Biodiversity While…

Biodiversity While management decisions are sometimes directed at individual species, they reflect the needs of whole ecosystems. Sometimes, people and wildlife can come into conflict. Wildlife management must be flexible in considering ecological, social and economic factors. Ontario uses a landscape-based adaptive approach to wildlife management which includes: •population monitoring •harvest planning and allocation •hunter activity and harvest monitoring •research •habitat conservation and planning •input from the public •policy and regulation Laws for wildlife protection The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 provides broad protection for many wildlife species in Ontario. Regulations provide specific rules about: •hunting and harvest of game wildlife (e.g., bag limits) •season dates •reporting requirements •restrictions on firearms and other gear types Migratory birds, including migratory game birds (e.g., ducks, geese), are protected under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act. Species whose populations are at risk due to small size or significant declines may receive further protection under either: •Endangered Species Act •the federal Species at Risk Act Biological diversity is among the great treasures of our planet. It has ecological, social, economic, cultural and intrinsic value. Biological diversity makes many essential contributions to human life, including foods, clothing and medicines, and is an important part of sustainable social and economic development. Unfortunately, throughout the world, species of animals, plants and other organisms are being lost forever at an alarming rate. The loss of these species is most often due to human activities, especially activities that damage the habitats of these species. Global action is required. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity takes note of the precautionary principle, which, as described in the Convention, states that, where there is a threat of significant reduction or loss of biological diversity, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to avoid or minimize such a threat. In Ontario, our native species are a vital component of our precious natural heritage. The people of Ontario wish to do their part in protecting species that are at risk, with appropriate regard to social, economic and cultural considerations. The present generation of Ontarians should protect species at risk for future generations. Species at Risk Act S.C. 2002, c. 29 Assented to 2002-12-12 An Act respecting the protection of wildlife species at risk in Canada Preamble Recognizing that Canada’s natural heritage is an integral part of our national identity and history, wildlife, in all its forms, has value in and of itself and is valued by Canadians for aesthetic, cultural, spiritual, recreational, educational, historical, economic, medical, ecological and scientific reasons, Canadian wildlife species and ecosystems are also part of the world’s heritage and the Government of Canada has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity, providing legal protection for species at risk will complement existing legislation and will, in part, meet Canada’s commitments under that Convention, the Government of Canada is committed to conserving biological diversity and to the principle that, if there are threats of serious or irreversible damage to a wildlife species, cost-effective measures to prevent the reduction or loss of the species should not be postponed for a lack of full scientific certainty, responsibility for the conservation of wildlife in Canada is shared among the governments in this country and that it is important for them to work cooperatively to pursue the establishment of complementary legislation and programs for the protection and recovery of species at risk in Canada, it is important that there be cooperation between the governments in this country to maintain and strengthen national standards of environmental conservation and that the Government of Canada is committed to the principles set out in intergovernmental agreements respecting environmental conservation, the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council is to provide national leadership for the protection of species at risk, including the provision of general direction to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in respect of that Committee’s activities and general directions in respect of the development, coordination and implementation of recovery efforts, the roles of the aboriginal peoples of Canada and of wildlife management boards established under land claims agreements in the conservation of wildlife in this country are essential, all Canadians have a role to play in the conservation of wildlife in this country, including the prevention of wildlife species from becoming extirpated or extinct, there will be circumstances under which the cost of conserving species at risk should be shared, the conservation efforts of individual Canadians and communities should be encouraged and supported, stewardship activities contributing to the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat should be supported to prevent species from becoming at risk, community knowledge and interests, including socio-economic interests, should be considered in developing and implementing recovery measures, the traditional knowledge of the aboriginal peoples of Canada should be considered in the assessment of which species may be at risk and in developing and implementing recovery measures, knowledge of wildlife species and ecosystems is critical to their conservation, the habitat of species at risk is key to their conservation, and Canada’s protected areas, especially national parks, are vital to the protection and recovery of species at risk, Species at Risk Act S.C. 2002, c. 29 Assented to 2002-12-12 An Act respecting the protection of wildlife species at risk in Canada Preamble Recognizing that Canada’s natural heritage is an integral part of our national identity and history, wildlife, in all its forms, has value in and of itself and is valued by Canadians for aesthetic, cultural, spiritual, recreational, educational, historical, economic, medical, ecological and scientific reasons, Canadian wildlife species and ecosystems are also part of the world’s heritage and the Government of Canada has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity, providing legal protection for species at risk will complement existing legislation and will, in part, meet Canada’s commitments under that Convention, the Government of Canada is committed to conserving biological diversity and to the principle that, if there are threats of serious or irreversible damage to a wildlife species, cost-effective measures to prevent the reduction or loss of the species should not be postponed for a lack of full scientific certainty, responsibility for the conservation of wildlife in Canada is shared among the governments in this country and that it is important for them to work cooperatively to pursue the establishment of complementary legislation and programs for the protection and recovery of species at risk in Canada, it is important that there be cooperation between the governments in this country to maintain and strengthen national standards of environmental conservation and that the Government of Canada is committed to the principles set out in intergovernmental agreements respecting environmental conservation, the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council is to provide national leadership for the protection of species at risk, including the provision of general direction to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in respect of that Committee’s activities and general directions in respect of the development, coordination and implementation of recovery efforts, the roles of the aboriginal peoples of Canada and of wildlife management boards established under land claims agreements in the conservation of wildlife in this country are essential, all Canadians have a role to play in the conservation of wildlife in this country, including the prevention of wildlife species from becoming extirpated or extinct, there will be circumstances under which the cost of conserving species at risk should be shared, the conservation efforts of individual Canadians and communities should be encouraged and supported, stewardship activities contributing to the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat should be supported to prevent species from becoming at risk, community knowledge and interests, including socio-economic interests, should be considered in developing and implementing recovery measures, the traditional knowledge of the aboriginal peoples of Canada should be considered in the assessment of which species may be at risk and in developing and implementing recovery measures, knowledge of wildlife species and ecosystems is critical to their conservation, the habitat of species at risk is key to their conservation, and Canada’s protected areas, especially national parks, are vital to the protection and recovery of species at risk, Species at Risk Act S.C. 2002, c. 29 Assented to 2002-12-12 An Act respecting the protection of wildlife species at risk in Canada Preamble Recognizing that Canada’s natural heritage is an integral part of our national identity and history, wildlife, in all its forms, has value in and of itself and is valued by Canadians for aesthetic, cultural, spiritual, recreational, educational, historical, economic, medical, ecological and scientific reasons, Canadian wildlife species and ecosystems are also part of the world’s heritage and the Government of Canada has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity, providing legal protection for species at risk will complement existing legislation and will, in part, meet Canada’s commitments under that Convention, the Government of Canada is committed to conserving biological diversity and to the principle that, if there are threats of serious or irreversible damage to a wildlife species, cost-effective measures to prevent the reduction or loss of the species should not be postponed for a lack of full scientific certainty, responsibility for the conservation of wildlife in Canada is shared among the governments in this country and that it is important for them to work cooperatively to pursue the establishment of complementary legislation and programs for the protection and recovery of species at risk in Canada, it is important that there be cooperation between the governments in this country to maintain and strengthen national standards of environmental conservation and that the Government of Canada is committed to the principles set out in intergovernmental agreements respecting environmental conservation, the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council is to provide national leadership for the protection of species at risk, including the provision of general direction to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in respect of that Committee’s activities and general directions in respect of the development, coordination and implementation of recovery efforts, the roles of the aboriginal peoples of Canada and of wildlife management boards established under land claims agreements in the conservation of wildlife in this country are essential, all Canadians have a role to play in the conservation of wildlife in this country, including the prevention of wildlife species from becoming extirpated or extinct, there will be circumstances under which the cost of conserving species at risk should be shared, the conservation efforts of individual Canadians and communities should be encouraged and supported, stewardship activities contributing to the conservation of wildlife species and their habitat should be supported to prevent species from becoming at risk, community knowledge and interests, including socio-economic interests, should be considered in developing and implementing recovery measures, the traditional knowledge of the aboriginal peoples of Canada should be considered in the assessment of which species may be at risk and in developing and implementing recovery measures, knowledge of wildlife species and ecosystems is critical to their conservation, the habitat of species at risk is key to their conservation, and Canada’s protected areas, especially national parks, are vital to the protection and recovery of species at risk, TRANSITION — SPECIES DECLARED TO BE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION IN REGULATION 328 OF THE REVISED REGULATIONS OF ONTARIO, 1990 (Clause 7 (7) (a)) Mosses Spoon-leaved Moss (Bryoandersonia illecebra) Vascular Plants Bird’s-foot Violet (Viola pedata) Blunt-lobed Woodsia (Woodsia obtusa) Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata) Drooping Trillium (Trillium flexipes) Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus1 (Opuntia humifusa) False Hop Sedge (Carex lupuliformis) Few-flowered Club-rush or Bashful Bulrush2 (Trichophorum planifolium) Heart-leaved Plantain (Plantago cordata) Hoary Mountain-mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) Horsetail Spike-rush (Eleocharis equisetoides) Juniper Sedge (Carex juniperorum) Large Whorled Pogonia (Isotria verticillata) Nodding Pogonia (Triphora trianthophora) Pink Milkwort (Polygala incarnata) Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) Skinner’s Agalinis (Agalinis skinneriana) Slender Bush-clover3 (Lespedeza virginica) Small White Lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium candidum) Small Whorled Pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) Virginia Goat’s-rue (Tephrosia virginiana) Western Silvery Aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum) Wood-poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) Insects Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus) Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) Amphibians Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans) Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) Reptiles Blue Racer (Coluber constrictor foxii) Lake Erie Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) Birds American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Bald Eagle4 (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis) Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) King Rail (Rallus elegans) Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Mammals Mountain Lion or Cougar (Puma concolor) Notes to Schedule 1: 1 The classification of Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus applies to Fish Point Provincial Nature Reserve on Pelee Island in the Township of Pelee. 2 The classification of Few-flowered Club-rush or Bashful Bulrush applies to Lot 32, ranges 2 and 3, in the City of Pickering (formerly the geographic Township of Pickering), and to the Royal Botanical Gardens in the City of Hamilton. 3 The classification of Slender Bush-clover applies to Tallgrass Prairie Heritage Park, Ojibway Park and Black Oak Heritage Park in the City of Windsor. 4 The classification of Bald Eagle applies to the part of Ontario south of the French and Mattawa Rivers. 2007, c. 6, Sched. 1. Schedule 2 TRANSITION — SPECIES TO BE LISTED AS EXTIRPATED SPECIES (Clause 7 (7) (b)) Mosses Incurved Grizzled Moss (Ptychomitrium incurvum) Vascular Plants Illinois Tick-trefoil (Desmodium illinoense) Spring Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) Insects Eastern Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius persius) Fishes Atlantic Salmon (Great Lakes population) (Salmo salar) Gravel Chub (Erimystax x-punctatus) Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) Amphibians Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) Birds Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) 2007, c. 6, Sched. 2. Schedule 3 TRANSITION — SPECIES TO BE LISTED AS ENDANGERED SPECIES (Clause 7 (7) (c)) Vascular Plants American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) Bluehearts (Buchnera americana) Butternut (Juglans cinerea) Cherry Birch (Betula lenta) Eastern Prairie Fringed-orchid (Platanthera leucophaea) Engelmann’s Quillwort (Isoetes engelmannii) Forked Three-awned Grass (Aristida basiramea) Gattinger’s Agalinis (Agalinis gattingeri) Pitcher’s Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) Purple Twayblade (Liparis liliifolia) Scarlet Ammannia (Ammannia robusta) Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) Toothcup (Rotala ramosior) White Prairie Gentian (Gentiana alba) Molluscs Kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus fasciolaris) Mudpuppy Mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua) Northern Riffleshell (Epioblasma torulosa rangiana) Rayed Bean (Villosa fabalis) Round Hickorynut (Obovaria subrotunda) Round Pigtoe (Pleurobema sintoxia) Snuffbox (Epioblasma triquetra) Wavy-rayed Lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola) Insects Aweme Borer Moth (Papaipema aweme) Fishes American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) Aurora Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis timagamiensis) Northern Madtom (Noturus stigmosus) Pugnose Shiner (Notropis anogenus) Shortnose Cisco (Coregonus reighardi) Amphibians Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) Small-mouthed Salamander (Ambystoma texanum) Reptiles Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) Birds Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Mammals American Badger (Taxidea taxus) 2007, c. 6, Sched. 3. Schedule 4 TRANSITION — SPECIES TO BE LISTED AS THREATENED SPECIES (Clause 7 (7) (d)) Lichens Flooded Jellyskin (Leptogium rivulare) Vascular Plants American Water-willow (Justicia americana) Branched Bartonia (Bartonia paniculata) Colicroot (Aletris farinosa) Common Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata) Crooked-stem Aster (Symphyotrichum prenanthoides) Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum) Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris) False Rue-anemone (Enemion biternatum) Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) Hill’s Thistle (Cirsium hillii) Houghton’s Goldenrod (Solidago houghtonii) Kentucky Coffee-tree (Gymnocladus dioicus) Lakeside Daisy (Hymenoxys herbacea) Round-leaved Greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia) Small-flowered Lipocarpha (Lipocarpha micrantha) White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata) Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) Willowleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum praealtum) Molluscs Mapleleaf Mussel (Quadrula quadrula) Rainbow Mussel (Villosa iris) Fishes Black Redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei) Channel Darter (Percina copelandi) Cutlip Minnow (Exoglossum maxillingua) Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida) Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) Redside Dace (Clinostomus elongatus) Shortjaw Cisco (Coregonus zenithicus) Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) Amphibians Fowler’s Toad (Bufo fowleri) Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) Reptiles Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) Butler’s Gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) Eastern Foxsnake (Elaphe gloydi) Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) Eastern Ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) Queen Snake (Regina septemvittata) Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera) Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus) Birds Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Mammals Grey Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) Wolverine (Gulo gulo) Woodland Caribou (Forest-dwelling boreal population) (Rangifer tarandus caribou) 2007, c. 6, Sched. 4. Schedule 5 TRANSITION — SPECIES TO BE LISTED AS SPECIAL CONCERN SPECIES (Clause 7 (7) (e)) Mosses Pygmy Pocket Moss (Fissidens exilis) Vascular Plants American Hart’s-tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium americanum) Blue Ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata) Broad Beech Fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera) Climbing Prairie Rose (Rosa setigera) Green Dragon (Arisaema dracontium) Hill’s Pondweed (Potamogeton hillii) Riddell’s Goldenrod (Solidago riddellii) Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) Swamp Rose-mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) Tuberous Indian-plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum) Insects Monarch (Danaus plexippus) West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis) Fishes Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) Black Buffalo (Ictiobus niger) Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus) Bridle Shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus) Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) Northern Brook Lamprey (Ichthyomyzon fossor) Orangespotted Sunfish (Lepomis humilis) Pugnose Minnow (Opsopoeodus emiliae) River Redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum) Silver Chub (Macrhybopsis storeriana) Silver Shiner (Notropis photogenis) Spotted Sucker (Minytrema melanops) Upper Great Lakes Kiyi (Coregonus kiyi kiyi) Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) Reptiles Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis sauritus) Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus) Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum) Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) Birds Bald Eagle1 (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla) Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) Mammals Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus) Eastern Wolf (Canis lupus lycaon) Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Woodland Vole (Microtus pinetorum) As I am tracking several species that are on the endangered list in our area, I am opposed to this development of yet another pit. There has been no environmental study completed nor consulted with the effects of this project. We will be paying long term for the effects of this pit in our area, while the owner of the property and the developer will line their pockets at an extremely high cost to all. These species at risk do not have a voice but we do. They can not say what the long term implication will be. I am against this development project. We need to stop these strip mining ideas and start working with the best interest for all involved.