November 29, 2024
Have you ever wondered what 30% really looks like?
by Nadia Schimnowski, Conservation Campaign Officer
With 2030 steadily approaching, the 30% by 2030 (AKA 30×30) goal is becoming a global headline for conservation. Canada is one of 50 countries that entered into the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) agreement at Montreal’s COP15 conference in December 2022. This agreement holds a global promise for conservation efforts as participating nations have agreed to protect 30% of their respective lands and waters by 2030. For Canada to reach this goal, the protection of 2,995,401 sq km of lands and waters would have to be secured. That is roughly an area larger than the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia’s land areas combined!
How can we reach 30%
So what does this mean for Manitoba? Thankfully, our provincial government has committed to protecting 30% of Manitoba by 2030 by working with Indigenous communities. Currently, Manitoba has protected 11.1% of the lands and waters, ranking 7th out of 13 provinces and territories in Canada. In order to reach the promised target goal, an additional 110,00 sq km of land and water would need to be lawfully established as protected within the next 6 years. We are racing against the clock to secure this number. Luckily, there are many upcoming and promising opportunities for conservation in the province.
CPAWS Manitoba is encouraging the provincial government to continue with the promise of protecting an area roughly the size of North Dakota. 30% may seem like a stretched goal, but as a highly ambitious organization, we know that these goals can be made possible.
If successful, present conservation campaign efforts and candidate protected areas would exceed the current goal and could lead to total protection of over 40% of Manitoba’s lands and waters.
Indigenous-led Area-Based Conservation initiatives
Indigenous-led Area-Based Conservation initiatives are paramount not only for reconciliation but also for the well-being of the unique lands, waters, biodiversity and habitats in our country. Three major Indigenous-led initiatives that CPAWS is supporting are the Conservation Areas Initiative in Manitoba’s southeastern Interlake, Kitaskeenan Kaweekanawaynichikatek IPCA, and the Seal River Watershed IPCA initiative.
Earlier this year, the Seal River Watershed was granted interim protection while a joint feasibility study was undertaken by the involved Indigenous Nations and the federal and provincial governments. Interim protection for these lands means that this area is temporarily protected from any and all external development. The next step is to reach permanent protection as an Indigenous Protected Area and potentially a National Park Reserve which would encompass an area over 50,000 square kilometres. That is equivalent to an area double the size of Lake Winnipeg!
The Southern Interlake Conservation Areas Initiative will soon begin its next phase of engagement where proposed boundaries will be presented to regional communities and stakeholders. Following this engagement, a final proposal to the province will be presented for negotiation.
In northern Manitoba, the efforts of the Kitaskeenan Kaweekanawaynichikatek Indigenous Protected Area initiative are advancing in the Hudson Bay Lowlands region.
Summary
In addition to the above percentages of land that can help reach the goal of 30×30, in 1990 the Manitoba government identified 120 candidate areas to protect. Known as Areas of Special Interest (ASIs), these areas together total 73,746 sq km. This is a huge opportunity for conservation across Manitoba’s ecological areas, as these locations are already acknowledged by the provincial government as candidate protected areas.
With only 6 years remaining to reach our target goal of protecting 30% of Manitoba’s lands and waters by 2030, the time to act is now. While protecting 30% of the province sounds great, it’s not a simple process. Creating even one protected area can take years of consultations and careful planning. Many new conservation projects need to be launched soon if Manitoba hopes to meet this ambitious target.
Fast Facts
- 30% of Manitoba is 173,00 sq.km., that is roughly the size of North Dakota!
- There are 122,000 sq km remaining to protect, that is roughly the size of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick combined.
- Indigenous-led conservation campaigns currently underway if fully realized can conserve nearly 17% % or 110,000,000 sq. km. of Manitoba’s lands and waters.
- Combined, the 120 designated Areas of Special Interest (ASIs) in Manitoba are 73,746 sq. km, roughly the total size of New Brunswick!