[All] Please Help .... Oct. 15 deadline! Make Species Recovery Meaningful

Thu Oct 14 18:35:48 EDT 2010

Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 18:07:56 -0400
To: gordanddaph at sympatico.ca
From: info at ontarionature.org
Subject: Make Species Recovery Meaningful

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Make Species Recovery Meaningful

How you can help:

Write a letter. You can use our sample below as a starting point.
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Share this Action Alert with a friend to spread the word
Related Information

Ontario's Endangered Species Act

EBR Registry NO: 010-9192
We now have the opportunity to urge the Province to implement meaningful recovery plans for at-risk wildlife. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has posted 13 government response statements (GRS) outlining plans and priorities for species recovery efforts. Generally, these plans suffer from a lack of detail about timelines, roles, responsibilities and resources. The lack of direction on measures to protect and restore habitat is particularly disturbing. Please register your concerns and recommendations about these plans and priorities by October 15.
Following the approval of a recovery strategy for a species at risk, MNR is required by law (the Endangered Species Act) to develop a GRS summarizing the actions the government will take. MNR is now developing GRS for the following 13 species: 
- Engelmann’s Quillwort 
- Few-flowered Club-rush 
- Jefferson Salamander 
- Eastern Prairie-fringed Orchid 
- American Badger 
- Barn Owl 
- Peregrine Falcon 
- Wood Turtle 
- Eastern Flowering Dogwood 
- Ogden’s Pondweed 
- Redside Dace 
- Deerberry 
- Spotted Wintergreen
The draft GRS for each of the above species can be found at this link.
Given the complexity involved in managing the survival and recovery of at-risk plants and animals, it is critical that each GRS clearly outline timelines for action (with key benchmarks monitored at appropriate intervals) and a leadership role for government on key recovery actions.
Outlined below is a list of Ontario Nature’s key recommendations.
1. Government must take lead responsibility for key recovery actions.  Each GRS outlines actions that will be led by government and actions that will be supported by government. Presumably, those actions which are critical for species recovery should be led by government. However, government-led actions identified in the draft GRS consist only of generalized, high-level statements without timelines or resources. Leadership roles are not identified, and no further clarification as to the government’s role is provided. The commitment to action is so vague as to be useless.
Instead, activities that require significant leadership, expertise and/or resources should be identified as government-led activities and include:
- Establishment of clear, species-specific thresholds for activities within habitat regulated under the Endangered Species Act.
- Determination of priority sites for stewardship, restoration and land acquisition.
- Development of best management practices for restoring, protecting and maintaining habitat.
Integration of measures to protect and restore species at risk and their habitat under the Endangered Species Act with other legislation and policy governing the use and conservation of lands, waters and natural resources. 
- Development of communication and outreach plans to promote understanding and support of recovery efforts among landowners, resource managers, industry and the public.
- Development and implementation of reporting and monitoring protocols.
2. GRS must provide timelines for actions and state when high priority actions will be initiated. Each GRS should include specific information on the activities that will be undertaken to help the species survive and recover, with timelines attached. The only information provided on timelines is that high priority actions will be undertaken within five years. This vague commitment is sorely inadequate for coordinating recovery efforts and driving them forward.
For example, the Jefferson salamander GRS lists a number of activities for managing threats to the species  - none of which is government led and only one of which is identified as a high priority. As a result, critical activities such as restoring habitat and mitigating threats at priority sites are left completely at sea – all we know is that they are unlikely to take place within the next five years because they haven’t been identified as a high priority. This vague approach to planning suggests a disturbing lack of commitment to actually get things done.
3. Protection of habitat must be the core component of government actions. Habitat loss and degradation are the primary threat to more than 80 percent of species at risk in Canada and to 10 of the 13 species listed above. Their survival and recovery require strong, precautionary measures to protect and restore their habitat. For species threatened by habitat loss and degradation, the GRS should outline a plan for maintaining and/or restoring the areas on which the species depends directly or indirectly. This should include actions with timelines to address threats, promote stewardship, conduct outreach, and undertake research and monitoring related to protecting the species’ habitat. Unless the GRS include strong and specific habitat maintenance and restoration measures, it is unlikely that they will serve to recover Ontario’s at-risk species.
You can use the points above to draft a letter and either email it to recovery.planning at ontario.ca or send a hard copy to the address below by October 15, 2010.
Anita Imrie
Species at Risk Biologist, Recovery Planning
Ministry of Natural Resources
Policy Division, Species at Risk Branch
300 Water Street, Floor 4
Robinson Place South Tower
Peterborough Ontario
K9J 8M5
Fax: (705) 755-1788
Be sure to reference the EBR registry number: 010-9192.
Please send a copy of your letter to Ontario Nature at 366 Adelaide St., W., Suite 201, Toronto, ON M5V 1R9 or email to amberc at ontarionature.org.
For more information:
The EBR posting 010-9192 can be found here.
Recovery strategies for each of the species listed above can be found here.

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