Ecosystems of Canada’s Rocky Mountains threatened

January 28, 2002
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original story - link verified on February 1, 2002

Ski resorts, mining, and growing populations are endangering the mountain ecosystems of Canada's majestic Rocky Mountains, it is reported here Monday.    According to a United Nations Study, the Rocky Mountains are being hurt by skiing and other recreational activities that gobble up virgin lands.    Industrial scars like an abandoned open pit mine in Alberta's Lougheed Provincial Park, as well as new housing developments, are hurting the Rockies, the study says.    Canada's first national park, Banff, faces serious danger of being overdeveloped, according to mountain expert Jack Ives, who contributed to the U.N. document.    Banff lures millions of tourists from around the world. Thousands of vehicles pass through its valleys every day, cutting off corridors for mammals in the process.

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