The Rural Voice, 2001-05, Page 12Robert Mercer
Biosphere designation aims for co-operative dialogue
I really didn't know what a
"Biosphere" was until this past
month when the area I live in
became, just like the Niagara
Escarpment, a United Nations
designated Biosphere Reserve. (BR).
There are only 10 of these
reserves in Canada and 394
worldwide, spread around 94
countries. Our Biosphere has
received its designation due to
volunteer activity. There has been no
government operational funding and
no legal authority transferred.
I have been told that the BR is an
effort by scientists to get involved at
the local level to help guide
sustainability of nature and human
activities through scientific
knowledge. The basic functions are
to help the conservation of
landscapes and ecosystems; secondly
to foster economic and human
development that is socio -cultural
and ecologically sustainable; and
lastly to provide support for research
and monitoring as well as education
and information exchange.
Our area is known as The Mount
Arrowsmith
Biosphere
Reserve. It runs
from the top of
Mount
Arrowsmith and
contains all of its
watersheds. It
encompasses
lands that start at
an elevation of
1819 metres
above sea level
and drop to 300
metres below sea
level into the
Georgia Strait.
This means that we are one of the
most diverse BRs in Canada going
from the sub -Alpine and glacial
meadows through rain forests,
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8 THE RURAL VOICE
farmlands, beaches to fresh water and
salt water marine systems. The total
land area is around 800 sq. kin. and
400 sq. km. of marine sea.
This area is also rich in wildlife as
it is a major flyway for migrating
birds and fish, with over 220 known
species of birds and four different
species of salmon.
As part of the Bruce/Grey area
lies within the Niagara Escarpment
Biosphere that runs up to Tobermory,
landowners within that area should
be aware of its activities, especially
farm landholders. A biosphere does
not impinge on other local
authorities. It is more interested in
process than place.
As our biosphere was
masterminded by a bottom-up
movement rather than top-down
political decision, the local
community has much more to say in
its board of directors than some other
boards. (There are a total of 12
directors including First Nations
Representative on our Board, some
elected and some appointed.)
Directors, who are appointed because
of their political position, can have
conflicting views when it comes to
land use and sustainability issues.
However, it is important to be in
dialogue with area leaders if one of
the goals is to influence the decision-
making process.
Where I live, there is a thin strip
of flat land that lies in the BR
between the mountains and the sea.
Because of the mild climate it is
under intense population pressure.
All forms of economic growth and
development are constantly in
conflict with a very finite resource
base of land, fresh water and waste
disposal options.
So, any scientific help to monitor
the effects of human population on
the environment (and farm land
issues especially) is to me a step in
the right direction.°
Robert Mercer was editor of the
Broadwater Market Letter and a farm
commentator in Ontario for 25 years.