An environmental group in New Brunswick is urging lawmakers to require watercourse permits for commercial activities in all wetlands. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society’s New Brunswick chapter made this recommendation during a review of the province’s clean water laws. Currently, projects on most wetlands necessitate a watercourse and wetland alteration permit, except for a specific type called peatlands, as highlighted by the group’s executive director, Roberta Clowater.
Clowater emphasized the importance of subjecting projects affecting two or more hectares of wetlands to environmental impact assessment regulations and suggested implementing a permit requirement for peatlands. Peatlands, which include bog areas formed over thousands of years through vegetation decomposition, are prevalent in New Brunswick, particularly in the northeast region.
Despite being home to a thriving industry that employs approximately 2,000 people and generates $250 million annually, peatlands play a crucial role in climate mitigation by storing significant amounts of carbon. Clowater stressed the need to protect peatlands to prevent the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere, thereby worsening climate change.
Additionally, Clowater noted that the wet conditions of peat bogs can act as a natural barrier against wildfires. Environment Minister Gilles LePage expressed uncertainty as to why peatlands were excluded from the permit requirements applicable to other wetlands. The call for enhanced protections for peat bogs was supported by Green Party MLA Megan Mitton, who emphasized the unique value and character of peatlands in her community of Tantramar.
Mitton described peatlands as soft and squishy, with sparse tree growth due to the lack of soil. She underscored the importance of aligning laws with the cultural significance and environmental benefits of peatlands as valued resources in New Brunswick.