Editor, The Times:
I read with interest your story on the North Thompson River corridor regional GeoPark meeting convened by the TNRD (“Meeting looks and Geopark proposal for North Thompson,” Aug. 17 issue).
Unfortunately I was not asked to be there but I understand that there were questions raised about the nomination of Wells Gray Provincial Park (WGPP) for UNESCO World Heritage Site status as well as the regional Geopark (that would include WGPP).
Firstly, this quote, “However, if [world heritage status is] extended outside the park, that would severely restrict resource activities such as mining or forestry.”
The statement suggests that the nomination of WGPP extends beyond the borders of the park. This is not true.
The nomination is specifically confined to the park. WGPP is already a class A park; no mineral extraction or forestry is allowed. Whether it ever becomes a World Heritage site or not, there would be no change in its legal status.
Also as a reminder, WGPP was proposed to be added to Canada’s tentative list to be considered for World Heritage status. Canada’s World Heritage sites are overseen by Parks Canada, and it was Parks Canada that initiated the call for sites to be added to the list in celebration of our 150th anniversary year.
Many sites were nominated, including several in British Columbia. A panel is now considering the nominations and those chosen will be notified in November.
If a site is chosen, evaluating it for World Heritage status is estimated to take another two to three years. Even though this process is long and drawn out, what I hope is that having WGPP on the tentative list will bring national and international recognition to this marvelous provincial park full of wonderful treasures and outstanding attributes.
World Heritage sites are governed locally using the existing infrastructure that is in place. For WGPP this would mean little change – BC Parks would continue to manage the park, but hopefully with this additional designation we may see some investment in enhanced infrastructure and upgrading.
Priorities would be set by local management within the framework of the existing governance structure.
There are guiding principles outlined by UNESCO, but these are not regulations, nor would they enforceable at the country level.
In the meantime, while we wait for the panel to decide on the new additions to the tentative list, I hope that residents of Clearwater will also see the value in the Geopark proposal. It is a faster process that will also highlight the geological attributes of not only WGPP, but the corridor in general.
Now is pivotal time for Clearwater area residents to catch and hold onto a new future through tourism and celebrate their natural endowments. A Geopark and (maybe sometime in the future) a World Heritage site would send a message to the world; Clearwater is not just another dot on the map – it is a very special place worth visiting.
Cathie Hickson, PhD, Pgeo
President, Wells Gray Wilderness Society
