Four First Nations in Manitoba are working with the provincial and federal governments to establish a new Indigenous protected area.
The groups announced Wednesday at the COP15 global biodiversity talks in Montreal that they are working together to assess the feasibility of a protected area in the Seal River Watershed in northern Manitoba.
The watershed is one of the world’s largest remaining ecologically intact watersheds and is a rich carbon sink.
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It spans more than 50,000 square kilometres and the region is home to many at-risk species, including wolverines, polar bears, orcas and barren-ground caribou.
The four First Nations have ancestral lands in the watershed and have formed the Seal River Watershed Alliance.
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The groups say protecting the area will also contribute to the vitality of the cultures, traditions and well-being of Indigenous people.
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