Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) will raise matching funds from other government and private contributors for a potential benefit of $21 million for lands protection in Manitoba.

• investing $7 million for the NCC to acquire and preserve lands over the next five years in eight areas in southern Manitoba;
• expanding Manitoba's protected area network by adding more than 2,200 hectares of privately owned NCC land under an updated memorandum of agreement;
• expanding Pinawa Dam Provincial Park by 168 hectares.

"This Earth Day announcement by Manitoba's government was welcome. We suggest that our government announce another $7 million to fulfill commitments for boreal forest regions protected areas establishment," commented Gaile Whelan Enns, director of Manitoba Wildlands.