The mining license was denied. We saved the bog. Stay vigilant.
March 24, 2012
Final supporters
*Please note - the deadline for public comments was 4:00, Feb 3, 2012. The petition has been submitted and any new signatures will not be entered into the public record! Thank you very much for your vocal support!" - Heather Hinam
In an effort to protect the boreal forest, reduce the
impacts of flooding and slow climate change, the Province of Manitoba enacted a
2-year moratorium on new peat extraction licenses in the province as part of
the Save Lake Winnipeg Act. Despite this laudable effort, mines, whose leases
were granted several years ago are still slipping through the cracks.
A new mine by multinational Sun Gro Horticulture is poised to tear 531 hectares
into the untouched Hay Point Bog on Grindstone Point in Hecla/Grindstone
Provincial Park. Peat mining is not sustainable. The forests are cleared to
access the bog and the sphagnum (peat) is then stripped from the forest floor.
It takes decades, even centuries for peat to accumulate and the change in the
water table from mining makes it near impossible for it to grow back.
These bogs, however are very important ecosystems, home to a variety of rare
orchids and other endemic plants. They can store on average 3.5 times more
carbon per hectare than the forests that surround them. They also hold vast
volumes of water, slowing run-off, reducing flooding and filtering out
pollutants from the already stressed Lake Winnipeg Watershed.
The chance to add your voice is now; but we have to do it quickly. Please sign
the petition with your full name and show your support.
"We ask the Government of Manitoba to put weight behind their commitment
to mitigate the causes of climate change, flooding and protect the Lake
Winnipeg Watershed by enforcing the spirit, if not the letter of the moratorium
on peat extraction, declining approval for SunGro's application to mine Hay Bog
in Grindstone Point (file 5548.00) and keep peat extraction out of our
Provincial Parks."
This petition will be delivered to Darrell Ouimet, of the Environmental
Licensing Branch, who is in charge of this file to support efforts by the
Grindstone Cottage Owners Association, Lake Winnipeg Foundation, Manitoba Field
Office of the Wilderness Committee and other concerned citizens.
*Please note - the deadline for public comments was 4:00, Feb 3, 2012. The petition has been submitted and any new signatures will not be entered into the public record! Thank you very much for your vocal support!" - Heather Hinam
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 2, 2012
January 31, 2012
We are grinding toward 500 signatures. Keep the momentum going until we hit the threshold.
January 10, 2012
We hit 100 signatures. Provincial parks deserve better than this.
Reached 100 supporters
January 9, 2012
January 7, 2012
We are approaching the hundred mark and need a final surge to get there. Keep this moving while we have momentum.
8 Comments
Manitoba's Provincial Parks and the wildlife therein are beautiful and important creations of GOD. As such, we must help to protect these very precious gems.
Boreal peatlands are vital for the climate! Stop the machines immediately.
Ridiculous that we even have to ask to keep mining companies out of the parks. What is wrong with people?
Are they actually starting work in the park this summer?? Need to know what is going on.
Leave our bogs alone. Do we really need to destroy everything for a little bit of peat moss?
Is potting soil that important????
No to peat mining
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
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The mining license was denied. We saved the bog. Stay vigilant.
March 24, 2012
Final supporters
*Please note - the deadline for public comments was 4:00, Feb 3, 2012. The petition has been submitted and any new signatures will not be entered into the public record! Thank you very much for your vocal support!" - Heather Hinam
In an effort to protect the boreal forest, reduce the
impacts of flooding and slow climate change, the Province of Manitoba enacted a
2-year moratorium on new peat extraction licenses in the province as part of
the Save Lake Winnipeg Act. Despite this laudable effort, mines, whose leases
were granted several years ago are still slipping through the cracks.
A new mine by multinational Sun Gro Horticulture is poised to tear 531 hectares
into the untouched Hay Point Bog on Grindstone Point in Hecla/Grindstone
Provincial Park. Peat mining is not sustainable. The forests are cleared to
access the bog and the sphagnum (peat) is then stripped from the forest floor.
It takes decades, even centuries for peat to accumulate and the change in the
water table from mining makes it near impossible for it to grow back.
These bogs, however are very important ecosystems, home to a variety of rare
orchids and other endemic plants. They can store on average 3.5 times more
carbon per hectare than the forests that surround them. They also hold vast
volumes of water, slowing run-off, reducing flooding and filtering out
pollutants from the already stressed Lake Winnipeg Watershed.
The chance to add your voice is now; but we have to do it quickly. Please sign
the petition with your full name and show your support.
"We ask the Government of Manitoba to put weight behind their commitment
to mitigate the causes of climate change, flooding and protect the Lake
Winnipeg Watershed by enforcing the spirit, if not the letter of the moratorium
on peat extraction, declining approval for SunGro's application to mine Hay Bog
in Grindstone Point (file 5548.00) and keep peat extraction out of our
Provincial Parks."
This petition will be delivered to Darrell Ouimet, of the Environmental
Licensing Branch, who is in charge of this file to support efforts by the
Grindstone Cottage Owners Association, Lake Winnipeg Foundation, Manitoba Field
Office of the Wilderness Committee and other concerned citizens.
*Please note - the deadline for public comments was 4:00, Feb 3, 2012. The petition has been submitted and any new signatures will not be entered into the public record! Thank you very much for your vocal support!" - Heather Hinam
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 2, 2012
January 31, 2012
We are grinding toward 500 signatures. Keep the momentum going until we hit the threshold.
January 10, 2012
We hit 100 signatures. Provincial parks deserve better than this.
Reached 100 supporters
January 9, 2012
January 7, 2012
We are approaching the hundred mark and need a final surge to get there. Keep this moving while we have momentum.
8 Comments
Is there any update on the license, did they get renewed? are they still mining?
Manitoba's Provincial Parks and the wildlife therein are beautiful and important creations of GOD. As such, we must help to protect these very precious gems.
Boreal peatlands are vital for the climate! Stop the machines immediately.
Ridiculous that we even have to ask to keep mining companies out of the parks. What is wrong with people?
Are they actually starting work in the park this summer?? Need to know what is going on.
Leave our bogs alone. Do we really need to destroy everything for a little bit of peat moss?
Is potting soil that important????
No to peat mining
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
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Is there any update on the license, did they get renewed? are they still mining?