WHO WE ARE, further explained
The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition (ERVCC) is composed of indiviuals and groups dedicated to the protection, preservation, and regeneration of Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River Valley and Ravine System.
ERVCC has witnessed the cumulative impacts of projects and activities undermining the ecological integrity of the river valley and robbing it of its ability to function as a lifeline in times of climate change, biodiversity loss, and income inequality. We want to honour the river for the wellbeing of all.
OUR PHILOSOPHY:
We support conservation and restoration of Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River valley and ravine system through a systems-level focus on biodiversity, ecological integrity of the corridor, and history. We want to strengthen the river valley bylaw and its first goal, “To ensure preservation of the natural character and environment of the North Saskatchewan River Valley and its Ravine System.” We also feel it is important to ensure river valley governance collaborative with those closest to the issues having the most say (see the article, Subsidiarity in Action below). Governance must also respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous (UNDRIP).
We are facing a sixth mass extinction, a climate crisis, and rising rates of houselessness and social desperation. Systems that allow for such disrespect of life must be deconstructed. “Tradeoffs” regarding fundamental rights are unacceptable. The right to housing and the right to a healthy environment must be kept paramount and achieved together. Each time a tension between key priorities surfaces it means poor design or lies of convenience are at play.
OUR AIM:
To facilitate communication, learning, and cooperation among river valley conservation groups; to work together in an organized way to advocate for the conservation and restoration/regeneration of Edmonton’s NSRV and ravine system through participation at public hearings, public education, and political advocacy.
Additional Reading On Effective Biodiversity Conservation in Edmonton
Subsidiarity in Action: Effective Biodiversity Conservation and Municipal Innovation. Dr. Cameron S. G. Jefferies, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta Erin Sawyer, MSc, Research Assistant, Alberta Land Institute. October, 2019
The study supports seven recommendations for action or future study:
1. Municipalities conduct a quantitative biodiversity survey to establish a baseline for the status of the local environment. Ideally, this survey should be iterative and ongoing to maintain an up-to-date portfolio. Furthermore, this survey should be completed with the assistance of existing organizations and institutes to capitalize on local expertise and to build relationships.
2. Municipalities carry out a thorough evaluation of green and blue infrastructure in urban areas and any supporting infrastructure with neighbouring communities. Properly accounting for ecosystem services will ensure that they are valued appropriately and considered by decision makers. Specifically, this will make certain that natural areas of high importance are identified for protection.
3. Municipalities explore the policies and economic tools that impact biodiversity conservation, and highlight those that are most harmful to biodiversity. Other pertinent areas of exploration include using property taxes to encourage biodiversity conservation, as well as the elimination of tax breaks for entities who may be engaged in activities detrimental to biodiversity.
4. Municipalities create, maintain, or reinstate biodiversity related municipal citizen engagement programs (e.g., Edmonton’s Master Naturalist program). Increased collaborations between municipalities and local nongovernmental organizations should be pursued to enhance citizen engagement through education, workshops, or stand alone events. A related research project could examine the outcomes of these programs on biodiversity management and landuse decision making.
5. The provincial and federal levels of government develop funding programs that provide access to funds for a variety of local or regional biodiversity proects at different financial or geographical scales. This could be coupled with an investigation of financing mechanisms used in other jurisdictions (e.g., the use of development levies to support natural ecosystems providing key services to an urban area).
6. Municipalities create additional municipal biodiversity conservation focused bylaws and programs that capitalize on the expanded regulatory authority over environmental issues created by the recent amendments to the Municipal Government Act. These additional actions should focus on initiatives that complement existing bylaws and policies. Future research should examine the efficacy and legality of these bylaws and programs as they are created.
7. Municipalities and researchers examine concrete and measurable ways that biodiversity conservation can be incorporated into cooperative regional and municipal planning processes. The IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services advocates for the inclusion of biodiversity protection, biodiversity offsetting, river basin protection and ecological restoration in regional planning. The Nouth Saskatchewan Regional Plan has described a Biodiversity Management Framework but the framework has yet to come to fruition despite the plan being finalized in 2014.
Fundamental Rights:
The right to self‐determination; the right to be recognized as distinct peoples; the right to free, prior and informed consent; the right to be free from discrimination. Canada endorsed UNDRIP in November 2010, but only as an aspirational document. Canada finally signed UNDRIP on May 10th 2016.
Right to a Healthy Environment
The substantive elements include clean air; a safe and stable climate; access to safe water and adequate sanitation; healthy and sustainably produced food; non-toxic environments in which to live, work, study and play; and healthy biodiversity and ecosystems.
THE RIGHT TO FLOW
THE RIGHT TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS WITHIN ITS ECOSYSTEM
THE RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM POLLUTION,
THE RIGHT TO FEED AND BE FED BY SUSTAINABLE AQUIFERS,
THE RIGHT TO NATIVE BIODIVERSITY, AND
THE RIGHT TO REGENERATION AND RESTORATION