Aug 08, 2007 13:00 ET

WWF-Canada Supports Conservation Progress in the Mackenzie River Basin

FORT SIMPSON, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES--(Marketwire - Aug. 8, 2007) - WWF-Canada strongly supported today's announcement by Prime Minister Harper, federal Minister of the Environment John Baird, and Dehcho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian, to withdraw additional land from industrial development for the expansion of Nahanni National Park, NWT.

"This marks significant progress on the larger need to respect community wishes to sequence conservation first, in advance of industrial development," said Rob Powell, Director of WWF-Canada's Mackenzie River Basin program.

Dr. Powell was referring to approximately 20 areas that First Nation communities have proposed for protection in the Mackenzie River Basin, before proposals such as the Mackenzie Gas Project proceed.

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