May 16, 2018 (Vancouver) – In response to yesterday’s announcement to create the largest stretch of protected Boreal forest on the planet, including a new agreement between the Tallcree First Nation, the governments of Alberta and Canada and other partners, Senior Forest Campaigner with Greenpeace Canada, Eduardo Sousa responded:

“Today we celebrate a major milestone for forest conservation in Canada. We congratulate the Tallcree First Nation, the governments of Alberta and Canada and others involved in a collaborative effort that will provide vital habitat to threatened woodland caribou and many other boreal wildlife species.”

“To meet our international biodiversity targets, we need this level of ambition for forest conservation across the country,” said Sousa. “While there is still a lot of work ahead of us to protect Canada’s Boreal ecosystem and its diversity of life, this is a significant achievement that should motivate other provinces to act – especially on protecting critical caribou habitat. It’s a good day for our forests in northern Alberta.”

The result of this announcement will be the conservation of 1.4 million hectares (14,000 sq. km) of Boreal forest. Physically linking these newly announced protected areas with existing protected areas will create a network of over 6.7 million hectares (67,000 sq. km) of Boreal forest, becoming the world’s largest contiguous boreal protected land. Delivering greater protections for woodland caribou and other wildlife will help Canada meet its domestic obligations under the Species at Risk Act, while protected areas can help meet international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity to protect 17 percent of its lands and inland waters by 2020. Taking these steps in partnership with Indigenous Peoples furthermore offers Canada an important opportunity to respect its obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

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For more info:

Marie Moucarry, Communications Officer at Greenpeace Canada, 438-993-6127, [email protected]