The following press release was recently added to www.NationTalk.ca
FORT SIMPSON, NWT, Aug. 8 - The Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) congratulates the Government of Canada on today's announcement for dedicating an additional 5,400 square kilometers towards the Nahanni National Park Reserve and securing further protection for the South Nahanni watershed. We commend the Prime Minister, Minister Baird, the Dehcho First Nations and the Government of the Northwest Territories for their decisive action.
"This is a major step towards expanding the Nahanni National Park Reserve - a Canadian icon, world renowned national park and World Heritage Site in the Northwest Territories' Boreal Forest", said Larry Innes, CBI's Executive Director. "This is a welcome follow up to the federal Budget investment in the protected areas in the North and we look forward to celebrating other sites in the coming months. "
This announcement follows on the commitment made by Canada in January 2007 to permanently protect the entire South Nahanni Watershed and Nahanni karstlands in an expanded national park.
"Securing protection for special places like the Nahanni is part of what Canadians want our governments to achieve", continued Innes. "Today's announcement reinforces the importance that all parties place on balancing conservation with economic development to protect and strengthen the North, and we are proud to be actively supporting those goals."
The work between governments, First Nations, conservation organizations, and stakeholders to secure protection for a suite of important ecological and cultural areas identified in the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy, national park proposals and regional land use plans is ongoing. Protection is actively being sought for Ramparts River and wetlands (Ts'ude niline Tu'eyeta) near Fort Good Hope, the Thaydene Nene/East Arm region of the Great Slave Lake near Lutsel'ke, and for additional areas identified in the draft Dehcho and Sahtu land use plans.
Based in Ottawa, the Canadian Boreal Initiative is a convener bringing together partners including governments, industry, First Nations, conservation groups, major retailers, financial institutions and scientists to create new solutions for the conservation and sustainable development of the Boreal Forest.
A Backgrounder is attached
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BACKGROUNDER
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THE NAHANNI NATIONAL PARK RESERVE
The Nahanni National Park Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site protect a portion of one of Canada's most spectacular boreal wilderness areas and spiritual sites for local First Nations -- the South Nahanni watershed.
The Nahanni National Park Reserve became the first site in the world to be officially granted World Heritage status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The South Nahanni Watershed falls within the traditional territories of two Dene First Nations. The Dehcho First Nations' traditional territory encompasses 80 percent of the watershed, while the upper 20 per cent lies in the traditional territory of the Sahtu.
The watershed is of cultural and traditional importance, and the Dehcho First Nations, Sahtu Dene and Metis have expressed a strong desire to protect the entire watershed of the South Nahanni River to protect the land and its people for all time.
Canada's north is besieged today by pressures to develop its energy and mineral resources, such as the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, which means conservation planning in the Northwest Territories is urgently needed.
WHY DO WE NEED TO CONSERVE CANADA'S BOREAL FOREST?
Canada's Boreal Forest, a vast complex of interconnected landscapes of forest, wetlands, mountains, rivers and lakes is still largely ecologically intact, and with the Amazon Rainforest and Siberian Taiga is one of the largest intact natural regions remaining on earth. Its vegetation, waters and soils represent one of the world's most important air purifiers, sources of fresh water and buffers against climate change.
WHAT IS THE BOREAL FOREST CONSERVATION FRAMEWORK?
The Boreal Forest Conservation Framework represents a new vision that promotes a conservation approach for the entire Boreal Forest. The goal of the Framework is to conserve the cultural, natural and sustainable economic values of the entire Boreal by protecting at least 50% of the region in a network of large interconnected protected areas, and supporting sustainable communities through world-leading ecosystem-based resource management practices and leading edge stewardship practices in the remaining landscape.
Implementing this vision will position Canada as the world leader in large-scale forest and wetlands conservation and management, through collaborative, pro-active planning.
For further information: Christine Choury, Director of Communications, Canadian Boreal Initiative, (613) 230-4739, Ext. 222, C: (613) 355-6513; www.borealcanada.ca
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