• Nature Moncton Visit to the Zoo

    NATURE MONCTON VISIT TO MAGNETC HILL ZOO

    SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016

    MEET AT 10:00 AM

    THE PHILOSOPHY OF ZOOS HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY OVER THE YEARS. NOW VERY FEW ANIMALS IN ZOOS ARE TAKEN

    FROM THE WILD, BUT INSTEAD THEY ARE BRED IN CAPTVITY, AND MANY SPECIES ENDANGERED IN THE WILD AND BRED

    THIS WAY ARE RELEASED BACK INTO THEIR NATURAL HABITAT TO BOLSTER NUMBERS.

    ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, NATURE MONCTON MEMBERS WILL BE GIVEN A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE

    ANIMALS AT THE ZOO AND SOME BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACTVITES IN ACTVE PROGRESS. THIS TRIP WILL BE LED BY BRUCE

    DOUGAN, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE MAGNETC HILL ZOO.

    MANY OF US MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE MAGNETC HILL ZOO, HERE ON OUR DOORSTEPS, IS ONE OF THE MORE

    RECOGNIZED ZOOS IN CANADA FOR ITS PROGRAMS AND DISPLAYS.

    MEET AT 10 AM AT THE MAGNETC HILL ZOO PARKING LOT ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15. FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE

    WELCOME.

    ADULT (18+) $11

    SENIOR/YOUTH (12-17) (60+) $10

    CHILD (4-11) $8

  • Parks groups concerned about potential harm to Mount Carleton by proposed snowmobile trail

    NEWS RELEASE

    September 10, 2015


    Parks groups concerned about potential harm to Mount Carleton by proposed snowmobile trail


    Fredericton – A plan to widen a walking trail up the Maritimes’ highest peak and open it for snowmobile use within New Brunswick’s only designated Wilderness Park has the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, New Brunswick Chapter (CPAWS NB) and the Friends of Mount Carleton Provincial Park deeply concerned.

    “We’ve recently learned about this trail proposal for Mount Carleton, which is part of a plan for increasing snowmobile trails in northern New Brunswick. The government appears to be ready to agree to this proposal without an environmental analysis or any public consultation. It would see a walking trail up Mount Carleton cleared to double its width to 12 feet wide, and the canopy over it removed to a height of 12 feet,” says Roberta Clowater, Executive Director of CPAWS NB.

    “This type of development will fragment the habitat of wildlife species including moose, flying squirrels, and American marten. Sustained motorized access on this trail is also likely to compact the soil, causing fast rain runoff and erosion. Grooming the trail will encourage increased motorized vehicle access that could lead to them continuing up to the fragile mountain top. This is completely inappropriate within a designated wilderness park,” adds Clowater.

    “For over eight years, the Friends of Mount Carleton Provincial Park Inc. has worked diligently to promote, preserve and protect the Park’s natural wilderness setting and its ecosystems. We have worked to develop, what we thought, was a good working relationship with the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture. The snowmobile hub infrastructure announcement came without any forewarning or consultation with our group,” says Susan Mulherin, President of Friends of Mount Carleton Provincial Park Inc.

    “The Friends are committed to working cooperatively with the Department, while also ensuring that stewardship of the Park is maintained, and the protection of the environment, animal habitat and heritage is reflected in all policies and programs. We are concerned that in this case, that is not happening. Surely a compromise can be found that respects our protected areas and meets snowmobilers interests,” adds Mulherin.

    No Public Discussion Whether Snowmobile Trail is Compatible with Wildest Parts of Wilderness Park

    Mount Carleton park is New Brunswick’s only “Wilderness Provincial Park”, having been classified as such in revisions to the Parks Act in 2014. Those same revisions mandated the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture to develop Resource Management Plans for the provincial parks, outlining the recreational uses that would be compatible with conservation of the park natural areas.

    “We are very concerned that the Department would consider making an irreversible decision such as this before the Resource Management Plan and the associated zoning are discussed publicly and approved. The Department is poised to, by default, decide that motorized vehicles are allowed in conservation zones in a wilderness park, setting a precedent from which it will be hard to back away.

    “Allowing motorized recreation in one of the wildest parts of a wilderness park is inconsistent with how wilderness zones are generally managed in this level of park across Canada and the US. If the trail that goes up Mount Carleton is groomed for use by snowmobiles, it will prevent its use by people who want a wilderness experience of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in that part of the park,” says Clowater.

    “It’s important to tourists who are attracted to wilderness that the marketing of Mount Carleton Provincial Park as a wilderness destination be backed up with management that is consistent with a wilderness experience,” adds Clowater.

    “This is one of the first tests of the revised Parks Act, which our organization has been applauding as a good step forward for the modernization of New Brunswick’s approach to parks management. If this trail is approved with no public engagement process or environmental analysis, in our view the government will have failed this first test of our new legislation,”adds Clowater.

    CPAWS is recommending that the provincial government take the time to assess the potential impacts of this proposal, undertake public and stakeholder consultations, and then determine whether Mount Carleton is an appropriate location for such a development.

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    For more information, contact: Roberta Clowater, rclowater@cpaws.org; phone: 506-452-9902

    Founded in 1963, CPAWS is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to protecting our public land and water, and ensuring our parks are managed to protect the nature within.Learn more at www.cpawsnb.org.

  • Show support for New Brunswick Provincial Parks

    Photo: Mount Carleton Provincial Park - LeeAnn Haggerty

    For the first time in decades, the province is asking for your input on the New Brunswick Parks Act, the law that decides what happens in our provincial parks.

    Despite all of our parks’ stunning scenery, wildlife watching and beautiful beaches, the current Parks Act doesn’t even refer to nature or conservation! CPAWS' calls for a review of the Act have been successful, so now it's important that the government hears from people like you who care about our provincial parks.

    Please take a moment right now to write a letter to let them know what you think is important to include in our Parks Act. Comments are due on September 13th.

    We need a strong law that will forever protect the wilds of Mount Carleton Provincial Park, the seashore of New River Beach and all our other provincial park treasures. With your help, we can secure a better future for our provincial parks.

    Yours in conservation,

    Roberta Clowater
    Executive Director, CPAWS-NB

    Photo: Mount Carleton Provincial Park - LeeAnn Haggerty
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