Good news for those who love nature and want to see it protected. This month, two new conservation areas – home to endangered species and unique habitat – have been added to the map.

The effort to conserve 17 per cent of our land and waterways and 10 per cent of our oceans by 2020 is well underway. Canada is the world’s envy for our natural expanses and unique wildlife, and it is our responsibility to ensure their protection.

This month two new areas – one terrestrial and one marine – have been declared protected by the federal government. Conservation efforts are always worth celebrating.

Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area

The Banc-des-Américains, located on the eastern tip of Quebec, is a wonderful example of what a protected area can achieve when different levels of government work together with Indigenous communities and local organizations.

With the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whale and Blue Whale frequenting these waters, March 6, 2019 can be celebrated as a historic date when a key part of these whales’ territory became safe to roam, feed and raise their young. Many other species will benefit from the protection as well from corals to cod.

Now an official protected area under Canada’s Ocean’s Act, this area in the Gaspé Peninsula is shielded by law from grey-water disposal, sewage discharge, and crucially, oil and gas activities. This is one of many major marine conservation efforts we anticipate this year that will help Canada reach that important 10 per cent goal.

New environmental protection on Canadian Forces Base Shilo

With 2020 fast approaching, protection of crucial prairie landscape on the Canadian Forces Base Shilo in Manitoba represents another mark of progress in protecting at-risk species. Working together, the Department of National Defense (DND) and Environment Canada analyzed 21,138 hectares on CFB Shilo.

The rare mixed-grass prairie ecosystem is recognized as an area teeming with biodiversity and home to 17 at-risk species, including the province’s only lizard—the Prairie Skink.

DND has agreed to manage the area in ways that support these endangered grasslands and the wildlife that call it home. For it to count towards Canada’s 17 per cent target, the commitment of stewardship must be long term, which is crucial for ensuring the area’s viability. The announcement is good news for wildlife.

With land on CFB Shilo and Banc-des-Américains now formally protected , momentum is building. We’re on our way to meeting our targets, and we need to stay on track. Conservation and protections for nature are the key to our collective future.