Overview

Environment Canada recognizes the need to protect species and genetic diversity through conservation of natural areas in the Great Lakes watersheds. Loss and alteration of native habitats have been identified by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Species in Canada (COSEWIC) as the dominant factor responsible for endangering wild plants and animals. Another critical factor is the sharp increase of invasive species, which are non-native organisms that have successfully entered the Great Lakes ecosystem. These problems threaten the region’s biodiversity, economy and people.

ISSUES
AGREEMENTS AND LEGISLATION
PROGRAMS
REPORTS AND GUIDES
DATA

ISSUES

• Wetlands Conservation
  Two thirds of the original wetlands in the lower Great Lakes basin have already been lost, and they continue to be destroyed
• Wildlife Enforcement
  The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) manages wildlife matters that are the responsibility of the federal government, including the protection and management of migratory birds, nationally significant habitat and endangered species
• Habitat Protection
  The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) of Environment Canada considers habitat protection vital to conserving wildlife
• Invasive Species
  Invasive alien species threaten the Great Lakes ecosystem, economy and society, including human health
• Species at Risk in Ontario
  Nearly half of the wild animal and plant species that are considered “at risk” in Canada are found in southern Ontario

AGREEMENTS AND LEGISLATION

• Canada Wildlife Act
  Provides the authority for the establishment of refuges known as National Wildlife Areas in which migratory birds, other wildlife, and habitat could receive protection
• Canadian Biodiversity Strategy
  Strategy to determine the measures which are required to meet the obligations of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and to coordinate national efforts aimed at the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources
• Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
  CITES sets controls on the international trade and movement of animal and plant species that have been, or may be, threatened due to excessive commercial exploitation
• North American Waterfowl Management Plan
  An international action plan to conserve migratory birds throughout the continent
• Species at Risk Act
  Federal government commitment to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct and secure the necessary actions for their recovery

PROGRAMS

• Contaminants in Herring Gull Eggs from the Great Lakes
  Canadian Wildlife Service program to monitor persistent toxic chemicals in the eggs of Herring Gulls and to study the biological effects of these contaminants on waterbirds of the Great Lakes
• Eastern Habitat Joint Venture in Ontario (EHJV)
  EHJV is part of a unique collaborative waterfowl conservation strategy, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
• Ecological Gifts Program
  Opportunity for private and corporate landowners who donate ecologically sensitive lands, or interests in such lands, to receive significant income tax benefits
• Great Lakes Wetlands Conservation Action Plan (GLWCAP)
  Brings together various government and non-government partners in an effort to conserve and rehabilitate wetlands
• Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk (HSP)
  The HSP helps Canadians protect species at risk and their habitats
• State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conferences (SOLEC)
  SOLEC is a binational series of conferences hosted by Environment Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Volunteer Wildlife Monitoring
  Long-term programs to monitor and conserve the region's habitats and their wild inhabitants, including the Marsh Monitoring Program, Forest Bird Monitoring Program, and Durham Region Coastal Wetland Monitoring Project

REPORTS AND GUIDES

• Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) Annual Reports
  
• Fish and Wildlife Health Effects in the Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern
  
• Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands – Science and Conservation
  
• Great Lakes Wetlands Conservation Action Plan – Highlights Report (2000-2003)
  
• Habitat Rehabilitation in the Great Lakes: Techniques for Enhancing Biodiversity
  
• How Much Habitat is Enough? A Framework for Guiding Habitat Rehabilitation in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (Second Edition)
  
• Ontario Shorebird Conservation Plan
  
• Working Around Wetlands? What You Should Know
  

DATA

• Data and Information
  Search this data portal to find data and information on biodiversity issues