The announcement that a respected wildlife biologist has quit a collaborative multi-stakeholder group helping advise the municipality and a major land developer on the future of Three Sisters has left those remaining in the process disappointed.
On Monday (March 14), Karsten Heuer announced he is stepping away from the Three Sisters Smith Creek Community Advisory Group, saying he is disappointed with how the process has gone since it began last June.
“It was meant to be a collaborative process,” Heuer said. “But after eight months it’s been nothing more than a witnessing process. And I don’t like what I am witnessing.”
The Smith Creek Community Advisory Group was formed to be part of a new collaborative process between Three Sisters development planning representatives at QuantumPlace and the municipality.
It is a never before attempted process where both sides work together to draft an area structure plan for the remaining lands in Three Sisters – sites seven, eight and nine.
QuantumPlace principal Chris Ollenberger said while the remaining wildlife corridor alignment is not part of the ASP area, it was clearly a priority for the community advisory group and landowners to be resolved.
He said up to 80 per cent of the time spent meeting with the advisory group, which was formed to provide input from various stakeholder viewpoints, was spent discussing the wildlife corridor location and functionality.
“The landowner shares the opinion it is the highest priority,” Ollenberger said. “We are trying to find the right balance for the width and where to put it … but the number one obstacle is not slope or width, it is human use.”
Heuer said he presented published and unpublished research on corridors detailing that the width needs to be at least 450 metres for wolves, grizzly bears and other species to move freely around human development. As well, data was presented to show that corridors need to be on slopes that are below 25 degrees.
“As the sole environmental representative of the 12-member group, I took my role seriously,” he stated in a press release. “In addition to bringing science to the table I also offered many creative solutions for how development and adequate wildlife corridors could coexist. But judging by how the pods of residential and commercial development appeared on the many draft maps we’ve seen over the last few months, the input fell on deaf ears.”
Andrew Nickerson, the Canmore Business and Tourism representative on the advisory group, said his impression of the process so far is that is has been collaborative and all members have been engaged.
“Overall I have found it a very collaborative process,” Nickerson said. “The group has spent a great amount of time talking about wildlife corridors and Karsten has brought a tremendous amount of experience to the table and it has been very interesting to learn.
“We have spent a lot of time talking about the environment and wildlife corridors because we all recognize the importance.”
But Nickerson said the collaborative process has also shown him that planning a development of this nature is a balancing act between external factors like the corridor and what developable land is available.
Ollenberger said he is disappointed in the departure of Heuer, but he is grateful there are still other members in the nine-person advisory group who will continue to represent the environment.
“A collaborative process requires two-way communication and you have to have gives and takes and an understanding of the whole picture,” he said. “I would even go so far as to say it is a bit disrespectful of the time invested by the other committee members who are just as committed and engaged.”
The remaining group members include Wanda Bogdane, Kyla Conner, Ken Davies, Pat Kamenka, Paul Lessard and Councillor Sean Krausert. Both Nickerson and Ollenberger also sit on the group.
Krausert was also disappointed with the news that Heuer was quitting, saying he would much rather have his viewpoint at the table as the group continues its work.
