Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Collaborating to Protect and Conserve Nature in Ontario s Carolinian Zone Jarmo Jalava Protected Areas Consultant Carolinian Canada Coalition National Workshop October 2018, Toronto
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Collaborating to Protect and Conserve Nature in Ontario s Carolinian Zone 1. Background on Carolinian Canada s unique & perilous ecological situation 2. Conservation Action Planning in Carolinian Canada -- Case Study 3. Carolinian Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy overview
Ontario s Carolinian Zone 0.25% of Canada s land mass >40% of Canada s plants >50% of birds >66% of terrestrial reptiles Our most biologically diverse ecological region
Ontario s Carolinian Zone 25% of Canada s human population
15 ~15 5 >95% private Land ~2.5% protected SAVE STEWARD SEED 30% minimum recommended for healthy landscapes
Signature Sites 1984- In 1984, 38 sites were identified as critical natural areas for securement and stewardship
Big Picture Vision 2000- = Healthy Ecosystems = Healthy Landscapes = Thriving Communities
Big Picture Vision 2000- Carolinian Canada Parks Canada Wildlife Habitat Canada Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Nature Conservancy of Canada Canadian Wildlife Service University of Western Ontario University of Waterloo Federation of Ontario Naturalists World Wildlife Fund - Canada Wildlands League Ontario Power Generation Conservation Ontario Bird Studies Canada Norfolk Field Naturalists Ontario Heritage Foundation Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy
Conservation Action Plans 2008-9
Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation www.conservationmeasures.org
140+ CAP Partners NGOs (land trusts, field naturalists, woodlot owners, stewardship groups, etc) Conservation Authorities Governments & Municipalities First Nations Agricultural Community Businesses & Industry Local communities
CAP situation analyses
CAPs in Action Municipal Policy and Planning
CAPs in Action Funding Support & Ecological Restoration Prescribed burn at Niagara Parks Commission s Paradise Grove Prescribed burn at Battlefield site Post-prescribed burn at Chinquapin Oak savannah
Elgin Greenway CAP 2012-
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy What is it meant to do? A) Assess the current conservation context & align with Canada Pathway to Target 1 initiatives (now) B) Collaborate with a broad range of partners to set realistic goals and develop high-impact strategies to expand the network of Protected Areas (PAs) and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) (2018-) C) Set priorities and identify opportunities for securement, conservation and restoration D) Develop an initial 5-year implementation plan (2019-) Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 18
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Key Principles 1) Reconciliation - Ensure that the strategy respects and aligns with Indigenous world views and treaty rights, is collaboratively developed with Indigenous partners, and is celebrated by the southern Ontario communities it serves. Learn from each other in a respectful space. Find good solutions together. Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 19
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Key Principles 2) Biodiversity - Ensure that the expanded network provides key ecological benefits: high biodiversity concentrations species at risk ecological representation irreplaceability large natural areas habitat connectivity climate change refugia Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 20
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Key Principles 3) Resilient Communities Ensure that the strategy leads to the protection of a natural system that sustains the health and wellbeing of both wild and human communities, as well as local economies, in the face of climate change. Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 21
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Key Principles 4) Ensure that the strategy develops effective, innovative tools to assist and enhance: securement and easements improved stewardship conservation investment partnerships and collaboration programs, policies & incentives education and outreach Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 22
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Key Principles 5) Landowner Stewardship Recognize that on a landscape that is 95% privately-owned, good stewardship is a critical foundation to growing a culture of protection. Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 23
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Key Principles 6) Connected Community Recognize that people need to connect to the land, and partners need to connect to each other to ensure healthy ecosystems and protected areas. As such, places of spiritual and cultural importance can and should be included in the network. Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 24
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Approach: Collaborate with conservation groups and local authorities to identify strategies to expand the protected area network, via: a. Protected Areas Task Force - ongoing b. one-on-one interviews and discussions - ongoing c. Webinar September 2018 d. a network survey - ongoing e. two stakeholder workshops October/November f. a major forum - winter Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 25
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Task Force First Nations: Chippewas of the Thames, Six Nations of the Grand River Agencies: Ontario Parks, Parks Canada, Conservation Ontario, City of London NGOs / Land Trusts: Ontario Nature, Ontario Land Trust Alliance, The Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Farmland Trust, Long Point Basin Land Trust, Thames Talbot Land Trust Academia: University of Guelph, University of Waterloo Professionals: Environmental Lawyer, Consulting Ecologist Interested in participating? Contact: Koral Wysocki (kwysocki@caroliniancanada.ca)
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Proposed Conservation Targets: 1) Protected Areas on Public Lands 2) Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) 3) Protected Areas on Private Land 4) Other Stewardship Sites ( Potential Protected Areas ) 5) Other Restoration Sites ( Potential Protected Areas ) Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 27
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Proposed Goals: Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 28
Big Picture Protected Areas Strategy Tracking the Big Picture Feb.2017 CarolinianCanada.Ca 29
+ People are spending less and less time in nature. Most people can recognize ~1,000 corporate logos and slogans, but fewer than 10 native plant species. Prothonotary Warbler Allen Woodliffe Prickly Pear Cactus Allen Woodliffe
Miigwetch, Merci, Thank You! Partners & Funders caroliniancanada.ca