The roots of many trees stretch out four to seven times farther than their leafy branches.
Bill would outlaw destruction of endangered species'
habitat
Bill would outlaw destruction of endangered species'
habitat David Anderson, the federal Environment Minister,
is hoping to initiate legislation to save endangered species by
making it an offence to destroy forests, wetlands and lakes where
at-risk species live, on both federal and privately-owned lands.
Canada does not yet have legislation to protect species who are
endangered. The Liberal government proposed a bill to protect
endangered species in 1996, but it was never ratified. It was
criticized by scientists who said that it was too weak to protect
species and their habitats. Loss of habitat is one of the most
important factors in species becoming endangered, and scientists
believe that about 80 per cent of Canada's endangered species are
at risk of becoming extinct. There are fears, however, that the new
proposed bill will run into problems. The bill does not offer
compensation for those individuals who are unable to use their land
because of the presence of an at-risk species and most
environmentalists believe that compensation is the key to fair
legislation. Some of the most endangered animals in Canada are the
beluga whale, the peregrine falcon, the northern cricket frog and
the Lake Erie water snake. 25 AUGUST 1999
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