VICTORIA - The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund has won a North American award in recognition of its long-term commitment to wetland conservation from the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan involves thousands of partners including government agencies, non-governmental organizations and individuals. Each year, primary participants in Canada, the United States and Mexico are recognized for significant and long-term contributions. Previous recipients include the United States Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited and the Delta Waterfowl Foundation.

Joyce Murray, Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection and trustee of the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, will accept the award tonight during a reception at the Laurel Point Inn in Victoria.

The Habitat Conservation Trust Fund is supported primarily by surcharges on angling, hunting, trapping and guide-outfitting licences. Since 1981, the fund and its predecessor, the Habitat Conservation Fund, have provided more than $65 million to support enhancement, conservation, stewardship and acquisition projects at over 900 sites throughout the province.

Since June 2001, in accordance with a New Era commitment to exemplary environmental stewardship and in recognition of the importance of habitat protection, the B.C. government has:

* Provided $5.3 million through the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund to 127 fish and wildlife projects across British Columbia.

* Allocated $25 million to acquire conservation properties in the Gulf Islands and help establish a new Gulf Islands national park.

* Commenced negotiations to meet government's New Era objective to acquire and protect Burns Bog, the largest undeveloped urban land mass in North America.

* Established 20 protection areas as part of the Central Coast land use planning process and established a $35-million trust fund to implement the plan.

Media contact:

Alex Dabrowski,
Communications Branch,
Victoria
250 953-4577