Good afternoon, everyone.
In the late nineties, Western Stock Growers' Association and Alberta's Land and Resource Partnership met with the standing committee studying species at risk, and I was one of those fortunate enough to be a witness to that standing committee. A common concern at that time to all the resource users we represented included the lack of compensation with regard to species at risk. This very issue continues to generate significant problems as it relates to not only the recovery of species at risk but also the management of the lands in those recovery areas.
I bring this forward today as it relates directly to the potential elements of the national conservation program. SARA failed to recognize and address the whole, which takes into account three broad areas that must be united into a symbiotic relationship. These basic principles are the environment goals, the goals of the public or society, and the financial goals, which must provide the necessary capital to sustain the environmental and societal goals.
It is important to note that SARA narrowly focused on species at risk, often at the peril of other living organisms in the same ecosystem. This lack of focus on the whole—or to put it another way, this linear response to a complex ecological system—has continued to create problems that we hope will be addressed in the new national conservation plan.
Further, the lack of financial goals associated with SARA resulted in property owners taking all, or a significant portion, of the financial burden on behalf of Canadians.
It is imperative that the national conservation program address all factors within the greater whole, addressing societal, environmental, and financial goals.
The purpose of the national conservation program will be to identify the whole and to help in the development of the environmental and social goals. These will be very broad at a Canadian level, but as we drill down, we will ultimately end up with more defined wholes associated with air, land, and water features, as well as flora and fauna. At this level it is imperative to focus on a three-part goal with the inclusion of all stakeholders in the region.
This is usually a difficult exercise for governments that are defined by their very linear and centralist approach to problem solving. Again, we must emphasize the need for a non-linear response to the management of a complex ecosystem.
Land goals must be developed with a view toward a functioning water, mineral, and solar cycle.
When it comes to societal goals, a healthy, complex, functioning ecosystem has a benefit for all Canadians. Water storage, carbon sequestration, habitat for endangered flora and fauna, viewscape, recreational opportunities, and ecologically sustainable business opportunities are but a few benefits.
With regard to the financial aspect, the lack of a clear understanding of how financial goals provide for the capital required to sustain the environmental and social goals continues to result in reduced success for many conservation programs. Western Stock Growers' Association firmly believes that a market-driven system for environmental goods and services in combination with government guidelines for the environment is the appropriate mechanism to fulfill a conservation program.
By linking wealth to good stewardship, a large number of land managers are able to generate a multitude of solutions. Since there are many varied mini ecosystems within the greater ecosystem whole, it is imperative that each land manager be able to respond to time and place specific information. We believe this is best handled in the marketplace.