The Backlands Coalition

Backlands supporters are encouraged to provide input to the Halifax Green Network Plan (HGNP) by adding pins/descriptions to the HGNP online mapping tool to identify lands are that important for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.

This map and information about the HGNP are available at http://halifax.ca/HalifaxGreennetwork/

A memo written by the Our HRM Alliance Greenbelt Scientific Advisory Committee
http://tinyurl.com/ntqk98b
provides some further context from an ecological perspective.

As a component of Phase 1 (Phase 1 – Planning Foundations the values, issues and goals) of the Halifax Green Network Plan the map is available for input is available only to the end of June, 2015.
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The Annual General Meeting of the Williams Lake Conservation Company will be held at 7:30 on Wednesday, June 10th at the Captain Spry Centre, 10 Kidston Rd, Spryfield. The AGM is also an opportunity for us to review the year’s activities and for you to bring forward your concerns and observations. Everyone is welcome.

Visiting the “Whopper Dropper” (by Kent at Bayer’s Lake) today was a reminder of what has happened to some of our Backlands and could happen to more if we do not value them for what they are… View Requiem

We encourage supporters of the Backlands to attend and actively participate in the upcoming public engagement process for the “Halifax Green Network” (this is the new name for the Halifax greenbelting plan) at the Captain William Spry Centre. Here are the meeting details:

Saturday, June 13th 12:00 – 3:00 pm
Captain William Spry Community Centre, 16 Sussex St, Halifax .
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Yesterday, Regional Council voted 11 to 6 against opening negotations with developers about acquiring the Williams Lake Backlands before completion of Phase I of the Greenbelting and Open Spaces Priorities Plan – the recommendation of Staff that was also supported by ourHRM Allaince and the Backlands Coalition.
Here is a link to the Chronicle Herald article about the Council meeting:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1280571-council-notebook-politicians-talk-halifax-water-review-greenbelt-plan
We were very much encouraged when we witnessed several Councillors expressing the view that the Backlands would and should come under public ownership.
We are also encouraged by Clayton Developments’ steadfast interest in pursuing public ownership of our near urban wilderness.

“..A reminder of the upcoming Annual General Meeting for the McIntosh Run Watershed Association at 7:00 pm on Monday April 20th at the Captain Spry Community Centre in Spryfield. We are looking for volunteers to help with Communications and Fund-raising. There will also be a presentation of a trail signage system.

For map and directions please go to:
https://www.halifax.ca/rec/centrescaptainspry.php

____________________________
Kaarin Tae
President, McIntosh Run Watershed Association

Jennifer Keesmaat, chief planner and executive director of the City of Toronto, argues that greenbelts and other measures to restrict the outward growth of Canadian cities are essential and fiscally responsible policy tools, since they result in higher densities that make more efficient use of infrastructure investments. View Globe & Mail Article

Kathleen Hall forwarded these two pics of “never seen before water levels at the dam” taken at the Williams Lake dam on Dec 11 following our heavy rains. Look for lots of water in wetlands as well.

Unlike most Canadian cities, the urban core of Halifax is surrounded not by farms or endless burbs but by forested and coastal landscapes. Even within 30 kilometres of downtown Halifax, where approximately three-quarters of the population resides, developed areas are interspersed with substantive wild spaces. An article in the Nova Scotia Naturally series in the Chronicle Herald highlights Halifax’s wild spaces and discusses some of what has to be done to preserve their wildness. See Article. Some supplementary materials are posted on the Wildland Writers’ website.

“The Halifax Regional Municipality (the Municipality) invites the submission of proposals from qualified professional firms (and teams) … for the development of a Greenbelting and Public Open Space Priorities Plan (Open Space Plan) for the protection of a regional network of lands for resource conservation, public service delivery and community shaping. This Plan is a key deliverable under the Halifax Regional Municipal Planning Strategy (Regional Plan).” Pages 21 on give readers a good sense of the envisaged why, what and how of greenbelting for HRM. View RFP. (The Closing Date is December-04-14.)