Banff's environmental mission

March 10, 2000
Source: Environmental News Network
Original story - link verified on December 5, 2000
By Claude Morgan

Can a community grow and reduce the environmental impact of growth at the same time? It's a question a small Canadian town may soon be ready to answer, but not before settling some questions of its own. Last year, Canada's Minister of Heritage ordered all towns and settlements within the country's national parks to halt development and hold the line on environmental impact. A sweeping, first-of-its-kind initiative, the No Net Negative Environmental Impact, requires all park towns, settlements and ski hills to curb, and even reduce, the environmental footprint over the long term. Banff, a small, scenic tourist destination nestled high in the Canadian Rockies in the province of Alberta, has already responded by hiring a respected environmental firm, Conor Pacific, to manage the town's effort.

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