I would like to thank the…

I would like to thank the Ontario Parks team for their diligence in both studying the landscape within and surrounding the proposed lands to be included in the proposed Bigwind Provincial Park. Generally, I see that the work completed has generally been thorough. I would offer the following comments.

1. Section 7.1.4 lists species at risk and rare species, however, this list is limited to just species documented in the park. Unfortunately, the plan lacks details on how this list was generated and provides no supporting references. A quick review of data available from iNaturalist, indicates that there are also records of Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes (Heterodon platirhinos) within the landscape. This highly vagile species at risk must be considered and included in this management plan.

2. I was pleased to see that you had considered landscape connectivity within and surrounding the park. I am concerned however that when considering the connectivity hotspots shown on Figure 3 in the context of the proposed zoning shown on Figure 4. The proposed development zone appears to overlap with much of the high connectivity areas your analysis has identified. This would seem to be contrary to the park purpose you have outlined in section 3.1 Purpose. I am requesting that you reconsider where you are placing the development blocks (deep in the park) to limit negative impacts to natural heritage features.

3. Regarding your landscape connectivity analysis. It is unclear why the watercourse and wetland network extending from Crosson lake to the Black river was not identified as high value as part of the connectivity analysis. Watercourses are known to function as movement corridors for multiple taxa, including many of the species you have listed in the plan. I recommend you have your connectivity analysis peer reviewed to ensure that you have accurately completed the analysis.

3. In addition to the point raised above, the proposed access road currently bisects the entirety of the park from south to north. Extensive peer reviewed literature has shown that roads negatively impact vegetation communities, wildlife, and often disproportionately, species at risk. You have not provided any justification for the length of the road and have limited recognition of the impacts of this road on the natural heritage features you have identified in the preliminary management report. The details currently provided in section 7.3.2.1 are exceptionally preliminary and require considerable work to ensure that the proposed mitigation measures will be effective and located at the correct sites along the road.

4. While it is admirable that you will seek to locate the final access road alignment to minimize impacts to wetlands, you have not considered the impacts of this road on the water quality, especially things like roadsalt.