Largest Area of Boreal Forest in the World Protected Under Partnership with Alberta, Tallcree First Nation
The world’s largest area of protected boreal forest will be created in partnership with the Government of Alberta, the Tallcree First Nation and the Canadian government, along with an industry group and environmental organization. New and expanded parkland conservation in northern Alberta will protect a total of 1.3 million hectares of boreal land – an area nearly one and a half times the size of Yellowstone National Park – according to a release issued by Alberta.
The following is a reaction by Anthony Swift, who directs the Canada Project for the Natural Resources Defense Council:
“Canada’s boreal forest is one of the earth’s great treasures and deserves full protection. The Government of Alberta’s decision to protect more than 1.3 million hectares of land in Northeast Alberta in partnership with The Government of Canada, the Tallcree First Nation, Syncrude and the Nature Conservancy of Canada shows that Indigenous, Provincial and Federal actors, as well as NGOs and industry, can successfully collaborate to protect large ecologically sensitive areas in Canada’s boreal forest. We are encouraged by the proposal of an Indigenous Guardian Program into the stewardship of the parks. Alberta’s announcement represents a significant advance for the province’s conservation efforts and we look forward to continued leadership as it takes further action to protect its caribou herds and their habitat.”
Additional Resources:
- Canadian Government Report: Caribou Habitat Unprotected https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anthony-swift/canadian-government-report-caribou-habitat-unprotected
- Demise of Val d'Or Caribou Points to Peril for Other Herds https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anthony-swift/demise-val-dor-caribou-points-peril-other-herds
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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.