Environment and Conservation
June 19, 2015
Protecting Our Natural Heritage
Town of Bauline Shows Environmental Leadership Through Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement
The Town of Bauline showed its commitment to protecting valuable wetland habitat today by officially signing a new Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement with the Provincial Government.
The Honourable Dan Curmmell, Minister of Environment and Conservation, was joined by Kevin Parsons, MHA for Cape St Francis, and Christopher Dredge, Mayor of Bauline, at a signing ceremony held today in the community.
“I am encouraged by the initiative that the Bauline town council is demonstrating by seeking to conserve valuable wildlife habitat found right in the heart of the town. The attitudes and actions of local town councils and community members who share these areas with waterfowl and other wildlife play a vitally important role in the sustainability and conservation of these species.”
- The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation
The Municipal Habitat Stewardship Program is unique to Newfoundland and Labrador, and was developed to encourage municipalities to recognize the value of wildlife habitat found in and near their municipal planning boundaries and then to accept a stewardship role in maintaining their integrity. The success of this program has been recognized both locally and internationally and has been heralded as an innovative and successful conservation program.
“Congratulations to the council and residents of Bauline on their commitment to the environment and their actions to ensure that these wetlands remain a central source of pride for residents for generations.”
- Kevin Parsons, MHA for Cape St. Francis
The Municipal Habitat Stewardship Program serves as an important mechanism for protecting wildlife habitat located within municipal jurisdictions. In addition to Bauline, 32 other municipalities have signed stewardship agreements.
“We are pleased to be involved in this program. This is a wonderful initiative that highlights our town’s focus on environmental stewardship and the importance we place on increasing environmental sustainability in municipal planning.”
- Christopher Dredge, Mayor, Town of Bauline
Further information on the Municipal Habitat Stewardship Program, including a list of participating municipalities, may be found in the backgrounder below.
QUICK FACTS
- The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation, signed a Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement with the Town of Bauline today.
- Unique to Newfoundland and Labrador, the Municipal Habitat Stewardship Program was developed to encourage municipalities to recognize the value of wildlife habitat found in and near their municipal planning boundaries and then to accept a stewardship role in maintaining their integrity.
- In addition to Bauline, 32 other municipalities have signed stewardship agreements.
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Media contacts:
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Jennifer Collingwood Director of Communications Department of Environment and Conservation 709-729-3575, 689-8605 jennifercollingwood@gov.nl.ca |
Barbara Cadigan Constituency Assistant to Kevin Parsons MHA for Cape St. Francis 709-729-6979 barbaracadigan@gov.nl.ca |
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Christopher Dredge Mayor, Town of Bauline 709-335-2483 mayor@townofbauline.ca |
BACKGROUNDER
The Municipal Habitat Stewardship Program
In 1986, in light of drastic declines in North American waterfowl populations and in an effort to effectively reverse the trend, the governments of Canada and the United States signed the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) with a goal to return waterfowl populations to levels of the 1970’s by actively conserving wetland and upland habitat. In 1994, Mexico also signed on to the NAWMP, making it a truly continental initiative.
To implement and forward the goals of NAWMP, joint ventures were established across North America. The Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV) was established in 1989. Partners include the six eastern Canadian provinces, Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Wildlife Habitat Canada, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. The Newfoundland and Labrador node of the EHJV is administered by the Wildlife Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation. Its primary program seeking to conserve wildlife habitat in Newfoundland and Labrador is the Municipal Stewardship Program.
Bauline joins the following 32 municipalities that have also signed stewardship agreements: Bay Roberts, Burgeo, Carmanville, Cartwright, Channel-Port aux Basques, Come by Chance, Deer Lake, Frenchman’s Cove, Flatrock, Flower’s Cove, Gambo, Gander, Garnish, Grand Falls-Windsor, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Hawke’s Bay, Labrador City, Mary’s Harbour, Port au Choix, Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, Red Bay, Spaniard’s Bay, Springdale, St Anthony, St. John’s, St. Lawrence, St. Lewis, Steady Brook, Stephenville Crossing, Torbay, Wabush, Whitbourne and Winterland.
2015 06 19 9:55 a.m.