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Placing economic value on wetlands and other natural features is a concept becoming increasingly favoured by ecologists and economists alike to better explain the significant contributions wetland functions provide to environmental and societal health. This report, commissioned by NCC and DUC, and written by one of Canada’s leading environmental economists, illustrates the importance of valuing natural capital in the settled areas of Canada. The report uses economic principles to describe the goods and services provided by natural, environmental and ecosystem resources as natural capital. Conserving natural capital is essential to the sustainability of life. Not accounting for these values when making planning and policy decisions can be very costly, and ramifications can extend well into the future. Some of the sustainable benefits lost to society by the degradation and destruction of nature include:
Using specific examples and case studies across Canada, the report demonstrates how protecting natural capital in settled areas may save Canadians hundreds of millions to billions of dollars each year.
Adopt-a-Class: Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Project Webfoot
Education is the key to conserving wetlands and wildlife for future generations. By learning about the importance of wetlands and the actions that can be taken to help conserve and protect wetlands, young people can grow up to be active conservation leaders of tomorrow. DUC’s Project Webfoot is a curriculum-based wetland education program that provides lesson plans, field trips to local wetlands and on-line resources. Individuals and companies have made a difference by adopting classes to sponsor the delivery of this valuable learning experience. To date, approximately 100 schools have participated in DUC’s Project Webfoot program in the Great Lakes area. For more information, please contact Project Webfoot (see Contacts). Strategy 2: Improve Wetland Science, Data and MonitoringConduct and facilitate study of wetland functions, status and trends to improve understanding, communicate values, and set priorities for protection and rehabilitation. Develop an accessible, computerized database for coastal Great Lakes wetlands.
Modelling Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Wetland Plant and Bird Community Responses: Assessing Water-Level Regulation Scenarios
The International Joint Commission (IJC) has recently completed a five-year study (2000–2005) to review the operation of structures controlling the flows and levels of the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River (LOSL) system. In addition to addressing the multitude of stakeholder interests, the regulation plan review also considers environmental sustainability, with a focus on the ecological integrity of wetlands. Environment Canada in partnership with U.S. and regional partners completed extensive, multidisciplinary studies to quantify the relationships between hydrology and wetland plant and bird assemblages in the LOSL system. Analyses revealed strong associations between short and long-term water-level fluctuations and estimated abundance of wetland plant communities and breeding bird pair densities. These quantitative associations were used to develop predictive computer models and environmental performance indicators for use in the assessment of alternate LOSL water-level regulation plans. These environmental performance indicators enabled the identification of alternate regulation plans that should result in reductions of environmental impacts relative to the current regulation plan due to past alterations of water-level cycles. The scientific protocols and results leading to the biological community response models used in the IJC study will be published in the journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment later this year. Please contact Environment Canada (see Contacts) for more information. Remote Wetland MappingSatellite remote sensing has emerged as a major interpretive tool for the identification and monitoring of wetlands. Remote sensing methods are repeatable in time and space, ideal for seasonal or annual monitoring of wetlands in the context of their surrounding land use. Satellite monitoring permits investigations over large areas, which would otherwise be logistically difficult, not to mention timely and expensive. The following stories highlight initiatives that are cooperating nationally and locally to support wetland monitoring. Enhanced Wetland Mapping & Evaluation for Ontario’s Forested ShieldIn the province of Ontario, 'significant' wetlands, identified through the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (OWES), are afforded protection through the Provincial Policy Statement. More than 2 000 wetlands have been evaluated in the province, with the majority of evaluations conducted in southern Ontario. With increasing pressures, including peat extraction, development, climate change and water quality, identifying wetlands in northern Ontario is becoming increasingly important. The Enhanced Wetland Mapping and Evaluation Project was developed to deliver accurate wetland mapping to municipalities. DUC has led the multi-partnered initiative, involving the District Municipality of Muskoka (DMM) and the MNR.
In 2003, the DMM was the site of a pilot project to test current satellite mapping methodologies to create a map of basic wetland types in forested landscapes for the study area. Ground-based data were collected to assess the mapping product. Results indicated a 90 percent accuracy level for identifying Muskoka wetlands. This wetland mapping project identified more than 31 000 hectares of additional wetlands, increasing the areal percentage of identified wetlands within the DMM from 4.82 to 11.26 percent.
The pilot proved very successful at mapping existing wetlands. It has since been expanded to map wetlands in Haliburton County and areas of the Parry Sound District. Workshops are planned to facilitate incorporation of the enhanced mapping into municipal Official Plans. Future work will focus on a more accurate classification of wetland types and may also provide us with the ability to evaluate wetland significance using remote sensing technologies. Please contact Ducks Unlimited Canada (see Contacts) for more information.
Canadian Wetland InventoryCanada is one of the world’s wealthiest countries in terms of water and wetlands. To protect these resources the Canadian government is strongly committed to wetland conservation initiatives and international responsibilities, including climate change, biological diversity, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Canada’s Stewardship Agenda and the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. The Canadian Wetland Inventory (CWI) is a national project being led by EC, that will delineate and classify wetlands based on the Canadian Wetland Classification System. It will provide a baseline estimate for Canada’s wetlands from which to assess and report on the status and trends of these important ecosystems. The CWI will incorporate a multi-scale approach that will accommodate finer-scale details in wetland mapping where they already exist through regional initiatives. For the Great Lakes ecosystem, regional integration of methodology developed through the MNR’s Southern Ontario Land Resource Information System (SOLRIS) and DUC’s and MNR’s Enhanced Wetland Mapping in Central Ontario could provide more detail, making it more useful for a variety of users in this part of the country by providing the best available data. The CWI initiative has been a collaboration involving remote sensing and wetland experts from provincial agencies, universities and the private sector, as well as coordination with other national remote land-mapping initiatives such as the Canadian Forestry Service’s Earth Observation for Sustainable Development of Forests (EOSD). Using a partnership approach ensures vested conservation interests are met and supports an integrated framework for wetland mapping and monitoring in Canada. Phase One of the CWI is nearly complete, and Phase Two is planned to begin in 2006, when it will become fully operational.
The final product, a digital delineated and classified inventory, will be integrated into the National Hydrographic Network available for public access through Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) (www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca *) and GeoBase (geobase.ca *). For more information on the Canadian Wetland Inventory, please visit: www.cwi-icth.ca *. Implications of Climate Change on Marsh Bird Conservation in Lower Great Lakes Coastal WetlandsWater-level cycles are critical drivers governing coastal wetland distribution, ecological diversity and functioning within the Great Lakes. Projections from 2050 climate change scenarios suggest as much as a one metre decline in Great Lakes water levels which may affect the diversity and distribution of current wetland plant and wildlife communities. EC in partnership with the University of Waterloo has developed wetland vegetation and bird community predictive models to estimate impacts on community structure due to declines in mean annual water levels for Lakes Ontario and Erie. Model results indicate that degree of shoreline alteration and coastal geomorphology will strongly affect the ability of current wetland communities to respond and persist under declining Great Lakes water-level scenarios. Existing wetland conservation projects and future Great Lakes coastal wetland conservation programs need to consider potential changes in the distribution and abundance of wetland habitats due to climate change. Incorporating climate change predictive model results into the priorities and targets of wetland conservation programs will help ensure that actions taken in the next ten years remain good conservation decisions into the future. For more information contact Environment Canada or visit: www.fes.uwaterloo.ca/research/airg/wetlands/index.htm *. Data without Borders – The Great Lakes Coastal Wetland InventoryThe Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Inventory is the first spatially explicit, seamless binational summary of coastal wetland distribution in the Great Lakes Basin, and is now available on-line. EC led the completion of the Canadian dataset under the Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Consortium (GLCWC), a binational partnership of wetland science and policy experts which aims to implement a long-term program to monitor Great Lakes coastal wetlands. The dataset supports the long-identified need for a broadly accessible binational wetlands inventory. This database provides a baseline, or standard reference, for the Great Lakes wetland science, policy and management community. It will be the foundation for all subsequent GLCWC work, including the development of a long-term coastal wetland monitoring program. It also provides the first binational estimate of coastal wetland area — more than 216 000 hectares of coastal wetlands have been identified. Almost 50 percent of this wetland area is found in the Lake Huron and Lake Michigan sub-basins. Binational coastal wetland area identified
in the Great
At the 2004 State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC), the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Inventory was used to report on the Coastal Wetland Area by Type indicator, one of the 13 indicators used to determine the health of Great Lakes coastal wetlands. The Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Inventory is available on-line for scientists, policymakers and interested citizens to use in a Geographic Information System (GIS). The dataset can be downloaded from the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) Web site: www.glc.org/wetlands/inventory.html *. Project investigators acknowledge that this dataset is still an underestimate of the current wetland area for some regions of the Great Lakes, particularly the upper Great Lakes where existing federal, provincial or state data are limited. Other GLCWC initiatives are underway to address this limitation, including assessing the use of various remote sensing technologies. Affordable and accurate remote sensing methodologies will enable long-term monitoring of the Wetland Area by Type indicator in the future. Please visit the GLC Web site for more details on the GLCWC, the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Inventory and the SOLEC Indicator work in-progress: www.glc.org/wetlands *. Why Classify Wetlands by Hydogeomorphology?
Existing wetland classification systems utilize biological and physical factors to categorize wetland types. However, broad wetland types (marsh, swamp, bog and fen) do not describe the diversity of relationships that coastal wetlands can have with the lakes. Great Lakes coastal wetlands of similar hydrological connection to the lake and similar local geology will have similarities in basin shape, protection from wave and wind processes, organic accumulation and plant community. These similarities provide a more typical response of the wetland to environmental influences and change. The Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Inventory classifies wetlands using a standardized binational hydrogeomorphic coastal wetland classification system specific to the Great Lakes to more accurately reflect the existing variety of Great Lakes coastal wetlands and provide users with a forum for comparative analyses, both between wetland types and across them. EC scientists worked with U.S. colleagues to develop the binational co-authored classification system and agree on consistent terminology. Read the classification schema on-line at: www.glc.org/wetlands/inventory.html *.
Strategy 3: Secure WetlandsDetermine priority securement sites and the most effective techniques to secure these sites. Focus existing securement programs on priority sites. Undertake wetlands securement at priority sites involving publicly-owned lands to demonstrate innovative securement strategies. Undertake extension and stewardship activities with private landowners to protect the area and function of existing Great Lakes Basin wetlands and achieve the “no loss” long-term goals.
Wetland securement and stewardship through landowner partnerships has become increasingly important to protect wetland habitats and biodiversity. There are thousands of wetlands owned, managed and cared for by individual landowners. Efforts to encourage private stewardship, through permanent legally binding arrangements (e.g., conservation easements), less formal agreements (e.g., signed conservation agreements, or handshake or verbal agreement), and extension and education will protect more wetland habitat than acquisition alone. Landowner contact programs have become a key mechanism to encourage stewardship by private landowners, often in a rural or agricultural setting. GLWCAP partners have made considerable efforts to secure wetlands and other natural areas using a variety of methods, conveying different levels of protection or security. The adjacent table reports on the number of hectares protected through high security techniques and the cooperation of a number of agencies and organizations.
The Power of Habitat Partnership: Roberta Stewart Wildlife Area and Trail
Lying east across the river from the globally-significant Walpole Island marshes and to the north of the coastal wetlands along the eastern shore of Lake St. Clair, the Stewart property is strategically situated within a migration corridor that funnels waterfowl from both the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways. This site, now that restoration is complete, provides reproduction and localized staging habitats for the multitude of dabbling and diving waterfowl that traverse this area each spring and fall.
The property had been identified for acquisition and rehabilitation since the early 1980s through MNR work on the St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan. In 2003, Mr. Stewart offered the property’s farmland to DUC in honour of his late wife Roberta. Because the property abuts MacDonald Park, owned by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, it was proposed that DUC transfer the land directly to Chatham-Kent to become a naturalized area of the park under a 30-year management agreement with DUC and by January 2004 the deal became final. Funding for the acquisition and subsequent wetland enhancement, including diking, flooding, and naturalization was provided by Dow Chemical Inc., the Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation and the Rural Lambton Stewardship Network.
A great deal of work in the area had already established a walking trail along the river. This wetland now provides another destination point. A nature trail around the wetland enhancement project and across the earthen berm allows for easy access, and the Roberta Stewart Wildlife Area has become a high-profile birding location. Interpretive signs showcase the work done by DUC and its many conservation partners to restore habitat in the St. Clair River Area of Concern. The Great Lakes Conservation Blueprint for Biodiversity
The NCC and the Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) recently completed the Great Lakes Conservation Blueprint for Biodiversity. It is the first major initiative to assemble, map and analyze data on the different ecosystems and special biodiversity features across the Canadian side of the Great Lakes Basin, and it is a significant step towards understanding biodiversity in Ontario. Separated into aquatic and terrestrial projects, the Conservation Blueprint identifies distinct ecological systems, or areas of distinct landforms, soils, water, plants and animals, existing in the Ontario Great Lakes Basin. Information is presented as a tool for agencies and conservationists to focus their environmental efforts and make decisions in conservation planning. The project has resulted in a repository of existing data on biodiversity and the geography of the Great Lakes, the creation of several new GIS data layers, new reporting tools on biodiversity and conservation lands, and the creation of new methods for using GIS to assist with conservation planning. Future work on the Conservation Blueprint includes the validation of data inputs, incorporation of additional datasets, consideration of landscape cores and corridors, and the life history requirements of conservation targets. The NCC will be working with partners in key landscapes as they are identified in the Blueprint. Workshops, co-hosted by NCC and the MNR will be held for conservation practitioners and agencies interested in learning how to best use the Blueprint in specific conservation and biodiversity initiatives. For more information and access to the Conservation Blueprint on-line, please visit http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca *.
Strategy 4: Create, Reclaim, Rehabilitate and Manage WetlandsUndertake rehabilitation projects at priority sites. Pursue opportunities for wetland rehabilitation/creation through existing programs, including Remedial Action Plans and the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture. In the long-term, consider ecological and watershed-based goals to achieve an overall increase in the area and function of wetlands in the Great Lakes Basin.
Wetland loss in the Great Lakes Basin is not well documented, but is estimated between 60 and 80 percent, compared to pre-European settlement. Great efforts are being directed to protect what is left of the wetlands in the Great Lakes Basin, but the fact remains that watershed influences and past mismanagement have resulted in degradation and loss of wetland habitat. Rehabilitation activities can be very complex and expensive, depending on the nature of the problems being addressed. Successful rehabilitation requires management plans that monitor wetland responses over the long-term and that are flexible to changes in local conditions.
An adaptive resource management approach is commonly used in wetland rehabilitation, and refers to the adjustment of a management strategy based on an improved understanding (usually from monitoring) or a change in environmental conditions. Adaptive resource management is integral to being a responsible caretaker of a wetland, as there are many ecological influences and functions within a wetland ecosystem that scientists do not fully understand. A number of government and non-government organizations now implement adaptive management techniques in wetlands in their care, and have been very successful in improving the functions and aesthetics of coastal wetlands in need. Over the two-year period covered by this report, 410 wetland rehabilitation projects were underway or completed in the Great Lakes Basin, enhancing approximately 4 458 hectares of wetland habitat. These projects are summarized in the following table.
Oshawa Second Marsh: After the Drawdown
After years of implementing less-intrusive restoration methods with limited effect, DUC led a more intensive project in 2002 to divert the sediment-laden input stream around Second Marsh directly into Lake Ontario. A water-control structure was built to isolate the wetland from lake influences and to manage water levels, and promote vegetation growth. The structure permits a water drawdown, exposes and encourages the natural seed bank to germinate, and mimics natural water-level fluctuations (like those historically seen on Lake Ontario). In 2003, the marsh was partly dewatered and a full drawdown of the water level occurred in 2004. Environment Canada has been involved in Second Marsh restoration and monitoring since 1994 and undertook a study to monitor the physical and biological changes in Second Marsh following the drawdown to determine whether improvements are occurring. Historical vegetation, amphibian, breeding bird, fish and waterfowl studies provide baseline data for comparison, as do the current conditions of other regional coastal wetlands, monitored through the Durham Region Coastal Wetland Monitoring Project. As it has only been two years since the drawdown and one year since newly vegetated areas have been available as habitat, long-term trends and conclusive comparisons cannot be reported. However, there are some very promising observations. The drawdown in 2004 resulted in extensive new growth of emergent vegetation, providing excellent cover for waterfowl and other birds. It appears the birds are responding to these changes. Compared to previous years, there were substantial increases in the numbers of many marsh-nesting species. Species richness has increased for most marsh-nesting birds over the last five years. Most interesting is the appearance of the Pied-billed Grebe and the American Coot, neither of which had been observed at Second Marsh during the breeding season since monitoring began in 1995. Habitat-area sensitive, Virginia Rail and Sora numbers have increased dramatically, and at least one Least Bittern, a species at risk of extinction, was heard calling during the breeding bird surveys. Black Terns, a provincial species of concern, have returned to the marsh in much higher numbers, after a two-year hiatus. Habitat availability for nesting is likely the cause for the increase in Black Terns: a number of nests were observed in the marsh and terns were observed carrying food. A viable nesting year could find Black Terns back at Second Marsh next breeding season. Also notable is that marsh species generalists, such as the Red-winged Blackbird, Swamp Sparrow and Marsh Wren, have remained fairly constant throughout the wetland drawdown and subsequent re-flooding. Continued monitoring of physical and biological parameters is important to determine the health of the ecosystem, the status and trends of wildlife, and their habitat associations. This information will be used to direct management activities in the marsh. It is hoped that eventually Second Marsh will be reconnected with the lake when it establishes itself as a diverse healthy wetland able to remain stable despite the stressors of its watershed. Other partners of the Second Marsh initiative include the City of Oshawa, Friends of Second Marsh, Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority, Ontario Power Generation, Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation, and the MNR. For more information, please contact Environment Canada or visit secondmarsh.science.uoit.ca *. For more information on the benefits of wetland restoration for marsh birds, please see the Bird Studies Canada publication Marsh Havens: Improving Marsh Habitats for Birds in the Great Lakes Basin, 2005. Strategy 5: Strengthen Legislation, Policies, Agreements and ComplianceRefine and improve compliance with existing regulatory programs. Strengthen wetland conservation and protection through ongoing and upcoming regulatory/agreement/policy review opportunities.
The Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program
In December 2004, the Community Conservation Lands (CCL) category (formerly “Other Conservation Lands”) of the Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program (CLTIP) was reinstated through regulation under the Assessment Act. This category enables conservation authorities and charitable conservation organizations to apply for municipal property tax exemption on any properties they own that meet the new designations of eligible land, as listed in the regulation. These new designations, with a broader conservation mandate than the original categories under the program, further contribute towards natural heritage conservation that advances provincial protection objectives. Eleven new categories of designated lands are now eligible for tax relief when owned by conservation authorities or conservation organizations. These changes will allow conservation organizations to put their limited funds toward additional securement and stewardship efforts rather than property taxes. Provincial Policy Statement, 2005On March 1, 2005, the Province of Ontario issued the new version of the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS). This document provides “policy direction on matters of provincial interest related to land use planning and development.” The Natural Heritage policies of the PPS, 2005, provide that:
Notable changes made to the 2005 version of the PPS include:
In addition, the Water policies of the PPS, 2005, have been expanded. They now provide for:
The PPS, 2005, can be downloaded from the following Web site: www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/page_attachments/Library/1/ Drainage Grants and Significant WetlandsRecently the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reviewed their administrative policies for the Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure Program. The new policies recognize the importance of significant wetlands, stating that grants for the creation of new agricultural drains will not be provided within provincially-significant wetlands, unless an engineer’s report demonstrates no negative impact to wetland features or functions. Visit www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/landuse/facts/adip_admin.htm for more information. Coastal Wetland Protection Measures: An Overview for the Great LakesA binational review of Great Lakes coastal wetland protection measures was conducted recently, including regulatory tools, tax incentives, and securement and stewardship activities applicable to the U.S. and Canada. The review documented:
The review provides information that can enhance agency and public support for wetlands conservation action and empower local communities and individual landowners to take greater responsibility for conservation planning and programs in their jurisdiction. For further information see: Loftus, K.K., R.C. Smardon and B.A. Potter, “Strategies for the stewardship and conservation of Great Lakes coastal wetlands.” Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 7,2 (2004): 305–330. Protecting What Sustains Us, Ontario’s Biodiversity StrategyOntario has launched a strategy to conserve the province’s biodiversity, as part of Canada’s response to the international Convention on Biological Diversity. It will complement the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy. Through presenting a vision and goals and identifying threats and opportunities it is hoped the Strategy will conserve Ontario’s “rich natural heritage of native species— including plants, animals and entire ecosystems” according to the Convention’s objectives of conservation, sustainable use and fair and equitable sharing of biodiversity benefits. The document provides a framework for actions by government and its partners, including:
Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy is available on-line at: www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/biodiversity/biodiversity_eng.pdf *. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy is available at: www.eman-rese.ca/eman/reports/publications/rt_biostrat/intro.html. Strategy 6: Strengthen Local Planning and Commitment to Wetland ConservationEnsure that all new plans such as resource-management plans, watershed-management plans, local land use plans, Official Plans and habitat management plans incorporate wetland protection and rehabilitation strategies. Also encourage recognition and designation of appropriate adjacent and upstream land uses.
The Greenbelt PlanOntario’s Greenbelt Plan, approved in February 2005 (and enabled under the Greenbelt Act, 2005), will greatly contribute to the quality of life of present and future generations in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe. The Plan protects the natural resources in this area from urban sprawl which, when added to the protected areas of the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment, addresses more than 700 000 hectares of environmentally sensitive and agricultural lands. The Golden Horseshoe is one of the fastest growing regions in North America. By 2031, it is estimated that about 3.7 million more people will move to this area. The Greenbelt Plan prohibits new development or site alteration in key natural heritage features, such as wetlands and significant woodlands, within the defined Natural Heritage System, and in key hydrologic features such as permanent and intermittent streams. Settlement area expansions cannot extend into the defined Natural Heritage System. The Plan also protects water resources from the impact of development, preserves shorelines and strengthens the river valley connections between the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment, and between Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe. The Greenbelt Plan was developed as a “balanced” plan that protects natural heritage, water and agricultural resources from urban sprawl while at the same time keeping rural communities healthy and the rural economy strong by providing for agricultural, tourism, recreational and resource uses. For more information, visit www.mah.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_22087_1.html *. How Much Wetland Habitat is Enough? A Decision Making Tool.In 2004 Environment Canada produced How Much Habitat is Enough? A Framework for Guiding Habitat Rehabilitation in Great Lakes Areas of Concern, Second Edition, an update of the 1998 report from EC, MNR and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE). The Framework was intended to provide guidance for selecting where wetland, riparian and forest habitat can be restored most effectively and efficiently. It has become a useful tool at the land use and land planning decision level regarding restoration, conservation and planning. It has also become a conservation biology primer for many conservation authorities. The guidelines have been adopted or adapted in over 25 Areas of Concern (AOC) watersheds to guide restoration plans and/or natural heritage/watershed strategies. Adaptation is encouraged: the Essex County Biodiversity Strategy considered the 10 percent wetland cover guideline along with local history and site conditions to arrive at a 12 percent wetland cover goal. The Framework has also seen extensive use outside of the AOCs and is increasingly being used as a conservation tool. There has been increased use by municipal planners, and incorporation of the guidelines in Official Plans is beginning, either directly or through natural heritage strategies. Contact Environment Canada for more information (see Contacts) or read the Framework on-line at: www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/publications-e.html. Wetlands and Source Water ProtectionIn May 2000, drinking water contaminated with e. coli and campylobacter bacteria killed seven people and made over 2 300 ill in Walkerton, Ontario. In response to the Walkerton tragedy and Commissioner Dennis O’Connor’s report of the Walkerton Inquiry that followed, the Ontario government has:
In addition, work on guidelines for implementing watershed-based source water protection is underway. One of the first steps in this planning process is to assess the physical, sociological and economic characteristics of watersheds. An understanding of these watershed attributes is needed to guide protection of drinking water sources. Ontario’s source water protection efforts are being led by the MOE. The MNR is working with the MOE, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and others to develop guidelines for describing watersheds. Wetlands and other naturally vegetated areas, such as woodlands and riparian areas, can help protect drinking water sources by trapping sediments and soils and altering or reducing contaminants, nutrients and some pathogens before they are introduced to surface water and groundwater sources. “Healthy” watersheds have a good mix of naturally-vegetated areas, well distributed across the landscape.
Upper Grand Municipalities: Stepping Up for Wetlands
Healthy Wetlands for the Upper Grand was a three-year project (2002–2005) designed to provide information and technical services for wetland management in the Grand River watershed by raising awareness of wetland values within local communities. Local municipalities and landowners have shown great support for the project. Municipalities have assisted project staff to notify landowners of local workshops and distribute resource materials. Municipalities also participated in a workshop directed to councillors, designed to provide credible information on wetland functions and address specific issues and impacts related to drain construction and maintenance practices. Clearing and drainage of lands for agricultural purposes and for peat extraction are the main causes for wetland loss in the Upper Grand watershed. Coincidentally, four local municipalities in Dufferin County were involved in Official Plan reviews and updates during the project, which opened up opportunities for collaboration. The project staff were able to reciprocate municipalities by providing wetland resource information and comments on draft Official Plans. As of November 2005, two municipalities, Amaranth and East Garafraxa, had completed and adopted new Official Plans and zoning bylaws that will significantly increase the number of wetlands afforded protection. New policies include protection from certain types of development for unevaluated wetlands. In other Upper Grand municipalities, Official Plan reviews are ongoing, but encouraging, as draft plans also include progressive policies for natural heritage protection. In each case, local municipalities have opted to exceed the minimum provincial requirement for protection of “significant” wetlands, as required in the Provincial Policy Statement. In Melancthon Township, the council also implemented a site alteration bylaw to prohibit or regulate the removal of topsoil and the alteration of the grade of the land, largely to reduce the impacts of peat extraction on wetlands and other natural features. These are excellent examples of the growing number of municipalities taking charge of local protection of source water, recognizing the importance of clean water to their communities. Healthy Wetlands for the Upper Grand was a collaborative project implemented by DUC, the Land Stewardship Network serving Dufferin and South Simcoe, and the Grand River Conservation Authority.
Strategy 7: Improve CoordinationCoordinate and integrate all Action Plan protection, rehabilitation and creation initiatives with other ongoing programs that affect Great Lakes wetlands, in particular activities associated with relevant international conventions and agreements.
Bird Conservation Activities of the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture in Ontario: A New Five-Year Implementation PlanThe Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV) was formalized in 1989 and is one of 14 "Joint Ventures" established to coordinate the delivery of programs to meet the objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The EHJV encompasses Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. The Ontario EHJV is a partnership of the federal government, the provincial government, DUC, NCC and WHC. The EHJV establishes direction with respect to waterfowl and habitat conservation goals for delivery of partner programs that have been achieved primarily through partner-driven funding proposals under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, enabling access to U.S. and Canadian matching funds to conserve wetlands and associated habitat in the province. In the late 1990s, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative initiated planning for other bird initiatives (shorebirds, waterbirds and landbirds) on a continental scale with the goal of engaging existing Joint Ventures as coordination, planning and implementation vehicles. The Ontario EHJV has expanded to incorporate these aspects, and is currently developing a new five-year Implementation Plan which will guide partner conservation activities related to wetland and associated habitat in the province and be a component of the overall EHJV Implementation Plan. The new five-year plan (2006–2010) will also integrate agency priorities and commitments; include objectives for wetland habitat conservation, waterfowl populations, communication and education; identify priorities for wetland and waterfowl monitoring, research and evaluation in Ontario; and identify benefits to all bird species and habitats through program implementation. The new five-year plan will also provide an avenue to allow the Ontario EHJV to continue to use its well-developed partnerships and synergy to coordinate programs that meet various bird conservation objectives. If you would like to learn more about the Ontario EHJV, please visit www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ehjv. Great Lakes Islands Biodiversity Project
The Great Lakes islands form the world’s largest collection of freshwater islands. Wetlands are often found on and around island shoals, where they can be protected from wave action by the embayments of archipelagos. These areas contain a high proportion of significant biodiversity, including endemic species, rare habitats and critical biological functions. Strongly influenced by coastal processes, Ontario’s Great Lakes islands include more than 13 000 kilometres of shoreline and harbour many species and communities of provincial and global conservation concern. Current understanding of Great Lakes island biogeography has been generally limited. A comprehensive analysis of biodiversity, threats and existing protection for Great Lakes islands is a strategic step towards ensuring long-term conservation of these important areas and better coordination of efforts to do so. To complete this, the Natural Heritage Information Center (NHIC) has partnered with NCC with support from the MNR to develop an island classification system and conduct a biodiversity assessment for islands or island groups in the Ontario portion of the Great Lakes. Ontario’s contribution to Great Lakes island biodiversity will also better inform the biodiversity significance of U.S. islands in a Great Lakes Basin context. This project extends Ontario’s participation in the binational Collaborative for the Conservation of Great Lakes Islands. This Collaborative was formed in 2003 through funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes National Program Office, and is comprised of government and non-government organizations in Canada and the U.S. The Collaborative was initiated to assemble information on Great Lakes islands and identify conservation needs. The Ontario project is intended to contribute directly to the creation of a coordinated, robust, enduring binational framework to ensure long-term island conservation in the Great Lakes Basin. For more information, please contact the Nature Conservancy of Canada (see Contacts). State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference: Assessing the Health of Coastal Wetlands in the Great Lakes
The State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC), a binational conference established to provide coordinated and consistent reporting on the health of the Great Lakes Basin ecosystem, last provided an update and current assessment of the state of Great Lakes ecosystem components in 2004. The assessment was based on a suite of indicators. Coastal wetland indicators are one of the key assessment tools, along with nearshore aquatic and nearshore terrestrial habitat indicators, in the Great Lakes Coastal Zone Bundle. In 2004, data were presented by the Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Consortium (GLCWC) on 8 of 13 coastal wetland indicators of ecosystem health. On behalf of the GLCWC, Environment Canada contributed a lead role in coordination and collaboration on refinement of binational protocols and analyses in Canadian data collection efforts. Biological condition is measured by indices of biotic integrity (IBIs), a series of locally developed response metrics. IBIs provide comparability across the Basin and, when implemented over a long time, can establish long-term trends. An assessment of the eight indicators reported in 2004 concluded that the status of coastal wetlands in the Great Lakes is “mixed” and “deteriorating”. “Mixed” suggests the ecosystem displays both good and degraded features, and “deteriorating” indicates the ecosystem components are changing away from acceptable conditions. The status is the result of continued anthropogenic pressures, including hardening shorelines, hydrological alterations, watershed contamination and the introduction of exotic species. Long-term monitoring of coastal wetlands is imperative to better understand and appreciate their role in maintaining clean water and healthy ecosystems, and helps promote the need to maintain wetland integrity. The GLCWC is committed to implement a coordinated, long-term program to monitor coastal wetlands using wetland indicators. The framework developed through SOLEC will enable consistency and comparability across the ecosystem, regardless of political borders. For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/greatlakes/solec/index.html * or www.binational.net *. At SOLEC 2004, eight indicators of ecosystem health were used to assess the current state of the coastal wetlands in the Great Lakes.
Strategy 8: Evaluate the ProgramEvaluate the Action Plan components, including a careful assessment of individual techniques and their application.
The implementation team is very pleased with the progress to date of the GLWCAP, Phase Two. Phase Two has established ambitious targets and milestones under each Action Plan strategy. The evaluation presented in this report indicates the significant achievements that have occurred. Many targets have been met or have seen substantial gains. For example, the recent progress in wetland securement and rehabilitation efforts of government and non-government organizations has been outstanding. Between 2000 and 2005, GLWCAP partners have more than doubled their securement target of 6 000 hectares, based strictly on wetlands secured through acquisition. This is a great accomplishment considering budget constraints and the opportunistic nature of wetland securement. There has also been an increasing trend in other (medium to low security) wetland securement options in recent years, as new tools become available and landowners become aware of their options. Recent years have also seen considerable gains through improved legislative and policy protection measures as natural heritage features, including wetlands, are better recognized. Policy is beginning to link water features with natural heritage features for improved ecological protection. Ontario’s new Provincial Policy Statement (2005) prohibits development of or site alterations in any significant coastal wetland in the province. Priorities, opinions and policies in recent years appear to be shifting significantly in support of wetland conservation and GLWCAP will continue to support this focus. The evaluation process also highlights the fact that progress has not been equal across all strategies. Some wetland issues are beyond the control of implementation team agencies, resulting in slower progress. Efforts to focus future activities on priority strategies are hoped to improve the realization of milestones with slower-moving progress. GLWCAP partners will continue to address all issues, regardless of their complexity, to further wetland conservation interests.
Contacts
Partners
Acknowledgements
Information, written contributions and editorial reviews of this report by Krista Holmes, Lesley Dunn, Nancy Patterson, Rebecca Zeran, Brian Potter, Brian Royal, Scott Muir, Angus Norman, Dave Richards, Ron Maher, Dan Kraus, Mark Stabb, Julie Simard, Gord MacPherson, Linda Pim, Pat Freistatter, Barb Mabee, Fiona McKay, Amy Handyside, Richard Drouin, Alastair Mathers, Pat Furlong, David Anderson, Satu Pernanen, Andrew Mack, Joel Ingram, Greg Grabas, Graham Bryan, Brigitte Collins, Julie Suzanne Pollock and Liz Sauer are gratefully acknowledged. To order printed copies, contact: An electronic version of this report and the past three GLWCAP Highlights Reports are available at: www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/publications-e.html. Aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Plan d'action en matière de conservation des terres humides des Grands Lacs - rapport sur les faits saillants (2003–2005). May be cited as: © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Environment, 2006. Catalogue No. CW66-257/2005E |
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