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
May 30, 2003
Technical Assessment
Manitoba Protected Areas Grade 2003
Canadian Nature Federation Wildlands Campaign

The annual protected areas grade for the Manitoba Government is based on the six World Wildlife Fund Endangered Spaces Campaign assessment criteria. These same criteria were applied to the protected areas grades across Canada, including Manitoba through the 1990's. They are now applied each spring by the Canadian Nature Federation to government protected area commitments, and actions. Penalties and bonuses are applied to the basic grade to highlight specific successes or problems. All information is provided by the Manitoba government.

D   1) Application of ecological criteria to select and designate new protected areas. Manitoba Conservation needs to regain its capacity to design and designate protected that achieve representation of the province’s natural regions. No technical methodology report available.

D   2) Strategy and Action Plan Development to complete protected areas system on an ecological representation basis. The Action Plan for a Network of Protected Areas has been extended for one year. Intention to renew the plan, maintaining same ecological standards confirmed by the minister.

C   3) Protected Areas System Completion to Date** Based on Manitoba Conservation data. No improvement in natural region representation assessment since 2000. ** This grade is triple weighted.

F   4) Rate of Progress in Protected Areas Designation A significant effort to catch up and complete Manitoba’s regional networks of protected areas is urgently required. The rate of intended development in Manitoba’s forest regions far exceeds the rate of protected areas establishment.

D   5) Protection Standards Maintained or Extended for existing protected areas. Intended activity in agro Manitoba in the coming year will include new kinds of sites to improve performance here.

C   6) Legislation/policies to assist private sector in protected areas establishment. A public systems plan for protection of private lands, a public registry of all such lands combined with an information plan would result in dramatic increases in protected lands establishment, and be reflected in grade.


Bonus
  • Technical review of community pastures system for protected lands begun
  • Action Plan extended, First Nations MOU kept in place
  • Industry, Trade & Mines web site protected areas content, and technical support to Protected Areas Initiative
  • Protected lands in park reserves renewed
  • East Side Planning Initiative terms of reference support Protected Areas Initiative consultation, First Nations MOU
  • Mining sector protected areas consultation continues to add to sites ranked for permanent protection from mining
  • Manitoba government support of World Heritage Site nomination from First Nations
  • Commitment to renew Protected Areas Initiative, replace staff, budget, technical capacity
  • Crown mineral rights withdrawn for Nature Conservancy private protected lands.


Penalty
  • No new protected areas this year, especially no new forest region protected areas
  • No increase in representation of natural regions by protected areas
  • No technical report regarding ecological design, assessment of areas for protection
  • Lack of staff, budget, technical capacity Protected Areas Initiative
  • Protected Areas Initiative consultations maps 2 years out of date
  • Forestry Branch has not assessed design areas in boreal forest natural regions, but continues to negotiate annual allowable cut (AAC) without protected areas in place
  • No interim protection Lowlands national park core candidate areas
  • Failure to incorporate protected areas policy and commitments across government departments and branches
  • No interim protection actions for Spring 2002 priority candidates in south east region of Manitoba
  • Confusion regarding the status of South Atikaki park and Manigotogan park reserve
  • Failure to follow through on the report from government for the annual protected areas grade, especially technical exchange
  • No plan to establish protected areas in boreal forest regions before hydro development