News Release: New Brunswickers Urged to have their Say about Potential New Protected Areas
(Fredericton) The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, New Brunswick Chapter (CPAWS NB) is urging New Brunswickers to have their say on what New Brunswick’s protected areas future should look like. Government recently released a map of proposed protected natural areas and is seeking public input until November 15.
Roberta Clowater, Executive Director of CPAWS NB, said, “New Brunswick citizens have a chance right now to show their support for permanent protection of wilderness areas that the New Brunswick government has identified for potential protection. While this is a good step towards a protected areas network, much more is needed to truly protect New Brunswick’s wilderness heritage.”
“Near Fredericton, candidates include natural areas in the Nashwaak River watershed, which has recently faced an increase in pressure for industrialization. Candidates in southeastern New Brunswick include forests that protect the Turtle Creek drinking water supply for Moncton. Natural areas along the Magaguadavic River and the Piskahegan Stream are the largest candidates in the southwest. In northern New Brunswick, large forested areas along the Dungarvon River, the Tabusintac River and the Restigouche River have been included in the list. The candidate protected areas are important old forests, headwaters of significant fish streams, or sensitive wildlife habitats.
“Unfortunately, not all of the proposed areas will make the actual protection list, so it is important that people who have on-the-ground knowledge of any of the candidate protected areas provide that information to government. Government will choose which areas will go forward for full protection as a result of these public consultations.”
Clowater said, “These potential protected areas will move us from having 3{a3162b1395e34f5bc6dd788a255c8e2a209e2a614c3b42176989b624267eff88} of the province protected, to having about 4.7{a3162b1395e34f5bc6dd788a255c8e2a209e2a614c3b42176989b624267eff88} protected. New Brunswick would still be 2nd to last in Canada in the proportion of our land that is permanently protected from development, with only half the proportion that is, on average, protected in the other provinces and territories. We’ll need to protect all of these areas, and many more, if we’re going to do our fair share to protect the wilderness and wildlife that is so important to our culture, tourism and regional economies.”
Five open houses are planned over the next two weeks, starting with one in Fredericton on Oct.16, 6:00 pm, Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre. For links to the maps, background information, the schedule of open houses, and more, click here.
A large map (pdf), courtesy of the government of New Brunswick, is available for viewing here.
Can’t make it to an open house? Have your say right now by sending a letter.
