Province maps out new nature and farm protection for the Greater Golden Horseshoe!
Posted: August 4, 2017
Categories: GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Ontario
For Immediate Release!
Province maps out new nature and farm protection for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
TORONTO, July 6, 2017 – This afternoon the Province took an important step towards better protecting nature and farming across the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) with the release of regional plans for a Natural Heritage System and Agricultural System. The plans are an important step towards protecting and recovering biodiversity and supporting healthy, thriving rural communities, especially in an era of climate change.
The Natural Heritage System plan identifies a network of forests, rivers, and wetlands that provide essential habitat for wildlife. “We’re thrilled to see the Province step up and lead this important mapping exercise,” says Joshua Wise, Ontario Nature’s Greenway Program Manager. “However, important habitats in regions such as Wellington and Waterloo are not adequately represented in the draft plan. This needs to be fixed.”
The proposed natural heritage system builds outward from the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Greenbelt Plans. “Linking these natural heritage systems is the key to creating a more resilient, healthy landscape,” says Debbe Crandall, Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition’s Policy Director. “I am concerned, however, that the proposed linkage areas connecting the core natural habitats are much too narrow – only 500 meters wide. By comparison, linkage areas in the Oak Ridges Moraine are as wide as two kilometers. The corridors are critical placeholders. Once identified, they would be protected from urban development, and would present opportunities for ecological restoration and stewardship over time.”
The Natural Heritage System plan, was released with an Agricultural System plan. Together the two plans will bring Greenbelt-like protections to natural areas, farmland and other necessary infrastructure that supports agriculture across the GGH. “We will carefully review the draft plans to make sure that they meet the needs of nature and rural communities,” says Erin Shapero, Senior Greenbelt and Smart Growth Program Manager at Environmental Defence and the Coordinator of the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance. “The government must consult with Indigenous communities, farmers, community groups and other local experts to ensure the plans will truly support biodiversity and agriculture over the long term.”
The Province released the plans on the Environmental Registry for a 90-day public comment period, which concludes October 4, 2017 (Policy Proposal Notices: EBR 013-1014 and 013-0968).
Public Open houses scheduled for:
Guelph, July 20, 2017, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Holiday Inn, 601 Scottsdale Drive, Guelph, N1G 3E7
Town of East Gwillimbury, August 17, 2017, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Mount Albert Community Centre, 53 Main Street, Mount Albert, L0G 1M0
Peterborough, September 12, 2017, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront, 150 George Street, Peterborough, K9J 3G5
Note: Sustain Ontario’s Farming and Farmland Network would like to create a working group for this to discuss this consultation. Please email networks@sustainontario.ca to join the group!