Canada is investing $4.8 million to support biodiversity conservation in southern Ontario

NORFOLK COUNTY, ON, Aug. 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Canada's biodiversity is a cornerstone of our way of life, and Canadians depend on nature for clean water to drink, air to breathe, food to eat, and quality spaces to enjoy the outdoors. Conserving nature is vital to fighting the triple crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, visited the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place, where she met with partners at the Long Point Biosphere Region and Birds Canada. The Government of Canada is investing more than $4.8 million from Canada's Enhanced Nature Legacy to support a variety of partners in improving biodiversity benefits in this significant area.

These investments include:

• $405,000 for the Long Point Biosphere Region to reduce threats to amphibians and reptiles and coordinate outreach initiatives for a variety of conservation partners in the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place.
• $367,000 for Birds Canada to monitor targeted species at risk birds and collaborate with landowners to implement Beneficial Management Practices to maintain forest habitat.
• $2 million for several conservation partners, including the Nature Conservancy of Canada, to manage invasive species, such as the common reed (Phragmites australis), across the landscape in targeted species at risk habitats.
• $552,000 for the Long Point Basin Land Trust, and several conservation partners, to improve forests and treed swamps' habitats for species at risk.
• $150,000 for the University of Waterloo, to monitor plant species at risk in the Long Point area wetlands, particularly to assess recovery in areas where the common reed (Phragmites australis) has been managed.
• $400,000 for ALUS Norfolk, and several conservation partners, to collaborate with landowners to restore, improve, and protect habitat on agricultural land.
• $700,000 for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and several conservation partners, to improve and restore Open Country habitat for grassland species at risk.

The Government of Canada continues to work with more than 14 key partners in this region as part of the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place, including the Long Point Biosphere Region and Birds Canada.

As a large and biodiversity-rich country, Canada has a responsibility to the world to protect our natural heritage. Nature Legacy and Enhanced Nature Legacy represent the largest nature conservation campaigns in Canadian history, with over $5 billion in investments focused on the goal of conserving 30 percent of land and water by 2030, in partnership with Indigenous peoples.

More progress is needed to stop biodiversity loss and the degradation of sensitive ecosystems?the future depends on everyone working together to act now.

"The Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place, which overlaps the Long Point Biosphere Region, is incredibly rich in biodiversity and home to more than 88 species at risk. When partners come together to focus conservation efforts in Priority Places, it means better outcomes for species at risk, including more resources for habitat stewardship and restoration projects. This funding helps to address shared priorities, like halting and reversing biodiversity loss, in the Carolinian Life Zone."

? The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"I was reminded today, during my visit to the Long Point Biosphere Region, that as Canadians, we are so lucky to be surrounded by so much natural beauty. Great things can happen when partners come together to support the environment, and this is especially true in Long Point where so many different groups are focusing time, energy, and resources to preserve this ecologically significant area. Each partnership represents a deep dedication to nature conservation, and they set a standard for how people and nature can thrive together."

? Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"Conserving biodiversity and protecting species at risk is at the heart of what we do in Canada's 19 UNESCO-designated biosphere reserves/regions. This funding for the Long Point Biosphere Region is a testament to the collaborative spirit that drives our mission. It's not just about the financial support; it's about the shared vision and commitment from our partners. Together, we're not only conserving our rich biodiversity, but also fostering a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing, ensuring a brighter, sustainable future for all."

? Kate Potter, Executive Director, Canadian Biosphere Reserves Association

"As an organization that has worked on the ground in the Long Point region for almost 65 years, Birds Canada applauds the federal Enhanced Nature Legacy investment toward conserving this incredibly biodiverse and fragile ecoregion. Collaboration and partnership between all public, private, and non-profit sectors is critical in protecting our most precious places to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to protect birds, people, and our planet."

? Patrick Nadeau, President and CEO, Birds Canada

• Canada's network of protected and conserved areas is important to mitigating the impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of species at risk. Intact forests and wetlands also capture and store carbon dioxide and can help protect communities from the impacts of climate change.
• The Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada fosters renewed, focused collaboration on shared priorities, including 11 priority places, six priority species, and three key sectors and threats. It emphasizes multi-species and ecosystem-based planning and on-the-ground delivery.
• Priority places have significant biodiversity, high concentrations of species at risk, and opportunities to advance conservation efforts.
• The Government of Canada is committed to working to halt and reverse nature loss in Canada by 2030 and to achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050.

• Backgrounder: Federal support for partners in Long Point, Ontario

• Canada's Nature Legacy
• Priority Places for Species at Risk
• Biosphere Reserves
• UNESCO Biosphere Reserves of Canada
• Birds Canada

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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada