Canada's Boreal Forest - NRDC 2004 BioGems |
26 February 04 |
Natural Resources Defense Council, a U.S.-based environmental organization, is featuring Canada's boreal forest in its annual list of the dozen critical natural areas in the Americas. NRDC's international effort to protect the Western hemisphere's wildlands, the BioGem campaign, will mobilize citizen action over the coming year to protect Canada's boreal forest and 11 other extraordinary areas, ranging from the Alaskan arctic to the Amazon rainforest. "We see Canada's boreal forest as one of the Earth's greatest conservation opportunities," said Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, NRDC senior attorney. "This is one of the largest intact forests left on the planet." "Our actions as U.S. consumers have a major impact on Canada's boreal wilderness and part of our approach at NRDC is to educate our members and the broader U.S. public on how our use of electricity and forest products affect the health of the boreal forest," said Casey-Lefkowitz. Manitoba Hydro sells almost 40% of its electricity to the United States and Manitoba Hydro plans new dams and transmission lines that would have a negative impact on these forest regions. "Manitobans support the protection of their globally significant forest regions," said Gaile Whelan Enns, Manitoba Wildlands. "The Manitoba government needs to ensure protected areas are in place before hydro, forestry or mining interests expand into the heart of the boreal." Working in cooperation with indigenous communities and other environmental groups including Manitoba Wildlands and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), NRDC is asking the Ontario and Manitoba provincial governments to protect and conserve this globally significant forest. "We welcome the awareness and support that NRDC members bring to the efforts to conserve this spectacular area," said Anna Baggio, CPAWS-Wildlands League. View the NRDC Heart of the Boreal BioGem Send a letter to Manitoba's government View the NRDC's Web site Source: Natural Resources Defense Council |
|
