Encouraging news has come our way in the form of the proposed provincial Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act which explicitly recognizes the positive link between environmental and economic objectives.
Of particular interest to this article are the sections related to water resources and wetlands. That is, in sections 2(k) a comprehensive water-resource management strategy will by developed by the year 2010 and 2(n) a policy for preventing net loss of wetlands will be established by the year 2009.
At the present time, both the Town and Municipality of Yarmouth are engaged in review of their respective Municipal Planning Strategy documents.
The town has done a very good job of completing protection of Broad Brook and its wetlands below Starrs Road with its recent environmentally sensitive zoning classification addition. The proposed extension of this zone above the SuperStore/WalMart development along Broad Brook is consistent with its protection of the lower Broad Brook and fully supportive of the goals of the proposed act. It recognizes that the quality and quantity of water in the upper portion of the watershed need to be considered in its own right and for the protection of the brook and wetlands in the lower part of the watershed.
The municipality is considering specific protection of the DNR ‘bog’ classification in the lower part of the Broad Brook watershed. The protection would disallow drainage, filling and development of these areas. In regard to this proposal, I was asked “just what are the values of these wetlands you want to protect.” Given past attitudes viewing “wetlands as wastelands’ this is a pertinent question.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, to which Canada is a subscriber, in its Wise Use of Wetlands document, mentions the following: sediment and erosion control; flood control; maintenance of water quality and abatement of pollution; maintenance of surface and underground water supply; support for fisheries, grazing and agriculture; outdoor recreation and education for people; provision of wildlife and fish habitat; and contribution to climatic stability. Elaboration on these values in available in many documents and and web sites.
Perhaps we have reached an environmental “tipping point” with it now being officially stated that “environmentally sustainable economic growth that recognizes the economic value of the Province’s environmental assets is essential to the long-term prosperity of the Province.” By incorporating environmental protection into our municipal planning strategies we support our provincial goals with meaningful local action.
I guess some people will always doubt the value of wetlands. Mosquitoes are nasty, swamps seem icky, and the economic value is not obvious to many people.
I will stick to economic and social reasons for protecting wetlands:
(1) They hold water, thereby stabilizing water regimes, and minimizing floods and droughts. (Doubting Thomases who know the area should take a look at the southern end of Regent Street, which Broad Brook now tends to overrun at high floods. never happened before 2005. When did they build Superstore WalMart? wasn’t it 2004-2005??
Last summer after one particularly heavy rain, Broad Brook was running pretty close to the Wyman Road Bridge. If THAT one got overrun, it could be cause for a little, um, social unrest.
(2) They purify water. Many pollutants and toxins get used up by plants and other organisms, or otherwise held back or neutralized.
(3) What does the elimination of wetlands do to groundwater on which rural wells depend?
Enough for now. Hope these thoughts help win over some of the skeptics.