Government of Canada, Mount Royal University and Canadian Parks Council Launch Research Network to better protect nature in Canada

Network will focus on science and research collaboration related to parks and protected areas in Canada   

Calgary, AB, Nov. 10, 2020 /CNW/ - Canadians are fortunate to have an abundance of nature right in our backyards – a gift that comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility to protect it. Ensuring our network of protected areas across the country is protected for future generations is a top priority for the Government of Canada. 

Today, on World Science Day for Peace and Development, the Government of Canada, in collaboration with Mount Royal University's Institute for Environmental Sustainability and the Canadian Parks Council, announced the launch of the Pan-Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research Network. The Network, made up of scientists, researchers, Indigenous knowledge holders, students, and parks and protected areas specialists and managers, will help build a shared understanding of challenges and potential solutions for our protected areas. Network members will share knowledge and best practices and identify opportunities to collaborate on joint projects that will improve the management of protected areas, in order to safeguard them for future generations.  

Over the next three years, the Network will engage through an online platform. It will develop and offer learning opportunities such as webinars, virtual summits, and online courses in knowledge exchange and sharing. These actions will help advance science, research and evidence-informed decision making to protect natural treasures in Canada.

Quotes

"Canadians from coast to coast to coast want their governments to protect nature and biodiversity. By bringing together those with an interest in parks and protected areas in Canada, the Pan-Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research Network will have lasting impacts for the conservation of national parks and other protected areas in Canada, well into the future."  

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

"The Canadian Parks Council highly values the collaborative and inclusive approach of this research network and we look forward to working in partnership with diverse research communities and knowledge holders to enable Canada's national, provincial and territorial parks to be more effective in conserving and amplifying the powerful benefits of nature."

Dawn Carr
Executive Director, Canadian Parks Council

"The Pan-Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research Network is a key initiative for Mount Royal University's Institute for Environmental Sustainability and aligns with our commitment to addressing complex and important issues through collaboration and with a multidisciplinary lens. We are thrilled to be a part of this network which builds on our valuable relationships with the Canadian Parks Council and Parks Canada."

Dr. Connie Van der Byl
Academic Director, Institute for Environmental Sustainability, Mount Royal University

"The Canadian Parks Collective for Innovation and Leadership is designed to reveal, connect, and support an inclusive network of parks and protected areas leaders. We are excited to grow this network by facilitating the meaningful participation of park leaders from government agencies, community groups, academic institutions, and Indigenous partners to share and apply multiple forms of knowledge to make evidence-based decisions."

Dr. Don Carruthers Den Hoed
Senior Fellow, Canadian Parks Collective for Innovation and Leadership

Quick Facts

• Parks Canada is a founding partner of the Pan-Canadian Parks and Protected Areas Research Network. The Government of Canada is contributing $240,000 over three years to support the establishment of the research network.
• The Canadian Parks Council (CPC) is a longstanding intergovernmental forum established to share information and coordinate action among Canada's national, provincial and territorial park agencies. The CPC represents the interests of 14 governments, over 2,700 parks, and a shared mandate to advance park leadership by supporting the growth and development of an inclusive and connected network of professionals who engage, learn and share expertise across boundaries.
• The Institute for Environmental Sustainability at Mount Royal University considers environmental sustainability through interdisciplinary research, scholarship, student learning, and community engagement.
• The Canadian Parks Collective for Innovation and Leadership (CPCIL) is a parks and protected areas professional development and collaboration project aimed at revealing, connecting, and transforming an inclusive community of park leaders and scholars across Canada. CPCIL is funded by the Canadian Parks Council and delivered by the Institute for Environmental Sustainability at Mount Royal University in collaboration with York University's Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, Royal Roads University, and the University of Moncton.

Related Links

• Parks Canada website
• Canadian Parks Collective for Innovation and Leadership
• Canadian Parks Council
• Institute for Environmental Sustainability – Mount Royal University

SOURCE Parks Canada