Tag Archives: UNESCO World Heritage Committee

UNESCO warns of threats to wildlife in the Flathead and surrounding areas

July 30, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsFlathead Valley, UNESCO World Heritage Committeenfpa

Posted today to the Flathead Wild website . . .

Work still needs to be done to protect wildlife in the Flathead and surrounding areas, and to ensure that Rocky Mountain wildlife connectivity is not compromised by forestry practices and other development, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee said today in a “state of conservation” report.

The state of conservation report recommends “development of a pro-active plan for enhancing connectivity” in the Flathead River Valley and adjoining areas. It also raises concerns about proposed mine expansions in southeastern British Columbia, adjacent to the Flathead, “in a corridor providing vital habitat connectivity to the Rocky Mountains World Heritage property in Alberta” [the Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks].

Read the entire article . . .

UNESCO World Heritage Committee report recommends increased Flathead Valley protection

July 27, 2010Documents, Environmental Issues, NewsCanadian Flathead, Flathead River Valley, transboundary Flathead, UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Waterton Lakes National Park, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Parknfpa

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee released the final report of the scientific mission study of threats to Waterton-Glacier Park. A press release posted to the Flathead Wild website has the highlights . . .

A report commissioned by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is calling for a “conservation and wildlife management plan” for the transboundary Flathead and a new management plan for the Flathead River Valley that “gives priority to natural ecological values and wildlife conservation.”…

The 50-page report, released today at the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia, recommends:

A new B.C. Southern Rocky Mountains Management Plan “that gives priority to natural ecological values and wildlife conservation.”

Taking steps to minimize barriers to wildlife connectivity, including a long-term moratorium on further mining developments in south eastern B.C., including in the Elk Valley, “in the corridor of natural terrain that creates vital habitat connectivity and allows the unimpeded movement of carnivores and ungulates” between Waterton-Glacier and Canada’s Rocky Mountains national parks.

A single conservation and wildlife management plan for the transboundary Flathead.

Inscription of Waterton-Glacier on the list of World Heritage in Danger if development of the proposed Lodgepole coal strip mine had proceeded (the B.C. government banned Flathead mining and energy development in February 2010 after receiving a draft copy of the mission report).

For those of you who prefer to get your information directly from source documents, we’ve made the full report available for direct viewing/download (50 pages, PDF format, 2MB).

UNESCO World Heritage Committee report to be released soon

July 22, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsFlathead Wild, UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Parknfpa

According to a post on the Flathead Wild site today, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee report on threats to Waterton-Glacier Park and its environs will be released at the committee’s meeting in Brasilia, which begins tomorrow.

We’ll provide access to the report once it becomes available.

Flathead Wild: UN Report calls for ban on Flathead mining

January 31, 2010Environmental Issues, NewsCanadian Flathead, coal mining, Flathead Valley, mining, UNESCO World Heritage Committeenfpa

The folks at Flathead Wild posted a good summary of the high points of the UNESCO World Heritage report on threats to Waterton-Glacier Park, along with links to major press coverage — both print and video.

Here’s the lead-in . . .

Great news for Friends of the Flathead! A UNESCO World Heritage report is recommending a permanent prohibition on mining in the Flathead River Valley. And that a single conservation and wildlife management plan be developed for the entire trans-boundary Flathead region.

The report also says the adjacent Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park should be declared a World Heritage Site in Danger if plans proceed for a controversial Flathead coal strip mine.