Pine marten education and stewardship program
under way in central Newfoundland

Kevin Aylward, minister responsible for wildlife resources in the province, today announced that a new education and stewardship program for resource users in the Red Indian Lake area of central Newfoundland has begun and will continue through to the winter of 2002.

According to Aylward: "The objective of this program is to reduce accidental snaring/trapping mortality of the endangered Newfoundland pine marten through intensive ground level interactions with consumptive resource user groups in the Red Indian Lake (RIL) area. A reduced accidental mortality hinges on the ability of these user groups to understand, support and conduct activities in a manner supportive of marten populations on the island of Newfoundland, in other words to become stewards of this endangered species."

The project is a joint initiative of the Inland Fish and Wildlife Division, Abitibi Consolidated and Environment Canada, with support being provided by the Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods district offices.

Activities to be conducted in the area include education and awareness seminars for snarers and trappers throughout the snaring/trapping seasons. Information will be provided on proper equipment use, marten biology and recovery efforts and recording snaring and trapping efforts to evaluate total effort. As well there will be presentations delivered on the modified snaring and trapping program within towns near the Red Indian Lake area. Here modified snare/trapping equipment, gridded area maps and education kits will be distributed to participants.

Minister Aylward also pointed out that the designation of the Red Indian Lake as a modified snaring/trapping area is new for this season and resource users are reminded that the use of this modified equipment is now required.

Media contact: Cynthia Layden-Barron, (709) 729-6183, John Blake, (709) 729-3509, or
Wayne Barney, (709) 729-4691.

2001 01 03                            3:55 p.m.