Protected areas of Canada
{{Short description|Areas protected for conservation or historical reasons}}
{{WildlifeofCanada}}
Protected areas of Canada consist of approximately 12.1 percent of the nation's landmass and freshwater are considered conservation areas, including 11.4 percent designated as protected areas. Approximately 13.8 percent of Canada's territorial waters are conserved, including 8.9 percent designated as protected areas.{{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/conserved-areas.html|title=Canada's conserved areas|publisher=Environment and Climate Canada|year=2020}} Terrestrial areas conserved have increased by 65 percent in the 21st century, while marine areas conserved have increased by more than 3,800 percent.
Conservation and protected areas have different mandates depending on the organization which manages them, with some areas having a greater focus on ecological integrity, historical preservation, public usage, scientific research, or a combination of usages.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/protected-areas|title=Protected Areas |publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia|year=2014}} Some areas such as the Polar Bear Pass, are co-managed and overseen by government and local indigenous agencies.{{cite book|author1=Karen Beazley|author2=Robert Baldwin|title=Biodiversity and Protected Areas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NZ2SDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA112|year=2019|publisher=MDPI|isbn=978-3-03897-732-2|page=112}}
Canada's 18 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves covers a total area of {{convert|235,000|km2}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.biospherecanada.ca/|title=UNESCO Biosphere Reserves of Canada|publisher=e CanadianBiosphere Reserves Association and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO|year=2018}} [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5735fdc137013b8eeb217d63/t/5c40d868575d1f41918199a3/1547753580117/Biosphere-brochure-web.pdf PDF] Canada's first National Park, Banff National Park established in 1885, spans {{convert|6,641|km2}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/v-g/pm-mp/guidem-mguide/sec15/gm-mg15_e.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615122147/http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/v-g/pm-mp/guidem-mguide/sec15/gm-mg15_e.pdf |archive-date=June 15, 2006|title=The Mountain Guide – Banff National Park|publisher=Parks Canada|year=2006}} of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes.{{cite book|author=Martin F. Price|title=Mountain Area Research and Management: Integrated Approaches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hNIZihxXTwsC&pg=PA217|year=2013|publisher=Earthscan|isbn=978-1-84977-201-3|pages=217–218}} Canada's oldest provincial park, Algonquin Provincial Park established in 1893, covers an area of {{convert|7653.45|km2}} is dominated by old-growth forest with over 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometers of streams and rivers.{{cite web| url = https://www.ontario.ca/page/algonquin-provincial-park-management-plan| title = Algonquin Provincial Park Management Plan {{!}} ontario.ca}} Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area is the world's largest freshwater protected area spanning roughly {{convert|10000|km2}} of lakebed, its overlaying freshwater, and associated shoreline on {{convert|60|km2}} of islands and mainland's.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/publications/mpaspotlight-pleinsfeuxzpm/index-eng.html|title=Spotlight on Marine Protected Areas in Canada|first=Fisheries and Oceans Canada|last=Government of Canada|date=December 13, 2017|website=www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca}} Canada's largest national wildlife region is the Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area, which spans {{convert|11570.65|km2|abbr=on}},{{cite web|title=Scott Islands Marine National Widllife Area|url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/555695926|access-date=2020-09-25|website=Protected Planet}} protects critical breeding and nesting habitat for over 40 percent of British Columbia's seabirds.{{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-wildlife-areas/locations/scott-islands-marine/regulatory-strategy.html|title=Proposed Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area: regulatory strategy|first=Environment and Climate Change|last=Canada|date=February 7, 2013|website=aem}}
Legislation
Canada established the world's first national park management agency the Dominion Parks Branch now Parks Canada in 1911.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/travel/northamerica/article/990243--parks-canada-celebrates-a-century-of-discovery|title=Parks Canada celebrates a century of discovery|last=Irish|first=Paul|date=May 13, 2011|work=Toronto Star|access-date=May 18, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516235956/http://www.thestar.com/travel/northamerica/article/990243--parks-canada-celebrates-a-century-of-discovery|archive-date=May 16, 2011}} In 1916, Canada and the United States signed the Migratory Birds Convention, which regulates the hunting of transcontinental migratory birds under the Migratory Birds Convention Act.[https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/international-affairs/partnerships-countries-regions/north-america/canada-united-states-protecting-migratory-birds.html Canada-US convention protecting migratory birds - Canada.ca] The Canada Wildlife Act of 1973 goal is research on wildlife with a focus on larger species.[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/w-9/FullText.html Canada Wildlife Act] The 1985 Fisheries Act regulates fishing, including the conservation and protection of fish and their spawning grounds.[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-14/ Fisheries Act] The National Marine Conservation Areas Act established a system of national marine conservation areas in 2002.[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-7.3/ Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act] Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the federal government legislation to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct.{{cite book|author=Nelson Education|title=Living in the Environment, Canadian Edition, 4th ed.|date=16 May 2016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r5qzDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT318|publisher=Nelson Education|isbn=978-0-17-675682-6|page=318}}
Conservation agencies
The primary focus of national parks is to preserve ecological integrity. These parks are administered by Parks Canada. National Marine Conservation Areas, while also under federal control, do not afford the same level of protection. The Canadian Wildlife Service, a division of Environment Canada, manages the National Wildlife Areas, Marine Wildlife Areas, and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries for the protection of wildlife.{{cite web
|url=http://www.hww.ca/en/issues-and-topics/environment-canadas.html
|title=Environment Canada's Protected Areas Network
|work=Hinterland Who's Who
|publisher=Canadian Wildlife Service
|access-date=2019-03-14}} A National Wildlife Area protects any land or marine environment within the Canadian territorial waters, that is, extending up to {{convert|12|nmi|km}} away from a coast per the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. A Marine Wildlife Area is used to protect marine environments that are within Canada's Exclusive Economic Zone, extending {{convert|200|nmi|km}} from the coastline.{{cite web
|url=http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/mx-205/opening
|title=Casting the bottom line on the blue planet
|work=Proceedings of the 1997 Conference of the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas
|last=Wiken
|first=Ed
|publisher=Natural Resources Canada
|access-date=2008-01-29 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080612062616/http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/mx-205/opening |archive-date = 2008-06-12}} Two separate areas, one a National Wildlife Area and the other a Marine Wildlife Area, could be created to protect a contiguous zone covering land and marine features extending to the {{convert|200|nmi|km|adj=on}} limit.
Provincial and territorial governments also protect areas within their boundaries.{{cite web|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/canadian-provinces-territories-by-percentage-of-protected-terrestrial-area.html|title=Canadian Provinces/Territories By Percentage Of Protected Terrestrial Area|website=WorldAtlas}} Urban parks in Canada are operated by municipal governments for public recreation and foliage preservation in cities.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/city-parks|title=City parks |publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia|year=2017}}
Another form of conservation is made by land owners who want to preserve nature for future generations by placing a covenant on their land.
Lists of conserved areas and sites
{{Canada provinces map|border=none|prefix=List of protected areas of|the=the|map=Canadian National Parks Location.png|width=225px|caption=Protected areas by province }}