5.2.1 Key Result: Biological Diversity
Conservation of biological diversity

Wildlife

What is the issue?

Canada is recognized internationally for its natural wealth, including wildlife, forests, water and protected areas. At home, Canada's ecosystems and wildlife are legacy issues for Canadians - a part of our Canadian identity and an essential resource to be preserved for future generations. Canada is home to over 71,500 known species of wild animals, plants and other organisms including 200 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 1,100 species of fish and 4,000 species of plants. From a global perspective Canada has 20% of the world's remaining wilderness, 7% of the world's renewable freshwater, 25% of the global wetlands, 10% of its forests and the longest coastline in the world. This shows just how important it is for Canada and Canadians to care for and to protect Canada's ecosystems and wildlife.

Despite abundant natural resources and Canadians' appreciation of nature, Canada's natural capital is at risk. Human induced pressures are contributing to significant declines in many species of animals and plants. In Canada, 431 species are currently identified by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as extirpated, endangered, threatened or of special concern. Urbanization, agricultural intensification, forest harvesting and other resource extraction activities are increasingly leading to habitat loss and fragmentation. The long-term effects of acid rain, expanding use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals, and the threat of global climate change are exacerbating this situation. Finally, increased international human movement and trade have led to new threats to wildlife and their habitats from introduced diseases and invasive alien species.

What are we doing about it?

Environment Canada discharges the federal government's responsibilities for managing wildlife, particularly migratory birds and species at risk, and their habitats. The Canadian Wildlife Service Strategic Plan 2000²⁷ sets out the direction and scope of the Department's wildlife and conservation efforts through 2010. The Plan has an overarching goal of biological diversity, with a focus on:

• Protecting species at risk;
  
  
• Sustaining migratory bird populations; and
  
  
• Protecting and conserving habitats
  
  

Protecting Species at Risk: In April 2000, the Minister of the Environment announced the five-year National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk. While protecting species at risk is the shared responsibility of all governments in Canada, the Strategy ensures that federal responsibilities are met. The Strategy comprises a number of policy and program areas with Environment Canada, in cooperation with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada Agency, taking the lead on:

• Continued implementation of the federal/provincial/territorial Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk;
  
  
• Proclamation and implementation of the Species at Risk Act; and
  
  

• Implementation of the Habitat Stewardship Program in collaboration with the provinces and territories.
  
  

The current focus to implement both the Accord and the Species at Risk Act includes regional collaboration with provinces and territories to develop bilateral agreements, ongoing identification of species at risk through the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the implementation of recovery processes through the Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife Program.

Sustaining Migratory Bird Populations: Canada's interest in the protection of migratory bird species dates back to the 1916 Migratory Birds Convention, signed by the United States and Great Britain (on behalf of Canada). The Convention provided the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) with its original mandate - to maintain healthy populations of birds at acceptable levels.

In recent years, a more integrated approach has been adopted where partnerships with a wide array of organizations are created to meet conservation goals. These partnerships are facilitated through the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI). The NABCI builds on the Migratory Birds Convention Act and other international agreements to deliver on the full spectrum of bird conservation programs through regionally-based, biologically-driven, landscape-oriented partnerships throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The Initiative addresses four sub-components that address four bird groups

• North American Waterfowl Management Plan for waterfowl;
  
  
• Wings Over Water for waterbirds and seabirds;
  
  
• Canadian Shorebird Conservation Initiative for shorebirds; and
  
  
• Partners in Flight for landbirds.
  
  

Protecting and Conserving Habitats: The Department manages a number of initiatives designed to protect, conserve and rehabilitate habitat significant to migratory birds and species at risk. These stewardship initiatives include:

• The Department's protected areas network of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and National Wildlife Areas;
  
  
• Programs that encourage private landowners to protect and maintain habitat for species at risk, including the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk and the Ecological Gifts Program; and
  
  
• Facilitating the implementation of Canada's Stewardship Agenda in co-operation with other government departments and the provinces and territories.
  
  

What have we accomplished?

To meet these goals the Department depends extensively on national, collaborative action. Over the years, the Canadian Wildlife Service has developed strong relationships with United States partners, provinces and territories, and non-government organizations. Furthermore, the Department is increasingly working with the resource sector to undertake assessments of the impacts on wildlife of industrial and commercial activities and foster the sustainability of these activities. For example, partners in the North American Bird Conservation Initiative now include the Mining Association of Canada, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association of Canada, and the Forest Products Association. The implementation of species recovery plans, in particular, requires the collaboration of federal, provincial and territorial governments, and the support of many other partners. For fiscal year 2003-04, two hundred and fifty eight organizations have financially contributed towards the recovery of 289 species at risk. ²⁸

Major 2003-2004 Performance Accomplishments

Protecting Species at Risk: Environment Canada has successfully entered a new phase of program development and implementation in order to meet significantly increased responsibilities under the new Species at Risk Act (SARA). Most notably, the Department is developing or acquiring new expertise to evaluate and respond to threats for a much broader spectrum of species and their habitats than before. SARA has also brought clear cooperation and consultation requirements (with a wider variety of stakeholders), reporting and process requirements and performance timelines intended to ensure open and transparent program delivery. These new responsibilities place a strain on resources and capacity.

The phased proclamation of the federal Species at Risk Act that began in June 2003 fulfilled a key federal commitment under the Accord (prohibitions and enforcement provisions came into effect in June 2004). In 2003, the federal government committed $33 million over two years for the implementation of SARA by the responsible departments: Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Parks Canada Agency. This amount is in addition to the $180 million allocated for the national strategy for species at risk in 2000.

SARA established the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as a legal entity, ensuring that species are assessed under a rigorous and independent scientific process that operates at arm's length from the government. On March 3, 2004, the Minister of the Environment launched public consultations to consider adding 63 species to the legal list of the Species at Risk Act (SARA)²⁹. The 63 species include all of the species designated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as being at risk that are under the direct responsibility of the Minister of the Environment. As such, Environment Canada has released the Consultation to Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act and posted on the SARA public registry.

General prohibitions under SARA came into full force in June 2004 and will apply immediately to the List of Wildlife Species at Risk for which the Government of Canada has responsibility (i.e. migratory birds covered by the Migratory Birds Convention Act, aquatic species wherever they are found, and terrestrial species on federal lands).

For other species, the provinces and territories are given the first opportunity to protect them through their laws. Should species not be effectively protected, SARA has safety net provisions that give the Government of Canada the authority to secure their protection. SARA also provides for protection of critical habitat that has been identified in an approved recovery strategy or action plan.

Environment Canada is developing new approaches to working in partnership with Aboriginal Peoples to protect species at risk. For example, SARA provides for the creation of a National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk, recognizing the role of Aboriginal peoples in the conservation of wildlife. In addition, in the 2003-2004 fiscal year, an Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Sub-Committee was added to COSEWIC's subcommittees to improve COSEWIC's ability to access and incorporate that very important source of information. These new approaches to working with Aboriginal peoples have enhanced the partnership between Environment Canada and the Aboriginal community for protecting species at risk. Another example of a new approach to partnering with Aboriginals is the creation of the Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge subcommittee.

• More information about the North American Bird Conservation Initiative can be found at:http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/nabci_e.cfm

Sustaining Migratory Bird Populations: Protection of migratory birds, with the goal of ensuring long-term survival of healthy populations in working landscapes across the birds' natural ranges, is at the core of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) mandate.

In 2003, the 2004 Update to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) was developed through involvement in the International NAWMP Committee and the 2004 Update Steering Committee, and will be signed in 2004.

Hunting regulations were evaluated to ensure they meet the goal of long-term sustainability of migratory game bird populations. Similarly, CWS continued to evaluate the effects of special conservation measures for the management of overabundant snow goose populations. The evaluations were conducted through the CWS Waterfowl Committee, and the Greater Snow Goose Task Force, and the results offered for review by the larger community of NGOs and provincial/territorial governments. Necessary amendments, though few, were made through the annual regulatory process.

Environment Canada, through the Canadian Wildlife Service, provided advice and support to regular meetings of a joint working group on forestry and migratory birds dealing with legal and conservation issues related to migratory birds incidental take. The goal of the working group, which included members of the forestry industry, provinces, environmental non-governmental organizations and other industries, was to prepare recommendations for senior-level management consideration (submitted April 2nd 2004).

Recognizing that many migratory birds range beyond North America, and responding to the Plan of Action from the 2001 Summit of the Americas, Canada is involved in the development of an initiative to address the conservation of all migratory wildlife in the Western Hemisphere. Work towards this initiative began at a meeting held at Pueyhue, Chile in October 2003.

Protecting and Conserving Habitats: Environment Canada maintains 143 National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries. The 12 million hectare National Wildlife Areas/Migratory Bird Sanctuaries system contributes to the conservation of biological diversity in Canada, including species at risk. The Department continues to work closely with other government departments and national non-government organizations on this file.

The Department's Habitat Stewardship Program helps to maintain and restore habitat critical to species at risk throughout Canada by encouraging the implementation of conservation projects by community groups, private landowners, Aboriginal Peoples and local governments. The Program was launched in 2000 with a commitment of $45 million over five years. In 2003, the Habitat Stewardship Program entered its fifth year of operation. In fiscal year 2003-2004, 157 projects addressed terrestrial and aquatic habitats in each province and all three territories. They involved 134 partners (funded recipients). The value of the projects was approximately $32 million including a $9.58 million Habitat Stewardship Program investment. The Habitat Stewardship Program generated projects directed at aquatic and marine environments (27%), involved aboriginal partners (9%), and engaged the natural resource sector (6%). Ten projects valued at $600,000 were negotiated with provincial and territorial agencies.

The Ecological Gifts Program provides income tax incentives to donors of ecologically sensitive land and conservation easements, covenants and servitudes. Since 1995, over 400 Eco-gifts have been donated to environmental not-for-profit organizations and governments across Canada. The Eco-gifts total more than 31,200 hectares worth more than $101 million.

National Wildlife Disease Strategy: Wildlife diseases are having an increasingly destabilizing impact on wildlife, human health and agricultural production, putting pressure on health systems, trade and economies across the world. In September 2003, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for wildlife, forests and fisheries and aquaculture agreed on the urgent need to develop a National Wildlife Disease Strategy. The Canadian Wildlife Directors' Committee has led the development of the Strategy in consultation with federal departments responsible for health, food safety, agriculture and fisheries management, as well as with the Canadian veterinary colleges, and with provincial and territorial wildlife agencies.

The Strategy aims to minimize the negative impacts of wildlife diseases on wildlife, human health and the economy. The six goals of the draft strategy are: prevention; early detection; rapid response; disease management; education and training; and communication. The Strategy will be completed and submitted to Ministers for approval in September 2004.³⁰

Broader Conservation Strategies

What is the issue?

The responsibility for conserving biodiversity in healthy ecosystems is shared across governments and requires inter-governmental collaboration. It will depend on a seamless continuum of conservation efforts that links urban centres to working landscapes to protected areas, and links initiatives on species at risk to working with resource industries and landholders to conserve whole landscapes. Land, water and resource use decisions must integrate considerations of planned and potential human activities such that the results are economically and ecologically sustainable. This requires all user interests to be at the table, as well as a sound scientific understanding of ecological functions and thresholds of sustainability.

What are we doing about it?

In order to develop a more integrated approach to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in Canada and globally, the Department is leading inter-governmental, inter-jurisdictional and inter-departmental planning initiatives to address a range of biodiversity issues that transcend borders and mandates. These include implementing the:

• International biodiversity related treaties and agreements;
  
  
• Canadian Biodiversity Strategy; and
  
  
• Natural Legacy Agenda.
  
  

International Agreements: Achieving a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 at the global, regional, and national levels is the target agreed to by the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This target also figures prominently in the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the 2003 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

Through its involvement under the CBD and a host of other biodiversity-related agreements such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the RAMSAR Convention, and the Migratory Birds Convention, Canada, along with its international partners, is developing the strategies, tools and scientific support necessary to implement and report against this target.

At the WSSD, there was also a commitment to pursue an international regime on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). Environment Canada has initiated a dialogue with provinces and other federal departments in order to identify Canadian interests in this emerging priority and to better position Canada to be an active player in upcoming negotiations.

Canada is also working in a continental context with the United States and Mexico to develop a coordinated approach to biodiversity conservation and to that end produced in 2003, a Strategic Plan for North American Cooperation in the Conservation of Biodiversity in co-operation with the Commission on Environmental Cooperation.

Canadian Biodiversity Strategy: In Canada, collaborative action regarding nature and biodiversity is guided by the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy which was developed to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity ratified by Canada in 1992. The Strategy, which was endorsed by federal, provincial and territorial governments in 1996, addresses the difficult issues posed by the loss of biodiversity. The implementation of the Strategy requires inter-governmental cooperation necessary for advancing ecological management and responding to the loss of species diversity across Canada. Since September 2001, Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Forests and Wildlife have been working together to advance work on the implementation of the CBS priorities, including invasive alien species, stewardship, science and information, and biodiversity status and trends.³¹

Total and Strictly Protected Area in Canada

Source: Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Canadian Council on Ecological Areas Database, 2003 * Strictly protected areas are equivalent to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) classes I-III and exclude human activities such as forestry, mining and agriculture.

Natural Legacy Agenda: Canada's natural capital is fundamental to its economic and social stability. Canada has a global responsibility to protect and conserve nature. Through the Natural Legacy Agenda, the federal government is working toward a more integrated approach to the protection, conservation and sustainable use of Canada's natural resources. Within the Government of Canada, more than 20 departments have specific mandates for nature conservation; all have a responsibility for sustainable development.

The Natural Legacy Agenda aims at promoting an integrated resource management approach among all sectors responsible for sustainable natural resource development and land use decisions. It supports the ongoing implementation of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy and advances the federal sustainable development strategies by promoting a more cohesive agenda for the nature component of the environmental program.

This Agenda focuses on the following priority issues: wild living resources; stewardship of public and private lands; protected areas; and science. Within these areas we are working to develop policies and strategies in a horizontal manner that demonstrates a one-window Environment Canada approach.

What have we accomplished?

Major 2003-2004 Performance Accomplishments

Reducing the Threats of Invasive Alien Species: According to IUCN - The World Conservation Union, invasive alien species is the second most significant threat to biodiversity, after habitat loss. Alien species are species that have been introduced by human action (either accidentally or deliberately) outside their natural past or present distribution. Invasive alien species (e.g. Asian Longhorned Beetle) are those alien species whose introduction or spread threatens the environment, the economy and society, including human health.

In Canada, the number of invasive alien species continues to grow, and much work remains, to address the major pathways of species introduction into the country. Environment Canada, with its federal, provincial, and territorial partners, has made significant progress toward a comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated invasive alien species strategy for Canada. Development of the strategy is emphasizing inter-jurisdictional cooperation, with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the province of Ontario fulfilling leadership roles. In September 2003, the joint meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers responsible for wildlife, forests, and fisheries and aquaculture approved a draft Strategy for Canada as the basis for public consultations across Canada. To complement the draft Strategy, action plans were prepared on aquatic invasive species, invasive alien terrestrial plants and plant pests, and wildlife disease by three federal-provincial-territorial thematic working groups. Public consultations began in March 2004, and the working groups continued to assess priority policy issues, pathways of invasion, and invasive alien species to complete the draft action plans. Ministers requested that the final Strategy be presented for their approval in September 2004, with the action plans following in September 2005.

• More information about Invasive Alien Species can be found in the Draft Strategy to Address the Threat of Invasive Alien Species:http://www.bco.ec.gc.ca/en/activities/addressing.cfm.
  
  

Access and Benefit Sharing: Access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use is one of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This emerging issue was given great attention at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Seventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (February 2004). Following those two important meetings, the international community has launched the process of negotiating an international regime on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). Parties to the CBD worked together to find the best approach to ensure the sustainable use of genetic resources around the world while encouraging developing countries to develop and foster their biotechnology industry. Canada, led by the Biodiversity Convention Office (BCO), has played a leadership role in defending Canada's environmental, economic and social interests during the negotiation process and shaping the outcomes of the discussions. One major achievement made by Canada was the inclusion of language supporting the effective participation of indigenous peoples in this process. In 2004, Environment Canada initiated a national policy process, the main objective of which is to identify areas of particular interests to Canada in the context of ABS. Through briefings in all provinces and territories, the BCO informed provincial and territorial administrations of the opportunities and challenges posed by the elaboration of a national policy on ABS. The BCO also engaged in several domestic Access and Benefit Sharing policy development activities (funded by the Canadian Biotechnology Strategy), including a Federal/Provincial/ Territorial/Aboriginal Workshop on Access and Benefit-Sharing held in Ottawa in September 2003.

WorkinThe National Agri-Environmental Standards Initiative:g together under the Agricultural Policy Framework, governments and industry are looking to accelerate efforts to reduce agricultural risks and provide benefits to Canada's water resources, soil, air and bio-diversity. The National Agri-Environmental Standards Initiative is a partnered effort with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with a commitment of $25 million over four years. The Fund is designed to develop standards related to pesticides, water quality, water conservation, air quality and biodiversity as well to provide targets for agriculture. In 2003-2004 a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat, outlines the willingness to work together, develop new voluntary standards, tools and techniques and new capacity to reduce agriculture risks.³²

A Collaborative Approach to Pesticides: In Canada, pesticide management is achieved through the combined efforts of a number of federal and provincial government departments. Environment Canada supports Health Canada by carrying out many science- and policy-related activities in co ordination with Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Collaborative work included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ourselves and Health Canada's PMRA. This Memorandum intends to establish mechanisms that facilitate the exchange of information and advice, and to promote strong working relationships between Environment Canada and the PMRA with respect to pest control products, pest management and related activities, concerning the conservation and protection of the environment.

The Department works with the PMRA, other federal departments, the provinces and territories, industry and the public, to promote alternative pest management strategies and to provide data and scientific advice to encourage the responsible use of pesticides. For example, the National Agri-Environmental Standards Initiative is a partnered effort with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with a commitment of $25 million over four years for which a portion will be dedicated to developing standards for the an improved and better coordinated use of pesticides in the agricultural sector.³³

Environment Canada's collaborative approach to pesticide research is also demonstrated in the Pesticide Science Fund where we are partnering with provinces, academia and industry. The Pesticide Science Fund (PSF) is a new activity at Environment Canada which supports programs that help establish a broader database of scientific information to better assess the impacts of pesticides on the environment. In 2003-2004, monitoring of pesticides has focussed on the following predetermined set of Environment Canada pesticide surveillance, monitoring, and research priorities:

• Focused surveillance and monitoring of water, air, and biota to confirm the presence and ascertain exposures of pesticides and validate predictive models and related evidence of potential contamination;
  
  
• Surveillance and research to elucidate the effects, fate, pathways, and presence of pesticides on Canadian biota and in vulnerable ecosystems and sites; and
  
  
• Research aimed at improving/refining environmental risk assessment methods, approaches and techniques for current use pesticides and which support standards for acceptable level of risk.
  
  

This knowledge is being used by decision-makers and regulators to make informed decisions about pesticide use in the environment.³⁴

The Antarctic Environmental Protection Act: The Antarctic is a vast, ice-covered continent renowned for its penguins and untouched beauty. In recent years, interests in the Antarctic have grown, both in terms of scientific research and in terms of a burgeoning tourist industry. Given the fragility of its ecosystems, the international community has come together to protect the Antarctic, and to ensure that the harmful impacts of human activities are minimized. The Madrid Protocol (commonly known as the 'Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty') was signed in 1991 and has since been ratified by 30 countries. Canada has been keen to complement these global efforts and in December, 2003, ratified the Madrid Protocol as part of its commitment to maintaining the Antarctic as a natural reserve dedicated to science and peace.

In order to ratify the Madrid Protocol, Canada had to develop legislation to allow the federal government to take responsibility for the activities of Canadians, as well as Canadian vessels and airplanes, in the Antarctic. The resulting Antarctic Environmental Protection Act (AEPA), introduced by the Ministers of Environment and Foreign Affairs, requires all Canadians and Canadian-led expeditions to have a permit to be in the Antarctic. The AEPA, and its associated Regulations, effectively put in place the prohibitions and other requirements that are set out in the Madrid Protocol, such as bans against damaging historic sites and the harmful interference with Antarctic wildlife. The AEPA also establishes a permit system that requires environmental assessments, waste management plans, and environmental emergency plans to be prepared and approved before Canadian-led activities can take place in the Antarctic. Environment Canada, which has taken responsibility for permits under the AEPA, has thereby taken a leadership role in assisting Canada in its commitments to the Antarctic environment.

• More information about the Antarctic environment can be found at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/international/regorgs/antarctic/1antarctic_e.htm
  
  
• To learn more about the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy visit: http://www.bco.ec.gc.ca/en/document/default.cfm.
  
  

5.2.2 Key Result: Health of Ecosystems
Understanding and reductions of human impacts on the health of ecosystems

Ecosystem Health

What is the issue?

The ability to secure a clean and healthy environment for Canadians is dependent upon our capacity to understand how our ecosystems are affected by human-induced stressors and to transfer that knowledge to Canadians and the global community. Only then can it be incorporated into decision-making. An understanding of the ecosystem structure, processes and functions, as well as the effects of economic activities, is a critical requirement for effective ecosystems-based management and it is of fundamental importance to sound decision-making.

What are we doing about it?

Environment Canada's focus in the ecosystem health priority area is to:

• Determine "what is changing" within ecosystems - ensure that Canadians receive timely information and advice on the status and trends of the health of ecosystems;
  
  
• Assess "why things are happening/changing" - advance the scientific understanding of the impacts of human activities on the health of ecosystems;
  
  
• Determine "what we can do about it" - provide science-based advice and solutions that contribute to reducing human impacts on the health of ecosystems; and
  
  

• "Ensure excellence in managing science and technology" (S&T) - ensure strategic management of Environment Canada's S&T is in alignment with federal S&T policy
  
  

Environment Canada works in collaboration with other federal departments, provinces and territories (e.g. individually or through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment), science networks related to work on the environment, as well as the public (including non-governmental organizations, academia and municipalities) to share information, determine priorities for monitoring and research, and provide timely and integrated scientific information and advice to decision-makers.

Major 2003-2004 Performance Accomplishments

Determining "What is Changing"?

Environmental Quality Monitoring, Related Research and Reporting: Environment Canada's Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) Coordinating Office works with partners across Canada to improve the effectiveness of ecosystem monitoring. Achievements in 2003-2004 included:

• The addition of 17 new forest biodiversity monitoring plots bringing the total to 200 and increasing the total number of EMAN partners to 382;
  
  
• The EMAN website remains a popular tool for engaging partners with 688,672 visitor sessions.
  
  
• Monitoring data across Canada continued to be made increasingly comparable by promoting seven standardized EMAN protocols for ecosystem monitoring including protocols for Plant Phenology, Worm Species Richness, Anuran Species Richness and Calling Phenology, Annual Organic Decay Rates, Tree Health, and Soil Temperature. Protocols for aquatic benthic invertebrates and arboreal lichens were also developed and tested.
  
  
• With EMAN partners, EMAN CO contributed towards the production of five assessments of ecosystem status and trends. EMAN CO also produced the second Special Issue of the international journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment on "Monitoring Ecological Change in Canada" filled with 22 reports on monitoring and assessments of ecosystem change from partners across Canada. Additional assessments were released:
  
  
  • The application of CCME Water Quality Index in the Mackenzie River Basin: A Summary Forest Health and Decline: A report from the 2000 Muskoka Workshop and Field Tour of Experts
    
    
  • EMAN: Monitoring Biodiversity in Canadian Forests
    
    
  • National General Status Assessment of Freshwater Mussels (Unionacea)
    
    

These assessments are available at http://www.eman-rese.ca/eman/reports/publications/intro.html or by contacting the EMAN Coordinating Office at: eman@ec.gc.ca.

Advancements in Water Quality Monitoring: The commitment to better link and expand water quality monitoring networks nationally through the development of a Canada-wide framework on water quality monitoring was addressed by the completion of a comprehensive report on elements and recommendations for such a framework, as well as a successful Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index workshop. In 2003, Environment Canada developed the Canadian Water Quality Data Referencing Network (CWQDRN) that responds to the need for enhanced information access by obtaining and providing web-based information on water quality monitoring activities within the provincial, territorial and federal governments. The network was tested and verified by federal, provincial, and territorial partners in 2003. Translation efforts are underway to provide web-based access to the CWQDRN in fiscal year 2004-2005.

RésEau: Water information and expertise in Canada is extremely horizontal in nature and stakeholders span a wide range of government departments, jurisdictions and communities. RésEau is a web-based portal that is designed to demonstrate the sharing, discovery, access and use of water-based information from federal, provincial, and territorial and municipal agencies, volunteer groups, industry, universities and other willing partners. It is the only knowledge-based initiative under the Federal Government Online program. Under Environment Canada's leadership, a RésEau web portal will address common end-user requirements associated with specific target audiences (e.g. water policy makers, water resource managers, water science community, industry, youth and all Canadians) through the use of shared tools and applications and promote the implementation of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) principles and integrate water data and information across certain jurisdictions.

Developing Environmental Indicators: Environmental indicators provide an effective means by which complex environmental data can be transformed into easy-to-use communication and decision-making tools. At present, environmental indicator programs are now in place throughout Canada and internationally. The challenge is to bring together many of these indicator initiatives to provide a cohesive national picture of environmental sustainability. As a starting point for the development of this more complete set of indicators, Environment Canada consolidated all indicators in the National Environmental Indicator Series in a report entitled "Environmental Signals: Canada's National Environmental Indicator Series 2003". This report provides a broad picture of the current state of Canada's environment, as well as linkages between issue areas.

National Water Quality Indicator Initiative: Following the recommendations of the 2003 NRTEE Report on Environmental Sustainable Development Indicators, the Government of Canada committed in Budget 2004 to develop and report regularly on a suite of environmental indicators, including water quality, air quality and greenhouse gas. Environment Canada is leading this effort with key input from Statistics Canada, using the CCME Water Quality Index (WQI) as the model to evaluate monitoring data and report findings in a meaningful way. The Water Quality Indicator will build an integrated national program of monitoring, guideline development, interpretation and reporting. Work will begin in 2004-2005 with the first report targeted for Fall 2005. Environment Canada will design and implement a dedicated national water quality monitoring network focused on key water uses (aquatic ecosystem health, source water for drinking, recreational water, agricultural uses, industrial uses), and watersheds (industrial and agricultural sectors, protected areas, urban and rural source waters, etc.). Statistics Canada will complement this work with targeted demographic-based survey information on water uses from major sectors, and the economic implications of maintaining adequate quality to sustain these principal water uses.

Assessing "Why things are changing"?

Conducting Research and Communicating Results: After specific changes within ecosystems have been identified through the "What is changing" activities noted above, the challenge becomes one of conducting relevant research activities to assess "Why" such changes are occurring, and to transfer this knowledge to decision-makers who can take action to address ecosystem issues.

As an overarching approach, Environment Canada works with the broader environmental science community to build mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental research through networking and partnership activities. The Department has recently expanded its research presence on the West and East coasts of Canada. In the West, NRWI has entered into a new collaborative agreement with the University of Victoria to establish the Water and Climate Impacts Research Centre (W-CIRC) and moved staff to Victoria. W-CIRC is working to make climate change impacts on water resources "real" to Canadians and to facilitate hydrological and environmentally-based inter-disciplinary research through federal, provincial and university partnerships and collaborations. On the East Coast, NWRI built on earlier collaborations with the Canadian Rivers Institute and moved several NWRI staff to the University of New Brunswick where they are leading a national Cumulative Impacts and Aquatic Biodiversity Research Program and actively working with Environment Canada's Atlantic region and a variety of other partners.

Within the context of the broader agenda, the Department has been developing new knowledge related to key areas of concern for ecosystem health. Specific initiatives include studies on wastewater treatment including, the occurrence of pharmaceutical chemicals in wastewater and the attenuation of their levels by wastewater treatment, novel methods for removal of ammonia from wastewater (in support of CEPA), innovative technologies for small wastewater treatment systems and sludge digestion process optimization. Over one hundred people from the federal departments, provincial governments, universities and other organizations participated in the workshop "Ecosystem Effects of Novel Living Organisms (EENLO): Taking the Next Steps on Science, Policy and Governance."

• For more information, please visit: http://www.nwri.ca/publications/keyreports-e.html
  
  

Science Assessments: Science assessments focus on creating, reviewing, interpreting and synthesizing scientific knowledge on critical and emerging environmental issues. These assessments are the principal means by which answers to the question "Why are ecosystems changing?" is communicated to the science community and decision-makers. During the planning period, Environment Canada completed science assessments on a 10 year review and assessment of the EEM pulp and paper program, dioxins and furans, taste and odour outbreaks in Lake and Ontario and algal odour compounds and a scoping assessment of the Impacts of Freshwater Aquaculture on the Canadian Environment. Environment Canada also published Threats to Water Availability in Canada which provides a rigorous, far-reaching examination of the pressures to our water supplies, including threats such as water export, dams and reservoirs, droughts and floods, municipal and industrial uses, and a range of land use practices and climate change impacts.

Environment Canada also led the development of a series of "Linking Water Science to Policy Workshops" for the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) to provide one mechanism to ensure that science better informs the decision-making process. The series was developed to provide a mechanism where the recent science in a given subject could be delivered to practitioners (policy and program managers at all levels of government and in other organizations), and where practitioners could identify their research needs to research managers. Five workshops were held in the themes of: agricultural impacts on water quality (Quebec City, January, 2002); groundwater quality (Toronto, March, 2002); water reuse and recycling (Calgary, May, 2002); wastewater treatment for small communities (Burlington, February, 2003); and water quality monitoring (Vancouver, October, 2002).

• For more information, please visit: http://www.amap.no.
  
  

Determining "What can we do about it"?

Environmental management to conserve and protect aquatic ecosystem health requires knowledge of what is changing and why. Mitigation of these impacts of human activity requires a multi-jurisdictional decision-support framework and tools to determine solutions, and to develop innovative rehabilitation and prevention techniques to the specific problems of each area. Throughout all phases, focused science is required to ensure the best advice is available to support the decision-making process. Based upon the key learning from research, Environment Canada develops science-based solutions and science-based benchmarks, and disseminates a vast array of tools, guidelines and science-based solutions for taking corrective and/or preventive actions.

Environment Canada provides leadership in this area by working with government (federal, provincial and territorial) and industry partners to modernize the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines for water, sediment, wildlife consumers of aquatic biota, and soil. In 2003-04, two Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines were finalized and twenty-one others were under development (see Table 1). Revisions were ongoing to the protocols used to develop Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines for the protection of environmental and human health. In addition, a Sediment Quality Index was developed as a tool for consistent reporting on sediment quality based on a suite of sediment quality guidelines.

Science and partnerships also come together in our "Ecosystem Initiatives" to conserve and protect ecosystems across Canada. Ecosystem Initiatives help Canadians achieve environmental results through partnerships, pooling resources, focusing science, co-ordinating efforts, sharing information and generating a broad basis of support. They help build the capacity of all the players involved to make better decisions and to effect change.

For example, in the Great Lakes 2020 Initiative, there remains 10 Areas of Concern in Canada, 26 Areas of Concern in the United States, and 5 additional Areas of Concern shared by both countries. Two have been de-listed: Collingwood Harbour and Severn Sound in Ontario. There has been great progress in other Areas of Concerns. In addition to protecting water, air and land in the Great Lakes, Remedial Action Plans have been instrumental in giving communities a sense of environmental stewardship and pride in their progress towards delisting. Many communities are now considering the possibility of delisting in the next five to ten years, and it is the goal of all participants, from the federal to community levels, to make that a reality.

Ensuring Excellence in managing Science & Technology (S&T)

The major issues facing Canadians - issues such as clean water, climate change and emerging diseases - increasingly cut across the mandates of multiple government departments and the boundaries of traditional scientific disciplines. Environment Canada recognizes that there are obvious advantages to working together with other government departments and agencies, as well as external partners, to meet these challenges. In 2003, the interdepartmental Assistant Deputy Minister S&T Integration Board was established to catalyze and nurture S&T initiatives that draw together and integrate expertise from across the federal government to help fulfill federal responsibilities on cross-cutting issues of national interest. Environment Canada is playing a leading role in the Integration Board. Since its launch, the Integration Board has been working to strengthen S&T collaboration on 6 priority issues: wildlife diseases, invasive alien species, water, climate change, oceans management, and northern S&T.

Environment Canada is also working to encourage closer collaboration between environmental S&T performers (universities, governments, industry) in support of sustainable development priorities. In 2003-2004, Environment Canada sponsored and participated in two successful workshops with universities to influence their directions and expand opportunities for a more coherent approach to research in the environmental sciences related to Environment Canada's needs. An additional workshop was sponsored with Genome Canada to develop a national research agenda in environmental genomics. To facilitate sharing of knowledge on mechanisms and challenges for building regional environmental sciences networks, Environment Canada held a learning session for a group of managers responsible for regional approaches to Environment Canada-University networking.

• For more information please visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/scitech
  
  

5.2.3 Key Result: Priority Ecosystems
Conservation and restoration of priority ecosystems

Water Initiatives

What is the issue?

Water - its availability, quality, and many uses to people and nature - is a fundamental sustainable development issue. Water is essential for life and for the health of humans and ecosystems.

Water is an absolute requirement for human health. The maintenance of sufficient quantities of high quality water, and protection from hazards such as flooding are necessities for human health and well-being, and are critical issues for Canadians. Threats to water quality include the release, redistribution, and biomagnification of contaminants. Floods and droughts directly affect the safety and well-being of Canadians and it is expected that climate change will affect both the availability and quality of water in the future.

Water is a fundamental component of healthy ecosystems. Despite significant reductions in point source discharges of contaminants, other key sources of pollution remain, including emerging chemicals about which little is known. Adequate flows of water are necessary to protect and maintain important ecosystem services. A watershed or ecosystem management approach is important for maintaining healthy ecosystems and supplies of high quality water.

The competitiveness of the Canadian economy relies on access to supplies of clean water. Water is an essential resource for important areas of Canada's economy such as agriculture, pulp and paper, oil and gas, and electric power generation. Consumption of water per capita is high in Canada and ultimately impacts on the sustainability of water infrastructure and the continued access to sufficient and affordable water is important to meet the needs of Canadians, the economy, and the environment. Urban population growth is leading towards Canada making more use of demand management tools such as metering and economic instruments. Water stewardship is good for business as well as for human and ecosystem health.

The vision of clean, safe and secure water for people and ecosystems is shared by other countries. Globally, the focus is on making progress towards meeting the water Millennium Development Goal and the World Summit on Sustainable Development sanitation target, which aim, respectively, to halve by 2015 the proportion of people who lack access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. The World Summit on Sustainable Development Joint Plan of Implementation also commits countries to formulate water efficiency plans and integrated water resource management plans by 2005.

What are we doing about it?

The governance of water issues in Canada is complex and multifaceted. Water resources within provincial boundaries are under the direct control of provinces, which bear the most responsibility for the day-to-day management of water. On federal and Aboriginal lands, however, management is the responsibility of the federal or Aboriginal government. The delivery of drinking water and sanitation services is generally delegated by provinces to municipalities, with varying levels of provincial funding and oversight. International aspects of water management are led by the federal government, and transboundary Canada-US waters are managed through the International Joint Commission. Canada has in place a number of institutional arrangements that help address matters of shared jurisdiction pertaining to waters that span provincial borders. These include the Prairie Provinces Water Board, the Lake of the Woods Control Board, the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board, and the MacKenzie River Basin Board.

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) provides an important forum for fostering federal, provincial and territorial collaboration on environmental priorities of national concern. The CCME has established a task group that deals with water management issues, including water quality. Environment Canada is also working with its provincial, territorial and health counterparts to develop and promote the adoption of stringent environmental and drinking water standards within the federal house as well as in other jurisdictions and sectors.

Environment Canada is a major contributor of science research into the impacts of human activities on water quality and ecosystem health. This includes identifying water quality threats and threats to water availability. Science is vital to helping all level of governments to set priorities and actions to ensure that Canadians have clean, safe and secure water.

Canada and the United States share many waterways, from the Great Lakes, which are among the world's largest bodies of freshwater, to rivers that cross the border between the two countries. Close regional and federal cooperation and coordination in managing shared waterways continues to be priority for the Department. Environment Canada is working with other federal government departments in developing Canada's response to the challenges and commitments of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the water-related Millennium Development Goals. Environment Canada plays a major role in making available its water management and science expertise.

What have we accomplished?

Environment Canada leads the federal government in establishing and working towards achieving the long term vision of clean, safe and secure water for Canadians, nature and the economy. With the goal of reducing risks to Canadians, the vision recognizes that water is one element of a broader ecosystem and that there must be an integrated, sustainable approach to good water management across jurisdictions from "source to tap." The Source-to-Tap approach, developed with provinces and territories through CCME, broadens the traditional focus on water quality treatment by highlighting the importance of protecting the lakes, rivers and aquifers that are the sources of our drinking water, as well as ensuring effective treatment and distribution systems.

Federally, 19 departments are working together to ensure stronger integration of efforts, continued development and application of an approach to enforceable national water quality guidelines, and effective handling of challenges in the management of federal facilities and lands.

Major 2003-2004 Performance Accomplishments

Environment Canada over the past year has been actively promoting a framework for the management of water within the federal government. The framework is consistent with a growing consensus in the water management community that collaborative, problem-focused, adaptive management - often termed Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) - is now the preferred approach to water resources management. IWRM provides a framework for the sustainable management of water by involving all stakeholders, establishing shared goals and objectives, clarifying accountabilities, improving transparency, and balancing consensus-based and science-based solutions emphasizing adaptive management.

Environment Canada is working with Indian Northern Affairs Canada, Health Canada, and First Nations communities to ensure that those communities have access to clean, safe, and secure drinking water and healthy ecosystems. Environment Canada provided technical expertise and input related to three areas associated with IWRM in which it has expertise: Wastewater Management; Source Water Protection; and Sustainable Water Use.

The Department provides a wide range of instruments and tools to assist other governments and Canadian citizens in managing all aspects of water. Environment Canada and its partners successfully promoted the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index as the water quality indicator chosen by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy in its Environment and Sustainable Development Indicators for Canada initiative.

Through the CCME, the Department along with its federal, provincial and territorial partners contributed to the development of an integrated approach to providing clean, safe and secure drinking water to its constituents. This collaborative effort, entitled "From Source to Tap: Guidance on the Multi-Barrier Approach to Safe Drinking Water", provides guidance to drinking water system owners and operators on how to apply the concept of the multi-barrier approach to Canadian drinking water supplies from source to tap. It also gives them language and tools for communicating their activities to decision-makers and consumers. In addition, the document gives decision-makers at the municipal, provincial and federal levels a structure for integrating health and environmental issues, for collaborating and sharing information, and for setting priorities.

Under the leadership of the National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada launched the Federal Water Research Network to coordinate federal water science activities. Through collaborative effort, federal science assessments have synthesized the science related to threats to water quality and water availability. The issues, critical questions and challenges facing researchers and governments in these areas were identified and served as a basis for setting priorities for the federal government and stimulating follow-up discussions through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME).

The Department has been actively promoting sustainable water use for key Canadian sectors to ensure that Canadians have continued access to sufficient water to meet their needs and to support a strong economy without compromising the environment. A key thrust includes the development of baseline data on water use across sectors. A survey of municipal water use and pricing was completed, with a national report to be published in the fall of 2004-2005. Environment Canada has promoted key instruments and measures for water use efficiency including policy leveraging criteria for infrastructure funding, and research on the impact of pricing structures on water use.

The Department continues to develop and provide timely, accessible information on freshwater science, policy and programs to the Canadian public via Environment Canada's freshwater website and publication series. This site supports and influences effective decisions about water and its management across all sectors of Canadian society, broadly influencing decisions through education and outreach. In the past year, the site was visited almost a million times. Environment Canada also makes specialized material available to individuals, educators, and communities to develop their own water conservation and educational programs. The Speaker's Kit on Water Conservation and Efficiency was downloaded for use over 1550 times in 2003-04.

Environment Canada worked with Foreign Affairs Canada to manage a number of emerging transboundary water issues with the United States. Environment Canada provided support for diplomatic efforts to convince the U.S. State Department to jointly request a reference from the International Joint Commission on the issue of the Devils Lake outlet and with the U.S. State Department to also jointly request a reference on the Swanton-Alburg bridge of Missisquoi Bay in Vermont. Environment Canada was an observer at technical meetings to develop the plans of study for the Red River Valley Water Supply project which examines the water needs of the Red River Valley in North Dakota. The Environmental Impact Statement from this project should be completed by 2005.

Internationally, Canada is committed as part of the global community to achieving two overarching goals related to water. One is the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the number of people without adequate sanitation. The second goal is that countries will, by 2005, report on progress on the development of integrated water resource management and water efficiency plans. The Canadian objectives will be to develop good models for successful water management within Canada and abroad and share sound science and technical knowledge to successfully implement sustainable development in water. This will require the involvement and engagement of various partners to actively support the international community for capacity building to deliver adequate water related services, and technological transfer.

• To learn more about issues related to water, visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/water_e.html
  
  

Integrated Conservation Planning through Ecosystem Initiatives

What is the issue?

Integrated conservation planning is often used as a synonym for other terms such as ecosystem management, landscape management, ecosystem approach, and watershed management, as examples. In common, they are all based on related concepts that encourage a whole-system approach to managing resources. Canada's landscapes and seascapes are diverse, containing varying habitats (e.g. estuaries and forests) and ecosystems (e.g. tundra, grasslands). Associated with these ecosystems are many resources and assets either on the ground (e.g. trees, wildlife, wetlands, soils) or below the ground or sea (e.g. oil and gas, minerals, groundwater). The challenge is to develop a general approach involving the consolidation of the more independent resource-based, species-based, habitat-based or protected-areas based management approaches into a more encompassing framework to serve broader conservation and resource management goals.

What are we doing about it?

Ecosystem Initiatives are key examples of such integrated conservation planning mentioned above. In essence Ecosystem Initiatives are cooperative efforts to address complex environmental issues affecting targeted ecosystems.

Ecosystem Initiatives help Canadians achieve environmental results through partnerships, pooling resources, focusing science, coordinating efforts, sharing information and experiences and generating a broad basis of support. They help build the capacity of all the players involved to make better decisions and to effect change.

What have we accomplished?

Environment Canada works with a broad spectrum of governments and communities of interest in pursuit of shared objectives in six Ecosystem Initiatives across Canada. Detailed information on the Ecosystem Initiatives can be found at their websites outlined in the table below:

Major 2003-2004 Performance Accomplishments

Specific accomplishments achieved in Environment Canada's Ecosystem Initiatives, for the 2003-2004 period, include the following:

Atlantic Coastal Action Program: The 2003-2004 fiscal year marked the beginning of the third phase of the Atlantic Coastal Action Program. This phase is tied to the delivery of community-oriented approach in five theme areas:

• Continuing to partner with and support 14 Atlantic Coastal Action Program organizations through knowledge generation, capacity building, collaborative science and action;
  
  
• Expanding to a new site in Labrador and adoption and/or mentoring of adjacent watersheds and coastal areas where appropriate;
  
  
• Continuing to work with and build the capacity of multi-stakeholder coalitions organized around larger regional ecosystems (e.g. Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership, Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition on Sustainability, Gulf of Maine Council) as well as build and maintain our "Community of Practice" through the continuation and broader application of initiatives such as the annual Atlantic Coastal Action Program workshop/gathering, the Atlantic Coastal Action Program Advisory Council; and
  
  
• Strengthening inter-departmental and inter-governmental collaboration in support of communities, through the ongoing development of Sustainable Communities Initiatives.
  
  

St. Lawrence Action Plan: As partners in the Monitoring the State of the St. Lawrence Program, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Quebec Department of the Environment and the Quebec Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Parks have joined together to launch the St. Lawrence Action Plan Vision 2000, which takes a long-term perspective. Spatial and temporal coverage has been improved for certain environmental indicators, ensuring the monitoring of water quality, sediments and wetlands. After a scientific workshop in December 2003, an activity to monitor the state of shorelines was developed for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin to address a major gap in this regard. A new 2004-09 Canada-Quebec agreement pertaining to the St. Lawrence should be signed by the end of 2004. The draft agreement allows for the continuation of a joint program to monitor the state of the ecosystem, the implementation of a sustainable navigation strategy started in phase III, and the study of the effects of stress experienced by the St. Lawrence ecosystems.

Great Lakes Action Plan: Work on ongoing commitments was continued in the 2003-2004 fiscal year for the Great Lakes Action Plan, including the release of the Canada's Regional Action Plan Progress Report, in preparing for program renewal in the next fiscal year. For a more detailed account of the Great Lakes Action Plan, refer to the text box below.

Western Boreal Conservation Initiative: The Western Boreal Conservation Initiative (WBCI) was launched in 2003-2004. A strategic plan was developed and consultations for an action plan were completed. Initial investments were made into biodiversity conservation research and monitoring. Key program-to-program partnerships were established with the Sustainable Forest Management Network and the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Program, and over 35 agency partnerships on an individual project basis.

Northern Ecosystem Initiative: A draft Results Management and Accountability Framework was developed for the program and includes performance measurement strategies, short and long term outcomes and targets for each of the program's five priorities: climate change, contaminants, monitoring, resource use impacts and capacity-building. The Results Management and Accountability Framework will be implemented in 2004-2005 and revised as needed under Phase II of the Northern Ecosystem Initiative.

Georgia Basin Action Plan: On April 2, 2003, the Minister of the Environment announced a five-year contribution of $22.5 million for clean air, clean water, habitat and species protection, and improved environmental decision-making in the Georgia Basin region of British Columbia. The funding, combined with an ongoing investment of $8 to $10 million from Environment Canada, will support the renewal of the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative, renamed the Georgia Basin Action Plan. A five-year perspective report for the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative was released in September 2003 and the Georgia Basin Action Plan Highlights Report was released in June 2004. The Highlights Report captures a sample of key projects and actions that the Georgia Basin Action Plan partners will undertake from 2003-2008.

• To learn more about Environment Canada's Ecosystem Initiatives, visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecosyst