We call on the City to take practical steps to effectively manage and protect the City’s natural areas and the wildlife they support.
These steps include:
- implementation of all policies and guidelines related to protection of natural heritage for the long term
- sustainable trails (appropriate locations, closing unauthorized trails, trail design that protects natural areas
- appropriate signage and other communication methods to build a culture of respect and protection
- by-law enforcement with sufficient staffing and effective enforcement strategies
- restoration and enhancement programs that include adequate resources to facilitate community stewardship
- establish key staff responsibility for maintaining biodiversity, including healthy wildlife populations, in Toronto’s natural areas and in the rest of the City
- educating the public on the crucial importance of natural heritage and biodiversity and how to protect them in our growing city
- allowing only those access routes and recreational uses that are compatible with the long-term protection of natural areas.
We cannot blame people for loving natural areas to death if poor planning decisions are made with no mitigation measures, while thousands more users are virtually thrown into nearby natural heritage through poorly planned development. If trails become an incessant procession of people and dogs, not much wildlife will be able to thrive. There is a role to be played by government and a role to be played by the public. Directing how many people and how the public uses natural heritage is a role to be played by government.