CWF Develops International Approaches to Water Conservation

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is developing new international strategies for water conservation to protect wildlife and habitat.

“We have to think outside the water box,” said Wade Luzny, Executive Vice President of the Canadian Wildlife Federation. “Many at risk and endangered species migrate through international waters and as a result it is critical for conservation organizations to co-operate and for the international community to understand that Canada does have serious water quality and quantity issues that need to be addressed.”

Luzny attended the World Water Forum in Instanbul, Turkey March 16-22 to advocate for Canadian wildlife. Dr. Rick Mrazek of the University of Lethbridge and Dr. Yves Jean of the University of Quebec in Montreal (TELUQ) were also among the delegation representing the Canadian Wildlife Federation Learning Institute. The trio were promoting the upcoming release of a new video in the Canadian Wildlife Federation Rivers to Oceans series. Navigating Troubled Waters follows the St. Lawrence river from its start at the Great Lakes to where fresh water mixes with salt water at the mouth of the Atlantic ocean. This 28 minute French language program looks at the impacts agriculture and other industries have on water quality and wildlife habitat. The video explores why beluga whales are dying from high rates from cancer and how invasive species from the other side of the world are altering the way life exists in the river. Host Dr. Yves Jean, a past president of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, also investigates the effect Climate change is having on the St. Lawrence now and what it may look like in the future. The St. Lawrence video will be promoted at the 5th World Environmental Education Conference: Earth Our Common Home in Montreal May 10-14. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a partner in the Montreal conference, another example of new outreach to the international community. Navigating Troubled Waters will be released in June during Rivers to Oceans Week.

Luzny also led a delegation to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October, 2008 to profile the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s water aware series of public service announcements and webisodes. He helped develop a memorandum of understanding between the Canadian Wildlife Federation and U.S. National Wildlife Federation in August, 2008.

“As more stress is placed on our water resources because of industry and climate change and as the demand for fresh water increases in other countries, like the United States, it is vital to be proactive to ensure stable and safe supplies of water for the future, for wildlife and human populations,” he said. “The Canadian Wildlife Federation has received a lot of positive feedback from like-minded organizations in other countries and hopes to continue to generate support through projects now in development for the Olympics and the Arctic and through outreach to new communities, such as artists, to encourage innovative thinking about how to protect and conserve water for wildlife.

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About the Canadian Wildlife Federation

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national non-profit charitable organization dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, sponsoring research, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending policy changes and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. Visit cwf-fcf.org.

Contact

Heather Robison
Media Relations Officer
(306) 550-4155
heatherr@cwf-fcf.org