Four Ways Ontario Nature is Using Maps to Advance Conservation

Maps are a tool used by environmental organizations to more effectively tell a story. They can be used to visualize data, illustrate environmental issues and trends geographically or to monitor environmental injustices. At Ontario Nature, we use maps to track candidate areas for permanent protection, create management plans for our nature reserves, and develop long-term monitoring protocols for vulnerable species to evaluate changes in population trends and habitats. Read on to learn more about some of the mapping projects Ontario Nature has been working on.

Visualizing Candidates for Protection

Canada has committed to protect at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030, but currently less than 11% of Ontario is protected. The Your Protected Places StoryMap features an interactive map of candidates for protection across Ontario. These areas include ecological corridors, old-growth forests, designated conservation lands nominated by Forest Stewardship Council and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs). Together, these areas make up over four million hectares of land that could be permanently protected.

Farabout Peninsula, a potential protected area with unique habitats © Kristen Setala

Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas

The Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas is a culmination of 10 years of data collection by over 12,000 volunteers. This data will inform conservation initiatives across the province, including long-term monitoring and species at risk status reports. Within Ontario, 75% of reptiles and 30% of amphibians are listed as nationally or provincially at-risk. We have published an accompanying StoryMap to highlight a selection of stories on specific species, highlighting the value of community science data. Hard copies of the atlas are available for purchase, containing more than 70 maps and 300 photographs.

Eastern hog-nosed snake © Joe Crowley

Conservation Plans in Priority Areas

Ontario Nature has developed long-term conservation plans in priority areas to identify priority sites for land securement, restoration and stewardship. Using Western science, land cover, terrestrial and aquatic habitat connectivity, species richness and proximity to existing protected areas datasets were used to identify the highest priority lands within the East Sydenham River watershed. Click through the habitat and restoration model results within the East Sydenham River watershed to view areas that we have identified as important to conserve the region’s unique biodiversity and build climate resilience.

Sydenham River Nature Reserve © Noah Cole

Managing our Nature Reserves

Ontario Nature cares for its nature reserves through regular monitoring including assessing biodiversity targets such as species at risk and sensitive ecosystems, and identifying and mitigating threats, such as invasive species and off trail usage. This would not be possible without the assistance of volunteer nature reserve stewards who assist us in monitoring, maintaining and restoring these unique ecosystems and help us maintain good relations with neighbours and stakeholders.

Maps of these inspections help us to visually identify important management criteria that inform key decisions, including areas for ecological restoration or to identify habitats for vulnerable species on our nature reserves. These inspections and relationships with our nature reserve stewards enable us to work with landowners to expand our nature reserves through a variety of conservation options. This ensures rare and unique ecosystems for vulnerable species continue to be protected and cared for.

Aerial view of trails at Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve © Noah Cole

If you or your organization are interested in creating your own mapping products but don’t have the capacity, we are now offering GIS (geographic information system) services for mapping projects. More information can be found here, but if you have any questions about these GIS services we provide, please contact Graeme Smith.

 

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