Greenbelt: New Report looks at Environmental Health of Oak Ridges Moraine

Further restoration work vital to environmental integrity of Oak Ridges Moraine

News release from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority

An environmental report card recently released by a coalition of conservation authorities reveals that efforts to protect the Oak Ridges Moraine have been largely successful in safeguarding existing forested areas, aquatic habitat and groundwater resources.

However, the Report Card on the Environmental Health of the Oak Ridges Moraine and Adjacent Greenbelt Lands assigns grades of “fair,” “poor” or “very poor” to the water quality in almost half of the streams and rivers assessed. The Conservation Authorities Moraine Coalition (CAMC) believes that planned residential developments, infrastructure projects and the impacts of climate change will place increasing pressure on the environmental health of the moraine in the years ahead.

“Up to now, we’ve been successful at preserving the status quo of the Oak Ridges Moraine’s significant natural heritage,” said Mike Walters, CAMC Chair and Chief Administrative Officer of Lake Simcoe Region Conservation. “But additional restoration and enhancement work must begin almost immediately if we are to preserve the progress made to date. We need robust enforcement of existing by-laws, new administrative tools, and stable long-term funding to expand our efforts.”

In the Nottawasaga Valley, the Upper Nottawasaga River, Bailey Creek and Beeton Creek subwatersheds are part of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

“Forest conditions are excellent in the Upper Nottawasaga River subwatershed, but only fair in the Bailey and Beeton creek subwatersheds. Water quality ranges from excellent in the Upper Nottawasaga River to fair in Beeton Creek,” said Gayle Wood, Chief Administrative Officer of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA). ”As a watershed community, we can do more to improve forest and stream health in this area.”

The ORM provides essential ecosystem services, such as reducing flooding and erosion, cleaning the air, and replenishing drinking water. Its farms provide fresh, delicious food. To safeguard these services, the report card recommends a number of stewardship projects that the province, conservation authorities, municipalities, environment groups and local farmers, businesses and residents should undertake.

• ·         Plant more trees, shrubs and other native vegetation to expand forest patches, link greenspaces, control invasive species and provide habitat for threatened species.
• ·         Re-naturalize the banks of rivers and streams to improve water quality and moderate stream flows.
• ·         Enforce strict standards for all new Oak Ridges Moraine development and infrastructure to control erosion, ensure the use of uncontaminated fill and minimize the release of sediment into streams
• ·         Continue ongoing and expanded monitoring of environmental conditions to fill gaps in the data, reveal developing problems and gauge whether restoration activities have been successful.

“Using the detailed scientific data in the report card, together with the watershed plans developed by individual conservation authorities, we can target exactly where this restoration work should be done,” said Walters. “We anticipate working closely with the province on their recently announced review of protection plans for the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine.”