Lake quackers' delight

Lake %\, quackers' delight By ADRIENNE TANNER of The Advocate ALIX — The south- central district manager for Ducks Un­limited Canada likes Buffalo Lake the way it is. The shallow lake and its nearby tributaries, wetlands and streams are home to thou­sands of waterfowl, Kim Schmitt said Wednesday. It has one of the highest den­sities of breeding waterfowl in North America — a phenome­non that has drawn interna­tional attention to the area. Of a $ 1.5- billion North American Waterfowl Management pro­gram, $ 2 million is being spent at Buffalo Lake to boost the duck population. Mr. Schmitt, who attended public hearings on Alberta En­vironment's plans to stabilize Buffalo Lake water levels, said he doesn't oppose the project. But he wants sound assur­ances it won't jeopardize crucial waterfowl habitat. Mr. Schmitt said he wants to see a detailed management plan in place before the project is ap­proved. " We'd like to see details of the program fine- tuned." A government- commissioned environmental impact assess­ment alludes to mitigating mea­sures that will be taken to en­sure existing habitat is pre­served or new habitat created. But so far, all talk about miti­gating measures has been far too vague, he said. Mr. Schmitt's concerns were shared by environmentalist Dr. Martha Kostuch, who said the importance of the waterfowl has been undervalued. Stabilizing Buffalo Lake may draw tourists interested in traditional lake activities such as boating, said the Kocky Mountain House veterinarian. But eco- tourism, and more particularly bird watching, is the wave of the future. Tourism marketing should concentrate on what already exists, she said, speaking against the stabiliza­tion plan. " Recognize and protect the natural values of the lake," Dr. Kostuch urged. People will come from kilometres around just to see an endangered spe­cies of bird like the piping plover which nests at Buffalo Lake, she said. Mr. Schmitt agreed.