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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-081-00 .' .. DN: POSt-OO THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REPORT Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File #Co '3 - Res. #6//l-<;:'s::.cO - Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2000 Report #: PD-081-00 FILE #: PLN 17.11.16 By-law # Subject: INFORMATION REPORT GREAT LAKES WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN HIGHLIGHTS REPORT 1997 - 2000 FILE: PLN 17.11.16 Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-081-00 be received for information. 1. BACKGROUND The Great Lakes Wetlands Conservation Action Plan (GLWCAP) IS a cooperative program developed by over 30 government and non-government organizations to conserve the Great Lakes Wetlands. Launched in 1994, the long-term goal of the Action Plan is to conserve and protect over 30,000 hectares of wetland in the Great Lakes area by the year 2020. The Canadian Wildlife Service (Enviromnent Canada), the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (FaN) and the Nature Conservancy of Canada are responsible for the implementation of the GLWCAP. The GLWCAP is the first Wetlands Action Plan in Ontario and complements the Federal Wetlands Policy (1991) and the Provincial Wetlands Policy (1996). The 8 main goals ofthe GL WCAP are to: . Increase public awareness and commitment to protecting wetlands; . Develop a wetlands database and an increased understanding of wetland dynamics; . Secure wetlands; . Create, reclaim and rehabilitate wetlands; b/'j ~ REPORT NO.: PD-081-00 PAGE 2 . Strengthen legislation, policies, agreements and compliance; . Strengthen local planning and commitment to protecting wetlands; . Improve coordination and planning among government and non-governmental organizations; and . Evaluate the program. As part of the program, Enviromnent Canada has published the "GLWCAP Highlights Report (1997-2000)" (Handout 1 under separate cover), a follow-up to the "First Progress Report (1997)", which covers conservation initiatives around the Great Lakes to date. Some of the recent accomplishments detailed in the Highlights Report are: . The protection of approximately 4,400 hectares of wetlands; . Rehabilitation of more than 14,000 hectares of wetlands; . Protection of thousands more hectares of wetlands and adjacent lands through private stewardship efforts oflandowners, including corporations and private citizens; . Compilation of the Ontario Coastal Wetlands Atlas; . Recommendation of a suite of coastal wetland health indicators through the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference; . Initiation of the Natural Legacy 2000 Program; and . Development of a Provincial Wetlands Strategy. 2. DISCUSSION There have been several initiatives undertaken in Clarington which assist in meeting the goals of the GLWCAP. For example, in order to assist in "securing wetlands", the Clarington Land Acquisition Strategy (June, 2000) identifies a total of 610 hectares of WetlandsNalleylands within the Municipality to be purchased, leased or dedicated. The Municipality has recently acquired 34 hectares of land (Newcastle Marsh) in the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area. The Municipality is also in the process of acquiring an additional 44.8 hectares of land in the West Side Marsh, to be added to the already dedicated 68u ~ REPORT NO.: PD-081-00 PAGE 3 Bowmanville Marsh. (The Municipality has arranged to lease a portion of these lands for the short term). These wetland areas represent a significant portion of all wetlands within the Municipality of Clarington. Much of the remaining lands to be acquired will be obtained through dedication. Therefore, the Municipality has implemented a strategy, which not only meets the policy outlined in the Clarington Official Plan to adopt a land acquisition program (Section 23.11.1), but also assists in meeting the goal of the GL WCAP to "secure wetlands". Another way in which the Municipality is meeting a goal of the GLWCAP to "create, reclaim, and rehabilitate wetlands", was to embark on a process to create the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area in 1996. As mentioned, the Municipality has recently acquired 34 hectares of land in the Nature Area. Further, the recently established Samuel Wilmot Nature Area Management Advisory Committee publishes a quarterly newsletter to "increase awareness" of wetland and wildlife issues in the Nature Area. They have also proposed to "rehabilitate" the wetland by limiting pedestrian and vehicular access to the wetland areas, through barriers, plantings and natural regeneration. In doing so, the Clarington Official Plan policy to establish a nature reserve which will protect the wetlands in the Wilmot Creek area is met (Section 4.6.4). Local planning is meeting another goal of the GLWCAP to "strengthen commitment to protecting wetlands" by requiring the completion of a Watershed Study for the Black and Farewell Creek watershed which includes a significant wetland complex, prior to the approval of any development application (Section 17.5.1 of the Clarington Official Plan). The Municipality will soon commence work with Central Lake Ontario Conservation to develop an Enviromnenta1 Management Plan for the Westside Marsh, the Bowmanville Marsh and adjacent lands. The Study will develop management options for the wetlands and various implementation mechanisms such as land acquisition, land stewardship, and restoration opportunities. This effort meets a goal of the GLWCAP to "improve coordination and planning" among agencies. 68i . REPORT NO.: PD-081-00 PAGE 4 Municipal staff and Council also work with the Friends of Second Marsh with respect to stewardship activities in the Farewell/Black Creek watersheds. 3. CONCLUSION Policies within the Clarington Official Plan recognize the importance of, and seek to protect and preserve wetlands. The Municipality has worked with public and private agencies to meet the goals identified in the GLWCAP. Initiatives undertaken to date have assisted in achieving some of the goals in the GL WCAP. Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by, o~~~~ vi J Crome, M.C.I.P., RP.P. Dire r of Planning & Development EB*BN*DC*df Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., RP.P. Chief Administrative Officer. 25 August 2000 68c