Search results for "Ontario"

Nature's Danger Alert! When caribou meets politician.

I recently read Ontario's Woodland Caribou Conservation Plan. The plan acknowledges the negative impact that human development in my species' habitat has on our well being and that 40-50% of my Ontario boreal woodland caribou friends and family have disappeared.

The plan sets out the Provincial Government's intentions for woodland caribou conservation. They intend to do more studies and then take action. At this stage of the game, intentions are not enough. The Government needs to take action NOW to stop the decline of Ontario's woodland caribou. An immediate halt on the logging and road building that is pushing my Ontario cousins to extinction needs to be put in place while the Government undertakes further studies.

Please show your support for immediate action to save Ontario's woodland caribou by going to http://www.caribouandyou.ca/on and sending a letter to the Ontario Goverment.

My species thanks you :)

Speak up for my Ontario Caribou cousins!

Last week, the Ontario government released a Caribou Conservation Plan that outlines its approach to woodland caribou in northern Ontario.  While it does incorporate some important scientific principles,  the plan does not mention HOW and WHEN Ontario will actually protect caribou habitat.  It still, for example, allows logging and road building to occur in the remaining intact Boreal Forest habitat.  That doesn’t make any sense – especially since logging and road building are the primary drivers that force caribou faster into extinction  – not to mention it goes against the intent of the Ontario Endangered Species Act.
 
The good thing is you can comment on the plan. The Ontario government is asking for public comment – but only until May 27, 2009 – so don’t delay!  You can send a letter and offer ways the government can improve its plan – mainly with an immediate halt to logging and road building in the remaining intact Boreal Forest. 

You did it! Thank you!

Absolutely huge news out of Ottawa today!  The federal government has released a scientific report on the Boreal population of Woodland caribou, a nationally threatened species.  The report identifies critical habitat needed for the survival of Boreal woodland caribou.

Why is this report so important?  Well, it shows that nearly 2.5 million sq. km of the Boreal is considered critical habitat.  That’s a lot of Boreal forest.  In fact it supports CPAWS’ position that at least half of Canada’s Boreal forest should be protected.

Now that this report is out and we know where the scientists say where critical habitat is, the next urgent step is for the federal government to consult Aboriginal Canadians and their Traditional Knowledge, and move quickly to release the national recovery strategy for woodland caribou.  In fact, this is a requirement under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

I'll let you know how you can help.  In the meantime, why not send a note to Environment Minister Jim Prentice?  He's responsible for the report's release, and will have a large say in how the government deals with its obligation to uphold SARA.  You can let him know you care about caribou and remind him that the recovery strategy is an important next step.

CPAWS and their partners have been pestering the government to release this report for months.  Thanks to everyone (more than 10,000 of you!) who signed the petition and postcards for caribou. You helped make it happen!  Now help us on the next step in protecting Canada’s woodland caribou and their Boreal forest home.

Check out the details of the report and background info here.

Something permanent about extinction

"There's something permanent about extinction that insults the morality of humankind", said Ontario's environment commissioner Gord Miller.  Caribou-kind too, I'd say.

Mr. Miller is urging Ontario to strengthen its Endangered Species act because it's too vague and easily overridden, putting Woodland caribou and other critters at risk.

Read the whole story here (CTV).

 

Caribou got a big boost in Ontario, and so did you!

On July 14, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that 225,000 km² of northern Boreal forest would be protected through a land use planning process.  That's an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom!

You also got a big boost because the plan will also help in the fight against climate change.  Woodland caribou habitats are carbon-rich ecosystems and Ontario's plan states that  "priority will be given to protect lands with key ecological features such as habitat for endangered species or important carbon sinks."
 
CPAWS is now looking to other provinces and territories to follow Ontario's leadership and help us move towards our goal of protecting fifty percent of Canada's public wilderness.  We're also hoping that Ontario will show the same leadership in protecting woodland caribou and carbon-rich ecosystems in the southern Boreal, which is under current threat from logging and mining.

Caribou goes to the Green Living Show

Well it was a quick trip back to Toronto for me this past weekend after my exciting experiences in Alberta!

My wonderful friends at CPAWS invited me to join them at The Green Living Show –the consumer show dedicated to all things green! CPAWS had set up a booth there with help from the Trillium Foundation.  I was really looking forward to getting in touch with all the Torontonians and Ontarians and telling them about ways they can help – by signing my petition to Minister Baird.  Boy – I was a little overwhelmed with all the booths and people, and had to take a time out in the urban forest, which made me feel right at home!  But everyone was really nice, though some were a little confused between me, and my friend Bullwinkle – the moose.   

I met lots of school kids on Friday, who were eager to take their picture with me, and learn about the plight of Woodland Caribou in Canada’s Boreal.  I was surprised at how many people didn’t know about Woodland Caribou, or about the logging that’s going on in Algonquin Park – a wonderful park that my kind used to call home a long time ago until it got too busy with logging and development around it.   

I really had lots of fun playing with the little kids – they were all very curious about me there was even one little girl who wanted to take me home!  But unfortunately, I’m a busy ‘Bou, and couldn’t go home for dinner.

Talking to people at the different booths was really interesting – they were all happy to see a caribou wandering the show, and even let me try out some of their neat stuff – like folding bicycles. I met my old friend, the Evergreen tree, and a lifesize pic of a fellow Woodland caribou made me a little homesick.

I was very excited to learn that some of my favourite people would be speaking at the show.  While I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Bill Clinton, I took some time to read through his book, and Margaret Atwood dropped by.  I was so honoured – she recognized me instantly!  She’s an old friend of Woodland Caribou – in 2007 she signed a letter to Premier McGuinty asking him to keep his promise to protect my home—the Boreal forest.  She was heading into to see Mr. Clinton speak, so couldn’t stay long.   

Wandering along visiting the different booths on Saturday, I was called over by the Waterkeepers, and was invited to have a picture taken with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  I told him about the Woodland Caribou, and asked him to sign a postcard – which he did!   

After that busy weekend, I am looking forward to some lichen to munch, and to rest my tail in Ottawa for a short time before I’m off on my travels again!

Ontario's enviro commissioner gets a visit from Santa's reindeer

Santa gets an official thank you this week from Ontario's Environmental Commissioner, Gord Miller (press release, PDF).  Nine tiny reindeer caribou visited Mr. Miller to spread the holiday cheer, and thank him for speaking up for caribou habitat protection this year.  No coal in his stocking, that's for sure.

I think Santa bears a suspicious resemblance to CPAWS Wildlands League conservation guru Evan Ferrari, but that's just speculation.

Ontario Environmental Commissioner is a caribou fan

Looks like Ontario's Environmental Commissioner feels the same way about Woodland caribou as we do. According to the Canadian Press, Gordon Miller gave 'bou a shoutout during a recent conference on road sprawl in Ontario's north:

"If the threats to woodland caribou are not addressed systematically and in a concerted manner, this species could soon disappear from Ontario's boreal forests forever."

Ontario has the best caribou protection legislation in the country -- but only about 8% of their habitat is protected.  We can do better, and it's great to hear that Mr. Miller agrees.