by wildlife movement corridors. If protected, it would double the amount of protected habitat throughout the Yellowstone to Yukon region.

The industry-friendly Yukon government wishes to develop this untouched land. We have until February 25th to urge them to make the right decision and protect it!

You can help!!

YUKON GOVERNMENT IGNORES FIRST NATIONS AND PUBLIC

By law, land use in the Yukon requires extensive consultation with First Nations and other stakeholders.

A planning commission set up by the government for this purpose recommended in 2009 that 80% of the Peel River watershed be protected from development. After two further years of discussion, a final recommended plan published in 2011 reiterated the proposal for 80% protection.

The affected First Nations and a majority of the Yukon public support the Planning Commission’s Final Recommended Plan.

Despite this widespread consensus, the Yukon Government has proposed four alternative scenarios for the Peel’s future - all of which would allow roads and industrial development throughout the watershed - even in so-called “Protected Areas.”

SPEAK UP FOR THE PEEL

Please take one minute to email the Yukon government and let it know you support the plan to protect 80% of the Peel.

To make the process easy, Y2Y has drafted a letter with all the key points necessary. Please personalize our draft letter or create your own.

The submission deadline is February 25th, 2013

Trouble seeing full letter? You can expand the window by placing your cursor on the bottom right corner of the letter window and dragging it out.

Your letter will be sent to the following people:

Ms. Liz Hanson (Leader of the Official Opposition)
Mr. Jim Tredger (MLA - NDP)
Yukon Government (Peel Consultation Contact)
Protect the Peel

Support for the Peel Planning Commission’s 2011 Final Recommended Plan ■

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The Yukon government is about to make a decision that will impact the future of the Peel River watershed - one of the most valuable natural areas in the world. We can always turn an intact landscape into an industrialized one later; but the reverse is rarely true. It is important to get this decision right!

I support the Peel Planning Commission’s 2011 Final Recommended Plan, recommending permanent protection of 55% of the watershed, interim protection of 25% and carefully regulated industrial development in the remainder. This is a fair and balanced approach to land use planning in the Peel.

The Peel’s wilderness supports thriving tourism and guide outfitting industries. Wilderness cannot be preserved by ‘actively managing’ roads, mines and oil and gas development. Wilderness needs real protection.

The Commission's 2011 Final Recommended Plan is the only legitimate plan that balances the environment and the economy, that reflects the wishes of the majority of Yukon citizens, and that respects land claims agreements with First Nations.

Please implement it to preserve the Peel Watershed as a legacy for all Canadians.

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Love Nature? Help Protect the Peel! - Feb 12, 2013

High on a ridge above Hart River in the Peel watershed. Photo Credit: Juri Peepre

A Precious Natural Treasure

YUKON GOVERNMENT IGNORES FIRST NATIONS AND PUBLIC

SPEAK UP FOR THE PEEL