News Release

Wilderness Committee to deliver 3,600 letters to Premier Selinger

WINNIPEG - Today at 10:30 a.m. the Wilderness Committee is delivering 3,600 letters to Premier Greg Selinger’s office at the Legislature, asking that the beautiful and wild lower Bird River in eastern Manitoba be permanently protected from development.

“These letters are a demonstration that Manitobans care about our fresh water, our rivers and lakes, and specifically the lower Bird River,” said Eric Reder, Manitoba Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee.

Two years ago the Wilderness Committee raised awareness of a plan by mining company TANCO to drain water contaminated by mine waste from Bernic Lake into the lower Bird River. The day after last September’s successful Paddle for Protection event, the government said the risky application to drain the contaminated water into the Bird River had been withdrawn.

In the summer of 2014, the Wilderness Committee discovered new mining claims along the river, which remain a threat to this wilderness. The lower Bird River area was also under siege by logging plans back in 2005, which were halted by vocal local opposition.

“We’ve succeeded in stopping the immediate risk to the lower Bird River – TANCO’s Bernic Lake drain plan. Now we need full legislative protection for the river, so we never again face the loss of this Manitoba treasure.”

The Wilderness Committee is calling for a 17-kilometre long protected area that stretches 1.5 kilometres on either side of the river, from the Nopiming Provincial Park boundary to Hammerstead Falls, at the first cottage development. 

This year on September 12th, the Wilderness Committee is running a second Paddle for Protection day trip on the lower Bird River, to get people out on the water and showcase this wonderful slice of wilderness.

“The more Manitobans learn about the amazing lower Bird River region, the louder the call for protection becomes,” said Reder. “We expect the Manitoba government will soon begin taking steps to establish a new protected area on the lower Bird River.”

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For more information, please contact:

Eric Reder | Manitoba Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee - (204) 997-8584

Paddle for Protection event details:
https://www.wildernesscommittee.org/event/paddle_protection

Photos:
https://www.wildernesscommittee.org/lower_bird_river_images