News Release

Government of Canada joins forces with Ducks Unlimited to conserve natural environments for wildlife in the Outaouais

GATINEAU, Que. -- September 26, 2011 -- The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada’s Environment Minister, and Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orléans, joined representatives of Ducks Unlimited and Quebec’s Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune today to announce the acquisition for conservation purposes of Lochaber Bay, which is located in the Outaouais and includes 715 ha of wetlands. This area is secured in part with the funding of $2.19 million from Environment Canada’s Natural Areas Conservation Program. 

“This acquisition, valued at $4.8 million,marks another achievement under our government's Natural Areas Conservation Program. With this investment, we are taking real action to protect and conserve our ecosystems and sensitive species for present and future generations,” said Minister Kent. “Your actions today will help to protect the abundance and variety of life that will constitute an integral part of our natural heritage tomorrow.”

“Our government shares a commitment with its partners and a desire to protect Canada’s natural treasures,” emphasized MP Galipeau. “Today’s announcement is about a program that allows us to make this commitment a reality and to take concrete action to preserve our environment.”

Lochaber Bay, which borders the highway 148 for nearly 6 km in the municipality of Lochaber Ouest, contains a complex of habitats, 75% of which are wetlands. The area purchased represents an exceptional and unique environment in the Outaouais. The bay is a preferred habitat for many species of plants and animals. Among other things, it serves as a staging area for waterfowl and a breeding habitat for a number of animal species. The Canada Goose, the American Black Duck and the Green-winged Teal are among the species seen there.

“This is an acquisition project that has been close to our hearts for the last 20 years at Ducks Unlimited. Today, our dreams become reality. This would not have been possible without the significant financial contribution of Environment Canada, and it highlights the importance of combining forces to preserve our remaining wetlands in Quebec,” remarked Bernard Filion, Director of Ducks Unlimited in Quebec.

This initiative is part of a financial partnership agreement between Ducks Unlimited and Quebec’s Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, as well as an agreement between the Government of Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada to conserve natural environments across the country.

The Government of Canada's $225-million Natural Areas Conservation Program is an important on-the-ground initiative that takes real action to preserve Canada’s environment and conserve its precious natural heritage for present and future generations. It is through the ongoing contribution from all donors that we can ensure the protection of natural areas in Canada. As of March 2011, the Natural Areas Conservation Program has protected 160,796 hectares of habitat, which includes habitat for 101species at risk.

Related document:

Natural Areas Conservation Program [Backgrounder 2011-09-26]

For more information, please see the attached backgrounder or contact:

Melissa Lantsman
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441

Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008

Environment Canada’s Twitter page: http://twitter.com/environmentca

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