Canada Acts To Protect Rainforest

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Canada has pledged to spend millions of dollars to help protect the

world's largest temperate rainforest.

The government will allocate CAN$30m (US$26m, £13m) to maintain the

area of British Columbia known as the Great Bear Rainforest.

 

The area is home to indigenous people, ancient trees and rare

wildlife.

 

The 64,000 sq km (25,000 sq mile) forest is about twice the size of

Belgium and spans the Pacific Coast from Vancouver Island north to

Alaska.

 

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said voters do not believe his

Conservative government has focused enough on environmental issues

since coming to power.

 

The federal cash will be matched by money from the government of

British Columbia.

 

Another CAN$60m (US$51m, £26m) is being given by international

donors, mainly from within the US.

 

Diverse wildlife

 

The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the world's oldest and most

pristine forest environments.

 

 

Squeezed between the north-east Pacific coast and the mountains of

British Columbia, the area boasts tall trees and rare wildlife.

 

Some of the trees in the forest are up to 90m (300ft) tall, and are

about 1,500 years old, experts say.

 

Among the region's native wildlife are cougars, wolves, salmon,

grizzly bears, and the Kermode bear, a white subspecies of the black

bear.

 

A deal struck in February 2006 agreement earmarked one-third of the

land to protect wildlife in the region.

 

There have been frequent disputes in recent years between the lumber

industry and environmental groups.

 

Announcing the new deal, Environment Minister John Baird said there

was a " strong link between a healthy ecosystem, a healthy society and

Canada's economic prosperity " .