Canada’s plan to save nature sets the stage for strong provincial action in New Brunswick

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13 June 2024

TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF WABANAKI PEOPLES/FREDERICTON, N.B. — The Nature Trust of New Brunswick welcomes the release of Canada's updated national biodiversity strategy, titled “Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy: Halting and Reversing Biodiversity Loss in Canada.” The plan outlines critical actions which, if implemented effectively, will help address the biodiversity crisis and set a high standard which New Brunswick must aspire to meet as it continues efforts to better protect nature and, in turn, our people and communities.  

With the provincial government this month launching stakeholder consultations to update New Brunswick’s biodiversity strategy, the Nature Trust calls on provincial leaders to complement the federal plan by committing to bold conservation measures and targets, a focus on Indigenous-led conservation, and ensuring adequate funding for implementation.  

The province’s recent doubling of protected lands from five per cent to 10 per cent is a significant step, but more must be done to protect New Brunswick’s land and ocean and the people, communities and industries which depend upon them, especially in the wake of an April 2024 report stating fishing, farming and logging industries will be hit particularly hard if we fail to address biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.  

Stephanie Merrill, CEO of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, stated: "The province has an opportunity to build on its commitment to protecting and restoring our natural heritage when updating New Brunswick’s biodiversity strategy. Combined, a robust provincial strategy and today’s federal plan are akin to a lighthouse guiding us through the storm of biodiversity loss and climate change. But we need more than just a good plan—without adequate and dedicated funding, these guiding lights will not shine brightly enough to navigate us to safety.” 

The provincial government has said it will release a new target for protected lands by the end of this year. The Nature Trust and our conservation allies are calling for a commitment to protect 30 per cent of land and water by 2030, aligning with the global framework agreed upon by nearly 200 countries at COP15, hosted by Canada in 2022. 

New Brunswick stands at a crossroads. Our forests, waters, and wildlife are at the heart of our identity, culture and economy. The Nature Trust emphasizes the need for a science-based approach to updating our provincial biodiversity strategy, which includes strong targets, adequate funding, and meaningful consultation with and involvement from Indigenous communities and stakeholders. 

“Canada helped land an ambitious strategy to save nature around the world. Now it’s time for ambitious and effective strategies to save nature at home,” Merrill said. 

About the Nature Trust of New Brunswick

The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is a charitable land conservation organization dedicated to conserving and stewarding private land and engaging New Brunswickers in protecting the province’s unique natural heritage. Since 1987, we have conserved more than 12,000 acres of ecologically significant land and coastline across 83 nature preserves, safeguarding stunning landscapes and diverse ecosystems while ensuring the preservation of rare and endangered species. 

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Media contact

Jon MacNeill 
Communications Manager 
Cell: 506-238-3539 | Office: 506-457-2398 
jon.macneill@ntnb.org