Nature Canada Applauds Efforts to Recognize UNESCO World Heritage Site on Eastside of Lake Winnipeg, Signs on to Manitoba-Israel Birding and Guiding Memorandum of Understanding
June 20, 2011 (Winnipeg) – At a special reception held today to celebrate nature conservation efforts in Manitoba, Nature Canada issued the following public statement:

“Nature Canada applauds Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger and Pimachiowin Aki Corporation for their leadership in efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for the Pimachiowin Aki site.

This site spans more than 40,000 square kilometers of largely intact boreal forest from the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg into northern Ontario. The area encompasses the traditional lands of five First Nations, as well as two large wilderness provincial parks. The forest, rivers, lakes and wetlands within the borders of the Pimachiowin Aki site offer critical habitat for over 300 species of our most treasured birds, including the rapidly declining Rusty Blackbird and Olive-sided Flycatcher, and is home to some of the planet’s largest populations of wolves, and Woodland Caribou.

This is an extremely important initiative, which is why Nature Canada joined other major environmental groups in October 2010 to present Premier Selinger and Pimachiowin Aki Corporation with the groups’ inaugural Environmental Leadership Award. Efforts to establish this place as a UNESCO site deserves recognition and praise.”

At the reception, Nature Canada added its signature to a birding and guiding MOU signed by the Premier and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel last October.

“Partnerships are central to our organization’s work in nature conservation and education,” said Richard Yank, Chair of the Board of Directors of Nature Canada. “We are very pleased to participate in this unique collaboration with the Province of Manitoba and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel to promote and secure the protection of our global wildlife populations.”

As part of the MOU, Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian nature officials plan to tour Canada next spring, including a visit to Manitoba in June 2012.
For more information, please contact:

Chris Sutton
Director, Communications
613-323-3331
csutton@naturecanada.ca

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