OTTAWA, ONTARIO, November 10, 2004 -- The Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands welcomed today the announcement of the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment, of a $25,000 contribution that will see the Thousand Islands-Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (TIFABR) become a model for ecosystem protection. The TIFABR will receive $25,000 from Parks Canada's ecological integrity funding for a pilot project to demonstrate how biosphere reserves can contribute to ecosystem protection in national parks and adjacent lands. If the project is successful, the anticipated long-term benefits include strengthened ecological integrity partnerships within the greater park ecosystem of St. Lawrence Islands National Park, as well as improved biodiversity and conservation of landscapes, enhanced public support for ecologically sustainable activities, and the development of a national model for the integration of conservation and sustainable development interests that would be available to federal, provincial and territorial parks organizations. The project will also offer useful information on how to support ecological integrity in the greater park ecosystems of other national parks. "The Thousand Islands-Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve represents 70 stakeholder organizations from key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, business, conservation and education working together to develop projects that link conservation with economic development in the region," said Mr. Milliken. "The reserve celebrates the historical and cultural richness of the area's past, while sustaining its future through shoreline and water quality conservation measures combined with tourism and recreational development." TIFABR, which contains St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada, is an area of 150,000 ha that borders the St. Lawrence River and extends in a rough triangle from Brockville to Westport (on the Rideau Canal) to Gananoque. Designated as a biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2002, TIFABR has achieved notable success with a number of educational and stewardship initiatives. One such initiative is ongoing work to complete 900 healthy shoreline reviews in the Thousand Islands, Charleston Lake and other inland lakes in the area, and 10 healthy shoreline makeovers to demonstrate to the community what private property owners can accomplish to conserve wildlife habitat, and improve water quality. The TIFABR has also initiated a coalition of conservation interests to negotiate a transfer of lands that will double the area of SLINP, currently Canada's smallest national park. The Thousand Islands-Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve is Canada's 12th UNESCO biosphere reserve, and one of seven that contains a national park as its core area. Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial or coastal ecosystems that are designated by UNESCO to promote solutions that reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. They serve in some ways as "living laboratories" for researching and demonstrating the integrated management of land, water and biodiversity. Internationally recognized, Biosphere Reserves remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the countries where they are located. - 30 - Information: Emma Orawiec Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Environment (819) 997-1441 Dena Rozon Communications Manager Ontario Service Centre Parks Canada (613) 938-5867
