PARKS CANADA COIN CRITICIZED

Canada's 2011 silver dollar commemorates the centennial of Parks Canada by showing endangered species — with one hiccup: Half the species on the coin aren't found in or near any parks.

The selection has puzzled some naturalists, who wonder why the coin doesn't show more of the hundreds of species that are truly protected by national parks.

The silver dollar, which will sell to collectors for $55.95, shows a group of four species: the whooping crane, western prairie fringed orchid, southern maidenhair fern and Kentucky coffee tree.

Two of these do occur in Canada's parks: The whooping crane in Wood Buffalo National Park — which stretches from northern Alberta into the Northwest Territories — and the Kentucky coffee tree in Pelee Island Park, about 60 kilometres southeast of Windsor, Ont.

Royal Canadian Mint spokesman Alex Reeves said the Mint is aware that two of the pictured species don't come from parks. But he said that's not the point.

The coin is intended to recognize the parks' role in protecting endangered wildlife, and it doesn't matter where the individual examples come from, he said.

Michael Runtz, who teaches biology at Carleton University, also criticized the selection. "If we're celebrating national parks with species not found in those parks, I think it's absolutely ridiculous."

To read the complete article, see: Parks Canada coin 'absolutely ridiculous,' critics say (www.vancouversun.com/travel/Parks+Canada+coin+absolutely
+ridiculous+critics/4075254/story.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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