WATERTON, Alta. -- October
13, 2009 -- On behalf of Canada’s Environment
Minister Jim Prentice, Member of Parliament
for Lethbridge, Rick Casson joined representatives
from the Chinook Area Land Users Association
and the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Society
today, to celebrate the recent announcement
of funding to support Canada’s Biosphere
Reserves. The Government of Canada is providing
$5 million in funding over five years to
14 of the 15 biosphere reserves in Canada
and the Canadian
Biosphere Reserves Association. This funding
will provide the Waterton Biosphere Reserve
with $57,000 per year through 2013.
"Our government
is proud to supporting areas so important
for protecting majestic species like the
grizzly bear and its natural habitat,” said
MP Casson. ‘’This biosphere reserve fosters
and encourages a sustainable community based
regional economy, with high biodiversity,
landscape, and social values, with Waterton
Lakes National Park of Canada as a key component.
It is a special place where people are encouraged
to demonstrate better approaches to conservation
and sustainable resource use.‘’
“The main goal of the
Waterton Biosphere Reserve is to achieve
a sustainable balance between the goals
of conserving biological diversity and promoting
economic development while maintaining cultural
values. The funding from Environment Canada
will help us to meet this objective,“ said
Larry Frith, Chair of the Chinook Area Land
Users Association. “Our aim is to provide
residents and visitors to the Biosphere
Reserve with good information to enable
them to have the opportunity to make sound,
sustainable decisions in all aspects of
their contact with the biosphere.”
“This funding commitment
reflects the importance the Government of
Canada places on protecting our rich biodiversity
across the country,” said Minister Prentice.
“Canada’s biosphere reserves are excellent
examples of community-based initiatives
that protect our natural environment while
ensuring the continued growth of the local
economy in an ecologically sustainable way.”
The Waterton Biosphere
Reserve was designated as a biosphere reserve
in 1979 by UNESCO. The core protected area,
Waterton Lakes National Park, covers only
525 square kilometres Rocky Mountain and
bunchgrass landscapes. Waterton Lakes National
Park was the first national park in Canada
to be included in a biosphere reserve.
Biosphere reserves are
areas designated and recognized internationally
by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization) for demonstrating
practical approaches to balancing conservation
and development. Biosphere reserves are
comprised of one or more core protected
areas, a buffer area in which activities
compatible with conservation occur, and
a large area of co-operation where sustainable
resource management practices are promoted
and developed. The world network consists
of 553 biosphere reserves in 107 countries.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Government of Canada’s
Investment in Canadian Biosphere Reserves
Celebrated in Trois-Rivières
TROIS-RIVIÈRES,
Que. -- October 15, 2009 -- On behalf of
Canada's Environment Minister, Jim Prentice,
Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for
Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière,
joined representatives from the Lac-Saint-Pierre
Biosphere Reserve to celebrate the recent
announcement of 5 million dollars in funding
over five years to 14 of the 15 biosphere
reserves in Canada, including the Lac-Saint-Pierre
Biosphere Reserve, and the Canadian Biosphere
Reserves Association. This funding will
provide the Lac-Saint-PierreBiosphere Reserve
with 57,000 dollars per year through 2013.
“This funding commitment
reflects the importance the Government of
Canada places on protecting our rich biodiversity
across the country," said Minister
Prentice. “Canada's biosphere reserves are
excellent examples of community-based initiatives
that protect our natural environment while
ensuring the continued growth of the local
economy in an ecologically sustainable way.”
“The Lac-Saint-Pierre
Biosphere Reserve is an excellent example
of a community-based initiative that promotes
the conservation and protection of our natural
environment while ensuring the growth of
the local communities as part of sustainable
economic development,” Jacques Gourde added.
“The Government of Canada is proud to support
an organization that shares its commitment
to land conservation and preserving biodiversity.”
Biosphere reserves are
areas designated and recognized internationally
by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization) for demonstrating
practical approaches to balancing conservation
and development. Biosphere reserves are
comprised of one or more core protected
areas, such as national parks or national
wildlife reserves, a buffer area in which
activities compatible with conservation
occur, and a large area of co-operation
where sustainable resource management practices
are promoted and developed. The world network
consists of 553 biosphere reserves in 107
countries.
“The Government of Canada’s
investment will allow us to pursue our mandate,
which is part of a broad vision of the future,
namely that of participating in the sustainable
development of companies and tourism organizations
in a spirit of harmonious coexistence between
Man and the biosphere. We are working on
maintaining sustainable relations using
an approach that fosters interdisciplinarity,
intergenerational relations and participatory
governance,” said Christian Hart, president
of the Lac-Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve
The Lac-Saint-Pierre
Biosphere Reserve was designated as a biosphere
reserve by UNESCO in November 2000. The
recognized territory is found within the
boundaries of five regional county municipalities
(RCMs): D’Autray, Pierre-De Saurel, Nicolet-Yamaska,
Maskinongé, and the city of Trois-Rivières.
More than 40% of the St. Lawrence wetlands
are located in the reserve. The reserve
is also the first spring staging site for
Snow Geese on the St. Lawrence and contains
the largest heron colony in North America,
with over 1,300 nests inventoried.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Government of Canada
Supports Community Environmental Projects
in Calgary
CALGARY, Alta. -- October
14, 2009 -- Lee Richardson, Member of Parliament
for Calgary Centre on behalf of Canada’s
Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim
Prentice, today announced the contribution
of $149,950through the EcoAction Community
Funding program for three projects in Calgary.
The three projects receiving
funding today are $25,000 to the Green Cyclers
Program, $24,950 to the Bow Valley Climate
Kids Project and $100,000 to the Healthy
Homes Calgary Program.
“The EcoAction Community
Funding program is a concrete example of
how the Government of Canada is helping
communities and their citizens enjoy cleaner
air, water and land. We are supporting projects
under this program because we believe on
the ground activities like these can and
will make a difference,” said Mr. Richardson.
Natalie Odd, Executive
Director of Clean Calgary said, “With significant
funding from Environment Canada's EcoAction
program, we will help almost 1000 Calgary
households to ‘green’ their homes and lives.
This has a critical, positive impact on
the entire community as fewer precious resources
are used, and homes are healthier."
Dr. Melanie Watt, Executive
Director of the Biosphere of the Bow Valley
said, "Local students, with the help
of professional filmmakers, will write,
direct and edit their own videos to demonstrate
what climate change means to them. This
program will focus on youth-to-youth learning
of environmental issues with follow-up in
the classrooms”.
Jackie Mann, Wheel View
Director said “We challenge young people
to do something different. We teach them
about the world we live in and the environmental
challenges we face, we hope that with our
involvement it will make a difference in
their life and community”.
“The Government encourages
all Canadians to do their part to protect
our environment. We support community groups
taking on-the-ground action to preserve
and enhance the quality of the natural environment”,
said Minister Prentice.
Each year, Environment
Canada funds various groups which help to
deliver real results for Canadians and our
environment. Environment Canada’s EcoAction
Community Funding Program provides financial
support to locally-based, not-for-profit
organizations to undertake community-level
projects that have positive, measurable
results for the environment. The program
assists these organizations in initiating
projects that result in cleaner air, reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water,
and the conservation 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.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
