13 going on 30 at COP15 – The Narwhal

The Seal River Watershed Alliance in northern Manitoba is the latest example of the rise of Indigenous guardians programs, which will be critical if Canada wants to achieve its 30 by 30 conservation targets

Nov. 17, 2022

Located about 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg, the Seal River Watershed has managed to escape development — the sounds of resource extraction foreign to the last river in Manitoba that still flows wild.

And now, thanks to the persistence of five Indigenous communities, Indigenous youth will be able to realize dreams of becoming river guides and stewards of their territory as they protect the 50,000-square-kilometre watershed — home to about two dozen at-risk species — from the impacts of climate change.

The timing couldn’t be more important. The world is grappling with dual climate and biodiversity crises and Indigenous guardians programs like this will be key if Canada has any hope of reaching its target to protect 30 per cent of its land and oceans by 2030 (it’s currently at just 13 per cent).

Read More: https://thenarwhal.ca/newsletter-indigenous-protected-areas-cop15/