February 12, 2020 Shawinigan, Quebec Parks Canada Agency
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the environment in order to conserve national parks and national marine conservation areas and contribute to the recovery of species at risk.
Parks Canada gathered representatives from academic, government and conservation organizations at Auberge des Gouverneurs in Shawinigan yesterday to collectively identify issues related to the conservation of forest and aquatic ecosystems and wetlands beyond the park's borders. The meeting was an opportunity for contributors to discuss the future of resource protection in La Mauricie National Park, with a focus on biodiversity connectivity.
When it comes to long-term conservation, it's essential to consider the use of the ecosystems adjacent to a park. Parks Canada wants to use landscape ecology concepts to guide its conservation objectives and has consulted with major players in the field to achieve this objective. Parks Canada aims to effectively integrate its conservation efforts with those carried out at the regional level and to adapt its approach within a context of climate change.
Knowledge mobilization and cooperation are essential for developing effective conservation measures that are adapted to current biodiversity protection challenges. Now more than ever, La Mauricie National Park is encouraging an approach that protects species at risk and maintains connectivity between habitats and ecological processes in the region's ecosystems, with the support of regional and First Nations partners. Canada's network of protected areas plays an important role in helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of species at risk.
This meeting also helped inform discussions on La Mauricie National Park's 2020-2030 Management Plan.
Regional conservation efforts and implementation of the approaches outlined in the Management Plan will provide a solid foundation on which we can come together to build a bright future and address emerging environmental challenges such as climate change and protecting species at risk.
The Government of Canada is committed to conserving at least 25% of Canada's ocean waters and lands by 2025 in collaboration with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and other key partners.
