Montreal, 26 September 2008 - The province of Santa Elena, the newest province in Ecuador, emerged as the first jurisdiction in the world to proclaim a provincial day for protected areas, the Prefecta of the province, Ms. Ana Triviño Cisneros, has announced. To be celebrated annually on 23 September, the Day celebrates the designation of a new marine protected area off Ecuador's coast aimed at conserving about 47,000 hectares of some of the world's most spectacular biodiversity.