| Protected areas is one measure of societal response aimed at
conserving ecosystems. It is generally agreed that the greater
the area protected from development, the better the chance for
a healthy sustaining ecosystem. Protected areas include parks,
wildlife and forest reserves, wilderness and other conservation
areas designated through federal, provincial and territorial legislation.
Note that smaller protected areas (that is, less than 1000 hectares)
and private protected areas, although important, are not included
in this analysis.
While there are over 3500 of these protected areas, there are
approximately 800 areas that are larger than 1000 hectares. These
areas capture over 98% of the total area protected in Canada.
While there are more protected areas in southern Canada, these
are generally small compared with the few, but very large, protected
areas in Canada’s
North.
Percentage of Ecoregion Protected (all protected areas)
Federal, provincial and territorial governments have collectively
designated about 9% of Canada as “protected”. This protection
ranges to over 90% for some ecoregions to none in other ecoregions.
About two-thirds of the land occupied by Canada’s ecoregions
has some protection, leaving about one third with virtually no
protection.
Other Ecosystem Protection Mechanisms
Other means to protect biodiversity in ecosystems include species
recovery projects. Canada has also introduced tax measures that
favour donations of lands for conservation purposes. As well, efforts
are being made to conserve and restore selected ecosystems such
as wetlands. Sustaining native species and their habitats is also
a key component of sustainable development strategies, particularly
for resource activities such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
that heavily modify or harvest Canada’s ecosystems.
Tax Incentives
The Ecological Gifts Program, initiated in 1995, permits private
and corporate landowners to receive preferential tax treatment
of donations of ecologically sensitive lands, conservation easements,
covenants and servitudes to registered environmental charities,
municipalities and Crown agencies. This program is administered
under the Income Tax Acts of Canada and Quebec by Environment
Canada in cooperation with provincial and non-government organizations.
Over the 1995 to early 1999 period, over 90 tax-deductible gifts
were completed with national organizations such as the Nature
Conservancy of Canada and provincially-based conservation authorities
and land trusts, covering almost 10 500 hectares of unique or
endangered habitats such as wetlands grasslands, ocean shores
and forests. Many of these sites are habitat for endangered species
as well. The total value of these gifts has exceeded $25 million.
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