Taking away protections for…

Taking away protections for species at risk is both a failure for current generations and future generations to come. This proposed bill ignores everything we know about how species interact with their environment and their crucial ecosystem services, many of which humans directly benefit from such as water purification, pollination, erosion control and nutrient recycling just to name a few. Decades of research have shown that species rely on more than just their immediate dwelling space for their survival and their habitat is made up of a much larger area. Their greater habitat, outside of the immediate dwelling, is where the species forages, mates, migrates and disperses. Protecting only the dwelling would be like telling a human that they should be able to stay in their bedroom and still thrive. No access to a grocery store, no access to other humans for reproducing, the population would crash and die out.

Additionally, plants rely on nutrient cycling throughout the environment. A plants immediate root system is not the only important area and greatly over simplifies the complexity of plant communities. Pollutants and nutrients seep through the soil which would then reach the species. Many species rely on cross pollination or have symbiotic relationships with other species. If the area around them is not protected beyond their immediate roots they will hardly be protected at all.

Just to give a few examples, bumble bees (such as the Rusty patched bumble bee) pollinate a km to two kms away from their nests. The Ontario government species at risk page even outlines that a threat to this species is habitat loss. The home ranges for threatened caribou is greater than 200km2 and their biggest threat is habitat fragmentation and habitat loss due to human settlements. Bats, most of which are endangered or threatened in Ontario, are not only important for pollination but also play a significant role in controlling mosquito populations which benefits human health. Their food sources are not in their dens but can be several kms away from their dens. Removing protections in their known habitats would put significant pressure on these species when they are already struggling.

It is our duty to support our environment to ensure sustainability for generations to come. Species at risk are not just important for people who enjoy the outdoors or conservation biologists, they are crucial from many of our industries including tourism, agriculture and forestry. The reduction in protections for species at risk is extremely hazardous and blatantly ignores science and the overall importance of these species. To ensure sustainability of our industries and food supply chains it is crucial we support the environment and protect these species at risk instead of searching for short term solutions to housing problems and acting like the environment we live in is replaceable.