ROB MURRAY: I’m speaking with Katie Morrison from the Southern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) as well as Naia Noyes-West, a local volunteer with the Alberta Environmental Network. What can you tell us about this initiative Defend Alberta Parks?

KATIE MORRISON: At the end of February the government announced that they would be removing 175 parks from our protected areas system, about 37% of all of the parks in Alberta including about 50 in Kananaskis Country. These are the areas that are most accessible for Albertans to access parks and experience our public protected areas safely and responsibly. We’ve heard a lot of concern from Albertans. We know that thousands of people have written their MLAs, but people kept asking us what else they could do. So we launched, with the Alberta Environmental Network, the Defend Alberta Parks campaign which includes a campaign where people can order a lawn sign that shows their elected representatives, their neighbors, and their friends, that they really support Alberta parks.

RM: There’s a lot of mixed messaging. The government says they’re not actually selling off protected park lands. I’m a little confused about what the implications are. What is the end result that could happen here that you’re really concerned about?

KM: Whether they’re selling the land or not, they are saying that they are removing these parks from the protected areas system. These parks have recreation value, but they also have conservation value for wildlife, plants, important habitats, and removing them from the systems opens them up to other land uses that are restricted in parks. Whether that’s forestry, mining, oil and gas, unrestricted motorized use, or commercial facilities, all of those things could happen in these spaces once they’re removed from the parks system. It also means that they would be removing the services that help support recreation – outhouses fire pits, and garbage cans.

RM: Naia, why are you involved in this?

NAIA NOYES-WEST: I love the parks. I use them a lot. I grew up in Canmore and if I don’t get out into nature at least once a week I get a little frustrated and I need to get my tree time in. I know that access to parks is really important, especially access for different types of people. I mean, I get really far out into more backcountry areas, but for some people they need those smaller, easier to access parts that aren’t such a drive. It makes a really big difference when you start losing those parks. Of course, it’s also really important for wildlife and greater ecology to keep those parks systems and those spaces intact for them.

RM: What are the details on this local initiative and what’s going on at SkiUphill – RunUphill on Monday?

NNW: We’re trying to get as many people as possible to write a letter. Especially if you can write a personalized letter, it counts for so much more, and also to put up a lawn sign You can order lawn signs through the Defend Alberta Parks website and pick up your lawn sign on October 12th at SkiUphill – RunUphill (between noon and 6 PM). It’d be really helpful if we can get a lot of lawn signs up, they do make a huge impact. I drove down the street in Calgary when I went to pick up lawn signs – every

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