Protecting One of the Largest Intact Watersheds on Earth

On April 17, 2026, the Seal River Watershed Alliance, the Manitoba authorities, and the federal government of Canada launched a joint proposal to designate a 12 million-acre ecosystem—one of many world’s largest intact watersheds—as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Space (IPCA), which is able to embody each a provincial and a nationwide park. Audubon celebrates this historic milestone and congratulates the 4 First Nations who’re main this initiative—often called Seal River Watershed Alliance—on this vital step in the direction of completely defending for the watershed. Throughout this section, the general public is being requested to submit feedback. We encourage you to be taught extra and take motion to assist this Indigenous-led initiative.       

The Seal River Watershed is situated in northern Manitoba. It constitutes 8% of the province and 0.5% of Canada’s land mass. This monumental ecosystem is teeming with wildlife, together with 10 million birds who breed right here annually, in addition to tens of millions extra that use these important habitats for refueling and resting whereas on their migratory journeys throughout the hemisphere. Almost 200,000 caribou spend their winter within the watershed, and 1/3 of the world’s belugas migrate into its river estuaries. The watershed is residence to wolverines, polar bears, wolves, 26 species of freshwater fish, and enormous numbers of bugs, vegetation, bushes, and fungi.

Fortunately for the birds and different wildlife that depend on the watershed, the Sayisi Dene First Nation, Northlands Dene First Nation, Barren Lands First Nation, and O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation have been working in partnership because the Seal River Watershed Alliance since 2019 to completely preserve the ecosystem.

Latest Progress

In early 2024, the governments of Manitoba and Canada, and the Seal River Watershed Alliance entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance a feasibility research. 
Then in March of 2025, a feasibility report was launched that discovered conserving northern Manitoba’s Seal River Watershed is achievable, publicly well-liked, and a step in the direction of assembly conservation and reconciliation targets.  Since that point, the Seal River Watershed Alliance, Manitoba Authorities, the Authorities of Canada have been negotiating the event of a protected space proposal, together with an IPCA, a nationwide park, and a provincial park.  

On April 17, a joint proposed settlement was launched for public feedback. The proposal takes a common sense strategy by creating layers of protections. All the 12 million acres will likely be designated as an IPCA. The japanese third of the watershed can even be a nationwide park, and the western two-thirds a provincial park. The proposal additionally contains co-management by the 4 First Nations, the Manitoba authorities, and Parks Canada.

Audubon’s assist

The connection between Audubon the Seal River Watershed Alliance started in 2019. Since then, we’ve got collaborated on science, communications, authorities relations, and public engagement to assist the institution of the IPCA. 

One venture that we carried out collectively was a research project that surveyed the distant avian habitats of the Watershed. Sound-monitoring gadgets known as ARUs (autonomous recording models) have been positioned in bird-rich areas by Land Guardians to find out which species have been current. The info have been then analyzed by Audubon workers. In 2024, the Seal River Watershed Alliance and Audubon printed a three-year summary report of the outcomes of the venture. The report was used to assist showcase the worldwide significance of the area and underline the importance of defending it. 

In 2025, Audubon awarded the Seal River Watershed Alliance the primary Hemispheric Conservation Award to acknowledge and honor their work to preserve this globally vital watershed