Prince George, B.C. – Victoria has announced it plans to invest $100,000 to enhance wildlife conservation throughout the province.

The money will be invested over the next five years and marks the continuation of the Crown land securement partner program – a partnership that includes Ducks Unlimited Canada, The Nature Trust of BC, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Province.

The focus of the partnership is to help the provincial government “designate new – and expand existing – wildlife management areas.”

According to the government, over the past five years the program “has helped create eight new wildlife management areas, and expanded several others, resulting in the protection of almost 29,000 hectares of prime wildlife habitat throughout B.C.”

Prince George-Mackenzie Liberal MLA Mike Morris made the announcement last night at the Ducks Unlimited Volunteer Convention.

“The Province recognizes the vital role wildlife management areas play when it comes to conserving and managing important habitat for regionally and internationally significant fish and wildlife species,” he said. “The funding will provide ongoing support to a partnership that is a critical part of B.C.’s land conservation strategy.”