UN Report calls for Ban on Flathead Mining

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.

In a nutshell, the UNESCO report affirms that B.C.’s land use plan for the Flathead—which puts mining and energy development above all other values— could severely threaten the water, wildlife and cultural values of Waterton-Glacier. The report, written after a September World Heritage mission to the Flathead, follows a petition to the World Heritage Committee byWildsight, CPAWS,  Sierra Club BC and eight other Canadian and American conservation groups.

The media picked up this story immediately. To see the Global TV news story, click here.

For Official Eyes Only

While only authorized officials have seen the report, it comes as no surprise that international experts would draw the same conclusion as the majority of residents in the region: that the beautiful Flathead River Valley— with its internationally-recognized diversity of wildlife and plants—is absolutely no place for mining or energy development. A November 2009 poll found that a majority of East Kootenay residents support a National Park in the south eastern one-third of the Flathead River Valley.

The Solution

Wildsight, CPAWS and Sierra Club BC are asking for:

• A National Park in the south eastern one-third of the Flathead River Valley, as an extension of Waterton Lakes National Park;
• a Wildlife Management Area in the rest of the valley and adjoining habitat.
• A permanent ban on mining and oil and gas development in the entire Flathead Valley.

Timeline for Final Report
The mission report will be presented to the World Heritage Committee in June 2010, at a meeting in Brazil. We expect the 50-page document to be available to the public at that time.

A Plethora of Press

Click on the links below to see how the UNESCO story played in various parts of Canada and the U.S.

• Global TV
• The Vancouver Sun
• Calgary Herald
• Flathead Beacon
• The Missoulian

Flathead Fact of the Week

Question: What’s the most endangered river in B.C.?  Answer: The Flathead.

For the past three years in a row, the Flathead has topped the list of B.C.’s most endangered rivers—published by the B.C. Outdoor Recreation Council. Water in the Flathead is so pure that scientists use it as a benchmark to measure water quality in rivers around the world. The Recreation Council says energy and mining proposals are to blame for the Flathead River’s endangered status.

Click here to invite your Friends and Family to become Friends of the Flathead

Find out more and take action at www.flathead.ca