Ottawa, ON, traditional unceded Algonquin Territory / Edmonton, AB, Treaty 6 and Métis Region 4 – Indigenous communities, civil society organizations and concerned scientists across Canada welcomed today’s a recent decision by the World Heritage Committee to request a second Reactive Monitoring mission to Wood Buffalo National Park. 

At its 44th session, the Committee determined that the deteriorating condition of Wood Buffalo National Park World Heritage site could constitute justification for formally listing it as a World Heritage Site in Danger, and that an investigation into the situation is warranted. This second Reactive Monitoring mission to the park, which straddles the border between Alberta and the Northwest Territories, would entail a comprehensive on-site investigation to confirm if the park meets conditions to be given an “In Danger” inscription.

This strong decision reflects the significant challenges facing Wood Buffalo National Park and the culmination of a years-long process led by the Committee to highlight and issue recommendations regarding the condition of this site. The 29 signatories sent a joint letter to the World Heritage Committee earlier this month, urging Committee members to remain firm in their decision to push for more from Canada. 

“We agree that Canada, the State Party, must resolve the major challenges that are undermining the Wood Buffalo National Park Action Plan, and share the view of the World Heritage Centre and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) that the case for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger is well supported until rapid conservation action is taken,” states the letter.  

Many of the threats to Wood Buffalo National Park – the largest national park in Canada – originate outside its boundaries, including upstream threats from oil sands development on the Athabasca River and the ongoing construction of Site C dam on the Peace River. Inside the park, the signatories are urging the Government of Canada to make more progress addressing water governance, achieving co-management with Indigenous communities, and extending funding commitments beyond the next three years.  

“While we’ve seen significant funding investments from Canada, this decision sends a clear message that the federal government and the provinces need to do more,” says Sandra Schwartz, CPAWS National Executive Director. “International and national attention on the need to act to save Wood Buffalo National Park is growing.” 

The World Heritage Committee – the governing body for implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention – proposed the request for a second Reactive Monitoring mission on June 21, 2021, and accepted the recommendation without amendments at their virtual meeting July 23, 2021. The next step will be for Canada to respond to the request. The timeline for this is not known.