First Nations, governments working to establish Indigenous protected area in Manitoba

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.

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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