March 21 is International Forests Day and Quinte Conservation is using the occasion to announce a major contribution towards a United Nations target.
The organization is contributing 10,357 hectares of conservation areas and reserves towards Canada’s international commitment to protect 30 per cent of lands and waters by 2030.
Commonly known as the 30×30 target, this target aims to protect biodiversity, mitigate impacts of climate change and ensure the sustainability of ecosystems.
Based on an assessment, it was determined that 66 properties stewarded by Quinte Conservation meet the rigorous pan-Canadian standards, warranting their designation as protected areas in the national database that is monitored and maintained by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Commercial forestry is not permitted on lands that prioritize watershed health and the protection of the area’s natural ecology.
The natural areas included in the submission encompass a range of Provincially Significant Wetlands and Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, serving as a vital sanctuary for many species. Among the diverse habitats found within these protected lands, critical ecosystems support numerous species at risk, including Louisiana waterthrush, golden-winged warbler, five-lined skink, and yellow-banded bumble bee.
Brad McNevin, Chief Administrative Officer of Quinte Conservation says, “We’re proud to have 66 of our properties, totalling 10,357 hectares, officially included in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database. This is a major milestone in our effort to preserve and protect the environment, strengthening the natural ecosystems across the Quinte watershed. As a local watershed-based environmental protection agency, it’s gratifying to be recognized at a federal level.”
Quinte Conservation’s sustainable management practices are further reflected through Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification for Community Forests.
The FSC certification, obtained through the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, signifies Quinte Conservation’s commitment to environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management practices.
This includes adhering to FSC principles such as maintaining biodiversity, protecting endangered species, and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
“FSC Canada applauds Quinte Conservation Authority for its remarkable contribution towards Canada’s protected areas target, emphasizing the crucial role of community forests in conservation,” says FSC Canada President Francois Dufresne. “Their commitment to FSC certification underscores the importance of environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management practices. Together, we affirm that community forests deliver on conservation, ensuring the sustainability of our forests for present and future generations.”
“Nature is our greatest ally in the fight against climate change. That’s why the Government of Canada launched the largest conservation campaign in Canada’s history in 2018, a campaign that continues to this day. As we celebrate International Day of Forests, I want to congratulate Quinte Conservation and its partners for conserving their lands and forests in the Quinte Region Watershed. By creating and recognizing more Protected Areas and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), we are expanding Canada’s conservation network—and when we work across all sectors, there’s no end to the possibilities for advancing conservation in Canada. Together, we are making progress toward Canada’s important conservation goals in our effort to halt and reverse the alarming, global decline of biodiversity.” – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
