WWF-Canada Congratulates Inuit and Federal Government: Ukkusiksalik National Park in Nunavut is Designated Today

In particular, WWF congratulates the Inuit community of Naujaat (Repulse Bay), the Kivalliq Inuit Association, and Parks Canada for their hard work to reach this agreement. “Protecting this spectacular area, covering more than 2 million hectares to the west of Hudson Bay, is of huge importance for wildlife, natural ecosystems and for local people – both now and into the future,” said Dr. Peter Ewins, WWF-Canada’s Director of Arctic Conservation. “It is vital to complete a network of such protected areas while we still have the opportunity, ahead of major industrial development.”

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s personal appreciation of the north,” added Ewins, “which has helped set aside some magnificent natural areas for their wildlife, scenic and cultural values.” This extensive area of tundra, freshwater and marine habitats is rich in Inuit history, traditional hunting areas and healthy wildlife populations. Protecting this area for subsistence hunting and ecotourism opportunities is a fundamental step in helping achieve a well-balanced future for Nunavut. WWF-Canada strongly supports the ‘Conservation First’ approach traditionally taken by Canada’s Aboriginal peoples, so that prior to industrial development, an adequate network of key cultural and ecological areas is withdrawn from industrial opportunity, thereby protecting these critical values for future generations.

“Ukkusiksalik National Park will play a very significant part in this future network of protected areas,” noted Dr. Ewins. “It will help to balance the regional impacts of mining and other development on the cultural, landscape and ecological values of these intact northern ecosystems.”

Reflecting general agreement of the importance of protecting a sample of Canada’s natural ecosystems and natural regions, in 1992 the federal, provincial and territorial governments committed to establish a representative network of protected areas in all of Canada’s 486 natural regions by 2000. At present, this network is less than half completed. In October, 2002, the federal government – along with most other nations – committed to establish, by 2012, a representative network of marine protected areas in Canada’s oceans. WWF Canada looks forward to additional protected area designations to help achieve these targets as quickly as possible, so that a sample of Arctic habitats can be fully protected for the future, in the face of growing pressures from mining and oil and gas interests.

“Although the job of completing this network of terrestrial, freshwater and marine protected areas is far from complete,” said Ewins, “the establishment of Ukkusiksalik is a major step forward. WWF looks forward to quick completion of Canada’s terrestrial national parks network, and to working with all partners to help meet the 2012 marine protected areas goal for Canada’s 76 marine natural regions. Canada has the longest coastline of any nation, and Nunavut has nearly two-thirds of Canada’s coastlines, but there are, as yet, no marine protected areas in the territory.”

WWF-Canada has worked in Canada’s north for over 30 years, with a firm base in Nunavut since the new territory came into being in 1999. In the Arctic, WWF supports community-based conservation projects on wildlife species, focusing especially on the protection of key natural areas while they are still intact. WWF also supports the sustainable use of wildlife by northerners.