Indigenous communities have been living sustainably in Canada's Heart of the Boreal Forest for thousands of years. But, today, their traditional ways of life are threatened by clearcut logging, roadbuilding and industrial hydropower development.

Canada has named part of the Heart of the Boreal Forest as a potential World Heritage Site, which would mean urgently needed protections for this imperiled region. But the Manitoba government is delaying protection against industrial development in the meantime.

Please go to http://www.savebiogems.org/boreal/takeaction.asp and send a message urging Manitoba Premier Gary Doer to grant interim protection to the traditional territories of the Pauingassi First Nation and the Little Grand Rapids First Nation.

Interim protection would enable these communities to proceed with their land use and conservation plans for the future Boreal Forest World Heritage Site.

The boreal forest is home to rare and threatened wildlife species, including woodland caribou, great gray owls and millions of migratory songbirds. The communities with which we work have told us that boreal medicinal plants must be protected so that traditional values and beliefs can be sustained and confirmed.

And without interim protection of these lands and their wildlife, the proposed World Heritage Site may be sacrificed before conservation planning can be completed.

Please go to http://www.savebiogems.org/boreal/takeaction.asp and tell the Manitoba government to grant interim protection to the traditional territories of these First Nations so that they may plan for a future World Heritage Site in this region.

Thank you for taking action.

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
Natural Resources Defense Council