(Chapter 4—Protected Areas for Wildlife—Fall 2013 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)
Ottawa, 5 November 2013—Environment Canada’s protected areas are not meeting their intended purpose of maintaining healthy habitat for wildlife, including migratory birds and species at risk, says Neil Maxwell, interim Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, in his Fall 2013 report tabled today in Parliament. One of Canada’s main approaches to protect its biodiversity is through the establishment of protected areas.
“Habitat loss is recognized as the greatest threat to plants and animals in Canada,” said Mr. Maxwell. “Environment Canada’s protected areas are roughly the size of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia combined, and the Department acknowledges that the state of more than half of these areas is less than adequate.”
According to Environment Canada’s own analysis, the condition of more than 70 percent of national wildlife areas and of more than half of migratory bird sanctuaries is less than adequate. Without action to correct this situation, the condition of these areas may remain inadequate and deteriorate.
The audit also found that the Department has made little progress in resolving weaknesses noted in past audits relating to monitoring activities. Sites are only monitored sporadically. This means that the Department cannot track whether ecological integrity in protected areas is changing, nor can it identify any new or potential threats to local species so that it can react in an appropriate and timely manner. Moreover, Environment Canada is still operating with outdated management plans for many of its protected areas, and has assessed that 90 percent of national wildlife areas do not have adequate management plans.
“Given the poor state of many protected areas and the pressures they face, Environment Canada needs to develop relevant management plans to ensure that its protected areas fulfill their intended purpose as a refuge for wildlife,” said Mr. Maxwell.
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