Ontario Nature Advocates for Protection of Water & Nature

By Joshua Wise,
The Tiny Cottager,
Spring/Summer 2017

As part of the review of the Province’s Growth Plan, the Province is set to unveil a draft map of a regional Natural Heritage System – an identified network of core natural areas and corridors that support the protection of the region’s water and biodiversity – for the entire Greater Golden Horseshoe. This Natural Heritage System will provide added protection for natural features, like wetlands, dunes, forests and river valleys throughout the region. The goal is to shift development away from important areas that provide wildlife habitat, help regulate the climate, filter fresh water and control flooding. Ensuring community voices and experts inform the development of this system will be critical to get the government to protect locally-significant features. See also “Expanded Greenbelt would help protect our Water Resources” Tiny Cottager Fall 2016.

To help leverage the local expertise and knowledge that exists across these communities, Ontario Nature (established as the Federation of Ontario Naturalists in 1931) is piloting a community-led approach to identifying a Natural Heritage System, with a focus on Simcoe County
and communities in the Nottawasaga watershed.

This project is being funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, and delivered in partnership with the Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition. For more information please contact me at joshuaw@ontarionature.org