The UNESCO World Heritage Committee declares the Boreal Forest Pimachiowin Aki covering the boundary between Manitoba and Ontario as a World Heritage Site, recognizing the Outstanding Universal Value of its cultural and natural features.
Pimachiowin Aki Corporation
The boreal forest region straddling the Manitoba-Ontario border has been designated as the first cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada, as a tribute exceptional biodiversity of the region and the sustainable presence of Aboriginal peoples
Due to lobbying by local First Nations and more than a decade of support from the governments of both provinces and the Government of Canada, the 39, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization awarded the rare designation Sunday at Pimachiowin Aki. "It took a lot of time for us, there is at least 17 years of work, and the communities really worked," said Sophia Rabliauskas, a spokeswoman for Pimachiowin Aki who was at the UNESCO meeting. in Bahrain to hear the announced decision.
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"We can now devote all our efforts to preserving Pimachiowin Aki as a treasure for our people and the world" , said Ms. Rabliauskas.
The Aki Pimachiowin, which means the land that gives life to Anishinaabemowin, covers 29,040 square kilometers (almost the size of Vancouver Island) of almost intact wilderness and home to one of the largest herds of caribou south of Hudson Bay as well as many other species of mammals, birds, insects, and fish. [19659008] First Nation
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Poplar River
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The effort to place the region under the protection of UNESCO World Heritage was led by a partnership between four First Nations – Bloodvein River, Little Grand Rapids, Pauingbadi and Poplar River.
a statement that a region is so important to the world, both culturally and ecologically, that it must be protected. The conservation of Pimachiowin Aki will help Canada achieve its goal, under the International Convention on Biodiversity, of protecting 17% of the country's land and freshwater by 2020. Currently, only 10 , 5% has been protected and, to meet this commitment, Canada will need to retain additional acreage the size of Saskatchewan.
The federal government, which has allocated $ 1.3 billion over five years to protect species According to William Young, a member of the Bloodvein First Nation, co-chair of the Pimachiowin Aki Corporation, he intends to to perform a large part of this work. stated that the designation of UNESCO would give First Nations on the east side of Lake Winnipeg more power to manage and protect their traditional lands.
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"It will not only be for the First Nations themselves," said Mr. Young. "We want to share what we have with the world, we want to promote what we have with the world."
The first request to the World Heritage Committee was submitted by Canada on behalf of the Pimachiowin Aki in 2012. However, the committee requested additional information stating that it was not necessary. not clear that the region is unique.
A second application was submitted in 2016. But just before an announcement was made, the Pikangikum First Nation withdrew its application. The World Heritage Committee then granted Pimachiowin Aki Corp. up to three years to present a new offer without the participation of Pikangikum, what she did in 2016.
Now that the designation has been formalized, the Pimachiowin Aki Corp. said that other First Nations in the area could join the initiative if they wished. Over the years, the company has spent $ 5.6 million on various projects, 90 percent of which was spent on projects. 100 came from both provincial governments.
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