I am strongly against the…

I am strongly against the Ontario government's recently announced intention to extend cottage leases inside ecologically sensitive Rondeau Provincial Park by an additional 21 years, reneging on an earlier declaration that the leases should be terminated in 2017. This proposal, which would see leases remain in place until 2038, undermines the number one priority clearly stated in the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, which is to maintain ecological integrity.

Rondeau Park is a refuge for dozens of species at risk that depend on protected habitat within the heavily developed landscape of southern Ontario, including the prothonotary warbler, Acadian flycatcher, Fowler’s toad, spiny softshell turtle, nodding pogonia and red mulberry. Its provincially and nationally significant habitats include coastal marshes, buttonbush sloughs, oak savannah, eastern cottonwood savannah and Great Lakes shoreline sand dunes.

While the leasing of private cottages is part of the park’s long history, the government decided in 1986 to extend the leases one last time -- until 2017 -- as recommended by the Provincial Park Advisory Council. Currently, 287 leaseholds, over half of which have changed ownership since the final lease extension in 1986, are located inside park boundaries. All cottagers entered into their leases with the full knowledge that the leases would not be renewed after 2017.

When one weighs the interests of a proviliedged group of cottagers against the costs of not taking action to protect areas that are key to conservation and biodiversity there is no contest. The thought of the liberal majority government that I voted for extending the cottage leases past 2017 makes me sick to my stomach.

Please, as the governament of Ontario, show some backbone and stick behind the 1986 decision. After 2017 no more cottages - let the area be restored to a natural state where wild, native species thrive.

The cottages in Rondeau, which extend along most of the park’s western shoreline and a portion of the eastern shoreline, are located on some of the most environmentally significant portions of the park. Simply by occupying a good portion of the land base, the cottages impede its use by wildlife. Direct harm to wildlife has also been documented. The recovery strategy for the threatened eastern foxsnake notes, for example, that some cottage owners have admitted to killing foxsnakes. Another negative impact has been the introduction of invasive non-native species, identified as a key threat to various species at risk and rare habitats found within the park. A 2008 survey of the eastern dunes of the park found numerous invasive plant species, many intentionally introduced by cottage leaseholders.

Please protect Rondeau Provincial Park by not allowing renewal of cottage leases. To do anything else is irresponsibie and not in the best interests of future generations.

[Original Comment ID: 128973]