Canadian Forces - Field Training and the Environment

[Music] so [Music] canada is fortunate among western industrialized countries in that our vast land areas provide us with ample space for tough realistic training gagetown valcartier perahua shiloh suffield wainwright these and other training areas have been used by the canadian forces for years to make sure our infantry armor artillery support units and aviators are among the best there are nothing must get in the way of good hard training but there must be some concern for the environment in order to value and protect our training areas the natural flora and fauna is essential so that our activities can take place in as natural an environment as possible several species flourish within our training areas for example peregrine falcons from a captive breeding program at cfb calgary are being reintroduced into camp wainwright and part of cfb suffield has been designated officially as a national wildlife area it is internationally recognized as an area of ecological interest and value that is representative of the canadian prairie in the field in all large training areas bird sanctuaries nesting habitats livestock wintering habitats birthing and caffeine grounds and sites of archaeological interest have been identified sensitive areas like these are clearly marked off limits respect these markers at all times when the environment in these areas is damaged the training that can take place in them is limited not just because of physical damage but also because it can trigger political and legal difficulties as well public opinion can be a formidable force since the nineteen sixties there has been growing public awareness about the environment and concern for its protection it's a concern shared by land force command anything less than the most stringent and conscientious environmental practices could jeopardize our training activities to the point where they have to be curtailed or even cancelled and that could eventually affect our operational readiness the law protects the canadian environment including our training areas it's in everyone's best interest to comply fully with this federal legislation proper compliance with environmental legislation is the responsibility of every member of the canadian forces in fact it should become second nature to us in all our training activities sops must include instructions for preserving the environment all personnel must observe standard operating procedures in planning exercises and during training activities some natural ecosystems are extremely fragile while others are tougher and can withstand more use how can personnel involved in planning exercises figure out which areas are particularly fragile and which are not by doing an environmental assessment and by talking with the range safety officer or the environmental officer they have appropriate documentation such as the environmental baseline study or ebs that's been prepared for the camp or training areas as well as the procedures set out in orders readily available the ebs focuses on things like soil type and terrain existing structures waste management programs contaminated sites an area set aside for special training such as firefighting it gives you a snapshot of the whole area's environmental character and status it's true that some army training activities have completely benign influences on the natural environment building field defenses is a necessary part of every exercise good soldiering means using the available natural copper to enhance camouflage using natural materials like this for camouflage can be entirely compatible with the environment but other activities by their very nature can have a negative impact one is considered to be damaging to the environment damage can take many forms altering the terrain contaminating the soil polluting the air and water causing noise pollution all of these and more typically soldiers in the field can cause damage by doing things like maneuvering vehicles running badly tuned engines improperly disposing of garbage and waste harming wildlife trampling flora exploding ordinance the impact of all this can be lessened by simple actions this vehicle is made to make high speed turns it's designed to tackle rough terrain and get soldiers in and out of battle but this sort of pivot turn tears up the ground and destroys the topsoil the problem is that while mechanized troops must practice mechanized movements to be effective damage to the fragile ground has to be minimized at the same time part of the answer is to work out and stick to a good track plan this plan developed well in advance will tell you exactly where and when you can proceed in the training area to conduct these types of maneuvers the same holds true for wheeled vehicles as well as giving away your position these wheel tracks can harm delicate ecosystems again observe the track plan and continue to conduct these maneuvers in designated areas vehicle movements can of course cause enormous damage to terrain that is outside canadian forces training areas damage to civilian owned land can have serious consequences environmentally legally and in our relations with the local community as well when moving over civilian ground comply with the agreement signed with the land owners complying with these agreements means we will continue to be able to train in this environment [Applause] in spite of the best precautions if major damage is caused the appropriate staff officer like the g5 or the environmental officer must be notified as soon as possible so that remedial action can be initiated without delay assault river crossings are an essential part of combined arms training and operations but as well as tactical considerations their effects on the environment must be taken into account water courses attract abundant wildlife unpolluted water is essential to the well-being and health of humans flora and fauna so the purity of our rivers lakes and ground waters must be protected it's easy to disturb fish habitats however the impact of activities varies with the seasons water conditions and spawning season fording and swimming vehicles can cause serious damage to riverbanks by destroying vegetation this leads in turn to rapid soil erosion and greater sedimentation in the stream forting vehicles can churn up silt on riverbeds too this muddies the water and disturbs the habitat of aquatic plants and animals as the environmental assessment sops and rsos describe there are several measures that can be used to mitigate these ill effects there are engineering solutions for example such as using hardened ford to help preserve the banks and aquatic habitat designated swim sites where there are fortified launch and landing points also minimize the impact of heavy vehicles whenever possible minor damage to banks and water courses should be repaired or reported immediately to range control [Applause] this is based on the principle that the normal flow of a watercourse should never be altered or disturbed unless authorized by the environmental assessment or sops water purification units and mobile laundry and bath units can have negative environmental impacts too both wpus and mvlus take water from the local surroundings use it and return it to the same area usually in an altered state this can contaminate the soil as well as groundwater and surface water and the local aquatic ecosystem could be affected by organic contaminants like human waste soap and also just by the heat of wastewater the environmental officer must be consulted to find out whether the watercourse can support these effluents plastic toiletries such as razors and shampoo bottles must not be discarded into laundry and bath sumps screens to catch solids will prevent this and the use of biodegradable soap is a good idea kitchen sumps can contaminate the soil and water and damage vegetation using 2 thousand liter wastewater retention tanks eliminates these negative effects their odors attract flies and wasps as well as other animals like raccoons and bears all of which can become a nuisance the use of chemical toilets located well away from watercourses and emptied regularly by an authorized company also eliminates the negative impacts dumpsters are another excellent means of mitigating damage in general when pits and sumps and other bivouac excavations are filled in ensure that the topsoil is replaced mounded properly and re-seeded this will discourage weeds and help to prevent soil erosion in addition revetments should be removed and trenches backfilled make sure that the turf you cut out is replaced to encourage regrowth garbage that is improperly disposed of can give away your position or attract negative public attention the three r's of waste management reduce reuse recycle are in effect on all canadian forces bases the same principles must be applied in the field too collect and store separately aluminum and tin cans bottles wet waste dry garbage and paper and dispose or recycle them accordingly on the base empty pop cans can provide a good source of mpf funds sops and rsos contain clear guidelines for handling hazardous materials such as pol kerosene paint battery acid and chemicals special care must be used in handling these materials for reasons of health and fire safety and environmental protection to guard against spills drip pans or impermeable or absorbent barriers should always be placed under parked vehicles and trailers that hold hazardous materials the special absorbance in the issued spill kits will help prevent these materials from getting into the local water and contaminating the soil these kits are available from supply in the event of a spill your immediate action should be one to contain the spill two to report the spill three to clean up the spill in addition to the normal chain of command range control must be advised right away of any spill of fuel or other pol product soldiers get used to the fog of battle by conducting training exercises that simulate battle conditions as closely as possible and that could mean making a lot of noise and while soldiers routinely take precautions to minimize noise pollution and the dangers of hearing loss to themselves noise can severely harass local wildlife and people living nearby in addition in training areas that border civilian roads and buildings noise can become a real nuisance to the public we must all be aware of acceptable noise limits simple abatement measures such as thoughtful scheduling of training or locating the firing point away from the training area boundary can lessen the impact on our human neighbors in the local community the natural environment is essential to canadian forces training exercises it must be taken into account at all stages and phases of the training cycle planning deployment training operations and redeployment as responsible professionals all personnel must make themselves fully aware of any and all environmental limitations and restrictions well in advance of training the world is changing and the canadian army is changing with it going green superimposing environmentally responsible practices upon military doctrine and training is just one more part of the cost of doing business the peace and security business common sense and simple abatement measures will help us to conserve our training areas for a long time to come [Music] [Laughter] [Music] you

Channel: A. Ryan

Views: 275

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Field, Military, Overseas, Exercise, Environment, Training Videos, CFB, Operation, Army, Training, Canada, Canadian Forces

Id: n4120OFqERs

Length: 17min 0sec (1020 seconds)

Published: Thu Oct 01 2020