Biodiversity Stewardship Program

Our Biodiversity Stewardship Program was created to engage New Brunswickers as stewards in their area. Currently there are 900 Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA), 26 Important Bird Areas (IBA) and 61 Protected Natural Areas (PNA) in New Brunswick. References Links Mentoring Program (coming soon)
Access our New Biodiversity Web Portal!
Environmentally Significant Areas Between 1993 and 1995 the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, New Brunswick's Department of Environment, and New Brunswick's Department of Natural Resources identified over 900 sites of environmental importance across the province based on presence of rare species, rich species diversity, representativeness, their geology and ecological vulnerability.
	Important Bird Areas Canada's Important Bird Areas Program is a science-based initiative launched in 1996 to identify, conserve and monitor a network of sites that provide essential habitat for Canada's bird populations.
Protected Natural Areas Protected Natural Areas are legally protected areas established to protect New Brunswick's natural heritage. Their role is to play a critical role in the conservation of biodiversity and provide diverse environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Why Participate?

Whether you are an ornithologist, a botanist or simply somebody who loves these special places, you can visit these sites and record information which will then be compiled in a database. As a participant you can have the personal satisfaction that your observations can help protect these areas.

How will this information be used?

The ESA and IBA database information often serves as a red-flag for any proposed development around that area. PNA's, although legally protected, are still in need of monitoring so that we can detect changes over time. By participating in the project, the information you will record will serve two purposes:

1. Contribute to the knowledge of natural areas and biodiversity in New Brunswick.
2. Assist decision makers in evaluating any proposals that might have an impact on those areas.

Become a Biodiversity Steward

Volunteering as a biodiversity steward involves monitoring a natural area of your choice (once a year or more if possible as different species of plants and animals may present during different times of the year) for as many years as you can (the more the better). You can record the flora or fauna of your choice as well as document human pressures affecting the area (road construction, pollution, etc). With over 1000 natural areas to visit, some wanderlust stewards may decide to visit a number of sites around the province each year.

The final stage of this project is set for launch in Spring of 2011 with the completion of our dedicated web-portal. This will be linked to our web-page (www.naturenb.ca) and will enable volunteers to register, download information for their area of choice and upload their collected data to our database. You will have a record tracking what areas you visited, your personal species lists, what site information you submitted, everything. This information will then be used to make development decisions in these areas. So in a very real sense, you will be contributing to the better management of the ESAs, IBAs and PNAs of this province and helping to preserve the beauty of New Brunswick into the future.

Start Now! Anyone wishing to start collecting data prior to the web-portal launch is encouraged to print the field form and our registration form (to register as a Steward) then mail or drop-off the completed forms. The information will then be entered manually into our database. Thank you!

Our thanks to: