Canadian Nature Federation

Manitoba Wildlands Campaign Office
412-63 Albert Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 1G4
Phone : 204-944-9593 Fax: 204-947-3076 E-mail: gwhelan@web.ca


Technical Assessment
Manitoba Protected Areas Grade 2002
Canadian Nature Federation Wildlands Campaign

May 30, 2002

The protected areas grade for the Manitoba government is based on four of the World Wildlife Fund Endangered Spaces Campaign criteria. These same criteria were applied to the protected areas grade for Manitoba through the 1990's and are now being used each spring by the Canadian Nature Federation. Penalties and bonuses are applied to the basic grade. These highlight specific successes or problems. The grade is based on information provided by the government of Manitoba each spring.


D

 1) Strategy and Action Plan Development to complete protected areas system on an ecological representation basis
The Action Plan for a Network of Protected Areas is in place, but, for the second year, timelines are being missed and updates are absent. Interim protection is not being applied so that protected areas networks can be completed. Staff resources, technical services, and delivery on the Action Plan continue to falter in the Conservation Department. The capacity to maintain government and consultation services for ecological design and analysis for new protected areas is not yet renewed. Government does not staff the Branch adequately to fulfill its own Action Plan and protected areas commitments.

C

 2) Protected Areas System Completion to Date*
One small new park reserve was established. A park in south western Manitoba was established based on a partnership between Nature Conservancy of Canada, and a private donor. The wildlife management areas waiting to be upgraded to protected status last spring have been protected. No new ecological reserves were designated. Park reserves protected in 1997 await final designation. There has been no increase in representation of Manitoba's natural regions since 2000. The grade stays at C.

F

 3) Rate of Progress in Protected Areas Designation
In the past two years Manitoba has not progressed at a rate that allows the province to achieve its own protected areas goals. Certain opportunities in Agro Manitoba have not been acted on again this year. It is four years since a Heritage Marsh received protected status. Others still await protection. In Manitoba, certain large forest natural regions have no permanent protected lands, despite areas of special interest being available for review since l998. The rate of 'progress' for development decisions has increased, while new protected areas designation has ground almost to a halt.

C

 4) Protection Standards Maintained or Extended
Community consent from the Sayisi Dene resulted in permanent protection for Caribou River Park Reserve. This is the first park reserve to move to permanent protection. Only one of the over100 areas of special interest received interim protection this year. Protection was not extended to any new categories of land, such as community pastures, additional defense base lands, or conservation organization lands. Protection standards were maintained in lands already protected but there is uncertainty regarding the status of several park reserves where interim protection will expire this year.

* This grade is triple weighted.

Bonus
  • Caribou River Park receives permanent protection
  • Mining sector consultation has now approved 9 million hectares for protected status, and is starting on the fifth year of its successful consultation.
  • New public commitments from government to finish protected area networks
  • Promise to renew the Action Plan, extend the First Nations Protected Areas MOU
  • Resumption of technical review sessions with Tembec
  • Further wildlife management areas upgraded to protected status
  • New small park reserve next to the Lowlands national park candidates
  • Steps to protect sites along Hudson Bay initiated
  • Staff continue to provide technical services despite lack of capacity and resources

Penalty
  • No new protected areas this year to increase representation of natural regions, no increase in representation since 2000
  • No new protected areas in our forest natural regions
  • Failure to move forward with community pastures review
  • Lowlands national park candidates still without interim protection
  • First Nation protected areas consultation staff position unfilled
  • Forest inventory updates for future allowable cut and licensing decisions without allocation for protected areas
  • Lack of Parks Branch capacity to move park reserves, undertake park plans, and establish new protected areas
  • Delay in steps to engage the forestry industry for establishment of protected areas
  • Stalled design for areas of special interest in regions where design work not finished
  • Promotion of east west transmission grid, and hydro dams without establishment of protected areas in the same regions
  • Announcements for road building through forest regions without action for protected areas establishment