Canada invests to protect important nature areas in New Brunswick

FREDERICTON, April 24, 2019 /CNW/ - It's in our nature to conserve our land and water, protect our wildlife, and save the places we love. But the world's nature is in decline, with wilderness disappearing at a rapid rate and wildlife populations falling by 60 percent since 1970. That's why Canada is taking action, including by making the single-largest investment to protect nature in Canadian history, through Budget 2018, and aiming to double the amount of nature protected across Canada.

Today, the Member of Parliament for Fredericton, Matt DeCourcey, announced that the Government of Canada has invested $542,000 to protect 345 hectares of nature in the Valley Lowlands and Eastern Lowlands of New Brunswick.

The project, led by Nature Trust of New Brunswick, successfully acquired 14 parcels of private land in three priority watersheds of the province?the Saint John River, Saint Croix River, and the Miramichi River. The project permanently protects a variety of ecologically significant habitats, including mixed Acadian forest and old eastern hardwood forest, threatened Appalachian hardwood forest and forested wetland, a coastal shoreline in the Northumberland Strait, the undeveloped Saint Croix River shoreline, and provincially significant wetland leading to the Passamaquoddy Bay. These investments will also benefit species at risk such as the yellow lampmussel, the butternut tree, the peregrine falcon, the wood thrush, the wood turtle, and the eastern wood-pewee.

The project is also supported by private land donors, the Province of New Brunswick, the Environmental Trust Fund, the Wildlife Trust Fund, the Gosling Foundation, the McCain Foundation, the Clean Foundation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, First Nations groups, financial donors, and volunteers, among others.

The new protection will count toward Canada's goal of doubling the amount of nature protected in our lands and oceans.

The announcement comes as Canada is set to host an international summit with nature champions from around the world?on April 24 and 25, in Montréal?to ramp up collaboration and increase ambition for protecting the world's nature.

Quotes

"The work of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, and their partners across the province, is a great example of the leadership and collaboration needed to protect more of Canada's nature. By working together, we can double the amount of nature we're protecting from coast to coast to coast. These special places in New Brunswick will be preserved for Canadians now and for future generations."
? Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"New Brunswick is known for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity. This investment has enabled the Nature Trust of New Brunswick and its partners to collaboratively preserve our province's nature for generations to come."
? Matt DeCourcey, Member of Parliament for Fredericton

"The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is pleased to have worked with Environment and Climate Change Canada to conserve over 345 hectares of private, ecologically significant land in New Brunswick. This funding has provided a unique opportunity to work with various partners and community groups, including the Province of New Brunswick, First Nations, and land donors, to protect at-risk habitats and species, as well as to add a large contribution to the federal Pathway to Canada Target 1 land conservation target of 17 percent."
? Wayne Burley, President of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick

Quick facts

• From April 24 to 25, 2019, Canada will be hosting the Nature Champions Summit in Montréal. Nature champions from all walks of life, including major philanthropists, business leaders, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, Indigenous leaders and environment ministers from around the world, will be coming together to build a high-ambition coalition and drive global nature protection forward.
• The Canada Nature Fund supports the protection of Canada's ecosystems, landscapes, biodiversity, and species at risk.
• The Government of Canada is committed to doubling the amount of protected nature in our lands and waters across Canada.
• Globally, Canada has 20 percent of freshwater resources, 24 percent of wetlands, 25 percent of temperate rainforest area, and 33 percent of remaining boreal forest.

Related products

• Expanding New Brunswick Private Protected Areas

Associated links

• Target 1 Challenge call for proposals
• Canada's Nature Legacy: Protecting our nature

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada