Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk - Aboriginal Critical Habitat Protection Fund
The Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk play an important role in the recovery of species at risk on Aboriginal lands. The goal is to contribute to the conservation and protection of Canada’s biodiversity by supporting species recovery planning, habitat protection, and overall conservation and capacity building initiatives by Aboriginal people in Canada. Specific outcomes include:
* Strengthen capacity in Aboriginal communities for SARA implementation;
* Mitigate threats to SAR, be they individuals or populations;
* Protect critical and important habitat of SAR, and support their recovery;
* Help gather and conserve Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) on SAR and, where appropriate, to help ensure its use in the development of recovery objectives; and
* Support the implementation of additional priority activities described in recovery strategies or action plans, where these are in place or under development, and meet the general eligibility requirements of this program.
Aquatic proposal contact:
Louvi Nurse - Pacific Region AFSAR coordinator, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
604.666.4565 louvi.nurse@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Terrestrial proposal contact:
Randal Lake - Pacific and Yukon Region AFSAR coordinator, Environment Canada
604.940.4646 afsar.pyr@ec.gc.ca
The Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk play an important role in the recovery of species at risk on Aboriginal lands. The goal is to contribute to the conservation and protection of Canada’s biodiversity by supporting species recovery planning, habitat protection, and overall conservation and capacity building initiatives by Aboriginal people in Canada. The key objective is to encourage meaningful involvement of Aboriginal people and communities in the implementation of the Species at Risk Act.
The underlying objectives of the AFSAR Program are to:
- Support and promote the conservation and recovery of SAR and their habitats; including culturally and/or economically important species for Aboriginal peoples; and
- Support the engagement and cooperation of Aboriginal peoples in the recovery of SAR, their habitats, and SARA processes.
The Aboriginal Critical Habitat Fund (ACHP) supports the participation of Aboriginal communities and organizations in activities to better identify, protect and recover Critical Habitats (or important habitats in anticipation of designated Critical Habitat status under SARA), and in areas where there are significant SAR issues of concern to Aboriginal Peoples and Wildlife Management Boards. Activities may also include capacity building components that will enable future Critical Habitat protection and recovery.
Examples of activities eligible for funding under the ACHPF:
Habitat improvement
- Development of plans and proposals for habitat restoration and enhancement (e.g., habitat management plans)
- Community-based monitoring of habitats of SAR
- Restoration and improvement of habitats of SAR (e.g., shoreline improvement, erection of exclusion fences, etc.)
Habitat protection
- Development of plans and proposals for habitat protection
- Protection and monitoring of habitats of SAR
- Development and negotiation of habitat securement agreements (e.g., legal protection, Certificate of Possession leases/transfer/exchange, informal/formal agreements, and other mechanisms that protect habitat of SAR)
Conservation planning and implementation
- Development and implementation of SAR habitat conservation tools
- Compilation, dissemination and application of resource/land use guidelines and best management practices
Monitoring and data collection
- Community-based monitoring of habitats of SAR
- Collection and management of data about habitats of SAR (e.g., surveys, inventories, etc.)
- Mapping, analysis or monitoring of the presence and extent of habitats of SAR
- Development and maintenance of knowledge inventories and databases about habitats of SAR.
Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge / Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ATK/TEK)
- ATK/TEK surveys and interviews about habitats of SAR
- Compilation and storage of ATK/TEK
- Development and dissemination of ATK/TEK-related material about habitats of SAR
Communications, outreach and education
- Community-based discussion meetings about habitats of SAR
- Development of education programs and related material (e.g., delivery of technical training or related manuals) about habitats of SAR
- Development of information packages (e.g., pamphlets, posters, etc.) about habitats of SAR
Funding usually ranges from $10,000 to $50,000 per year. Projects may extend over more than one year.
As in the past, to be eligible for funding, proposed projects must target species that have been assessed by the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as endangered, threatened or of Special Concern, priority being given to proposals that target SARA-listed Endangered and Threatened species. This includes species that are in the assessment process.
New this year is that any species which the Governor in Council has considered but declined to list on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act is now ineligible for funding under the SAR funding programs. However, these species are eligible during re-assessment by COSEWIC.
