Additions to Endangered List

An article in Monday's St. Catharines Standard caught my attention.

Ten animal species, including six birds, are now listed as "endangered" under Ontario's Endangered Species Act. Three of the six are mentioned in an article on the Ontario Nature site and include Chimney Swift, Whip-poor-will and Canada Warbler.

Mark Carabetta, conservation science manager for Ontario Nature, said that citizens have to ask their governments to make sensitive planning choices. Well let's hope this works with the proposed aggregate pit in Codrington, Ontario. If the municipal government of Brighton agrees to the quarry, 105 hectares of forest and scrubland will be lost, threatening a small breeding population of Golden-winged Warblers.

Mark also said that citizens ask their governments to create parks and conservation areas. Brilliant. But in the case of the former Department of National Defence lands in Niagara-on-the-Lake, it will not be easy with Parks Canada supporting the proposal of a 17-week international music festival. Though there will be land spared for conservation under the proposed plan, I believe the entire 268 acre site should be a conservation area.

With the addition of 10 species to the at-risk list (aka endangered species list) more land should be spared to ensure that these and other species at risk bounce back to greater numbers, including the Rapids Clubtail (a first for a dragonfly species).

For additional information on species at risk, check out the Ministry of Natural Resources site.

In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep you informed on the Codrington Pit and Project Niagara proposals.