Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador Commit
to Creating New National Park Reserve in the Mealy Mountains, Labrador
to Protect Important Boreal Forest Landscape

The Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada, and the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Newfoundland and Labrador's Minister of Environment and Conservation, today announced that they have agreed to take the necessary steps to establish a new national park reserve in the Mealy Mountains area of Labrador. The park reserve will protect roughly 10,700 square kilometres, which will make it the largest national park in eastern Canada. The Provincial Government also announced its intent to establish a waterway provincial park to protect the Eagle River, adjacent to the proposed national park reserve. Together, these areas will protect over 13,000 square kilometres.

"As we enter into the International Year of Biodiversity, we are further buoyed to working to establish a national park reserve to protect this spectacular boreal landscape for all time, for all Canadians," said Minister Prentice. "This part of Labrador is not only of ecological significance, it is also of great cultural importance and we are committed to moving forward in a way that recognizes and respects the traditional connections people have with the land."

"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is pleased to dedicate an area of Labrador rich in natural and cultural heritage to the people of the province, the country, and indeed the world, to protect these special places for all time," said Minister Johnson. "This initiative demonstrates our understanding of the importance of our ecosystems and our commitment to biodiversity conservation. We are very happy to work toward establishing this national park in our province, and we are most thankful to the steering committee that helped make this a reality."

Posted from: http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2010/env/0205n08.htm