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Partnership helping DUC make conservation strides in Atlantic Canada
Amherst, NS, April 5, 2010—In its first year of delivery, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is making important progress to protect and conserve provincially-significant wetlands across Atlantic Canada, thanks to the Atlantic Habitat Partnership Initiative (AHPI). To date, DUC has invested over one million dollars in wetland conservation projects impacting nearly 49,000 hectares in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Launched in 2009, the AHPI is a partnership between the Government of Canada, the Atlantic provincial governments and DUC to establish a Wetland Sustainability Fund of $9 million to protect, maintain and restore over 40,000 acres of key wetlands in all four Atlantic Provinces. These infrastructure improvements, made possible through this initiative, will sustain our valuable natural resources for years to come.
One conservation project that has already benefitted from the Atlantic Habitat Partnership Initiative is Germantown Marsh. This 525-hectare freshwater marsh lies within New Brunswick’s Shepody National Wildlife Area and is a crucial area for staging and migrating waterfowl. Originally developed in 1977, this project needed a number of earth dykes rebuilt in order to maintain and enhance the area for waterfowl and other wildlife.
Wetlands are among the earth’s most productive ecosystems. In addition, healthy wetlands are critical for clean water, biodiversity, habitat for species at risk, greenhouse gas reduction and flood protection. However, wetlands are also one of our most threatened ecosystems. Estimates on wetland loss indicate that up to 70 per cent of wetlands have been lost or degraded in settled areas of Canada. The AHPI is a major step forward to restore and preserve these vital resources for the people of Atlantic Canada.
For more information, contact:
Lori Gasper,
l_gasper@ducks.ca
Communications Specialist - Saskatchewan
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Phone: 306-665-7157
