To: Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship

Jan.13, 2016

To: Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship

Re: Manigotagan River and Nopiming Parks Draft Management Plans

Attn: Ms. Morgan

The Lac Du Bonnet Wildlife Association would like to express our gratitude to the members of The Park Planning Committee that attended the Park Planning informational meeting on Jan. 6, 2016. What follows is our written position as it applies to the Draft Plans on behalf of our 400+ members. Our input falls into three broad categories:

1) Access within the Park:

Two demographic trends drive this issue, namely; an ageing population and busy families with limited time to enjoy the outdoors. Both of these demographics tend to require motorized access and trails to enjoy many areas of the parks. It is our position that access plays an important role in education, appreciation and henceforth protection of the resources within our parks.

a) We do not support policies that further restrict access to park resources.

b) We support the safe responsible use of ORVs within the parks, in all seasons, including practical, common sense methods of trail maintenance by users.

c) We support the use of boat caches within the parks, as they provide angling day use, for both an ageing population, as well as day trippers. These excursions not only contribute to the economy, they also add a positive social component to the residents of the area. Our organization supports the implementation of a registration system for all boats within the caches. We also support the requirement that users maintain the boat caches in a clean and orderly manner.

d) Our membership cannot support the construction of a road access, or construction of a

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boat launch at Gem Lake, absent an impact analysis, conducted by the CWS Fisheries Branch. Our membership also, cannot endorse access enhancement to Birse and Ryerson

Lakes, absent a CWS Fisheries Branch impact analysis. Fisheries Branch research and independent lake management strategies, are critical, in maintaining the fish population health of existing waterways, as well as contributing to initiatives in further development of recreational fishing opportunities within the two parks. Our organization impresses upon the Province of Manitoba, the importance of investing in this research, on behalf of all Manitobans. Available economic data identifies recreational fishing as a best investment in terms of social and economic well being of our society. The Park Plans require a clear commitment from the province in this area.

e) We strongly support the continued practice of allowing ORV access to Gem and Flinstone Lakes.

f) Our organization does not favor the elimination of any, or portion of any, designated routes within the two parks. The elimination of designated routes would further reduce licensed hunter opportunities. Licensed hunters that utilize these routes, more often than not, provide the majority of trail maintenance. The added benefit being, that a number of these designated routes are also major transportation arteries, having served northern communities for many years.

g) We support continued access to remote cottages with trails that originate within the parks.

h) Existing and future trails should also allow for the hunting of Upland Game Birds on the trails.

I) The Park Plans must allow for a process of developing new trails, that is both practical in application, as well as not being cost prohibitive.

j) Our organizations position is that education, and responsible use, by all peoples, can replace the current philosophy, that the only method of protecting wildlife within our parks is by limiting contact with people. The fact that the proposed access limitations, specific to ORV snowmobile use, apply to only approx. 80 % of the population, nullifies the Wildlife Branch's rational, as to the net benefit of these regulations in maintaining wildlife populations.

2) Forest Management:

A number of park management policies that are currently in place prevent the renewal of the forest as nature had intended. Our ability to suppress forest fires in conjunction with the ban on all logging within our parks has created the reality of habitat stagnation.

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Without habitat renewal, any ungulate population enhancement initiatives, hold little merit, long term.

a) We support managed logging within our parks, from the perspective of habitat renewal, as well as an economic driver within our communities.

b) We support the efforts to increase the moose population within the two parks, to enable hunting opportunities for all peoples, at a sustainable level.

c) Our organization does not support the accepted practice of night hunting within our parks or anywhere within the province.

d) As Park Planners have identified that the policy, of banning of logging within our parks as outside the Park Planners jurisdiction, our organization is compelled to address the policy in this planning process. This is due to the fact that i) the absence of an alternative forum, and, ii) moose management, constitutes an integral part of the two parks management plans. The suggestion that the utilization of controlled wildfires, (of any significant scale) as a habitat renewal strategy within our parks, is unrealistic. The risk and liability is just to great. Therefore, well managed forest harvesting, combined with sound reforestation methods, presents the only viable option, as to habitat renewal.

3) Economic Impact:

a) As many of our members reside in or near the communities that service the Manigitogan River and Nopiming Parks, the economic and social well being of our

communities is central to any land use designations. In this regard, the absence of an Economic Impact Assessment is a glaring shortcoming in the park planning process.

In addition, the absence of a business plan, as to the resources that will be required to facilitate and manage the proposed park plans, is another serious shortcoming. CWS appears to have become Cinderella at the cabinet table in Manitoba, and additional responsibilities as to park plan implementation, will further strain existing resources. Something will have to give, and history tells us that something is usually wildlife management. We will restate, the positive economic impact of hunting and recreational fishing within Manitoba.

b) Our organization does not support the expansion of either of the two parks at the present time.

Summary:

On behalf of our membership, the Lac Du Bonnet Wildlife Association Executive respectfully requests the following of the Parks Planning Committee and the Province of Manitoba:

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a) A Parks Planning Committee that in addition to representing the Province of Manitoba, would include i) local government, ii) industry and business representation and iii) interested stakeholders.

b) A Park Planning Process that facilitates "town hall" interactive, information meetings.

c) The Planning Committee would include an independent Land Use Management professional, that would research and provide an economic impact assessment, as well as a business plan,specific to the management of the two parks, both near and long term.

d) The Land Use Manager should be responsible for assessing, and presenting, to the committee, the 2007 and 2012 reports, as required by Section 83 of The Wildlife Act.

Our organization feels strongly that the information in these reports will be invaluable to the committee, (most notably in long term planning), and in turn provide bench marks and trends that could provide the basis for the exploring of alternative management strategies, for our parks.

e) The Park Planning Committee facilitate, an educational forum for stakeholders of varying opinions, to share views and experiences, with the objective being, that the development and use of public lands be inclusive, as opposed to exclusive.

In conclusion, we are appreciative of the fact that we live in a nation, where we are provided an opportunity, to take part in a process, that will determine the destiny of resource management for all Manitobans now, and into the future.

We look forward to future consultation with the Park Planners in the Manigitogan River and Nopiming Park Plan process.

Sincerely,

Board of Directors,

Lac Du Bonnet Wildlife Association Inc.

cc: Manitoba Wildlife Federation

Town of Lac Du Bonnet

RM of Alexander

Manitoba Model Forest

Town of Powerview- Pine Falls

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Seven Sisters Game and Fish

Pinawa Game and Fish.

Brokenhead Game and Fish

Manitoba Trappers Association

R.M. of Whitemouth

R.M. of Lac Du Bonnet

Town of Bissett

Minister of Conservation and Waterstewardship

MLA Mr. Shannon Martin

MLA Mr. Wayne Ewasko

MP Mr. James Bezan

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