Let’s not make the same mistake again

MiraNews

Guest blog post by volunteer Kati Nagy

Manitoba is my home. I grew up thinking that Winnipeg and the southern part of the province was farmland for a long time. Images of settlers in a distant past Laura Ingalls style came to mind, creating this farmland. Perhaps you were like me, shocked to realize that an entire ecosystem had been thriving here for eons before this land was converted into farms.

New conservation trust holds potential

MiraNews

The province will create a $102-million Conservation Trust Fund intended to support the goals and objectives of our provincial climate strategy, particularly those related to conserving ecosystems and using natural solutions — such as restoring wetlands — to improve water quality.

Federal budget gives huge boost to conservation

MiraNews

The Winnipeg Free Press deserves high praise for its comprehensive coverage of the federal budget and what it means to Canadians, which includes conserving our incredible diversity of natural landscapes and wildlife. As reported, the federal budget allocates 1.3 billion dollars over 5 years “to expand protected areas and help endangered and threatened species — a move that reflects its pledge to safeguard at least 17 per cent of Canada’s land and inland waters by 2020.” What does this mean for Manitoba?

Re: Strange way to honour World Wetlands Day (Feb. 8)

MiraNews

These initiatives demonstrate that our provincial government has the know-how to become a leader in Canada in the conservation and stewardship of wetlands. The test will be in how this knowledge is implemented on the ground. I look forward to the new legislation and to the boreal conservation policy for wetlands, and sincerely hope they result in effective conservation of this valuable resource.

Climate revenues for carbon rich conservation

MiraNews

Conservation of vast complexes of undisturbed boreal wetlands and forests needs to be top priority because if the carbon they hold is disturbed and released into the atmosphere, it would accelerate climate change. These complexes are also critical as natural flood mitigation infrastructure necessary for adapting to the impacts of a changing climate.

Federal caribou deadline passes without provincial action

MiraNews

As of this month, the province of Manitoba has received over 21,000 petitions and letters collected in the province that call for stronger efforts to protect and recover threatened boreal woodland caribou. The correspondences, facilitated by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), were delivered in advance of yesterday’s federal deadline for provinces and territories to outline recovery actions for woodland caribou ranges.

Saving Lake Winnipeg

MiraNews

I remember the moment when my heart felt what my mind already knew: our beloved Lake Winnipeg is in big trouble. This sad feeling was sparked when I overheard a woman, after reading a sign on the beach about the risks involved with swimming in the lake, tell her children she didn’t want them going in the water. They briefly walked along the shore and then left with an unopened picnic basket and unused towels in their arms.

Arctic fox dens have room to sprawl in vast intact landscape

MiraNews

The arctic fox raises large litters, with an average 11 pups, in dens that can have as many as 100 entrances. In contrast, my modest house has 3 doors and I often have to text my teenage daughter to find her at dinnertime. How does the Arctic Fox manage to find its little ones in these dens of many doors?

Canada lags the world in land protection. Manitoba urged to commit to lands planning, new protection

MiraNews

In its latest annual report on the state of protected areas in Canada, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is calling upon Manitoba to step up efforts to preserve more land by 2020. CPAWS’ 2017 report “From Laggard to Leader? Canada’s renewed focus on protecting nature could deliver results” calls Canada out for ranking last among G7 countries in the percentage of land and freshwater protected for conservation purposes, and encourages governments to accelerate the conservation of natural heritage in Canada, starting by delivering on their international commitment.