I’m a volunteer at the…

I’m a volunteer at the Wasaga Beach Piping Plover Program that wanted to bring some awareness of the changes that are currently underway at Wasaga. A new proposal supported by the provincial government and the municipality of Wasaga beach will be transferring half of the provincial beachfront to the town. That anis unacceptable because it includes critical piping plover habitat, and the transfer will end official monitoring surveys by the park. The Wasaga Beach Provincial Parks’ Piping Plover Program has been conducting stewardship activities for the Piping Plovers since they first reestablished in 2008. Since they reestablished, Wasaga has produced half of all fledglings born in Ontario and has been the stronghold for their Ontario population. If this transfer occurs the 1.5km of ideal nesting habitat extending from Spruce st to the Nottawasaga River will be provided to the town for development opportunities like condos and potentially a marina. (<https://issuu.com/beachbooster/docs/beach_booster_228_-_wasaga_beach_-_…;) (Page 10). Given the town’s complete lack of involvement in the Piping Plover program and historical precedents such as the extirpation of plovers from Sauble Beach due to municipal development (<https://thenarwhal.ca/sauble-beach-piping-plovers-ruling/&gt;) it is safe to say the situation is urgent. Ontario Parks will continue to steward the habitat for the plovers as long as they are under its jurisdiction.