A coalition called Wetlands for Tomorrow is advocating for a provincial wetland conservation policy and for all political parties in the province to make it an election issue this campaign.
However, timing of the call though comes during the homestretch of the campaign with only a few days left until election day on Monday (28th).
“Election or no election, wetlands are important and we need to address this problem that’s gone on far too long.” said Lorne Scott, a farmer, conservationist, and member of Wetlands for Tomorrow at a news conference at the display ponds near the Connexus Arts Centre in Regina Wednesday morning.
The problem Scott is referring to is the loss of wetlands in the province due to, among other factors, drainage for additional crop production, natural disasters, and extreme weather events, and the decline in water quality. In a news release, the group claims theses factors are negatively impacting Lake Diefenbaker, for example. “(Lake Diefenbaker) is already exhibiting significant water quality degradation and is starting to have blooms of cyanobacteria, which it never did, and it’s starting to lose oxygen at a rate that’s much higher than most other lakes, and that will affect the trophy fishery that they’ve got in the lake as well.” The group also cites a recent finding that the decline in wetlands and water quality led to bird numbers decreasing by three billion since the 1970’s.
In addition, the group is calling for a science-based policy, impacts from drainage mitigated, enforcement of illegal drainage activities, and open and transparent reporting by the provincial government and the Water Security Agency.
Scott says wetlands provide a number of benefits such as recharging ground water and providing a home for migratory birds and other wildlife. He says, however, that drainage “both illegal and authorized” not only impacts wetlands but also water quality and landowners living downstream. “Unfortunately with the land values and the desire to grow more crops and make more money, wetlands are under threat in many areas, so we are bringing attention to the value of wetlands that they’re not just something to get rid of so we can grow more wheat or canola on them.” Scott added.
Dr. Kerri Finlay, a Co-Director at the Institute of Environmental Change and Society at the University of Regina, says another benefit to wetlands is carbon storage and cited studies done in the Prairies and globally to suggest draining them would “releasing an absolute massive amount of carbon and that the greenhouse gases are really, really big from that wetland drainage.”
She says the province can’t afford to lose any more wetlands. “We have had extensive wetland drainage over the last several decades and we’re feeling the affects of that,” Finlay told reporters. “We know that we have water quality issues that are really common in the southern half of the province, this happens every year and it’s getting worse every year.”
Finlay says the best way to improve water quality is to restore wetlands or “not just drain them in the first place.” While she acknowledged the challenges associated with crop production, she said they would also like to see a “no net drainage” so if water has to be moved elsewhere there would be “discussions about consolidation or moving the wetlands to other areas in order to compensate for this.”
The Saskatchewan NDP, Saskatchewan Progress Party, and Saskatchewan Green Party mention some form of a commitment to water security and/or wetlands in their respective campaign platforms, while the Saskatchewan Party, Sask. United Party and Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan do not.
