The federal government is committing $737,832 to protect species at risk in the NWT as part of its plan to double the amount of protected nature in Canada’s lands and oceans by 2020.
Liberal MP Michael McLeod announced the funding on Dec. 10.
“As our climate changes and technology advances, we need to work together to help ensure we are doing our best to protect our habitats and contribute to the recovery of species at risk, as well as to prevent other species from becoming a conservation concern,” stated McLeod in a news release.
The funding will support eight of 93 projects being undertaken by the Habitat Stewardship Program and the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk.
MP Michael McLeod announced federal funding to flow into NWT conservation initiatives.
The GNWT will receive $353,000 for three projects, including $36,750 for the development of species at risk advice for industry, $60,000 for an educational campaign for bat and bat habitat identification and $256,000 for an online mapping tool for the boreal caribou range.
The Deninu K’ue First Nation is receiving $69,610 to help boreal caribou recover from forest fires and the Katlodeeche First Nation is getting $44,800 to map critical habitat areas using traditional knowledge.
The North Slave Metis Alliance is receiving $28,049 for a project that uses both modern technology and traditional knowledge for species at risk protection.
The Acho Dene Koe First Nation is receiving $71,000 for its monitoring and traditional knowledge project for boreal caribou.
The Joint Secretariat Inuvialuit Settlement will receive $161,373 to implement its management plan for Dolphin and Union caribou.
This week’s funding announcement is part of a larger commitment by federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna to support local conservation projects.
“By supporting the Indigenous communities already doing important conservation work, we’re ensuring we have the comprehensive knowledge needed for the recovery of our species at risk,” said McKenna in a news release.
The 2018 budget made historic investments to protect nature, parks and protected areas. The Habitat Stewardship Program has supported legal protections for more than 193,000 hectares of land between 2000 and March 2017.