The Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve Society received more than $55,000 on Tuesday as part of the federal government's Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk.
The funds will be provided to the Society to help ensure the long-term survival of the western painted turtle and other wetland-dependent species at risk on the Sunshine Coast.
"Our efforts will serve to improve critical habitats for the western painted turtles," said Society chair Michael Jackson. "We are pleased that the government of Canada is partnering with us in realizing our project objectives to reduce overall threats for the turtles."
The goal of the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk is to contribute to the recovery and protection of species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern under the Species at Risk Act.
Projects that will receive funding this year include stewardship actions to conserve habitat for plant species at risk, negotiations with landowners to develop voluntary land care agreements, targeted educational outreach efforts to reduce the entanglement of species at risk in fishing gear, and the enhancement of water quality and aquatic habitat on private lands to benefit aquatic species at risk. They will be undertaken with many partners such as agricultural producers, private landowners and commercial fishers.
In total, $124,070 in federal funding will support environmental action in B.C. focusing on conservation and protection of species at risk and their habitats.
"As part of the Inter-national Year of Biodiver-sity, today's announcement demonstrates our government's commitment to protecting and conserving species at risk and the environment upon which they depend," said John Weston, member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, who made the announcement Sept. 14 in West Vancouver on behalf of Environment Minister Jim Prentice.
"We encourage all Canadians to seek opportunities this year to take action on biodiversity."
