Earth Day 2005 was the occasion for Canada Post and its counterpart in Ireland, An Post, to link together in the unveiling of four stamps, two from each country, depicting Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park and the Republic of Ireland's Killarney National Park. Both parks are recognized as Biosphere Reserves by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The unveiling ceremony in Canada took place at the residence in Ottawa of Ireland's Ambassador, Martin Burke, and was attended by John McCallum, the Canadian federal minister responsible for Canada Post, and Alain Guilbert, vice-president of communications at Canada Post.

"These stamps beautifully commemorate each country's commitment to the future of these parks and share our conservation message," said Minister McCallum.

Mr. Guilbert told An Post, "As Canadians we are privileged to live in a country rich in natural beauty. However, with this privilege comes an obligation to preserve and strengthen these assets for future generations. Biosphere reserves, like Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park and Ireland's Killarney National Park are an essential part of this obligation."

The stamps, the first ever joint issue between Canada and Ireland, will be issued at the domestic rate (50¢) in Canada and for domestic use in Ireland (one stamp at 48¢ and one at 65¢). The Canadian stamp was designed by Xerxes Irani and his design team at Calgary's nonfiction studios inc., and the Irish stamp was designed by Killarney artist Finbarr O'Connor.

Waterton Biosphere Reserve and National Park is situated in the extreme south-west of the Province of Alberta and covers an area of more than 52,000 hectares. Since 1901, when the biodiversity of the area was recognized, five major environments have been identified in the area - prairie, parkland, montane, sub-alpine and alpine. Specific plants and animals characterize each zone.

Killarney National Park covers more than 10,000 hectares of mountain, moor land, woodland, waterways, parks and gardens. A major geological boundary occurs within the Park, that combined with the climatic influence of the Gulf Stream and the wide range of altitudes in the Park, gives rise to an unusual and varied ecology. UNESCO designated Killarney National Park as a Biosphere Reserve in 1982.

For the benefit of readers of the Canadian Vindicator e-zine, they may consult the following web sites: http://www.irishstamps.ie/IrishStamps/ and
http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/collecting/default-e.asp?stamp=stamps&archiveyear=2005&archivemonth=4
for information on new and old issues.

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