NRC Launches New Project - August 5, 2008

For immediate release

Welland, Ontario - The Niagara Restoration Council (NRC) is pleased to announce the launch of their newest habitat restoration project! The NRC’s Returning Nature to Niagara: Naturalization of the Thorold-Lake Gibson Corridor Project has 4 main objectives: habitat restoration, habitat protection, habitat clean-up, and habitat education. This project aims to increase Carolinian forest cover in the City of Thorold by restoring and expanding interior forest habitat, as well as connecting existing forest fragments within the Thorold-Lake Gibson Corridor.

The Thorold-Lake Gibson Corridor encompasses the areas surrounding Lake Gibson, from the Welland Canal to 12 Mile Creek. During the construction of the Welland Canals, much of the surrounding natural habitat around Lake Gibson was degraded and neglected. These new restoration efforts will take place on a large parcel of land recently purchased by the City of Thorold from the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority, in addition to lands owned by Ontario Power Generation and privately owned properties surrounding Lake Gibson.

The Carolinian Forest zone, encompassing the Niagara Peninsula, is particularly at risk from forest loss due to its high human population and development. This zone boasts the highest diversity of species and habitats in Canada, yet 500 species are rare or threatened, faced with the continuing pressures of urbanization.

The NRC has generously received funding in the amount of $97,400 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, $80,000 from Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program, $5,000 from the Shell Environmental Fund, $5,000 from Ontario Power Generation, $4,700 from the Toronto Dominion Friends of the Environment, and $1,000 from the Mel Swart Lake Gibson Conservation Park Committee.

In a collaborative partnership made up of several government and non-government agencies, educational institutions, and local environmental organizations, the NRC will plant at least 52,000 native trees over the next two years within the Thorold-Lake Gibson Corridor to restore one of the largest areas of interior forest in the Niagara Region and create linkages to existing forest fragments.

The project will create educational opportunities for the public, through various community participation and informational events, such as planting days and public lectures. Through this initiative, the NRC hopes to partner on various conservation strategies in the long term protection and conservation of new and existing forest habitat. This will include assisting eligible landowners in applying for appropriate tax incentive programs.

The NRC is a non profit organization whose mandate is to “protect, maintain, and actively restore the ecosystems of Niagara”. This organization is undertaking a variety of restoration projects within Niagara, including the removal of barriers to fish migration and a stream buffer planting project. The NRC invites any interested parties to learn more about the Niagara Restoration Council by visiting our website at www.niagararestoration.org

For more information: Contact Corey Burant, Environmental Project Manager

April 17, 2007

The Niagara Restoration Council has a new Environmental Manager! His name is Corey Burant, and he started working for us, on Monday April 16th.

Corey was born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario. In 2004, he graduated from Laurentian University with a BSc. (Hon) in Wildlife and Habitat Ecology, along with a certificate in Environmental Biology. For the past 2+ years, he has been working with the Chapleau Regional Development Corporation as a Wildlife Biologist, along with implementing various economic development projects. Chapleau, which is a very small town in Northern Ontario, is the Gateway to the World's largest Crown Game Preserve. The majority of his duties as the biologist, focused around ensuring that any tourism activities were not affecting the natural wildlife and habitats of the preserve. He felt it was a great project, but unfortunately due to political issues, the project was coming to an end, so now he is here, to take on new challenges in the Niagara Region.

New Ecological Project Assistant Hired

After much deliberation, looking over 50+ applications, and conducting six interviews, the NRC has finally hired a new assistant for our project Manager. Cherish Elwell is a graduate of Sir Sandford Fleming (Fish and Wildlife, and Aquaculture), and is currently working at Tiny Marsh with the MTM Conservation Association. Before that she worked with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters with their Invasive Species program. She has also worked with Ontario Streams, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, and a couple of private environmental firms.

She will be starting on Sept. 20th at the latest, but might be starting sooner, if she can wrap up her current contract, earlier.

March 17, 2006

The NRC's Wildlife Corridor Enhancement Project is featured in the March issue of Niagara Farmers' Monthly.

November 16, 2005

NRC Submits Comments:

Date: November 16th, 2005
To: Region of Niagara
Subject: Brief from Dr. John Bacher (PhD) re Updating Tree Conservation By-law
For Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society (PALS) and Niagara Restoration Council (NRC)

On behalf of both PALS and the NRC I am pleased to comment on the proposed Tree Conservation By-law of the Niagara Region. The NRC is especially pleased that the draft by-law recognizes the goal of “helping to achieve the goal of 30% forest cover in the Niagara Region” This has long been a goal of the NRC as it is one of the cornerstones of the recommendations of the Niagara River Remedial Action plan to restore the lost bio-diversity of the Niagara River watershed. To achieve this ambitious goal, which involves doubling the amount of forest in Niagara, all of our existing core forests, should be protected from the type of clear cutting the by-law seeks to prohibit.

At the outset, it should be realized that the powers of the Niagara Region to issue by-laws to protect trees and forests, are derivative of provincial legislation. The provisions in the proposed by-law are based on the enabling legislation, The Municipal Act 2001. It would be useful if at the public meeting, a full discussion was made of the powers granted to municipalities to protect trees by the province. For instance, what is the maximum penalty? Can enforcement officers obtain the support of police?

At the outset the draft by-law should also be applauded for the numerous modifications that are being proposed to the existing by-law. All of these urgently needed, such as a more precise definition of a tree saving plan, higher fines and most importantly, the new component to issue stop work orders.

1) Penalties

The increased fines for corporations which are proposed in the draft by-law are welcome. This is because of the possibility of large profits to be obtained when a developer may use clear cutting in order to remove possible barriers to development approvals.

It should be clearly clarified at the meeting what the phrase, “which ever is greater” regarding fines actually means. Hopefully it means that if illegal tree cutting takes place a greater fine than the $10,000, $25,000, $100,000, or $50,000 ceilings, if warranted by the number of individual fines per tree merit this. A ceiling of even $100,000 would be a mockery in a situation where stripping of forests could assist in securing a development approval.

2) Orders to Discontinue Activity

The new provision of Orders to Discontinue Activity are the most important part of the
new draft by-law. There is however, a disturbing weakness in section 10 (c) of the draft by-law.
It states that “Where service of an Order is made by mail, service shall be deemed to have been served on the fifth day after the order is mailed.”

Since developers intent on clear cutting as a means for obtaining development approvals would have sophisticated legal strategies, it would be highly likely that notice would have to be made by mail, since the legal property owner would likely be a numbered company with a postal box. The five day stipulation could disastrously permit the quick destruction of the entire forest before the serving of any notice.

Regarding the serving of notice, it should be noted that the new Halton Regional Tree By-law, considered by many as a model for the province, has no provision for the mailing of notices. This would be good to follow in the Niagara Regional Tree By-law. Section 10. (c) regarding notice by mail should simply be eliminated. Under this provision if the notice cannot be served personally, the notice will be deemed sufficient simply with the placement of a placard.

Quite properly the draft by-law indicates that those who interfere with an enforcement officer “shall be considered in violation of this by-law.” There do not appear however, to be any spelling out of what the fines and penalties for such offenses are. If permitted under the Municipal Act, such penalties should be clearly defined in the by-law, since if they are it will be far easier for enforcement officers to physically stop illegal tree cutting.

The weakness of tree cutting by-laws ever since the ability of municipalities to levy them started in 1946 has been a serious concern. What is most disturbing is that the methods being proposed are so much more cumbersome than the situation where police investigate noise complaints made by neighbours. While such cumbersome enforcement measures may be inevitable under the provincial delegation of powers, it is important that there be the real ability to physically compel the ceasing of cutting of trees in contravention of the regional tree by-law. The most obvious way to improve this situation is to delete the provision for mailing notices.

Sincerely,

Dr. John Bacher - Director
Niagara Restoration Council

October 14, 2005

NRC issues the following new release:

Welland, Ontario ─ The Niagara Restoration Council (NRC) is excited to announce the initiation of their most recent habitat restoration project! The NRC is implementing a wildlife corridor enhancement project, within the Fifteen, Sixteen, and Eighteen Mile Creek subwatersheds. A formal introduction of this project will occur at the NRC’s upcoming Annual General Meeting, November 29th.

This new project aims to restore Carolinian forest habitat and reduce forest fragmentation. The Carolinian life zone, a biogeographically unique area encompassing the Niagara Peninsula, is particularly at risk from forest loss, due to its disproportionately high human population. This zone boasts the highest diversity of species and habitats in Canada, yet there are 500 rare or threatened species located in this area, which are faced with the continuing pressures of urbanization.

The NRC has received funding in the amount of $119,200 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, $5,000 from the Niagara Community Foundation, and $5,000 from the Shell Environmental Fund. Thanks to the help of its partners and these generous contributions, the NRC will plant at least 50,000 native trees over the next two years within the Fifteen, Sixteen, and Eighteen Mile Creek subwatersheds, to build corridors linking forest fragments, and increase interior forest area. The project will create educational opportunities for the public, through the promotion of various methods of community participation, and informational events. Through this initiative the NRC hopes to partner on various conservation strategies in the long term protection and conservation of new and existing forest habitat. This will include assisting eligible landowners in applying for appropriate tax incentive programs.

The NRC is a non profit organization whose mandate is to “protect, maintain, and actively restore the ecosystems of Niagara”. This organization has undertaken a variety of restoration projects within the Niagara River Watershed, and is currently involved with a fish barrier removal and stream buffer planting project as well. These projects will be discussed further at the Annual General Meeting November 29th, at Niagara College Glendale campus, at 7 p.m. The NRC invites any interested parties to attend, to learn more about the Niagara Restoration Council, and hear guest speaker John Ambrose talk.

August 10, 2005 - New Employee Hire

The Niagara Restoration Council (NRC) is pleased to anounce the hiring of a Habitat Restoration Technician, to assist the Environmental Project Manager with the research, promotion, and implementation of our habitat restoration projects.

Complete details on the newest member of our group, will be available shortly.

November 24, 2004

The Niagara Restoration Council receives NPCA Conservation Achievement Award.

June 7, 2004

The NRC is featured in a Welland Tribune article.

Among the 30 people who turned out to help at the Niagara Restoration
Council’s stream restoration planting day at Maple Park on Sunday were, from
left, John Yancoulis, Rose Stranges, Sandy Basso, Rob Diermair, David
Beamer, Lisa Moreira and Jimmy Wintle. /STAFF PHOTO ANGUS SCOTT

Click here if you'd like to see the full text of the article, in PDF format.

March 5, 2004

The Niagara Restoration Council was given the Canadian Peter F. Drucker Niagara Regional Voluntary Sector Innovation Award for the Environmental Organization of the year! If you'd like to see what local MPP Tim Hudak had to say about this, click here to download a pdf file of his congratulatory letter to the NRC.

Did you know that the Niagara River Watershed extends west, almost all the way to Hamilton?