| Half Million for East Side Lands Planning | 17 August 06 |
 The Manitoba government will provide $500,000 to support community driven land use plans on the east side of the province.Sixteen east side First Nations will be able to apply to a newly-incorporated body, Wabanong Nakaygum Okimawin (WNO), (formerly known as the East Side Planning Initiative (ESPI) - First Nations Council) to carry out their land-use plans. The WNO / ESPI has been meeting regularly since 2002. Only Poplar River First Nation has released a lands management plan. Before a broad area plan can be put in place, 15 other First Nations will undertake planning projects. These funds were announced in the Manitoba Budget April 2006, based on recommendations in the November 2004 ESPI report. "Manitoba government funding for community planning is overdue but welcome," said Manitoba Wildlands Director Gaile Whelan Enns, "$500,000 is a good start, but it doesn't go very far. Land use planning requires significant resources as well as time to build capacity and conduct traditional and technical studies. We need to hear that Manitoba's moratorium on new or expanded development on the east side is in place until community driven lands plans are completed." Outstanding requests for protected lands from East Side First Nations, including Poplar River, have met with silence despite tens of thousands of action letters in support of these First Nations. References to criteria and applying for these funds indicate there will be further delay before east side First Nations receive funds. View the August 16, 2006 Manitoba Government press release Visit the Wabanong Nakaygum Okimawin/East Side Planning Initiative web site Visit the Poplar River First Nation web site View Manitoba Wildlands page about Land Use Planning and the East Side View Manitoba Wildlands information about future World Heritage Site Take Action with the NRDC Biogems Heart of the Boreal campaign Sources: Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Wildlands |
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