Top conservation groups challenge party leaders to take N.B. from laggard to leader on nature, water protection: Today, New Brunswick sits second-to-last in Canada on total protected land, at only 4.6 per cent.

Past governments have committed to bring protected areas to 10 per cent by 2020, but no new protected areas have been announced publicly, and that will still leave 90 per cent of the province’s land open to commercial and industrial use, including forestry and mining.

Nature NB, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society—NB Chapter, Conservation Council of New Brunswick and Nature Trust of New Brunswick are asking party leaders to define how they will meet the international and national land conservation targets of 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030, respectively.

The groups’ questionnaire also asks leaders if they will enact long overdue laws to protect water as called for in the provincial water protection strategy, and how they will protect wetlands, coastal habitats and healthy forests in order to give our communities greater resilience from flooding and extreme weather caused by climate change.

Top conservation groups challenge party leaders to take N.B. from laggard to leader on nature, water protection: Today, New Brunswick sits second-to-last in Canada on total protected land, at only 4.6 per cent.Past governments have committed to bring protected areas to 10 per cent by 2020, but no new protected areas have been announced publicly, and that will still leave 90 per cent of the province’s land open to commercial and industrial use, including forestry and mining. Nature NB, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society—NB Chapter, Conservation Council of New Brunswick and Nature Trust of New Brunswick are asking party leaders to define how they will meet the international and national land conservation targets of 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030, respectively.The groups’ questionnaire also asks leaders if they will enact long overdue laws to protect water as called for in the provincial water protection strategy, and how they will protect wetlands, coastal habitats and healthy forests in order to give our communities greater resilience from flooding and extreme weather caused by climate change.Read More