Boreal Forest in N. Ontario
Credit: Garth Lenz

Today the Ontario government introduced draft legislation to eventually ensure that the pledge of protecting 50% of the Boreal becomes a reality. I haven't seen any details of the legislation as it was just being introduced this afternoon but you can read more about it and see a video of the press conference at the links below this excerpt of a press release from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

Protecting The Far North
McGuinty Government Provides New Leadership Role for First Nations
NEWS
Ontario is taking an important step toward the permanent protection of at least half of the Far North of Ontario, an area three times the size of Lake Superior.

Under legislation to be introduced later today, the province is proposing to:

• Enable a community-based land use planning process allowing Far North First Nations and Ontario to determine areas to be protected and identify areas for economic development that benefit First Nations communities and consider ecological and cultural values.
• Conserve essential habitat for more than 200 sensitive species, including woodland caribou and Ontario's only populations of polar bears and snow geese, through a network of conservation lands.
• Fight climate change by ensuring the vast Far North boreal landscape keeps its capacity to act as a giant carbon sink - the largest of its kind in North America

SOME LINKS

Video of press conference:
http://events.onlinebroadcasting.com/mnr/051409/index2.php?page=register

Ontario Government Announcement:
http://www.news.ontario.ca/mnr/en/2009/06/protecting-the-far-north.html

Canadian Boreal Initiative press release:
http://www.borealcanada.ca/pr/06-02-2009-e.php