Ontario Nature is excited to officially announce an additional 13,000 hectares of protected and conserved areas now contributing towards Canada’s target to protect 30 percent of all lands and waters by 2030, known as the 30×30 target.
The 30×30 target represents a national and international movement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss through well-connected, equitably governed natural areas that respect Indigenous territories and rights.
Figure 1: Purpose and components of the 30×30 target.
While national and provincial parks and conservation reserves automatically count towards the 30×30 target, lands owned and managed by local governments and conservation organizations must first be assessed against the pan-Canadian criteria to count.
The main criteria of the pan-Canadian standard include:
Long-term and year-round protection
Effective means to control all activities likely to negatively impact biodiversity
Management that delivers conservation outcomes
We celebrate the following organizations who partnered with Ontario Nature in 2024 to assess and submit their protected and conserved areas towards the 30×30 target:
City of Hamilton
City of Richmond Hill
City of Greater Sudbury
Conservation Sudbury
Hamilton Conservation Authority
Hamilton Naturalists’ Club
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
St. Clair Region Conservation Authority
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Blue-winged teal, Grimsby Wetlands © Noah Cole
Natural areas that were submitted to the target represent a mosaic of habitats that are important for biodiversity, such as valleys, wetlands, meadows and forests. These spaces are often nested within sprawling urban areas and offer biodiversity the critical habitats, corridors, food and rest stops they require.
Humans benefit significantly from these spaces too, as they help reduce the impacts of an increasingly unpredictable climate, mitigate severe floods, offer clean air and water, and support our well-being. The contributing organizations steward and protect their natural spaces for many reasons, and in so doing, support resilient communities, neighborhoods and landscapes.
Local governments and conservation organizations have critical responsibilities to protect Ontario’s diverse landscapes while balancing complex social, economic and cultural needs. Recognition of natural areas towards 30×30 demonstrates the important role of local governments and conservation organizations in biodiversity conservation.
If you’re interested in seeing which recognized protected and conserved areas are close to home, feel free to browse the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database, using the Open Maps viewer.
Eramosa River Park, Guelph © Jock Rutherford CC BY-SA 2.0
Municipal Protected Areas Project
Ontario Nature is part of the Municipal Protected Areas Project, a national coalition working to support biodiversity conservation at local and municipal scales across southern Canada. To advance the protection of near-urban nature, the coalition provides information sharing, partnership building and capacity support to help address barriers to wise conservation practices and policies. Partners include Nature Canada, the Alliance of Canadian Land Trusts, BC Nature, and Wildlands League. Funded in part by the Government of Canada.
This project is being undertaken with the financial support of Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Resources
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