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Protected Areas Initiative
Why Are Protected Areas Important?
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| In 1992, Canada's federal, provincial and
territorial Ministers responsible for Environment, Parks
and Wildlife met to discuss Canada's networks of
protected areas. They unanimously affirmed that Canada
has a special global responsibility to protect its
natural heritage given that Canada is steward of almost
20% of the planet's wilderness, 20% of its fresh water,
and 24% of its remaining wetlands (A Statement of
Commitment To Complete Canada's Networks of Protected
Areas: Nov. 25, 1992).
Canada is one of the few nations that still has an
opportunity to represent its natural regions and
features, and to conserve its critical wildlife habitat.
With rapid global population growth and continued
development pressures, local citizens, First Nations,
environmentalists, corporate and government leaders have
recognized the need for modern society to take a
precautionary approach as stewards of land and water.
The more we learn about the environment
and our impacts on it, the more the words of renowned
plant ecologist Frank Egler need reflection:
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"Nature
isn't more complex than we think,
it is more complex than we can think."
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Therefore, by establishing a network of
protected areas, Manitobans do their part to fulfill the
national commitment. This also ensures that
representative examples and the unique areas of our
diverse landscapes are maintained in our network of
protected areas to:
- conserve biological diversity including natural
gene pools,
- maintain ecological processes and the natural
cycles required for life on earth,
- act as scientific benchmarks to evaluate
environmental change,
- balance development needs in a sustainable
society.
This commitment to establish protected areas is not
only for today. Future generations will also be able to
experience, appreciate and enjoy nature, and to
understand the ecological processes that all life
depends on. |
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