Pacific Free Press was launched in March 2007 by Dutch-Canadian Richard
Kastelein of V.O.F. Expathos, in the Netherlands along with Chris Cook- CFUV radio journalist and Editor in Chief of Pacific Free Press. Cook is based in , Victoria, British Columbia.
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Days Of Action - Point Pelee National Park
by Peaceful Parks
The Stephen Harper govt. has tentatively approved a plan by Parks Canada to shoot thousands of nesting Double-crested Cormorants at Middle Island, Point Pelee National Park beginning as early as next week – April 29, 2008.
They plan to reduce the vibrant and historical colonial waterbird colony by 90%, possibly killing as many as 7500 birds in the first week of May.
Day of Action - Sunday May 18, 2008 (Victoria Day long weekend)
WHERE: Point Pelee National Park – primary location
Also
Ojibway Nature Centre – Windsor
Pelee Island ferry docks - Leamington
Rondeau Provincial Park – Chatham
Long Point Provincial Park – south of Kitchener
Ward’s Island - Toronto
Boycott Point Pelee National Park - Protect Birds
The
Harper government and Parks Canada have decided to shoot thousands of
nesting Double-crested Cormorants at Middle Island, Point Pelee
National Park. They plan to reduce the vibrant and historical colonial
waterbird colony by 90%, destabilizing the ecological integrity of both
the island and the Lake Erie aquatic ecosystem.
Unfounded Claims by Parks Canada
Claim: Cormorants are destroying ‘rare’ vegetation on Middle Island.
Truth:
Middle Island is part of a larger biological zone known as the
Carolinian Life Zone. Its northern edge reaches into southern Ontario
and stretched from Sarnia to Toronto. Vegetation found on Middle Island
is not considered ‘rare’ or ‘at risk’ throughout its biological range,
found primary south of the Canadian border. Its ‘rare’ designation in
Canada is based on a political border, and not on biological criteria.
Claim: Parks Canada states cormorants are ‘destroying’ Monarch Butterfly habitat
Truth:
Parks Canada has failed to produce any scientific evidence that
demonstrates that the cormorant colony threatens the monarch butterfly
or any other wildlife that shares Middle Island with nesting cormorants.
Claim: Double-crested Cormorants are ‘hyper-abundant’.
Truth:
The large dense colonies of cormorants during nesting periods serve as
a natural barrier against predators that feast of cormorant eggs and
chicks. These predators include other colonial birds such as gulls and
herons. Populations are self-regulating once colonies become too dense.
This basic ecological principle is true for all species. The term
‘hyper abundance’ has no basis in scientific study, and is a fabricated
term to justify the removal of unwanted wildlife.
Claim: Parks Canada does not want to eliminate Double-crested Cormorants from Point Pelee National Park
Truth:
Parks Canada will reduce the cormorant population by 90%, from
approximately 8000 nesting birds to only 800 nesting birds - a mere
shadow of the original colony. This artificially contrived number is
unrepresentative of a natural cormorant colony and could jeopardize the
population altogether.
Good Reasons To Boycott Point Pelee National Park
Historically,
boycotts have been instrumental in establishing positive social and
environmental change, and are an effective yet quiet method of sending
a strong message.
People who have expressed their opposition
but whose voices park management has ignored can act independently of
government agencies through a boycott of the park;
A boycott
of Point Pelee National Park would spread tourist dollars throughout
the region. Point Pelee has always acted as a source sink for tourists,
but there are hundreds of alternative beach and birding sites within
minutes of the park gates, all as good as Point Pelee itself. Spreading
the wealth could be a positive outcome of a boycott.
Historical Boycotts:
The
United Farm Workers Union led a successful boycott against California
grapes and wines throughout the 1980s protesting the use of pesticides
on grapes and its effects on worker’s health.
A global boycott of
canned tuna forced tuna producing countries to abandon the deadly use
of driftnets that killed dolphins and other marine animals as by-catch.
A consumer rejection of genetically modified foods has created a
prosperous organic food industry that continues to expand today.
Why A Boycott Will Work – Point Pelee National Park.
In
2006 the Visitors Bureau of Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island
released an economic impact report, ‘Birding in Essex County’,
describing the importance of birding in the region. The report
recommends promoting birding opportunities throughout the region to
maximize economic benefits beyond just Point Pelee National Park. While
Point Pelee National Park was identified as the primary site for
birders, the majority of birders interviewed considered birding
throughout the region to be superb.
The cancellation of
Point Pelee National Park from your birding itinerary will still offer
superb birding opportunities throughout Essex County, and could have a
greater local economic impact.
Some Key Results:
Spring songbird migration is the most important product;
Fall hawk and songbird migration is secondary but still has the potential to draw more birders to the region;
There is a need to develop a diversity of habitats for birds and birders.
Some Key Recommendations Specific to Point Pelee National Park:
The park should be managed for habitat diversity for migrating birds; The park should re-evaluate its current investment in management of environmental impacts; The park should develop managed viewing opportunities for birders.
Instead,
Point Pelee management staff will begin dismantling the famous colonial
waterbird colony on Middle Island as early as April 2008 by shooting
thousands of nesting Double-crested Cormorants. The short-sightedness
of this policy must be challenged by local businesses and rejected by
birders and tourists alike.
Dramatic Visitor Decline at Point Pelee National Park
Since
1991, visitors to Point Pelee National Park have dropped from over
400,000 annual visitors to approximately 225,000 in 2006, and 2007
trends continue to show a steady decline. (source Point Pelee National
Park). Declines are consistent for very month.
Information
collected in 2006 suggests that the international birder has
disappeared completely from Essex County – 18% of visitors were from
the United States, and 82% were domestic birders.
While the
Visitor Bureau recommends promoting Point Pelee National Park abroad,
including Quebec, the United States and Europe, a regionally focused
boycott - steering visitors away from Point Pelee National Park and
promoting local and regional alternative birding sites – should be
successful. A successful campaign would stop direct funding for
environmentally destructive governemnt policies such as the dismantling
of the colonial waterbird colony on Middle Island.
Excellent Birding Sites Outside Point Pelee National Park
Within 15 minutes of Point Pelee National Park
Hillman Marsh Conservation Area
Wheatly Harbour
Wheatly Provincial Park
Two Creeks Conservation Area
Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area
Sturgeon Creek
Birding Sites within 1 hour of Point Pelee National Park
Holiday Beach Conservation Area
Ojibway Park Complex
Detroit River and Little River
Ruscom Shores Conservation Area
Tremblay Beach Conservation Area
St. Clair National Wildlife Area
Comber (big ‘O’ Woods Conservation Area)
Jack Miner Sanctuary
Kingsville Harbour and Shore
Cedar Creek Conservation Area
Sewage Lagoons
Pelee Island
Rondeau Provincial Park (south of Chatham)
The
action is simple. It involves handing out information asking visitors
to boycott Point Pelee National Park. For those visitors already at
Point Pelee, we will ask them to wear black arm bands while in the
park, and consider cancelling future visits to the park.
All action will occur outside the park gates and off park property.
The
Peaceful Parks Coalition has called for a boycott of Point Pelee
National Park because we believe a boycott would be effective.
Visitors to Point Pelee are already at an all time low, and a strong
rejection of park policy by supporters could halt the shooting of
cormorants scheduled for the next five years.
Parks
Canada is part of a broader partnership, that includes the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto Region and Conservation
Authority, Canadian Wildlife Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, whose mandate is to kill double-crested cormorants at their
nesting sites throughout the Great Lakes basin, leaving so place safe
for these birds anywhere.
For detailed
background information, please link to www.peacefulparks.org and
http://www.peacefulparks.org/ppc/action_cormoranthm.htm
The
information that will be distributed will be an updated version of the
two factsheets included below: Boycott Point Pelee National Park –
Protect Birds and Why a Boycott Will Work.
The
Peaceful Parks Coalition will provide all information factsheets,
organize transportation and billeting for those who can travel to Point
Pelee National Park, and will provide all participants with a protocol
on how to interact with the public.
If you can help, please forward your full name, address and telephone number.
Please circulate widely
Peaceful Parks Coalition W. www.peacefulparks.org E. ppc@peacefulparks.org T. toll free 1.877.785.8636
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