WINNIPEG, Man. -- May
20, 2010 -- Canada's Environment Minister,
the Honourable Jim Prentice, today announced
the Nature Conservancy
of Canada's successful securement of three
separate properties in the Riding Mountain
Aspen Parkland region. These properties
consist of 462 hectares (1,142 acres) of
land near Manitoba's Riding Mountain National
Park. This project was secured in part with
funding from Environment Canada's Natural
Areas Conservation Program and had an overall
budget of $352,880.
"This acquisition
marks another achievement under our government's
$225-million Natural Areas Conservation
Program. During this important International
Year of Biodiversity (IYB), I am pleased
that the federal government is able to support
worthwhile projects. With this investment,
we are taking real action to protect and
conserve our ecosystems and sensitive species
for present and future generations,"
said Minister Prentice. "Your actions,
large or small, will help to protect the
abundance and variety of life that is part
of our natural heritage."
"Today's announcement
shows our Government's commitment to conserving
and protecting our environment for the benefit
of all Canadians," said Inky Mark,
Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River
- Marquette. "The lands of the Aspen
Parkland region project will continue to
provide a healthy habitat where species
can thrive and survive."
These properties are
part of an ecologically significant area
that is home to important plant and animal
species at risk including the golden winged
warbler, the red-headed woodpecker, the
prairie loggerhead shrike, Sprague's pipit,
the yellow rail, the short-eared owl, the
northern leopard frog, the chestnut lamprey,
the rusty blackbird, the common nighthawk,
the chimney swift, the olive-sided flycatcher
and the monarch butterfly.
"The rolling, forested
hills, meadows, lakes and wetlands of the
Riding Mountain Aspen Parkland rise like
an island of wilderness surrounded by a
sea of agricultural development. Species
and habitats of northern, western and eastern
Canada meet here," said Ursula Goeres,
Regional Vice President of the Nature Conservancy
of Canada, Manitoba Region. "The securement
and long-term management of lands such as
those recently protected is critical to
the area's long term conservation."
The Government of Canada's
Natural Areas Conservation Program is an
important on-the-ground initiative that
takes real action to preserve Canada's environment
and conserve its precious natural heritage
for present and future generations. It is
through the ongoing contribution from all
donors that we can ensure the protection
of natural areas in Canada. As of December
2009, under the Natural Areas Conservation
Program over 127,662 hectares (315,459 acres)
have been secured, protecting habitat for
over 79 species at risk.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Government of Canada
Invests $117,943 in Community Environmental
Projects in Metro Vancouver and Whistler
Vancouver, B.C. - May
22, 2010 - Canada's Environment Minister,
the Honourable Jim Prentice today announced
funding from the EcoAction Community Funding
Program for two new environmental projects
in Metro Vancouver and Whistler, British
Columbia. In total, $117,943 in federal
funding will support local action to reduce
pollution, improve air and water quality,
and protect wildlife and natural habitat.
"As we celebrate
the International Year of Biodiversity,
it is particularly rewarding to underline
the Government of Canada's commitment to
conserving our country's incredible biodiversity,"
said Minister Prentice. "We are proud
to support community groups in British Columbia
and all across the country who are taking
action to preserve Canada's natural heritage.
The government is committed to addressing
critical environmental issues and it is
thanks to your positive actions that we
are finding new ways to secure a more sustainable
future for Canadians."
The Stanley Park Ecology
Society will receive funding for water quality
testing, wildlife surveys, and the restoration
of native biodiversity in the Park's ecosystems,
including its aquatic ecosystems and riparian
zones.
"I am pleased that
we are able to support community groups
who are focused on environmental stewardship,"
added John Weston, Member of Parliament
for West Vancouver, Sunshine Coast and Sea
to Sky Country. "It is the actions
of organizations such as the Stanley Park
Ecology Society and Whistler's Centre for
Sustainability that will have positive,
measurable results for the environment and
for the community's quality of life."
"Thanks to support
from Environment Canada's EcoAction Community
Funding Program, we are able to release
the first-ever Stanley Park State of the
Park Project Report," said Patricia
Thomson, Executive Director, Stanley Park
Ecology Society. "Balancing the rich
biodiversity and popularity of the famous
Stanley Park depends on ensuring that we
track, maintain and restore it with care."
The EcoAction Community
Funding Program is an Environment Canada
initiative that supports projects that rehabilitate,
protect or enhance the natural environment,
and builds the capacity of communities and
individuals in support of a more sustainable
Canada. The two projects announced today
will assist locally-based, non-profit organizations
in initiating actions that result in cleaner
air, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,
cleaner water, and the protection of nature
at the local community level.
More information about
the EcoAction Community Funding Program
is available on Environment Canada's website
at the following address: www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction.
