The main objective of the…

The main objective of the Endangered Species Act should be the protection and recovery of species. Over the last 10 years, I have seen habitat that supports Endangered/Threatened species disappear at an alarming rate in Southern Ontario. Along with habitat, we are losing the SAR that this legislation is in place to protect. Wetland and woodland loss in Lambton County and Chatham Kent and beyond must be stopped if we are to protect these vulnerable species.

Habitat that has not been lost to farming or other development is being degraded such that losses are compounded. Fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides pollute watercourses and put additional strain on already stressed animals (e.g., freshwater mussels). Enclosures of the intermittent watercourses at the top end of the system (e.g., to improve farming efficiencies) decreases the resiliency of the the system.

More money and resources needs to be put into the support for this legislation. This people left to implement this legislation have been under-staff and under resourced for 10 years. The SAR Stewardship Fund has supported a tremendous amount of good work. More resources must go into this Fund as well, if we expect to move to the Recovery of SAR species.

Streamlining, cut backs, exemptions are all a giant step in the wrong direction if the protection of SAR is the main objective of this legislation - which it should be.