The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, today announced the launch of the public engagement process for 10 proposed protected areas.

The Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council will commence a multi-year public engagement process on the ten proposed protected areas, beginning with site-specific engagement on the proposed Indian Arm Brook ecological reserve. Details about the proposed Indian Arm Brook ecological reserve can be found here.

Feedback on the proposed Indian Arm Brook ecological reserve can be submitted through an online questionnaire or by email at werac@gov.nl.ca.

A virtual information session and an in-person engagement session are also scheduled and open to the public. Information on registering for these sessions is available here.

The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council will report back to the Provincial Government on the results of this engagement process, and will make a recommendation on whether to proceed with interim protections on the proposed ecological reserve. Engagement is crucial to determining the Provincial Government’s next steps for protecting these sites.

In May, the Provincial Government announced plans to proceed with consultations on nine sites identified by the Wilderness and Ecological Reserve Advisory Council as priorities: Ripple Pond, Halls Gullies, Cape Norman, Watts Point Extension, Facheaux Bay, Conne River North, Stony Lake, Rodney Pond, and Cape St. George; and an additional tenth site, Indian Arm Brook. Public engagement for the remaining nine proposed ecological reserves will be announced over the coming months.

Quotes
“Our government is committed to prioritizing the protection of valuable ecosystems and unique species throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. This consultation process is vital to better identifying preservation strategies for our biodiversity and protected areas. Input from stakeholders will assist in the development of a reserve and associated management plan that work both for nature and the people; and I strongly encourage all those interested, to engage in this consultation.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“The Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council looks forward to hearing from the public on the proposed Indian Arm Brook ecological reserve. We encourage residents to join us at the upcoming in-person engagement session or take our online questionnaire to give us your thoughts about the site and what is important to you. Your input isn’t just a suggestion; it’s the heart of WERAC’s mission. WERAC is committed to preserving our precious ecosystems for future generations and to meet our commitments to global, national and provincial sustainability, as well as climate change goals.”
Graham Wood
Chair of the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council

-30-

Learn more
EngageNL

Province Moves Forward on Protected Areas Consultations

A Home for Nature: Provincial Protected Areas Planning

Follow us on X (Twitter) @GovNL and @ECC_GovNL

Like us on Facebook