2007 Protected Areas Grade

Manitoba Protected Areas Grade 2007

Technical Assessment C-

October 1, 2006 - November 14, 2007 The annual Manitoba protected areas grade is based on six World Wildlife Fund criteria, applied to Manitoba protected areas since 1992. Manitoba Wildlands releases the grade annually to assess protected areas commitments and actions. Penalty and bonus points highlight successes or problems. The grade is based on Government of Manitoba data, regulations, public policy, and protected areas commitments.

D   1) Application of Ecological Criteria to Design, Select and Designate new protected areas. Manitoba Conservation is not designing and designating protected areas that ecologically represent Manitoba's natural regions. A technical methods report is not available for the sixth consecutive year. New protected areas are falling short in comparison to the options available to represent landscapes and natural regions.

F    2) Protected Areas Strategy and Action Plan to complete protected areas system for each natural region. In 2004, the Conservation Minister renewed his commitment to the intent and ecological standards of Manitoba's Action Plan for a Network of Protected Areas, and to develop a new Action Plan. The new Action Plan has still not been provided. Over 70 candidate sites are stuck in the system, without decisions.

C    3) Protected Areas System Completion to Date** Although 6,191 ha of protected lands were added to the system since the 2006 grade, 15,152 ha were removed this year, resulting in a net loss of 8,961 ha. **This criterion is triple weighted to assess actual protected lands for each natural region based on what is needed to complete Manitoba's network of protected areas. A 'C' grade means one third of Manitoba's protected areas are in place. See Manitoba Wildlands' protected areas audit.

F    4) Rate of Progress in Protected Areas Designation The slow rate of protected areas establishment, especially in Manitoba's boreal forest regions, means many decisions are needed to complete Manitoba's regional networks of protected areas. Manitoba's government needs to embrace 'Conservation First' decision making to protect our lands and waters. Despite verbal support for the east side World Heritage Site no action to protect these lands has been taken since 2004.

D    5) Protection Standards Maintained or Extended Action since 2006 Protected Areas Grade:

Government announcements this year implied that lands were protected, where protection standards not in place
New - Little Limestone Lake Park Reserve
New - Ducks Unlimited lands formally protected (Mines Act regulation)
Expansion of lands protected in: Beaudry Park, Grand Island Park Reserve, Nopiming Park, Whitemouth Falls Park
Renewal of: Goose Island, Grand Island, Kinwow Bay, Pelican Islands, Pemmican Island, Sturgeon Bay, Walter Cook Caves Park Reserves
Loss of protection: East Paint Lake Park Reserve, now part of Paint Lake Provincial Park, no protected lands
Small adjustment inside Poplar/Nanowin Rivers park reserve for other uses

B 6) Legislation/policies to assist private sector in protected areas establishment. Manitoba continues to identify, and recognize privately held protected lands. Lands held by Ducks Unlimited were protected this year. A public registry of all conservation easements and private protected lands was called for by WWF Canada in 1995, and still does not exist. Only lands where technical information provided included in grade. City of Winnipeg Memorandum of Agreement has potential to bring significant lands into 2008 grade.

Penalty

Net loss of protected lands in Manitoba for 2007
Lack of a public protected areas strategy
Current methods, data, and basis for representation of regions not available, previous standards being avoided
Lack of transparency on review of candidates for protection
Late regulations and survey maps
Fall-down on consultation models for protected areas in Manitoba: mines sector, First Nations, forestry, sand and gravel etc.
Failure to replace Paint Lake protected lands
Little Limestone Lake protected without uplands around the lake
Slow pace for new protected areas establishment in forest Natural Regions despite commitments since 2002
Second five-year renewal of various park reserves, rather than decisions for permanent protection
Lack of action on spring 2007 election commitments
Lack of concrete support to WHS First Nations' lands planning
No further interim protection for WHS lands despite WHS standards
Lack of action on First Nations protected lands requests
Loss of two WMAs, announced as protected late 2006
Failure to update public data on WMAs
Failure to act on 10 million acres of lands approved for protection by Mining Sector
Allowing logging in government candidates designed for protection
Failure to fulfill protected areas establishment work plans in priority regions
No standards for new protected areas before forest license renewals, despite spring 2007 election commitment
Public references to development zones in Manitoba's parks that contradict the Provincial Parklands Act, and the government's protection standards.

"Manitoba has brought in measures to protect the boreal forest . . ." (Province of Manitoba - Climate and Green Initiatives - Manitoba's Top Climate Actions)

Bonus

Manitoba Hydro announcement Bipole III will not transect east side boreal forests
Little Limestone Lake protected, following many years of discussion
Agreement with City of Winnipeg re: natural lands
Election commitment to protect boreal forests of Manitoba
Election commitment to protect lands nominated by First Nations
Election commitment to permanently protect Poplar/Nanowin River Park Reserve
Renewal of several park reserves, remaining protected
Inclusion of Cormorant Islands in Grand Island park reserve for Chemawawin First Nation
Protection of great grey owl habitat
Entering into discussions for larger protected areas at Fisher Bay, with Fisher River First Nation
Confirmation of protection standards in public announcements and policies, including spring 2007 election commitments
April 2007 Accord with east side First Nations affirms traditional land use plans before development
Woodland caribou habitat on the east side secured through logging deferral with Tembec