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Grasslands are a natural resource just as critical as oil and gas. They provide essential services by capturing and filtering water, fixing carbon, building and protecting soils, feeding cattle and wildlife, and protecting the foothills from drought. Undisturbed they can provide these services forever. But they are endangered. Scientists say that once uprooted, these grasslands cannot be successfully restored.
The Pekisko Lands are an important watershed supplying Southern Alberta through the Highwood, Willow Creek and Oldman Rivers, as well as underground aquifers. This watershed needs to be protected to ensure that the towns, industries, farms and cities that depend on this water have an adequate clean source of this precious resource.
We think long-term. We do not disparage the oil and gas industry. We understand the economic value of it to all Alberta. At the same time we believe that a balance is required between short-term hydrocarbon extraction and the long-term economic benefit of the rangeland. This rangeland provides irreplaceable grandeur and sustainable biological productivity. We believe these virtues provide an aggregate value of sustainable economic and aesthetic value for all Albertans that exceeds the short-term benefit of high risk hydrocarbon development.
Our goal is simple - a pause in development while additional research is done. We want a ten-year pause in development on the Pekisko Lands. Until we know how to protect the watershed and properly restore the native grasses we need to exercise restraint. And during the pause we want the Alberta Government to study the specific issues listed below. (click on any one for more detail)
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