The Nature Conservancy of Canada applauds Teck Resources' commitment to land conservation

VICTORIA, BC, Oct. 18, 2013 /CNW/ - The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) applauds the recent announcement by Teck Resources Limited that it will acquire over 17,000 acres (7,000 hectares) of land in the Elk and Flathead valleys with the intention of setting them aside for conservation.

The Flathead Townsite and a portion of the Alexander Creek in the Elk Valley have been under a 10-year moratorium agreement between NCC and former owners Tembec. The moratorium is due to expire in 2014. Seeing these lands now able to be conserved beyond the moratorium is a testament to their ongoing importance to the natural integrity of the Elk Valley.

NCC congratulates Teck for its ongoing commitment to conservation in southeastern British Columbia. In 2012, the company contributed $2 million to NCC's campaign to protect an important conservation property on Columbia Lake.

"We look forward to working with Teck in the days and months ahead to further the conservation agenda in the Elk Valley and Flathead Watershed," said Linda Hannah, BC regional vice president, Nature Conservancy of Canada. "Teck's commitment to land conservation in southeastern BC provides the basis for a fruitful partnership."

Facts

• The Elk and Flathead Valleys sustain intact wildlife corridors used by wide-ranging animals moving across the Crowsnest Highway and between British Columbia and Alberta. This area supports an incredible diversity of species, including bighorn sheep, moose, wolverine, elk and the highest density of grizzly bear in the interior of North America.
• NCC holds 10,411 acres (4,213 hectares) of conservation lands in the Elk Valley. These lands are concentrated around three high priority wildlife corridors.
• In 2012, NCC assisted the Province of BC in funding the Flathead Watershed Area Conservation Act, which prohibits mineral and gas exploration in the Canadian portion of the Flathead River Valley.
• Large-landscape conservation allows the potential for ecosystems and species to adapt to changing habitats as a result of climate change.
• NCC is dedicated to implementing innovative conservation solutions at the community level. NCC has created successful conservation models for the "working landscapes" with agriculture, mining and timber interests.

About the Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is the nation's leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.6 million acres (over 1 million hectares), coast to coast.

Visit: www.natureconservancy.ca
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SOURCE: Nature Conservancy of Canada

Media Contact 
Lesley Neilson
Communications Manager, BC Region, Nature Conservancy of Canada
250-661-2969
[email protected]