CNF QUARTERLY REPORT TO AFFILIATES: (February 1999- April 1999)

The Canadian Nature Federation (CNF) is the national voice for naturalist organizations in Canada. The NHSPEI is an affiliate of the CNF and, over the years, has assisted it in its programs. The CNF is expanding its outreach efforts to affiliates and its small staff and volunteers are working actively to implement environmental programs. The following tidbits from their report highlights some of their act1v1t1es.

Wildlands Program: pressed for amendments to National Parks Act to protect new national parks; continued campaigns to establish Torngat Mountains and Manitoba Lowlands national parks; launched campaign to identify boundaries and establish Mealy Mountain national park; worked with affiliates to implement a federal strategy for new Quebec national parks; advocated ecological boundaries for Wager Bay and Bathurst Island National Parks; assessed need for a campaign for the Wolf Lake (Yukon) proposed national park; developed proposal for campaign to protect Greater Nahanni Ecosystem; continued campaign against the Cheviot Coal Mine and to protect Jasper National Park; and finalized and implemented a strategy for Grasslands Trust Fund.

Endangered Species Legislation: continued efforts to get laws passed in all jurisdictions to adequately protect all endangered species and their habitat including working with the multi-stakeholder Species at Risk Working Group (SARWG) to prepare a collective response to the government's discussion document; participated in a press release to condemn the government's proposal and to draw attention to SARWG's framework for the protection of species at risk; met with Canada's wildlife directors recently to discuss the issues of habitat protection, scope, and safety net; pressured government to reverse their September decision to remove voting rights from COSEWIC's Sub-Committee Chairs and had decision modified to allow all eight Sub-Committee Chairs to participate as full voting members of the Committee (note that COSEWIC's sub-committee's have been expanded from six to eight, giving the non-government scientists two more voting seats).

Important Bird Areas Program: worked to ensure that 500 IBAs are identified and approved by Technical Steering Committee through publishing the Important Bird Areas brochure in both French and English, printing and distributing the Fall issue of IBA News Canada (IBA newsletter), published articles on the IBA program and Natural Legacy 2000 in the Federation of New Brunswick Naturalist’s "NB Naturalist" and the British Columbia Partners in Flight- Canada Newsletter, participating in a joint press conference (CNF, World Wildlife Fund, Ducks Unlimited Canada, The Nature Conservancy) to announce the first 100 projects under the Natural Legacy 2000 initiative to the media and funders; and hired IBA Conservation Planners in a number of areas including the Maritimes

Endangered Plants and Invertebrates in Canada (EPIC) Program: continued developing the Invasive Plants Alert Survey (IPAS) with National Botanical Services; participated in a training workshop on the use of IUCN criteria in Ottawa ,then used these criteria in addition to COSEWIC criteria for assigning status to endangered Canadian wildlife at the 1999 COSEWIC meetings; and completed its recommended status for 76 species that will be listed by COSEWIC in 1999.

Education/Communications Program: promoted Nature Canada/Nature Alert; maintained BirdQuest and the Ancient Forest Publications; issued press releases for the Lady Beetle survey, IBA/Natural Legacy projects, and Cheviot Mine decision; continued Nature Alert’s interactive focus in the spring issue with three pages devoted to readers' tips and survey participation opportunities; prepared a communications plan and worked on an internal communications calendar with input from all

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