The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq’s Mi’kmaw Conservation Group is thrilled to officially announce nearly 1.2 million dollars in funding awarded to our organization by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Coastal Restoration Fund over the next four years. The funds, as part of the Ocean’s Protection Plan will help to build capacity in our communities, enhance and restore coastal areas within the Bay of Fundy watershed and the Northumberland Strait, and many other provide wonderful opportunities.

“The Department of Fisheries and Ocean’s Coastal Restoration Fund (DFO – CRF) will help the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) focus on building coastal restoration capacity within our Mi’kmaq communities and will enable us to restore integral coastal landscapes along the Northumberland Strait and the Bay of Fundy watershed. This opportunity would not be possible without the support of DFO and their efforts to understand the importance of incorporating the concepts of “Two Eyed Seeing” and “Netukulimk” into our proposed activities and overarching objectives. The main restoration activities will include artificial reef installations in the Northumberland Strait to enhance and/or restore impacted marine and estuarine habitats and tidal barrier restoration planning and work along the Bay of Fundy shoreline to restore salt marshes in the region. All of this work will be completed through use of both the traditional lens and the western science lens bringing both knowledge sets into one collaborative effort to restore our lands and resources”. – Angeline Gillis, Senior Director for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq.”

“Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) is proud to support Mi’kmaw Conservation Group’s coastal restoration efforts along the Northumberland Strait and Bay of Fundy. “As the leading nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the bays and estuaries of the United States, RAE is excited to partner with MCG, who are committed to achieving similar results in this region of Canada. RAE is grateful to MCG and the Coastal Restoration Fund for this opportunity to leverage the expertise and experience of our staff and network – particularly regarding the design and use of Reef Balls – to bring about lasting impacts for the environmental, economic, and cultural benefit of present and future generations.” – Jeff Benoit, President and CEO of Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE)

To read the official press release from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, click HERE.

For the official statement in French, click HERE.

Want to get involved? Reach out to us!

Coastal Restoration Project Manager: Anthony King aking@cmmns-denr.ca

Coastal Restoration Project Coordinator (Northumberland Strait): Alyssa Palmer-Dixon apalmerdixon@mikmawconservation.ca

Coastal Restoration Jr. Project Coordinator (Annapolis Valley First Nation Office/Bay of Fundy): Lauren Lawrence llawrence@mikmawconservation.ca