Summary:

  • Canada committed in 2010 to endorse the United Nations target of protecting 17% of the planet’s land and inland waters by 2020
  • This was adopted in the Ontario biodiversity strategy in 2011
  • Currently less than 11 percent of Ontario is protected
  • Sign the petition here to support (it’s only a few clicks with your mouse):  The Protected Place Declaration

 

Call to Action

The Canadian government, in 2010, endorsed a United Nations target to protect at least 17 percent of the planet’s land and inland waters by 2020.  This was further adopted in the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy.  These targets are critical to protecting biodiversity, particularly in Ontario which faces increasing pressures associated with population increase and land use intensification.  Giving protected status to properties provides long term protection for our wilderness gems which is crucial in preserving a home for wildlife; this is especially true in the Sydenham Field Naturalists region including the county of Chatham-Kent which has struggled to conserve land and tree cover.  When compared to other categories of spending including infrastructure and economic growth, conservation stacks up very poorly at a federal and provincial level.  More can be done both at the grassroots level and by our governments – but we need to make this priority known.

This topic is summarized very well at a provincial level by Ontario Nature on their Protected Places page and it is worth checking out.  And if you want to look broader and get the Canada perspective then head over to the Pathway to Canada Target 1 Conservation 2020 Canada page.  There are some great success stories but there is still a long way to go.

One of the biggest things that you can do is to sign The Protected Places Declaration.  Let our federal and provincial governments know that you care about this.

 

 

Photo credit:

  • Tufted titmouse – Herman Giethoorn
  • Sycamore at Sydenham River Nature Reserve – Herman Giethoorn