Biodiversity

BIODIVERSITY

Natural Heritage
Laws and Regulations
Greenbelt Protection
Links

What is biodiversity?

Biological diversity describes the range of plants and animals living on the earth or present in a given region. "Biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and micro organisms and their ecosystems – it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and healthy environment in which to live." (United Nations Environment Program, 1992, The Convention on Biological Diversity). All living things are dependent on each other and on non-living things like water, air and soil. It is only by protecting our complex ecosystems that we can ensure our own protection.

Species around us are going extinct. Extinction is a natural process that has gone on since life began. However, it is altogether possible that the human species may cause its own extinction by hastening the deaths of other species. We are dependent on a healthy environment and benefit from finding a balance between our needs and desires and the needs of other life forms. This balance is important for the longevity of humanity.

By appreciating the richness of life around us, supporting the growth of woodlands and wetlands, reducing population, reducing pollution, reducing sprawl, we help can ensure a healthy living environment.

A Word about our Natural Heritage

A while back, I took a group of students to an abandoned quarry on Kern Road in Burlington (now a designated conservation area - Kerncliff Park). Excavation had unearthed the ancient corals and brachiopods (shown left) that once thrived in the warm ocean waters that covered most of southern Ontario in the Ordovician period, some 400 million years ago. The students marveled as ribbon snakes emerged from their hibernaculums and slithered, by the hundreds, from beneath the ancient stone. These remnants from the throngs of reptiles that dominated the planet some 65 million years ago had found refuge in this manmade niche at the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. (The Niagara Escarpment was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1990.) We looked up at the layers of shale and limestone sediments cataloging millennia of once thriving life. Sedum acre, a lovely European native, now decorated the rock faces while native cattails (Typha latifolia) had established themselves within the watery quarry basin. On this small pocket of land, painted turtles, green frogs, American toads, red spotted newts, red-backed salamander, (to name but a few inhabitants), flourished. It is wonderful to see that such diversity can thrive in the midst of suburbia and these precious spots do indeed need to be protected and expanded. This is our natural heritage.

Halton has many such areas of inherent natural value due to its rich ecological history. Halton is in what is called the Lake Erie Lowlands region of the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone. This region is characterized by its cool winters (average temperature -5ºC) and warm summers (average temperature 17ºC). During the last 10,000 years (called the holocene epoch), this moderate climate allowed a highly diverse ecosystem to develop. Historically, as you moved from north to south, mixed hardwood conifer forests transitioned into a mostly deciduous Carolinian forest at the warming shores of Lake Ontario. In the northern region, (termed Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest), "mighty cathedrals of sugar maple and white pine rose twenty to thirty metres or more before branching into great canopies. Beneath lay three- or four-storied complexes of life, catering to a wide variety of wildlife. We will not see the life of these forests in our lifetime; they took a thousand years or more to develop," (M. Singleton. Latticework of ecosystems in Legacy: the natural history of Ontario, Theberge, J. ed. McClelland and. Stewart Inc., Toronto, 1989. p. 123). Indeed, there is very little old growth forest remaining - most forest tracts in Halton are less that 70 years in age, due to agriculture, timber harvest and urban development. The exception to this is the old-growth trees on the on cliff faces of the Niagara Escarpment. Here eastern white cedars (Thuja occidentalis) have been found as old as 1690 years, (Ontario's Old Growth Forest Project).

"According to LANDSAT TM satellite imagery (vintage 1987-1993), less than 15% of Ontario’s Carolinian landscape is classified as having “natural” cover. The Canadian portion of the Carolinian Life Zone has been described as the most ecologically-degraded part of the Great Lakes basin. Forest cover has been reduced from 80% to 11% (Table 1), and wetlands from 28% to 5% of the area. Only 0.07% of southern Ontario is now in old growth condition (over 120 years in age). Nearly all of the remaining “natural” cover in the Carolinian Zone has been logged, irrigated, cleared, polluted or otherwise disturbed by human activities at one time or another over the past few centuries. Because the most intact natural areas have persisted where feasibility of agricultural and urban development is poor, the remnant vegetation proportions differ significantly from pre-European settlement conditions." (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, The Big Picture project)

You can still glimpse some of this region's natural history by visiting one of Halton's conservation areas, Bronte Creek Provincial Park or Forks of the Credit Provincial Park in Peel Region. In addition, explore the Credit River Watershed and hike the Toronto or Caledon Bruce Trails through the Niagara Escarpment to understand some of the richness that once covered this area.

To learn more about Halton's flora and fauna, visit the Mixedwood Plains section of the Canadian Biodiversity Project website (created by Torsten Bernhardt, Redpath Museum of McGill University). For more technical information follow the links at the end of the intro to ASSESSMENT OF SPECIES DIVERSITY IN THE MIXEDWOOD PLAINS ECOZONE (assembled by the Biodiversity Assessment and Evaluation Research Branch of Agriculture Canada). The Hamilton Naturalists Club has posted a wonderful education site on the Habitats of Hamilton and Halton. The Royal Ontario Museum has great Field Guides for Halton region covering birds, amphibians and fish. The Ministry of Natural Resources provides "a data bank on the character, distribution and conservation status of natural areas, critical flora and fauna, communities and special features in Ontario." Click on the links for Halton Region to learn detailed information about specific areas. The MNR has a nice website entitled Ontario's Landscape that focuses on Ontario forests.

Laws Protecting Species and Habitats

In 1971 Ontario was the first province to pass an Endangered Species Act. It wasn't until 1996 that the Federal government established the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada. The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is now charged with the protection of species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), which came into effect in 2003.

Currently, in Ontario, there are a total of 178 species designated as being at risk. Six species are extinct, nine are extirpated (no longer exist) in Ontario. This list only includes those species that have been identified and tracked - there are undoubtedly many others that may simply disappear or have already disappeared without anyone even knowing they existed. The Royal Ontario Museum's site, Species at Risk in Ontario, provides more detailed information on specific species and habitats as does Environment Canada's Canadian Species at Risk.

GreenBelt Protection

In 2005, Ontario passed the Greenbelt Protection Act, designed to protect about 1.8 million acres of environmentally sensitive and agricultural land in the Golden Horseshoe from urban development and sprawl, (Greenbelt Map). The protection of these lands only occurred because citizens of Ontario spoke out. The Ontario Greenbelt Alliance represents a coalition of over 70 organizations interested in protecting our natural heritage. Although the GreenBelt Protection plan is a great start, it has flaws and does not go far enough to protect lands in the Greater Toronto Area (Rick Smith, Environmental Defense, Submission to the Standing Committee on General Government on Bill 135). Your efforts are needed to continue pressure on the government to ensure greenbelt lands are indeed protected and expanded.

LINKS OF INTEREST

Learn more about biodiversity by visiting these sites:

Canadian Sites:

Halton Region and Environs:

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

Conservation Halton (HRCA)
Credit River Watershed
Field Guides for Halton
Habitats of Hamilton and Halton
Halton Regional Draft Forest Management Plan (pdf)

Ministry of Natural Resources Databank for Halton Natural Heritage

Niagara Escarpment

Toronto or Caledon Bruce Trails

Provincial:

Conservation Ontario: Conservation Ontario is an umbrella organization for Ontario's 36 Conservation Authorities.
Gardening with Natives: This page provides a comprehensive set of links for identification of native plants species.
Ontario - Ministry of Natural Resources: "The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is leading the development of a biodiversity strategy for Ontario. The intent of the strategy is to conserve Ontario's biodiversity and provide for the sustainable use of the province's biological resources. Conserving biodiversity and promoting sustainability is vitally important for ensuring a healthy environment, strong communities and a solid economy." Natural Heritage Centre
Ontario Nature
Ontario Provincial Parks: Protecting the ecological integrity of Ontario Parks is an ongoing issue. Finding a balance between recreation and preservation of wilderness is a matter of public concern. First and foremost, these parks should protect biodiversity. Make your opinion known, email the Legislative Review. Ontario Parks operates Species at Risk
The Royal Ontario Museum has a Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology: This is a burgeoning site links to excellent information including Ontario Species at Risk and Northern Biodiversity including a useful guide to Flora of Muskoka.
Ontario Heritage Trust: The Ontario Heritage Trust is the government's trustee for properties of provincial heritage interest in Ontario.
Ontario Stewardship: A province-wide association of organizations and individuals dedicated to conservation and a healthy environment.
Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund: The Fund is a non-governmental program led by Wildlife Habitat Canada, a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to habitat stewardship across Canada.
Trees Ontario Foundation: The mandate of the Trees Ontario Foundation is to increase and promote
the management of the forest landscape of Ontario’s private and public lands
by working in co-operation with government, associations, and sponsors.
Volunteer Monitoring of Forest Restoration: "In Southern Ontario before European settlement, it is estimated that 63.7 % of the land was covered by upland forest (Larson et al. 1999). By 1910, more than 93 % of these original dry-mesic forests had been cut for timber or cleared by fire for agriculture. Another 4% were in ‘managed’ woodlots. By 1921, some regeneration of secondary forest had begun as the more marginal farmland was abandoned, and a total of approximately 10.6 % of upland was forested. Of this it was calculated that less than 1% )60,000 ha) of the original hardwood forest remained at that time, and losses of these oldgrowth forests continue to this day (Larson et al. 1999)." Nikki May, 2004 University of Guelph, Thesis.

National:

Biodiversity in Canada: A Science Assessment for Environment Canada: In 1994, the Biodiversity Science Assessment team reviewed the effects of major human activities on biodiversity in Canada as well as the status of Canadian programs and policies.
Biodiversity in Canada: This is an online book compiled by Stephen Bocking a professor of Environmental Studies at Trent University. Although, many of the links have not been maintained since 2002, it still contains beneficial information.
Canadian Biosphere Reserves: The Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association CBRA is an association of Canada's 13 Canadian biosphere reserves - including the Niagara Escarpment.
Canadian Biodiversity Website: This is a comprehensive site on biodiversity, providing both theory and specific information on habitats and species.
Canadian Wildlife Service: CWS operates Species at Risk a helpful but not particularly easy to use site.
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada: COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) is a committee of experts that assesses and designates which wild species are in some danger of disappearing from Canada. This site provides species lists in pdf format only.
Environment Canada Sites:
Canadian Biodiversity Information Network (CBIN):: Environment Canada's Biodiversity Convention Office monitors the latest developments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy.
Science and Technology for Canadians - Biodiversity Links: This is a useful set of weblinks on Biodiversity in Canada.
Biodiversity: The World Resources Institute produced this site to answer basic questions about biodiversity and to offer positive suggestions for protecting wildlife.
Biodiversity: The Virtual School of Biodiversity is an award winning collaborative effort on the part of the University of Hong Kong and the University of Nottingham. General information is available as well as excellent international links and resources.
Biodiversity and Conservation: This is a hypertext book by Peter Bryant (School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine). This is an award-winning site with up-to-date links well worth the visit.
The Biodiversity Collection: The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (NPEEE) in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund has assembled a great collection of web resources for teaching and learning about biodiversity. They also provide supplementary materials, guidelines and suggestions for educators in pdf format.
Biodiversity Support Program (BSP): BSP "...is a consortium of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and World Resources Institute (WRI). BSP is funded through a cooperative agreement between WWF, the lead consortium institution, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Center for Biological Diversity: This site focuses on biodiversity in the Western United States, however the endangered species links are great for student research projects and the actions proposed are applicable anywhere.
The Native Plant Information Network: This site encourages the cultivation, conservation, and preservation of wildflowers and other native flora throughout North America. It links to a database of over 6000 species.
USGS GAP Analysis: The mission of the Gap Analysis Program (GAP) is to provide regional assessments of the conservation status of native vertebrate species and natural land cover types and to facilitate the application of this information to land management activities.

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