© Lora Denis
July 16, 2021–Margaret Prophet
Ecology•Greenbelt and Greenway•Guest Blogger•Land-use planning•Ontario Nature•Water•Wetlands•Wild Species and Habitat
The former mayor of Toronto, David Crombie, once gave me invaluable insight about how we view nature. He said, “We look at green spaces and nature as places with potential. Potential for housing, potential for strip malls, potential for highways – not as if they already have a purpose. We need to recognize they aren’t ...
June 10, 2021–The Coalition for the West Credit River
Ecology•Habitat•Land-use planning•Ontario Nature•Water•Wild Species and Habitat
West Credit River brook trout © Steve Noakes
The Coalition for the West Credit River is fighting to protect a sensitive wild brook trout population in the West Credit River. It is threatened by the proposed Erin Wastewater Treatment Plant which will dump over 7 million litres of sewage effluent into its coldwater habitat every day. Here’s what you need to know: Brook ...
February 24, 2021–Anne Bell
Indigenous Relations•Land-use planning•Stewardship and restoration•Water•Wetlands•Wild Species and Habitat
Lake Simcoe © Nico CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan is now up for its required 10-year review. The question is whether the provincial government will take this opportunity to strengthen or weaken the plan – or do anything at all. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks has not revealed its intentions. Rather than proposing specific amendments for consideration, ...
Gratitude. Relationship. Reciprocity. These are words that often emerge in conversations with Indigenous colleagues. They point to a far more just and caring way of living with each other and the natural world than prevailing settler concepts like “resource” and “land use.” This World Wetlands Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on our relationships ...
Oak Ridges Moraine © Isabel Veldhuis care of EcoSpark
I confess to being a morainiac, so I am thrilled that moraines are one of the “building blocks” for the Government of Ontario’s proposed Greenbelt expansion. This is very good news. If we hope to protect water resources across the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) we cannot ignore the significant role played by moraines and other ...
Blanding's turtle © David Allen CC BY-NC-SA 2.0