NB 1443
Nov. 8, 2007
FREDERICTON (CNB) - The Fundy Biosphere Reserve has been awarded $30,000 from the Environmental Trust Fund (ETF) to support the establishment of scientific and educational programs, Environment Minister Roland Haché announced today.
"One of the purposes of the Environmental Trust Fund is to help New Brunswick groups to take action now to foster environmental sustainability throughout the province," Haché said. "This significant investment will help the Fundy Biosphere Reserve to develop quality programs."
In September, the New Brunswick side of the Upper Bay of Fundy became the very first site in the province ever to be officially designated as a biosphere reserve under the UNESCO program Man and the Biosphere. The goals of the Fundy Biosphere Reserve are to raise awareness of conservation and sustainability issues of the Bay of Fundy, and to balance conservation of natural ecosystems, natural processes and biological diversity with sustainability of resources and communities.
"The Government of New Brunswick shares and supports the environmental goals of the Fundy Biosphere Reserve," Haché said. "This investment demonstrates our strong commitment to promote the sustainability of the environment and communities throughout the province."
The investment also supports the government's goal of making New Brunswick self-sufficient by 2026, Haché said.
"Environmental sustainability is and will remain vital to ensuring the sustainability of New Brunswick's communities, which are the drivers of our economic growth," he said. "Any investment made in our environment is also an investment in the well-being of New Brunswickers and our future prosperity as a self-sufficient province."
"Biosphere reserves are often defined as 'living laboratories' where research, monitoring, public education, capacity building and local community involvement contribute to promote sustainable development," said Dr. Yves Gagnon, chair of the board of directors of the Fundy Biosphere Reserve and the K.C. Irving Chair in Sustainable Development at the Université de Moncton.
"Wise economic development goes hand in hand with social equity and the protection of the environment," he said. "The Fundy Biosphere Reserve will promote the continued sustainable development of the region by enhancing the research and innovation capacity, and by creating a forum for various groups to share information, knowledge and best practices."
Revenue for the ETF comes from about half of the environmental fee that is paid when people buy redeemable beverage containers in New Brunswick.
For more information on the ETF, visit the website at http://www.gnb.ca/Environment. For more information on the Man and the Biosphere program, visit the official UNESCO website at: http://www.unesco.org
07/11/08
MEDIA CONTACTS: Michael Wesson, Public Affairs, Department of Environment, 506-453-3700; Yves Gagnon, K.C. Irving Chair in Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, 506-858-4152.
07/11/08
