Quebec reports 17% protection by the end of 2020

On December 17, 2020, the Government of Quebec announced that it has reached its terrestrial commitment to protect 17% of its land and freshwater territory before the end of 2020. Quebec is now the second province to reach this milestone, after British Columbia. Quebec’s total protected area (257,528 km2) is now larger than the United Kingdom and ranks first in the country for the absolute size of protected areas. Quebec’s approach to protected areas establishment highlights an important balance between biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic development.

Collaborating for Conservation in Nova Scotia

The Government of Nova Scotia and other partners are building new networks for sharing knowledge and advancing work on protected and conserved areas across the province.

With grant support from the Canada Nature Fund Target 1 Challenge, this collaborative initiative involves Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq, land trusts, municipal partners, and others. Key actions include exploring opportunities for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, conserving critical habitat such as old forests and wetlands, improving water quality protection, and enhancing ecological connectivity. 

This project is already delivering exciting collaboration and conservation results. These include:

• The protection of more than 15,000 hectares of Crown land within 27 new and expanded parks and protected areas (link here)

• The launch of a major land protection campaign by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust aspiring to double their conservation lands network by 2023 (link here)

• Release of a new IPCA report by Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (link here)

• An announcement by the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs profiling IPCA work (link here)

• The protection of critical conservation lands in Nova Scotia by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (link here)

Mikisew Cree First Nation – Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Park

With the support of the Quick Start Component of the Canada Nature Fund, the Mikisew Cree First Nation and Alberta Environment and Parks established a new biodiversity stewardship area, which was formally designated as the Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park in March of 2019. The 1,620 km2 park protects bison, caribou and the Peace-Athabasca Delta watershed.

Following establishment of Kitaskino Nuwenëné, the Mikisew Cree First Nation received further funding from the Canada Nature Fund Target 1 Challenge, and will work with the province, industry, and land owners to expand the existing area, protecting more important habitat and traditional territory.

Thaidene Nëné  – Land of the Ancestors

Thaidene Nëné, established in August 2019, is located approximately 185 km east of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories (NWT) at the eastern end of Great Slave Lake (Tu Nedhé). It includes the NWT’s first Territorial Protected Area created under the new NWT Protected Areas Act, a future Wildlife Conservation Area to be created under the NWT Wildlife Act and a National Park Reserve, protected through the Canada National Parks Act. Collectively these areas constitute the Thaidene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area.

Thaidene Nëné makes up 26,525 km2 of lakes, old-growth spruce forests, rivers and spectacular cliffs. It is the homeland of the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation (LKDFN) and is of major cultural significance to the Northwest Territory Métis Nation (NWTMN), Deninu K’ue First Nation (DKFN) and Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN). The area spans the transition zone from boreal forest to tundra and is important habitat for large and small mammals, fish, as well as providing key waterfowl staging areas and critical nesting for birds of prey. Cooperative management of Thaidene Nëné by LKDFN, NWTMN, DKFN, YKDFN, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and Parks Canada will ensure all people have the opportunity to respect and enjoy this unique area for generations to come.

Thaidene Nëné achieves key objectives for the conservation of biodiversity and will allow for cultural continuity of the area and tourism investments that will directly benefit neighbouring communities. Thaidene Nëné reflects positive steps towards reconciliation in recognizing these areas as integral to Indigenous communities’ way of life and government-to-government relationships in the future management of the area.

Protecting the Peel

In August 2019, after 15 years of negotiations, consultations, protests and court challenges extending to the Supreme Court of Canada, the Government of Yukon and the First Nations of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Vuntut Gwitchin, and Gwich’in Tribal Council, came together to jointly approve the Peel Watershed Regional Land Use Plan. Under the plan, 55% of the watershed, or 3.7 million hectares, will be permanently protected as ecological and cultural resources. A vast area of nearly untouched wilderness, the Peel River Watershed is home to six major rivers, limited development and no permanent human residents.  Supported in part through funding from the Canada Nature Fund Target 1 Challenge, the Peel River Watershed in northeastern Yukon will become one of the largest protected areas complexes in Canada, protecting habitat for 15 species at risk, including barren-ground and boreal caribou.

Canada's First Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area

In July 2018, the Dehcho First Nations established the Edéhzhíe Protected Area, on the Horn Plateau, on the west side of Great Slave Lake, southwest of Yellowknife. The creation of the Edéhzhíe Protected Area marks the designation of the first Indigenous Protected Area since the inception of the Pathway to Canada Target 1. The area will also be designated as a National Wildlife Area in 2020. These measures together secure the protection of more than 1.4 million hectares (14,218 sq. km) of boreal forest lands and waters, protecting important wildlife such as Caribou, and bringing Canada closer to the goal of 17% by 2020. The area will be managed by a consensus management board with the Canadian Wildlife Service, in partnership with Dehcho K’ehodi Indigenous Guardians.

World's Largest Boreal Protected Forest

On May 15, 2018, several new and/or expanded wildland provincial parks were announced in northern Alberta: Kazan, Richardson, Dillon River, Birch River and Birch Mountains. These provincial parks contribute more than 1.36 million hectares to the province’s protected area network. The Government of Alberta partnered with the Government of Canada, the Tallcree First Nation, Syncrude, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada to create these parks. This historic achievement shows what can be accomplished when governments, First Nations, industry and environmental organizations work together.

Goose Island and Grand Island provincial parks, Manitoba

The Manitoba government designated Goose Islands and Grand Island provincial parks on June 16, 2017. Located in the northern basin of Lake Winnipegosis, these islands are characterized by a range of habitats including mud flats, marshes, cliffs, ridges and mixed wood forest stands. These habitats support a diversity of wildlife species and in particular they provide important nesting habitat for double-crested cormorants, Caspian terns, common terns, ring billed gulls, herring gulls and American white pelicans.

Castle parks, Alberta

The boundaries of the expanded Castle Wildland Provincial Park and the new Castle Provincial Park have been set, bringing one of the most biologically diverse areas in Alberta under provincial protection. The Castle area is home to over 200 rare or at‐risk species located on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta, near British Columbia and Montana.

Canadian Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere reserves are created in areas of high conservation value, where the surrounding community has pledged to protect biodiversity, cultural heritage and uphold the principles of sustainable development. Each biosphere reserve is centered on a protected area and balances conservation needs and human enjoyment. Canada is currently home to 18 UNESCO biosphere reserves, which can be found all across the country and include areas such as Southwest Nova in Nova Scotia; Niagara Escarpment in Ontario; Lac-Saint-Pierre in Quebec; and, Riding Mountain in Manitoba, just to name a few!

Connecting Canadians with Nature at Lake Saint-François National Wildlife Area

There is growing recognition of "nature-deficit disorder", a term used to describe the adverse personal, family, community and societal impacts that human beings suffer when they are disconnected from nature. Parks and protected areas are vital tools to help people get back outside and the Connecting Canadians with Nature initiative aims to do just that. By increasing the programming and facilities available at certain accessible sites across Canada, this initiative aims to provide opportunities for Canadians to engage in nature. One such site is Lake Saint-François National Wildlife Area, located approximately 120 kilometres from Montreal, Quebec, where you can explore in canoes or kayaks, hike along the 10-kilometres of trails or even try geocaching!

Alberta Parks Antelope Hill Provincial Park

After a private donation of 3.8 square-kilometres of undisturbed native grasslands, the Province of Alberta announced the creation of Antelope Hill Provincial Park. Located in east-central Alberta, this park protects an area of high ecological value, including healthy native northern fescue grasslands. In the future, this park will be a place where people can hike, see wildlife and appreciate nature.