Federal minister of environment and climate change Steven Guilbeault was in British Columbia today to announce almost $50 million for nature conservation projects in BC, according to a media release.
These projects will aim to fight climate change while benefiting biodiversity by safeguarding carbon-rich ecosystems from destruction to keep carbon in the ground.
This announcement was in tandem with planned funding for
for 10 greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects funded through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund for a total of $89.1 million. These projects will take place in Alberta, BC, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec.
The $50 million announced for BC will go to two organizations:
$37 million will go to the BC Parks Foundation to protect approximately 4,000 hectares of private land and implement natural climate solutions, avoiding the conversion of carbon-rich ecosystems across British Columbia. The project will take place in priority habitats, including grasslands, forests, riparian areas, and wetlands in multiple locations, such as Vancouver Island, the Southern Interior and Northern British Columbia.
$8 million will go to the Nature Trust of British Columbia to secure 552 hectares of carbon-rich ecosystems and provide benefits for multiple species at risk. This project will result in the creation of 11 new protected areas, including forest, wetland, and grassland habitats on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the East Kootenays and in the Cariboo Region.
Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country Patrick Weiler stated that, "protecting nature is one of the most effective tools we have to prevent climate change and ensure the environment is more resilient to changes we are already seeing. We are launching a generational investment in nature conservation, with almost $50 million for projects across British Columbia."
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