CRD Parks’ Survey Misleading - Not Aligned with Biodiversity and Conservation Goals
The Capital Regional District Regional Parks Board is in the process of updating the Regional Parks Strategic Plan and is engaging in public consultation, most recently through an online public survey.
In this open letter to the CRD Parks Chair and Board members, Frances Litman, Creatively United for the Planet, brings attention to the misleading aspects of the survey and how this contributes to a lack of transparency and a confusion of intent.
Litman also asks, how the CRD Parks’ planning aligns with Climate Action, how it can be free of bias towards special interest groups, and how it aligns with the ultimate goal of securing a livable future through conservation and protection of biodiversity.
The CRD Regional Park’s Public Survey is open until April 4, 2022 and can be accessed here: getinvolved.crd.bc.ca
*Scroll to the bottom for links to register for upcoming CRD info-sessions.
RE: CRD Park's Survey Misleading
March 11, 2022
Attention: CRD Parks Chair and Board Members
Members of our community are concerned about the CRD's Regional Parks Strategic Planning process and have stressed the need to ensure biodiversity is the primary objective in our parks.
The wording of the questions in your public survey (due April 2nd) are open to interpretation and written in a public relations' style which allows the CRD to appear to be doing all the right things by using modern catch phrases, however, there is a lack of transparency and clarity to properly inform the public of your intentions. By doing so, misunderstandings and broader use of our natural park systems for recreation beyond the simple enjoyment of being in nature as a walker/hiker, could result. Is this your intention?
Infrastructure needs to remain minimal in our parks and not become sanitized by the needs of lobby groups with vested interests. What is a sustainable service? Nature already is sustainable. What do you mean by adaptable? Nature is adaptable, but your definition could mean you adapt parks to suit special interest and recreation groups who can damage parks with uses beyond what parks should be: natural, quiet places to enjoy nature without harm to the surrounding environment.
Nature, left in its most natural state, takes action on climate change. What is the CRD proposing as climate action? The best climate action is leaving well enough alone and not making parks into something for everyone, or it will fail.
What do you define as a healthy, outdoor experience for all? We don't consider motorized vehicles or boats being a healthy, outdoor experience. Parks are meant to provide a quiet oasis for contemplation of nature through low impact activities like hiking or walking. Recreational activities that disturb the soil, water or foliage should not be contemplated in parks (ie: motorized vehicles, additional park infrastructure, recreational activities that damage foliage or trees. If the activity isn't able to protect and preserve the land or water, it isn't the right venue for it. Parks can not be everything to everyone.
In the face of rapid population growth and Covid escalated park use, we need to urgently expand our parks without destroying the life supporting ecology that ensures our common vitality and survival.
Parks need to remain as natural oases for people to enjoy undisturbed by disc golf and biking trails, both of which would very much disrupt the current ecology and create irreparable damage and are better suited to areas already allocated for such use, ie: established biking trails and large playing fields readily available for disc golf users.
The CRD has declared a climate emergency in recognition of the need to act to secure a livable future. Other uses must be managed to be compatible with this primary objective.
The public at large must be representatively included in the new planning and management vision for our parks, not just special interest groups. There is broad public support for ecosystem protection as the overarching priority for parks. A survey providing examples and allowing input on questions without having to be in opposition would be more representative of the values of CRD residents.
If the CRD truly wants to engage First Nations in a reconciliatory way, then create opportunities for First Nations to play a bigger role in park management and stewardship by actually hiring them at top management levels and making them a primary partner vs a public relations partner. And, finally, how is resource management being considered for parks as an "opportunity for reconciliation"?
The CRD's Park Survey, as worded, has the potential to leave the public unaware of the impending and potential dismantling of our parks as we know and value them. We will not remain silent on this issue as biodiversity and conservation are more important now than ever.
Please use your responsibility as leaders to uphold global and national commitments to protect biodiversity and leave parks as peaceful havens for nature to thrive and humans to lightly enjoy primarily as hikers and walkers. Please do not create more infrastructure within parks. To ensure park survival and resiliency, now is the time to insist that a lighter footprint is required and leave it at that.
Thank you for your time and attention to this vital matter,
Frances Litman,
on behalf of the Creatively United for the Planet community
Frances Litman
Community Connector/Coordinator
2018 City of Victoria Honorary Citizen Award Recipient
2017 Victoria Leadership Award Winner
2012 CRD EcoStar Community Leadership Award Winner
on behalf of the Creatively United For The Planet Society