An area approximately the size of Florida is being destroyed by tar sands operations: huge open-pit mines, toxic waste tailings ponds, extraction wells, noisy compressor stations, refineries and networks of new roads, drilling pads, seismic lines and pipelines have taken over the once pristine area, causing massive destruction and habitat fragmentation, according to Natural Resources Council of Maine. Not only is the boreal forest of Canada an important carbon sink—with 208 billion tons of carbon stored in the trees, soils, water and peat—but more than 130 species of North America’s internationally protected migratory birds rely on the boreal forest for breeding. “Unchecked tar sands development is turning a vast, irreplaceable breeding ground into a toxic wasteland,” said National Wildlife Federation Senior Counsel Jim Murphy. “Many of the birds Americans watch, enjoy and hunt fly to and rely on this area. The Canadian Government has vowed to protect these birds, but it is turning a blind eye.” ecowatch/2014/06/11/tar-sands-threatens-americas-migratory-birds/
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 15:00:35 +0000
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