| Montreal, 30/11/2005 – The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), in cooperation with federal agencies, scientists, academics and nongovernmental organizations, today published the first trinational conservation plans ever to be formulated for North American wildlife species.
Under the North American Conservation Action Plans (NACAPs), a common conservation approach will be applied to six wildlife species—the leatherback turtle, humpback whale, pink-footed shearwater, burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk and black-tailed prairie dog—across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Each plan suggests actions to reduce threats, share expertise and provide key information to the public and wildlife officers.
Highlights of the NACAPs include a proposal to reduce the use of pesticides that affect the burrowing owl's food supply, distribute information to ship masters and their companies on how to avoid striking whales, promote sustainable fishing practices and eliminate at-sea dumping of debris that may affect sea turtles.
"We're taking a holistic approach to wildlife conservation by acting to save critical habitat, addressing human activities that threaten each species, and garnering public support to effect change," says Hans Herrmann, head of the CEC's Conservation of Biodiversity program. "We believe a plan like this can work anywhere in Canada, Mexico and the United States."
In June 2003, the three North American governments adopted a long-term strategy for the conservation of critical species and habitats in North America. The action plans form a key element of this strategy, as does a complementary process aimed at establishing a North American Marine Protected Areas Network and grasslands conservation corridor.
The work to safeguard the six NACAP species begins in earnest this week with a series of meetings in Mexico with regional conservation partners. State government officials will meet with the CEC to identify areas of collaboration to implement and disseminate the plans.
For more information on the actions proposed by the NACAPs, please consult our web site at <www.cec.org/NACAP>. A limited number of hard copies of the NACAP books are also available upon request by sending an e-mail to info@cec.org.
For more information, please contact:
Hans Herrmann
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
(514) 350-4340
hherrmann@cec.org
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