© Lora Denis
It’s one of those mornings when I really love my job. Our staff have gathered at Mills Block Forest, a conservation area managed by the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority in Thunder Bay. There is a brief moment of calm with only spring peepers and a few crows breaking the silence before an explosion of activity. ...
The Government of Ontario’s new Forest Sector Strategy has been portrayed as a gift to the people of northern and rural Ontario. It claims to herald a “better quality of life”, secure “a prosperous future”, and of course, “end unnecessary duplication”. Instead, it’s another bulldozer for the Premier to pave the way for sweeping changes ...
I’ve been working to protect boreal caribou and their habitat for nearly 20 years. I’ve conducted field research, published peer-reviewed papers and talked to thousands of people about the plight of this majestic animal in Ontario. Over the years, boreal caribou have been subjected to an onslaught of legislative and policy decisions that have threatened ...
On October 31, 2017, Environment Canada released its long-awaited report summarizing the implementation progress of federal recovery strategy for boreal caribou. In 2012, provinces and territories were given five years to develop and finalize plans to effectively protect critical caribou habitat. Not a single province met the deadline.
Woodland caribou © Bubba55 CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Eco terrorist.” “Environmental extremist.” “Latte-sucking, SUV-driving, Toronto tree-hugger.” My colleagues and I have been called many names for advocating for the conservation of caribou. When you live in part of Ontario’s remaining logging empire, as I do, talking about protecting caribou habitat can be like kicking a hornet’s nest.