Sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes partly
Manitoba is home to many beautiful and diverse natural areas. Some of them are included in National Parks, Ecological Reserves, Traditional Use Planning Areas, Provincial Parks, Park Reserves, Provincial Forests, National Wildlife Areas, and Wildlife Management Areas.
This blog focuses on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). What they are, their history, their limitations, and the opportunities they present to strengthen Manitoba’s protected areas network.
We’ll explore questions like: How well are the habitats within WMAs protected for the species that rely on them? And how secure are these areas for the people who enjoy outdoor activities there?
What is a Wildlife Management Area?
Wildlife Management Areas are loved by many hunters, trappers, anglers, hikers, bird watchers, and gatherers, but they often fall into a grey area for protection. Some WMAs are not protected at all from industrial activities such as logging, mining, and other industrial extraction activities. In others, they are partially protected or fully off-limits to large-scale industry. That raises a question worth exploring: Are these areas being managed in a way that truly safeguards them for future generations of people and wildlife?
According to the Manitoba government, “The Manitoba Wildlife Act provides for the designation of Crown lands as Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) for “better management, conservation and enhancement of the wildlife resource of the province.”
The province further states, “Wildlife Management Areas exist for the benefit of wildlife and for the enjoyment of people. They play an important role in biodiversity conservation and provide for a variety of wildlife-related forms of recreation, including birding and wildlife watching. Hunting and trapping are generally permitted in WMAs, but these activities may be prohibited or restricted in a few areas. The use of vehicles, off-road vehicles, watercraft, power boats, or airboats, may be restricted in some areas. WMAs are open year round and have no entrance fees.”
WMAs are a strong foundation—but this designation alone isn’t enough. According to the Province of Manitoba, “wildlife lands are designated for the management, conservation and protection of habitat and wildlife resources. Most Wildlife Management Areas contain multiple-use lands and accommodate mineral exploration. Currently, all Wildlife Management Areas are being assessed for suitability to be nominated as endangered spaces.” Many WMAs also presently allow industrial logging, peat moss harvesting, and hydro developments.
History
The first Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Watson P. Davidson, was established in 1961 in southeastern Manitoba. Davidson donated this land to the Manitoba government before his passing in 1954, and in turn, the province commemorated this land for Davidson and his love for wildlife. Since the establishment of this 5,944 hectare area, WMAs have grown to encompass around 2 million acres (5 million hectares) of land across the province!
WMAs are designated through the Manitoba Wildlife Act, which allows Crown lands to be managed and conserved with wildlife in mind. However, it’s worth another mention that this designation doesn’t always mean they are conserved habitats. In fact, many WMAs are either open to, or are presently being used for, industrial activities that can heavily impact wildlife health and people’s enjoyment of outdoor recreational and subsistence activities.
Why Stronger Saving Matters
The Manitoba government, dozens of Indigenous Nations, environmental organizations, and thousands of Manitobans from all walks of life agree: we need to expand our network of Manitoba’s protected areas to ensure a healthy future for people and wildlife. If we want clean air, safe drinking water, vibrant wildlife, and beautiful places to enjoy nature, we must strike a better balance between conservation and industrial development. Protecting natural spaces is essential to maintaining that balance, and doing our part to fight climate change.
How does this apply to the Conservation Areas Initiative?
The Conservation Areas Initiative aims to protect the health of the region’s thriving natural landscape so it can continue to provide sustainable economic opportunities and to support our cherished lifestyles and cultures. That includes ensuring wildlife have the space they need to thrive, and that the traditions tied to these lands—like hunting, fishing, gathering, and many forms of recreation—can continue for generations.
Some key WMAs that the Conservation Areas Initiative is considering for additional protection are:
- Mantagao WMA
- Moose Creek WMA
- Lee Lake Wildlife WMA
- Washow Bay/David B. Tommasson WMA
- Broad Valley WMA
While these areas already have a WMA designation, most are only partially protected from industrial activity. For example, Moose Creek WMA is one of the largest in the province—but it’s also not protected. It’s open to timber harvesting, mineral exploration, and large-scale development. Yet it is a critical habitat for moose, wolves, black bears, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and many more species.
Maintaining large, connected natural spaces is crucial for wildlife to thrive. Fragmentation from roads and extractive industrial developments breaks up habitat and makes it harder for species to survive and migrate. Even when an area is replanted after logging, it does not function the same way as a natural forest. These replanted areas or naturally regenerated forests often lack the complex layers, diversity of tree species, and old-growth features that support everything from fungi to birds to large mammals.
Areas affected by wildfires are generally more beneficial to biodiversity because it allows a wider variety of native species to return on their own time and in their own way, following natural ecological patterns. These areas have a strong chance of once again providing for the full web of life within the forest. That’s why preserving large tracts of Manitoba’s intact boreal forest is so important. Of course, in some cases it’s essential to fight wildfires if they are approaching communities and pose a risk to human life.
The boreal forest is one of the largest forest ecosystems on the planet and is home to thousands of species of plants, animals, insects, and more. Over 80% of Manitoba is covered by boreal forest, including many of the WMAs in the region. This vast and interconnected forest plays a vital role in preserving biodiversity and helps lessen the impacts of floods and erosion. It also stores vast amounts of carbon in its lakes, soils, peat, and trees—making it one of the most powerful natural tools we have to help regulate the climate.
But this globally significant ecosystem is under pressure. Habitat loss and fragmentation from logging, mining, and hydroelectric development weakens its ability to support life. If we want to maintain the boreal forest’s natural benefits—not just for wildlife, but for people—we must ensure that places like WMAs are kept as natural habitats.
WMAs as a Conservation Opportunity?
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) offer an opportunity to expand protected spaces for nature in Manitoba. The WMAs that are presently only partially protected, or have no protections at all from industrial developments can serve as a basis for exploring opportunities to establish new protected areas.
More robust and permanent protection—especially for these areas already recognized as ecologically valuable—is a logical next step. It means working with local communities to determine how best to ensure these places remain healthy and accessible for generations to come.
Let’s Protect What Matters
Wildlife Management Areas are a gift passed down to us, and it’s up to us to make sure we pass them on in good health.
The beauty of these green spaces has invited hunters, anglers, trappers, bird watchers, gatherers, hikers, dog walkers and many others to enjoy the beauty of these areas for generations.
If we value the wildlife, traditions, and the natural processes that these areas support, then meaningful, lasting protection should follow. We must establish a balance of conserved areas alongside areas for industrial extraction activities.
Strengthening protections for WMAs and/or establishing new protected areas doesn’t mean locking people out. It means keeping them natural, healthy, and open for future generations to enjoy—just like we do today.
HOW TO LEARN MORE:
Conservation Areas Initiative Proposal in Brief