I have benefitted from…

I have benefitted from services offered by conservation authorities in many ways and absolutely do not want those services to become a thing of the past.

As a teacher I have worked with both CVC and TRCA to plant trees, conduct water studies, and attend field trips. Just today my students and I were able to naturalize a portion of our school yard to help with flood management and improve habitat for pollinators. The students had a fantastic learning experience and will be able to apply that knowledge and experience in their futures.

As a home owner, I have attended workshops and speaker sessions offered by CVC which have enabled me to be more knowledgeable about landscaping my property. A representative came to my property to help me identify invasive plant species (which wouldn't ever be a problem if there was legislation to ban the sale of plants with invasive potential at nurseries). This has allowed me to take action to do my part to improve the ecosystem.

Conservation authorities engage youth in volunteer opportunities, conduct numerous studies, and take action to mitigate flooding, improve ecosystems, and improve water quality. At this point, these services are more critical than ever and their funding should be increased. They should also be expanding their services to educate more landowners and assist with restoration.

Your brief overview is vague which makes it incredibly difficult to comment on specific aspects of the proposal. Sacrificing any aspect of environmental action is not acceptable. Conservation authorities perform valuable services and should not have their work limited or restricted.