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(February 24, 2010) Kawartha Conservation is holding open houses around Lake Scugog to present strategies that will help create a healthy future for the lake and surrounding watershed. These strategies are based on research findings in a completed draft of the Lake Scugog Environmental Management Plan (LSEMP), which will also be presented.

The LSEMP was initiated in 2004 in response to public concerns about elevated levels of phosphorous and nitrogen resulting in degraded water quality, aquatic plant growth and a reduction in fish populations. Five years of monitoring and research were undertaken to develop an accurate picture of where these nutrients have been coming from and how much from each source.

Kawartha Conservation found that agriculture, which makes up 53% of the land use in the Lake Scugog watershed, is responsible for 23% of the phosphorous entering Lake Scugog. This is a lower amount of phosphorous per hectare compared to urban areas, which comprise only 3.5% of the land use in the watershed and contribute over 18% of the phosphorous. In addition to a strategy for reducing phosphorous from urban areas, a strategy has been developed to help continue the progress of the agricultural sector.

The other sources which Kawartha Conservation has identified, measured and developed strategies for include natural sources, responsible for 21.4% of the phosphorous; atmospheric deposition, for 19%; septic systems, for 9.7%; rural road runoff (1.3% of land use), for 6.4%; and the Port Perry Sewage Treatment Plant, for 1.8%.

"The quality and level of research in the LSEMP is impressive," says Rob Messervey, Kawartha Conservation CAO. "It provides a good, solid foundation for moving forward on actions that will effectively address the problems."

Open houses will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at each of the following dates and locations:
Monday, March 8: Caesarea Community Hall, 3554 Regional Rd. 57, Caesarea
Tuesday, March 9: Little Britain Community Centre, 9 Arena Rd., Little Britain
Wednesday, March 10: Latcham Centre, 121 Queen St., Port Perry
During each open house, a brief presentation on the research and strategies will take place at 7 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. There will also be displays and opportunities to talk with Kawartha Conservation staff.

"Those who attend the open house will come away with a better understanding of the Lake Scugog watershed and what we need to do to protect and enhance it," says Messervey. "I invite everyone to come out."

More information about the LSEMP can be found at www.kawarthaconservation.com/lsemp.

The LSEMP has been funded by the Region of Durham, the City of Kawartha Lakes and Kawartha Conservation, and was developed in partnership with the Township of Scugog, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Scugog Lake Stewards, the Durham Land Stewardship Council and the Victoria Land and Water Stewardship Council.

About Kawartha Conservation
Kawartha Conservation is a watershed-based, non-profit environmental organization that helps ensure the conservation, restoration and responsible management of water, land and natural habitats through programs and services that balance human, environmental and economic needs. The organization is governed by six municipalities that overlap the natural boundaries of the Kawartha Conservation watershed, including the City of Kawartha Lakes; Region of Durham; Township of Scugog; Township of Brock; Municipality of Clarington; Township of Galway-Cavendish & Harvey; and Township of Cavan Monaghan.

SOURCE: Kawartha Conservation

Bird watchers coast to coast are invited to take part in the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, Friday, February 12, through Monday, February 15, 2010.  Participants in the free event will join tens of thousands of volunteers counting birds in their own backyards, local parks or wildlife refuges.

Each checklist submitted by these "citizen scientists" helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Bird Studies Canada learn more about how the birds are doing—and how to protect them. Last year, participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists online, creating the continent’s largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations ever recorded.

“Taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count is a great way to get outside with family and friends, have fun, and help birds—all at the same time," said Audubon Education Vice President, Judy Braus. "Even if you can only identify a few species you can provide important information that enables scientists to learn more about how the environment is changing and how that affects our conservation priorities.”

Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from novice bird watchers to experts. Participants count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. One 2009 participant said, “Thank you for the opportunity to participate in citizen science. I have had my eyes opened to a whole new interest and I love it!”

“The GBBC is a perfect first step towards the sort of intensive monitoring needed to discover how birds are responding to environmental change,” said Janis Dickinson, the director of Citizen Science at the Cornell Lab. “Winter is such a vulnerable period for birds, so winter bird distributions are likely to be very sensitive to change. There is only one way—citizen science—to gather data on private lands where people live and GBBC has been doing this across the continent for many years. GBBC has enormous potential both as an early warning system and in capturing and engaging people in more intensive sampling of birds across the landscape.”

populations are always shifting and changing. For example, 2009 GBBC data highlighted a huge southern invasion of Pine Siskins across much of the eastern United States. Participants counted 279,469 Pine Siskins on 18,528 checklists, as compared to the previous high of 38,977 birds on 4,069 checklists in 2005. Failure of seed crops farther north caused the siskins to move south to find their favorite food.

On the www.birdcount.org website, participants can explore real-time maps and charts that show what others are reporting during the count. The site has tips to help identify birds and special materials for educators. Participants may also enter the GBBC photo contest by uploading images taken during the count. Many images will be featured in the GBBC website’s photo gallery. All participants are entered in a drawing for prizes that include bird feeders, binoculars, books, CDs, and many other great birding products.

In 2010, Bird Studies Canada (BSC) joins the GBBC as the program’s Canadian partner. "Bird Studies Canada is delighted to be the Canadian partner for this extremely valuable program," said George Finney, President of BSC. "Participating in the GBBC is an excellent way for Canadians to reconnect with their love of nature and birds."

For more information about the GBBC, visit the website at www.birdcount.org. Or contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at (800) 843-2473, gbbc@cornell.edu, or Audubon at (202) 861-2242 ext 3050, citizenscience@audubon.org. In Canada, participants may contact Bird Studies Canada at 1- (888)- 448-2473 ext. 134 or gbbc@birdscanada.org. 

The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by generous support from Wild Birds Unlimited.  

SOURCE: Bird Studies Canada

Toronto, February 1, 2010 – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is proudly marking World Wetlands Day, February 2! Swamps and ponds, marshes and peat bogs – we love them all.
Wetlands are amazing places. They act like giant sponges, soaking up rain and snowmelt, and slowly releasing it in drier seasons. They filter our water helping to reduce the effects of pollution and help reduce soil erosion.

Considered to be one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, wetlands also sustain life. Many plants, fish and birds call these damp places home, using them for breeding, nesting and feeding. Without wetlands some species would simply cease to exist.

Unfortunately, wetlands are in jeopardy and are rapidly disappearing. In southern Ontario alone less than two-fifths of the original wetlands remain, (in some areas as much as 90 per cent has been lost).

World Wetlands Day recognizes those countries that have signed the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international conservation agreement. Canada is a signatory and there are 37 Ramsar sites coast to coast.

As this country’s leading conservation organization NCC has been working since 1962 to protect these unique and rich habitats. We’ve helped to conserve some of the most spectacular wetlands in Canada. So join us and celebrate wetlands on February 2.

In this International Year of Biodiversity, challenge yourself and learn more about a wetland near you.

“Wetlands have disappeared over the past century at rates in excess of 70% in many parts of Canada. Urgent action is required to ensure that those we have left are protected from land conversion, infilling and draining,” said John Riley, Chief Science Officer and National Director, Conservation Strategies, Nature Conservancy of Canada. “We are even now learning about new ecological services, which make wetlands important far beyond their roles as productive habitats and water purifiers. Because Canada has about one quarter of all the world’s wetlands, this is a special Canadian responsibility.”

Facts
· Canada is home to 25% of wetlands in the world
· Wetlands are the only ecosystem designated for conservation by an international convention
· Wetlands offer one of the best natural protections against flooding
· Wetlands are important migratory rest-stops for birds when they migrate in the spring and fall.
· Animals big and small rely on wetlands for their survival, from tiny salamanders to the imposing moose

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading land conservation organization. Since 1962, NCC has helped to protect more than 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land nationwide. www.NatureConservancy.ca

SOURCE: The Nature Conservancy of Canada

Vancouver, British Columbia – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) joins its many partners today to celebrate the establishment of Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area.  Nearly 13 years ago NCC was instrumental in negotiating the largest donation of minerals rights for the advancement of marine conservation, in Canadian history.  Those mineral rights launched the work that has resulted in today’s great conservation success.

“NCC’s effort to secure the offshore oil and gas exploration rights in the Gwaii Haanas area more than a decade ago was a huge breakthrough for marine conservation at the time,” said Jamie Alley, BC Regional Vice President for NCC.  “Many of us involved with the creation of the National Park Reserve had a dream that one day there would be a marine component, and the agreement between the Government and Canada and the Council of the Haida Nation makes that dream a reality.”

In 1997, NCC played a critical role in laying the groundwork for this National Marine Conservation Area. NCC negotiated with four of Canada’s largest energy companies–Shell Canada, Chevron Canada Resources, Petro Canada and Mobil Oil Canada–to relinquish their off-shore mineral permits within the proposed marine protected area. Under the agreement, NCC received this landmark donation of mineral rights and then transferred those rights to the Government of Canada.

Since then NCC has contributed to marine conservation through the protection of estuaries up and down BC’s coast. NCC also undertakes the restoration of degraded marine habitats, most notably with the extensive and ongoing reconstruction of the Campbell River Estuary. Working closely with the local community and partners, NCC has reclaimed much of this important salmon habitat from its industrial past.

“There is a great opportunity for governments, First Nations and conservation organizations to use the models that we have developed in Haida Gwaii, the Great Bear Rainforest and the Campbell River estuary, to undertake a coast-wide program of marine ecosystem protection and restoration,” said Alley.

About the Nature Conservancy of Canada
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading land conservation organization. Since 1962, NCC has helped to protect more than 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land nationwide. Visit www.natureconservancy.ca.

SOURCE: Nature Conservancy of Canada

Toronto, December 15, 2009 – Citizen scientists are grabbing their binoculars and heading outside for the annual Christmas Bird Count, the largest single volunteer conservation movement on behalf of wildlife.  The count begins this week and continues until January 5, 2010.

This year, nearly 40 Ontario Nature member groups are leading bird counts in communities as far north as Thunder Bay, to Point Pelee in the south, and Kingston and the Ottawa area in the east.  All bird counts are open to the public.

The data collected from the counts allow researchers and conservation organizations to study the long-term health, population numbers, and ranges of birds across North America.  Armed with this information, groups like Ontario Nature can then identify threats to birds and their habitat, and determine appropriate conservation action.

Says Caroline Schultz, Executive Director of Ontario Nature, "The birds of Ontario are a critical part of this province’s biodiversity.  The Christmas Bird Count is a key survey that reveals which populations are increasing and which are decreasing.  Anyone can get involved in a bird count and know that they are contributing to meaningful scientific research."

The Christmas Bird Count started out as the Christmas Bird Census led by American ornithologist Frank Chapman as an alternative to a once popular annual hunt during which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals as a Christmas day activity. Chapman’s suggestion that birds be counted instead of shot changed the course of ornithological history and set the stage for creating an enormously important conservation tool on behalf of birds and the environment.

Today, nearly 400 Christmas Bird Counts are held in Canada – and more than 100 in Ontario alone – with some 12,000 volunteer participants.   Last year, over 2,000 bird counts were conducted across the Americas – a record high.

Bird Studies Canada coordinates the count in Canada in a joint program with the National Audubon Society.  Counts are open to birders of all skill levels.

For a full list of the Ontario Nature member groups that are holding bird counts and when, please visit the Nature Network on our website, www.ontarionature.org.

Ontario quick facts:

• Last year, Ontario Nature member group, Nature London, celebrated its 100th count with more than 100 participants.  London is still Cardinal Capital of the Year with almost 900 of the birds counted.
• Christmas Bird Counts show population declines and also success stories. 
• Both the Orillia Field Naturalists and Rouge Park documented record high numbers of Trumpeter swans – a species once close to extinction — which they attribute to the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre’s restoration efforts.  The same year, the South Peel Naturalists’ Club, based in Missassauga/Oakville, recorded unusually low counts of house sparrows.
• This year, the Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists are celebrating their 75th Christmas Bird Count.
• During last year’s Christmas Bird Count, almost 60,000 volunteers across North America and beyond tallied more than 65 million birds.  Approximately 11,000 volunteers in Canada participated in 361 counts and tallied nearly 3 million birds.

About Ontario Nature
Ontario Nature protects wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. It connects thousands of individuals and communities with nature through conservation groups across the province (charitable registration #10737 8952 RR0001). For more information, visit www.ontarionature.org.

SOURCE: Environmental Communication Options

SUDBURY, ON – What do Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Hollywood, the Liberty Science Center, and the Heineken Experience have in common with Science North?  They all boast visitor experiences that are Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Thea Award winners!  This prestigious international awards program honours outstanding achievement in the creation of compelling places and experiences, and highlights projects determined to be of "outstanding" quality. There are only 12 of these awards given annually to projects that are completed all over the world. 

The Philadelphia Zoo’s new McNeil Avian Center was recently awarded a coveted Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement (Zoo Attraction on a Limited Budget), during the International Association for Amusement Parks & Attractions Conference (IAAPA).  Science North created a signature portion of the McNeil Avian Center, a multimedia object theatre called The Migration Show.

In celebration of the Philadelphia Zoo’s 150th Anniversary, Science North created an exciting multimedia experience featuring bird migration along the Atlantic flyway. Housed in the McNeil Avian Center, The Migration Show experience engages visitors with both an exciting and positive story about bird migration, as well as numerous theatrical effects that immerse their senses.

Main Street Design provided interpretive planning and design for the McNeil Avian Center project. Other key members of the project team including Science North, were the staff of the Philadelphia Zoo, The Portico Group (live animal exhibit and habitat design), SaylorGregg Architects (architecture), and Lynch Exhibits (interpretive exhibit fabrication).

Science North has also been involved in two other projects that have been deemed TEA Thea award-winning experiences. 

Science North developed the concept for a 4D Multimedia Object Theatre called Awards Night: The Tiniest Show on Earth for the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans. In 2008, this attraction won a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement (AOA).

In 2007 Science North created a unique, multimedia production called  Awakening of the Temple  for the Aztec on the River attraction in San Antonio, Texas. The project won a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement Accomplished on a Limited Budget.

“The TEA Thea Awards are considered to be one of the highest honours for our industry, “said Guy Labine, Science North Chief Operating Officer.  “Winning an award of this calibre reinforces our reputation as a leader in the creation, development and implementation of innovative visitor experiences.”

About TEA
TEA is an international non-profit organization founded in 1991. It is dedicated to connecting organizations seeking to engage, enchant, educate and entertain their guests and visitors with the creators of compelling places and experiences worldwide.  For more information, visit www.TEAConnect.org.

ABOUT THE MIGRATION SHOW
The theatre is a fantastic multi-sensory experience that immerses visitors as they follow Otis the oriole on his first migration south.  Otis hatches right in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park and learns that he must travel all the way to Central America for the winter.  Through the use of multiple screens and special effects, visitors fly along with Otis and his friends and experience some of their hardships, including confusing city lights and windy, even wet storms with lightning and thunder!

Otis eventually reaches a shade coffee plantation in Central America, where he learns that he must do the reverse trip the next spring. Otis’ story highlights the Delaware Valley as a critical stopover for migrating birds and brings an engaging look at this amazing feat of endurance, navigation and instinct.

A video of the project is available at this link: http://sciencenorth.ca/exhibitsales/video-migration.aspx

ABOUT Awards Night: The Tiniest Show on Earth
Bugs don’t get the recognition they deserve for their amazing performances… that’s why they hold an “awards night” to honour the best in their “industry”. The theatre literally comes alive with insects – some flying overhead, others crawling up and down branches. Major seat and environmental effects surprise and entertain visitors as they are poked, sprayed, and tickled by these impressive creatures.

ABOUT Awakening of the Temple for the Aztec on the River
Aztec on the River was created in a restored 1926 movie theatre in San Antonio, Texas. Science North produced three separate experiences for visitors to the Aztec on the River attraction, including the Awakening of the Temple lobby show. This ten-minute special effects show dramatically told the story of an ancient Aztec legend with animation and animatronics, lighting effects, surround sound, and simulated smoke and fire. The show awoke the spirit of Xochitl, who told modern mortals of ancient Aztec mysteries, while highlighting the architectural, artistic and historical integrity of the building. The show’s climax featured a seven-foot-long feathered serpent rising out of the temple floor to tower above the audience.

SOURCE: Science North

More aspiring conservation scientists will be working to protect some of Canada’s most ecologically significant landscapes thanks to the expansion of a unique internship program. The Shell Conservation Internship Program (SCIP) introduces college and university students to careers in conservation through summer jobs with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).
A generous $1.5 million investment from Shell Canada Limited will significantly enhance the program over three years. Already it has allowed NCC to nearly double the number of internships offered in the summer of 2009, and NCC is now recruiting Shell Conservation Interns for the summer of 2010. Click here to apply.

The interns gain practical and valuable field experience while working side by side with some of Canada’s best conservation practitioners. The SCIP interns conduct plant and breeding bird surveys, remove alien invasive plants that threaten biodiversity, and engage local communities in conservation action, in addition to many other vital activities.

The funding from Shell allows the Nature Conservancy of Canada to increase its capacity to manage lands effectively during the critical summer field season. The work of the interns makes a tangible contribution to the stewardship of NCC landscapes.
With this level of support, Shell Canada is helping to ensure that a new generation of passionate and well-trained conservation scientists will be ready to meet some of Canada’s toughest environmental challenges. These are the conservation leaders of tomorrow who will work to ensure our natural heritage will be there for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

Shell Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada have been “natural partners” in land conservation projects for more than 25 years, including the Shell Conservation Internship Program which was launched eight years ago.

“Shell’s contribution has enabled NCC to significantly enhance its conservation and stewardship capacity. In addition to the conservation results delivered for NCC, the program provides interns with conservation experience highly valued by future employers, including NCC and Shell Canada,” said Kevin Kavanagh, Manager, Conservation Volunteer and Internship Programs, Nature Conservancy of Canada.

“At Shell, we know that meeting the demand for energy, while reducing the environmental and social impacts of producing and using that energy, are challenges facing us all. We hope the interns’ SCIP experience will inspire them to find solutions to these challenges,” said Lorraine Mitchelmore, president and country chair, Shell Canada Limited.

"The skills I have gathered in 2009 are unsurpassed by any experience I have had to date,” said Todd Brunner, a SCIP intern based in Calgary, Alberta. “They include bird, wildlife, and plant identification, GPS, aerial photo, map and compass use, landowner relations, report writing, applications of mapping software, and many others. These will certainly carry forward into my future work as an environmental professional."

Facts
• SCIP internships offer valuable hands-on experience and a chance to be part of a long-term solution to conserving Canada’s natural areas and native species.
• This summer (2009), 31 interns contributed more than 15,000 hours of conservation work to Nature Conservancy of Canada
• 308 properties covering more than 250,000 acres (101,700 hectares) were surveyed or monitored (about 25 times the size of Stanley Park)
• Interns gathered information on 108 species and natural communities at risk including: Piping Plover, Spiny Softshell Turtle and Garry Oak ecosystems.
• In 2009 the number of internships nearly doubled (31 vs. 18 in 2008)
• Interns worked coast to coast in 2009: British Columbia 4, Alberta 5, Saskatchewan 4, Manitoba 4, Ontario 5, Quebec 4, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island 2, Nova Scotia 2, Newfoundland & Labrador 1
• More than 150 SCIP internships have been provided since Shell and NCC launched the program in 2002
• Shell Canada has contributed $6.5 million in financial resources, land and mineral rights to the Nature Conservancy of Canada over the past 27 years.

Learn More
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading land conservation organization. Since 1962, NCC has helped to protect more that 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land nationwide. www.natureconservancy.ca
Shell Canada, operating in Canada since 1911, is one of the largest integrated petroleum companies in the country. A leading manufacturer, distributor and marketer of refined petroleum products, Shell Canada produces natural gas, natural gas liquids and bitumen and is Canada’s largest producer of sulphur.

Shell Canada is a member of the Shell Group, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, employing approximately 102,000 people and operating in more than 100 countries and territories.

SOURCE: The Nature Conservancy of Canada

Toronto, November 30, 2009 – Ryan Reynolds and a host of other Canadian celebrities have joined forces to protect nature. Reynolds, Jason Priestley, William Shatner and Rachel Blanchard, star in A Force for Nature – a 30 minute television journey through some of our most magnificent but threatened landscapes. The special will air coast to coast. It is produced by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the country’s leading land conservation organization.

Through this exciting partnership, viewers will experience the toll development is taking on natural habitat and the animals and plants that depend on these lands. They will meet dedicated Canadians who are working to save our natural treasures, and learn what we can all do to support that urgent work.

• Ryan Reynolds profiles the Grizzly Bear’s battle for survival in the Canadian Rockies amid an expanding web of roads and human development.
• Jason Priestley takes viewers to Canada’s most southern point, the Pelee Region of Ontario – a last oasis for many rare and threatened species. 
• William Shatner shares his love of Canada and talks about the importance of protecting a natural legacy.
• Rachel Blanchard explores the landscape of the prairies – which are slipping into silence as the songbirds disappear. 
• Denise Donlon, the program’s host, provides a clear call for urgent and important conservation work.

A Force for Nature raises awareness about the need to safeguard our natural lands and waterways, while also protecting the wildlife that lives there. The show premiers Wednesday, December 2 at 10 a.m. (MST), on CICT-TV Calgary-Lethbridge, 11 a.m. (PST), on CHAN-TV, Vancouver and 11:00 a.m. (EST) on Global TV, Toronto, Hamilton. It will air nationally on the CTV network on December 27 at 9 a.m. local time, with repeats on regional stations throughout the month of December. (Click here for local air times).

Canada’s natural history is disappearing, but with A Force for Nature, Canadians can learn how to save the best of what is left.

“In the wilderness, animals can take care of themselves. But they are utterly helpless in the face of human carelessness and apathy. Like it or not, their fate rests in our hands,” says Canadian actor, Ryan Reynolds.

“In my mind there is no question Canada and Canadians wouldn’t be what they are without nature and the wilderness. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is working to protect the landscapes that are such a huge part of how we define ourselves, and that’s a legacy that I want to be part of,” says actor William Shatner.

“The task before us in terms of conservation is so big, so urgent, and so important, that we need the help of every Canadian to make this a reality,” says John Lounds, President & CEO, Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Facts

• 13 species have already gone extinct in Canada – gone forever – and hundreds more are officially listed by the federal government under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

• Habitat loss is the greatest factor impacting global biodiversity. It is a main threat to 85 percent of all species classified as endangered or threatened in the IUCN’s Red List.
• Across North America, populations of once common birds such as the Lark Sparrow, the Grasshopper Sparrow and the Loggerhead Shrike have dropped by more than 60 percent over the last four decades. 
• Close to 70 percent of the North American grasslands are gone; and there is less than one half of one percent of Manitoba’s Tall Grass Prairie left. 
• Last year, NCC protected more than 90 properties for a total of 174,351 acres. 
• Only one herd of Mountain Caribou remains in the South Selkirk Mountains and it has less than 50 members. This is the only herd that travels south into the United States.

Learn More
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is Canada’s leading land conservation organization. Since 1962 we have helped to protect more than 2 million acres of ecologically significant land nationwide. www.natureconservancy.ca

SOURCE: The Nature Conservancy of Canada

Mississauga, ON — A new report by the Pembina Institute and Credit Valley Conservation found that the Credit River Watershed provides services worth more than $371 million to area residents each year.

"One of the key aspects of valuing ecological services is the idea that Mother Nature does for free what we would otherwise have to pay millions to do through technology and infrastructure," said Jeff Wilson of Credit Valley Conservation, the agency responsible for management of the watershed.

The watershed’s "natural capital" — the stock of natural assets, such as water, forests, wetlands and wildlife — provide the ecological services, including water filtration, removal of carbon from the atmosphere and air purification.

Looking at water and wastewater treatment alone, it would cost more than $237 million every year to replace the natural filtering power of land and wetlands in the Credit River Watershed with man-made water treatment systems.

The report, Natural Credit: Estimating the Value of Natural Capital in the Credit River Watershed, is intended to help people better understand the value of preserving and investing in natural spaces. In turn, it is important that the value of natural capital is accounted for when natural space is developed. Currently, when development happens, many of these costs are shifted to residents and taxpayers. Other lost value, like the loss of pollinators, simply cannot be replaced.

"Because the value of natural capital doesn’t show up on anyone’s balance sheet, we end up using ecological resources in very inefficient ways," said Mike Kennedy, Senior Resource Economist with the Pembina Institute. "We are highlighting the importance of considering all social costs and benefits of land use policy decisions, especially when regions start to become highly populated."

While this report looks specifically at the Credit River Watershed in the western Greater Toronto Area, the benefits of ecological services are similar for communities across Canada. The report’s authors consider it a call to all levels of government to give greater consideration to natural capital when making land-use decisions.

"There is increasing evidence that the benefits of conservation are beginning to outweigh the benefits of business-as-usual development," said Wilson.

The full report and fact sheet are available online at www.greeneconomics.ca and www.creditvalleyca.ca.

SOURCE: Pembina Institute