Global Foundation is urging all levels of government in Canada, along with key stakeholders, to strengthen their commitment to the implementation of recently adopted targets by the UN COP15 Biodiversity Conference in Montreal.

GFoundation President Winston Gereluk urged provincial and municipal levels of governments to play leading roles in the evolution of Canada’s National Biodiversity Strategies & Action Plans (NBSAPs) – an implementation process defined by the UN’s Biodiversity Convention.

GFoundation has joined calls by other organisations to highlight the urgent nature of the biodiversity crisis in Canada and the world and to call for stronger action:  Canadian Wildlife Federation, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Alberta Wilderness Association, DUC’s Unlimited, Suzuki Foundation and WWF-Canada, amongst others.

For its actions and programs, GFoundation has adopted a practical focus on 15,000 acres of land surrounding its headquarters in which wetlands of global significance prevail. These are all within the UN-designated Beaver Hills Biosphere in Alberta.

“Our Headquarters are situated in a biodiversity hot spot,” said Gereluk. “We are concerned by the slow pace of decision-making by all levels of government to implement tangible targets for protecting and promomting biodiversity in the landscape that surrounds us”.

“Only 37% of original wetland habitat in the Bioshpere remains since Europeans arrived. 65% of the remainder is privately owned, and this is where the most damaged and vulnerable wetlands are likely to persist. Yet comprehensive outreach, education and incentive programs for the restoration or prevention of wetland damage targeting this group are at their infancy or remain a distant goal.”

“Furthermore, the crucial role of municipal governments (especially rural municipalities) is not adequately supported by our provincial government”. GFoundation is concerned that cash-strapped municipalities are often further incapacitated by reponsibilites downloaded from other levels of government. This jeopardizes their ability to enforce environmental legislation or even implement their own by-laws dealing with surface water and resource or land managagement issues related to biodiversity.

“We are particularly concerned that the Alberta government appears fixated with opting out of or side-lining Federal programs. We were therefore incentivized by the COP 15 Conference to call on the Hon. Sonya Savage, Alberta’s Minister of Environment to strongly commit her government to continue its roles within Canada’s National Biodiversity Strategies & Action Plans (NBSAP)”.