MORE LAND ADDED TO THE REPRESENTATIVE AREAS NETWORK

The provincial government is fulfilling its commitment to protect Saskatchewan's unique and ecologically rich landscape for future generations.

The province has added more land to the Representative Areas Network. The 35,382 hectares is made up of 11 ecological reserves in the Pasquia-Porcupine Hills region near Hudson Bay in the province's northeast.

The goal of the Saskatchewan Representative Areas Network is to identify, manage and protect a system of areas that represents the full range of the ecological and biological resources found in Saskatchewan.

"The protected area of the Pasquia-Porcupine Hills includes some very important and unique landscape features," Environment Minister David Forbes said. "We worked with members of the community and stakeholders to ensure that the valuable fish, wildlife and plant resources contained within the sites will be protected for future generations while other uses such as camping, hunting, fishing and trapping will continue as before."

These designations will assist in meeting provincial, national and international protected area targets, further the government's agenda for a green and prosperous economy and help to fulfill commitments made in the Biodiversity Action Plan to expand the Representative Areas Network.

"Land in the Representative Areas Network has unique or special environmental features or historical or archaeological value," Forbes said. "These areas will also be important references for measuring future environmental change, monitoring resource management activities undertaken elsewhere in Saskatchewan and ensuring that as we grow our economy in the province that we are also protecting the environment."

The province is committed to protecting about 7.8 million hectares or 12 per cent of Saskatchewan in the Representative Areas Network. The network currently stands at nine per cent, close to six million hectares.

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For More Information, Contact:

Fred Beek Environment Regina Phone: (306) 787-3019 Email: fbeek@serm.gov.sk.ca