By Canadian Press

UNESCO report on Wood Buffalo park shows urgency of problems, First Nation says

Jul 5, 2023 | 1:52 PM

An Alberta First Nation that first brought concerns about Canada’s largest national park to UNESCO says a report from the United Nations organization reveals a growing urgency to deal with those problems. 

Melody Lepine of the Mikisew Cree First Nation says the report reaffirms the threats that dams, climate change and oilsands development pose to Wood Buffalo National Park where her people practice treaty rights. 

Wood Buffalo is at risk not only from industrial development, but long-term effects from climate change and upstream dams that are shrinking water levels.

Lepine says both the Alberta government and Ottawa have to bring in long-awaited measures such as a risk assessment for the oilsands tailings ponds, as well as continued funding for efforts to improve and increase water flows.

The UNESCO report, released last week, says Wood Buffalo should keep its World Heritage status and that some of its attributes are improving.

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But it says half of the environmental objectives for the park are getting worse, not better, and that major concerns about its health remain. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2023. 

The Canadian Press