WWF-Canada Supports Conservation Progress in the Mackenzie River Basin

“This marks significant progress on the larger need to respect community wishes to sequence conservation first, in advance of industrial development,” said Rob Powell, Director of WWF-Canada’s Mackenzie River Basin program.

Dr. Powell was referring to approximately 20 areas that First Nation communities have proposed for protection in the Mackenzie River Basin, before proposals such as the Mackenzie Gas Project proceed.

Almost exactly one year ago WWF-Canada, together with other conservation groups and northern First Nations, brought forward to the Harper government six important areas for conservation, as the first instalment of a suite of sites awaiting protection. With today’s announcement, progress has been made on four of the six sites: one in the Sahtu region, namely Sahyoue/Ehdacho (Grizzly Bear Mountain/Scented Grass Hills in Great Bear Lake) which Parks Canada has agreed to fund and finalize as National and Historic Sites; and three in the Dehcho region, namely Sambaa K’e (Trout Lake), which the Canadian Wildlife Service has agreed to sponsor as a National Wildlife Area; Edehzhie (Horn Plateau) for which interim surface and subsurface protection was extended in June 2007; and today, the announcement of next steps for the expansion of Nahanni.

“As a long time northerner, and as someone who helped support these community initiatives in the early days almost a decade ago, I’m pleased to see the federal government beginning to respond to First Nations’ concern for conservation,” said Bill Carpenter, NWT Senior Advisor to WWF-Canada. “This whole idea of sequencing conservation first as a reasonable condition for new industrial activity in the north is entirely consistent with First Nations traditions. If the purpose of the Prime Minister’s trip is to strengthen and protect our north, announcements such as this are certainly a good way to do it.”

“We are looking forward to hearing soon from Ministers Baird or Prentice regarding progress on the remaining two priority sites we and First Nations put forward to the government for protection,” said Dr, Powell. “This includes the Ramparts, along and west of the Mackenzie River near Fort Good Hope in the Sahtu region, and the requested Akaitcho land withdrawal around Great Slave Lake, including the proposed East Arm National Park advocated by the community of Lutsel K’e.”

For over 15 years, WWF-Canada has strongly supported northern interest in balancing new economic projects with timely conservation accomplishments, such as reserving large protected areas early in the development process. This has involved playing a leadership role in obtaining the NWT Protected Areas Strategy; an investment of more than $10 million by WWF-Canada in co-operation with other conservation groups, First Nations, governments and industry; establishing an office in Yellowknife; hiring northerners; working directly in small remote communities; and voicing community concerns with decision makers in Yellowknife, Calgary and Ottawa.