Thoughts From a "Lost Canadian" About Protecting Nature in Canada

Yesterday I wrote how as a person who was born in and who has lived in the US all my life, and who has enjoyed our country's National Parks, it has been painful to watch the last two years as the current corrupt administration destroys our National Parks and reduces protections for nature in the US. So, as a "Lost Canadian", I am SO happy to see Canada is taking a different perspective when it comes to protecting their National Parks and protecting nature in Canada with their strategy to protect nature. Canada has a three part plan to protect Nature in Canada, so today I'm writing about the first part of this plan - Protecting Nature in Canada: By protecting and conserving more lands and waters and connecting habitats so species can move more safely.

Canada.ca says, "We are investing over $3.8 billion to protect nature—focused on measurable outcomes and delivery through 2030. This includes the creation of two new national protected areas and expanding our conservation actions to protect more nature with more partners across the country. And, core to our values, we are protecting nature while we build responsibly. We will prioritize quality and areas of high ecological value, mobilize capital and partners, and develop transformative solutions to achieve results.

To deliver we will deepen our partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, provincial, territorial, municipal governments, non-government organizations, industry, landowners, and Canadians." 

"Indigenous Peoples have stewarded the lands, waters and ice across Canada since time immemorial. Across the country, Indigenous-led conservation is achieving results for nature, contributing some of the largest conservation gains. We are continuing to support and advance Indigenous-led stewardship through our new investments in nature, including enhancing Indigenous Guardians Programs and establishing a new Arctic Indigenous Guardians Program. There is no path to 30X30 without Indigenous leadership and the Government of Canada is committed to working alongside Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous-led conservation is and will continue to be foundational to our collective effort to protect and conserve nature."

"Pillar 1: Protecting Nature in Canada - Nature is part of our daily lives, whether it's breathing fresh air, hiking on trails, skating in the winter or canoeing in Canada's many lakes and rivers. It also forms the basis of Canada's economy through timber, minerals, fish and farmland. It is estimated, in Canada, nature's ecosystem services amount to at least $3.6 trillion per year (or more than double our 2018 GDP)

Footnote. Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of nature to human well-being, supporting survival and quality of life. Protecting nature and sustaining these services requires collective environmental stewardship, a shared responsibility and value.

The first pillar of the Government's vision is to protect more nature than ever before—moving terrestrial conservation from 14 per cent to 30 per cent by 2030 and marine conservation from 15.55 per cent to 28 per cent on the way to 30 per cent by 2030. This will mean protecting and conserving at least 1.6 million km² of Canada's lands and 715,857 km² of Canada's oceans over the next four years. Put in perspective, this is a land area 1.7 times the size of British Columbia and a marine area almost the size of Alberta."

You will find more information about the specific ways and steps Canada is taking to Protect Nature in Canada at this link.

I am SO happy to know the leaders in Canada are putting actions behind their words when it comes to protecting nature in Canada and they are teaming up with Indigenous Peoples to do this!