Protected Areas Standards Slipping

Manitoba Conservation logoIn the 1990s, Manitoba led the way in Canada for its action to protect the largest proportion of its lands from development - 5.5 million ha protected by 2000. Today, according to Manitoba Wildlands' article in EcoJournal, the establishment of protected areas has slowed and protection standards - embedded in Manitoba public policy since 1990 through legislation, regulation, and national reporting - appear to be at risk.

Manitoba Conservation's web site currently confirms essential standard for protection, stating that "At a minimum, protected areas prohibit, through legal means, logging, mining (including aggregate extraction), and oil, petroleum, natural gas or hydro-electric development." However, this year the government has failed to uphold essential standards: announcement of a completed action - that can be verified. Protected areas announced this year do not have protection from mining activity in place.

Manitoba is also dragging its feet on commitments to protect lands at the request of First Nations. During the spring 2007 election, Premier Gary Doer made renewed commitments for protected areas in Manitoba boreal regions, personally endorsed the east side World Heritage Site and personally committed to permanently protect Poplar River Park Reserve No action on these commitments is evident.

On the positive side, there is time for the Manitoba government to clean up its protected areas regulations, and confirm its protection standards before this year's Protected Areas Grade - to be released by Manitoba Wildlands later this fall.

"We have all kinds of protected areas announcements this year that are not protected, but there is time to fix these before the annual grade," said Gaile Whelan Enns, director of Manitoba Wildlands.

View the Manitoba Wildlands article in Volume 17, No. 4 of Manitoba Eco-Network's Eco-Journal for September/October 2007