First Nation fears park in danger

Canada risks the embarrassment of Wood Buffalo National Park joining the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in danger, says a northern Alberta First Nation.

A committee of international experts from UNESCO — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — starts a 10-day monitoring mission Sunday to look at how oil, gas and hydro projects nearby will affect the national park.

UNESCO approached Canada last year to invite its team to the park after it received a petition from the Mikisew Cree First Nation that asked for the site to be added a list of world heritage locations in danger. Wood Buffalo, straddling the Alberta-Northwest Territories border, has been a World Heritage site since 1983.

The mission takes place Sept. 25 to Oct. 4.

UNESCO also asked the government to conduct an environmental assessment studying the potential cumulative impacts of all developments on the value of the 4.5-million hectare park.

The First Nation says the park is endangered because of the Site C hydroelectric dam on the Peace River approved by the British Columbia and federal governments, as well as oilsands development and proposed open-pit mining near the park.

“The industrial activities threatening Wood Buffalo National Park are also threatening the Mikisew Cree’s ability to sustain their culture and heritage, and the ability to exercise their aboriginal treaty rights,” the First Nation said in a statement.

Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said the government of Canada welcomes the mission and Parks Canada is working closely with the World Heritage Centre and the International Union for Conservation to plan the visit.

“We look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate our stewardship of Wood Buffalo National Park and welcome the mission as a way to review, and potentially to improve, our management of the park ...,” McKenna said in a news release.

The UNESCO mission will prepare a report with recommendations that will be considered by the World Heritage Committee at its July 2017 session in Krakow, Poland, the organization said.

Wood Buffalo National Park covers 4.5 million hectares of boreal forest and grassland.

It contains the only breeding habitat in the world for whooping cranes, an endangered species, and its large grass and sedge meadows sustain the world’s largest herd of wood bison, an endangered species.