N.B. Will Double The Amount Of Conserve Land And Freshwater To 10 Percent
FREDERICTON – The provincial government announced on Monday it will double its protected and conserved land and freshwater from 4.6 percent to reach its target of 10 per cent.
Through a national initiative called Pathway to Canada Target 1, the provinces, territories, and federal government have set a goal to conserve at least 17 percent of the country’s land and freshwater by the end of 2020.
With the support of $9.3 million under the federal government’s Canada Nature Fund, the provincial government intends to more than double its protected and conserved land and freshwater to reach its target of 10 percent.
“We recognize that only through a collaborative effort can such an ambitious task be achieved,” said Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland in a statement.
“Our department is engaging with First Nations, conservation organizations, and natural resource industries to develop a plan for achieving that target. Part of creating vibrant and sustainable communities in our province includes making sure they are environmentally sustainable while considering long term conservation.”
Lois Corbett of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick says nature can protect us during times of extreme climate change.
“We got this wake-up call from Hurricane Arthur and Hurricane Dorian, from the ice storm and the two big floods of the Saint John River. We need to have our wetlands and our land protect us,” Corbett said in an interview on Monday.
Corbett says nature also works as a water filtration system, acting to cool temperatures keeping rivers and streams cool for the fish habitat.
Tamara Steele is a reporter with CHSJ/Country 94, a Huddle content partner.