Algonquin to Adirondacks Collaborative (A2A)

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1 Algonquin to Adirondacks Collaborative (A2A) 19ReynoldsRoad R.R.1,Lansdowne,ONK0E1L0 a2alink.org From:EmilyConger,AlgonquintoAdirondacksCollaborative EnbridgePipelinesInc. Line9BReversalandLine9CapacityExpansion Project OH TotheNationalEnergyBoard: ThissupplementarydocumentistoprovidemoreevidencethanIcould,sincethe deadlineforwrittenevidencehasbeenextended. TheadditionalevidenceIamprovidingpertainstothefollowingsectionsandis highlightedinred.ihaveeliminatedsectionswheretherehavebeennochanges: TheUniqueNatureoftheA2ARegion APassagewayforWildlife TheA2ARegionishighlybiodiverse,andisthemostextensive,leastdegradednorthsouthcorridoreastofLakeSuperior,connectingtheAppalachianforestsofthe southeasternustothevastborealforestsofthecanadianshield,makingitauniquely importantareatosavethebiodiversityontariohasleft(seenewevidencebelow).it providesspecieswiththeabilitytomoveinanorth southdirection.wildlifemovement isnecessarytomaintaingeneticdiversity(avoidinbreeding),andtoallowindividual 1

2 animalsandplantstodispersenaturallytocarryouttheirlifeprocesses.thea2aregion isoneoftheonlyviablenorth southpassagewaysforspecies,owingtotheabilityof animalstocrossthest.lawrenceusingthethousandislandsintheirjourney.other waysareblockedforterrestrialspecies,owingtothepresenceofthegreatlakesand thewideningofthest.lawrencetotheeastofthea2aregion.pleaseseecanadian ParksandWildernessSociety,OttawaValleyChapter.(2004).ThousandIslands EcosystemCommunityAtlas.Ottawa:CPAWS.Onpage5,describingThousandIslands NationalPark(formerlycalledSt.LawrenceIslandsNationalPark),theAtlasstates, The interplayofraggedislandsandhills,thest.lawrenceriverandamoderateclimatehave createdadiverseecosystem,providinghabitatsforawiderangeofspecies. (thepark) islocatedatthecrossroadsoftwocontinentallandscapefeatures:thest.lawrence RiverandtheFrontenacAxis.Bothserveecologicalrolesascorridorsforwildlife movementanddispersalinalargelysettledandagriculturallandscape.aswell,thest. LawrenceRiveractsasapartialbarrierforthenorth southspeciesmovement,withthe FrontenacAxisprovidingtheisland steppingstones acrossthatbarrier. ProvingthatwildlifemovementhasoccurredintheA2ARegionhistorically: St. LawrenceIslandsNationalPark(nowThousandIslandsNationalPark)liesatthejunction ofseveralecoregions,largeregionsofsimilargeologyandclimatethatareeachhometo differentsetsofspeciesandhabitats SpeciesmoretypicalofCarolinianforestssuchas DeerberryandButtonbushoccurinSt.LawrenceIslandsNationalParkalongside typicallyborealforestspeciessuchastamarackandbalsamfir.thepitchpineoccurs locallyhere,eventhoughitismoretypicaltotheappalachianstothesouth. From ThousandIslandsEcosystemCommunityAtlas,p.5 TheA2ARegioncontainstheFrontenacAxis,itscentralfeature,whichisacentral featureinthethousandislandsnationalpark. AccordingtotheThousandIslandsEcosystemCommunityAtlas., Theforestsand wetlandsofthefrontenacarch(alsoknownasaxis)formanimportantchainof interconnectedwildlifehabitatsfromalgonquinparktotheadirondackpark,twoofthe largestparksineasternnorthamerica.thealgonquintoadirondacksconservation Initiative(A2A)seekstokeepthischainofhabitatsconnected.Scientiststhinkthatthis chainisweakestwhereitcrossedthest.lawrenceriverandhighway401.conserving habitathereisimportantforlocalcommunities,butalsoforwildlifeacrossamuch largerregion. FromKeddy,TheConservationPotentialoftheFrontenacAxisLinking Algonquinpark totheadirondacks,p.1, Thus,acomprehensivelandusestrategyisrequiredto maintainandenhancetheecologicalintegrityofthefrontenacaxisanditsrolein facilitatinggeogeographicdispersal.conservationoftheaxiswillalsocontributeto protectingintegrityatthebiospherescale. 2

3 Andonp.3, The underlyingbasis ofthefrontenaclinkistheprecambrianshield,and igneousbedrockthatdominatesmuchofthelandscapeofeasternandcentralcanada. IntheregionoftheSt.LawrenceRiver,itfunnelsdowntoanarrowbridge,calledthe FrontenacAxis whichlinksthesouthernadirondackprecambriandometothevast northernshield. TheFrontenacAxisalsoprovidesbiogeographiclinksbetweenthe BorealForestofNorthAmericaandtheGreatNorthernForestofthenortheastern UnitedStatesandtheAppalachianForeststhatextendsouthalongthemountains.This linkisofbiogeographicinterestforsomanyreasons.forexample,southernspecies extendtheirdistributionsnorthalongtheaxis,northernspeciesextendtheir distributionssouthalongtheaxis,widespreadspeciesconcentrateontheaxis,forestdependentspeciesusetheaxisasamigrationrouteandbreedinghabit,andthehigh diversityofenvironmentalconditions,inturn,supportshighspeciesdiversityand numerousrarespecies. ImprovingconnectivityofnaturalhabitatsintheA2Aregioniswidelyrecognizedasan essentialstrategyforconservingbiodiversityineasternnorthamerica(keddy,c.(1995). PleaseseeTheConservationPotentialoftheFrontenacAxis:LinkingAlgonquinParkto theadirondacks.ottawa:canadianparksandwildernesssociety,ottawavalley Chapter)andStephenson,B.(2001).FromKeddy,TheConservationPotentialofthe FrontenacAxis LinkingAlgonquinparktotheAdirondacks,p.1 TheFrontenacAxisis abandofprecambrianbedrockthatjoinstheprecambrianshieldinontariowiththe AdirondackMountainsinNewYork.Itlinksrelatedbiologicalcommunitiesonamajor geographicalscaleandisthemostextensive,leastdegradednorth southcorridoracross thest.lawrenceriver.thisnaturallandunitissignificantatacontinentalscaleanda large scalestrategyisneededtosustainitssignificantconservationvalue. ForfurtherinformationontheconnectivitypotentialoftheA2ARegion,please view:,thealgonquintoadirondackconservationinitiative:akeymacro landscape linkageineasternnorthamerica.billstephenson, AlsopleaseviewD.Harmon(Ed.),CrossingBoundariesinParkManagement: Proceedingsofthe11thConferenceonResearchandResourceManagementinParks andonpubliclands( ).Michigan:TheGeorgeWrightSociety. HighBiodiversity TheA2ARegionisabiodiversity hotspot incanada.assuch,ithasalargenumberof SpeciesatRisk.ItalsohasthehighestbiodiversityofplantsinCanada,withseveral overlappingforesttypesrepresented(boreal,appalachian,greatlakes St.Lawrence, CarolinianandAtlantic).ThousandIslandsNationalParkhasidentifiedawidevarietyof SpeciesatRiskinthePark,andothersinthesurroundingcountryside( thegreaterpark Ecosystem)allofwhichfallintheA2ARegion,andmanyofwhicharelocatedin proximityoftheenbridgepipeline.manyspeciesatriskintheareaarelistedin Appendix3. 3

4 Overall,Ontario sbiodiversityisatrisk,accordingtothereportfromtheontario BiodiversityCouncilmadeupofthefollowingorganization:OntarioStone,Sand& GravelAssociation,DucksUnlimitedCanada,ChiefsofOntario,BirdStudiesCanada,AG Care,OntarioForestryAssociation,OntarioPowerGeneration,OntarioMinistryof NaturalResourcesandtheUnionofOntarioIndians.StateofOntario sbiodiversity 2010,pp Asalientquotefromthisdocumentstates, Thisanalysis(fromthe CommitteeontheStatusofEndangeredWildlifeinCanada(COSEWIC)andthe CommitteeontheStatusofSpeciesatRiskinOntario(COSSARO)identifiedthe predominantthreattospeciesatriskinontarioashabitatloss,affecting85%of199 species. Thisreportalsomentionspollutionnegativelyaffectingroughly20%of species. Onpage70 71,thereportstatesunderthesectionStatusofNativeSpeciesinOntario, Humanactivitiesarealteringthenaturalworldatanunprecedentedscale,causing globalextinctionratestoriseanestimated100to1000timesbeyondthenatural extinctionrate(pimmetal.1995).ouractivitiescanfundamentallyand,toacertain extentirreversibly,changethediversityoflifeandnegativelyaffectthehealthandwellbeingofallontarians.althoughmanyontariospeciesaremanagedtoprovide sustainableharvests,numerousspeciesareatriskofdisappearingfromtheprovince duetothreatssuchashabitatlossandalieninvasivespecies...asofseptember2009, therewere199specieslistedonthespeciesatriskinontariolistunderontario s EndangeredSpeciesAct,2007. StateofOntario sbiodiversity2010,alsostates: Humanactivitiesaffectbiodiversity directlythroughhabitatalteration,introductionofinvasivespecies,pollution, overharvestingofspecies,andclimatechange.thesestressorsoftenoperatetogether andresultintheunsustainableuseoftheplanet sbiologicalcapacity. p.17 Andonpage33, Thereleaseofpollutantsintotheairandwaterandontothelandcan haveseriouseffectsonbiodiversity.pollutantscankillorganismsoutrightorcancause chronicimpactsthataffectreproductionorotherlifeprocesses.pollutantscanalso changetheconditionsandprocessesoccurringwithinanecosystem,andresultin systematicchangesthatdegradehabitatsandnegativelyimpactecosystemservices. Biodiversitynearsitesusedintensivelybyhumans(e.g.,urbanareas,agriculturalareas, mines,andotherindustries)maybeatmostriskfrompollution;howeverthetransport ofpollutantstodownstreamanddownwindareascanalsohavesignificanteffectson biodiversity. Onpage36fromtheStateofOntario sbiodiversity2010itstates: EndocrineDisruptingsubstances,alsocalledhormone disruptingsubstances,alter hormonelevelsinhumansandwildlife.thesesubstancescanleadtochangesinthe growth,reproductionanddevelopmentoffishandwildlifespeciesandtheiroff spring. Endocrinedisruptingsubstancesarefoundindrugs,pesticides,industrialchemicalsand someplastics Endocrinedisruptorsbuildupinwaterwaysplacingaquaticorganisms 4

5 likefishandamphibiansatparticularlyhighrisk(kime1998;kloas2002)therearemany studiesdemonstratingtheimpactsofendocrinedisruptionsubstancesoncanadian wildlife.theseimpactsinclude:deformitiesandembryomortalityinbirdsandfish exposedtoindustrialchemicalsorinsecticides;impairedreproductionanddevelopment infishrelatedtorunofffrompulpandpapermills;feminizationoffishexposedtorunoff frommunicipalsources;abnormaldevelopmentofmollusksexposedtoantifouling agentsappliedtothehullsofships;andreducedthyroidandimmunefunctionsinfish eatingbirds Endocrinedisruptingsubstancesalsohavenegativeimpactsonhuman healthandareconsideredasignificantconcerntopublichealth(diamanti Kandarakiset al.2009).despitetheirharmfuleffects,endocrinedisruptionsubstancescontinuetobe releasedintotheenvironment. Itisourunderstandingthatthechemicalmakeupofthe componentsofdilbithavenotbeenmadepubliclyavailable,makingitimpossiblefor scientistsandotherstoknowwhetheritcontainsendocrinedisruptingsubstances. Giventheinformationabove,A2Aarguesthatfulldisclosureofthechemical componentsofthedilbittobetransportedshouldbepublicinformationandthatthe highestsafetystandardsmustbeputinplacetoensurethatsuchchemicalsneverenter thenaturalenvironment. OnPage25fromtheStateofOntario sbiodiversity2010itstates: Thereisawell documentedrelationshipbetweenthenumberofspeciesinaprotected areaanditssize.ingeneral,thelargerthesize,themorespeciesthatcanbesustained. Thiswouldsuggestthatfragmentationcausedbyanoilspillwouldreducethenumber ofspecies,inadditiontothedirectdamagetothespeciesthemselvesandthelongterm damagetheywouldsustainasaresultofdamagedhabitat. Fragile FromKeddy,TheConservationPotentialoftheFrontenacAxis,P.1 TheFrontenac Axisisafragilelink.Itisasparselypopulated,narrowbridgeflankedbybroadareasof agriculturallandoversedimentarypaleozoicbedrock. ThewatertableinmostoftheA2Aregionisparticularlyfragile,sothatdamagetoitcan bequickandlonglasting.thesoilsinthea2aregiontendtobeshallow,withbedrock closetothesurface.thismeansthatanoilspillmaytravelquickly,andeasilypenetrate throughbedrock,therebyfoulingthegroundwaterandendangeringhumansand wildlife.(pleaseseeappendix1,alettersubmittedbythecataraquiregion ConservationAuthority.)FromitIquote, Groundwateraquifersprovidedrinkingwater forruralcommunitiesacrossthecataraquiregion.aboutone fifthofourresidentsas wellasnumerousbusinessesandinstitutionssuchaschurches,farmsandschools obtaintheirwaterfromthissource.thecurrentandproposedcontentsofline9have 5

6 thepotentialtopermanentlydespoilgroundwaterviaaleakorspillevent.groundwater hasbeenthesubjectofnumeroustechnicalstudiescoveringallorpartofthecataraqui Region(amongthemDillon2001and2008,andTrow2007).Thesestudieshave consistentlyidentifiedthatalmostallofthelocalgroundwaterishighlyvulnerableto contaminationduetothefracturednatureofthebedrock,lackofsoilcoverandthe shallowdepthtothewatertable.karsttopography(i.e.caves,sinkholes)ispresentin somelocations,addingtothevulnerability.thismeansthatactivitiesandfacilitiesator nearthesurface,suchasoilpipelines,canhaveanegativeimpactongroundwater. p. 12,thisdocument. ClimateChangeMitigation Healthy,connectedwildlifehabitatcanincreaseresiliencetoclimatechange,andfor maintainingourqualityoflifeforfuturegenerations.pleaseseebeier,p.brost,b. (2010).Useoflandfacetstoplanforclimatechange:conservingthearenas,notthe actors.conservationbiology.24(3): aswellasthefollowing: Hodgson,J.A.,Thomas,C.D.,Wintle,B.A.andA.Moilanen.(2009).Climatechange, connectivityandconservationdecisionmaking:backtobasics.journalofapplied Ecology.26(5) Gunderson,L.H.(2000)."EcologicalResilience InTheoryandApplication".Annual ReviewofEcology&Systematics31:425 Folke,C.,Carpenter,S.,Walker,B.,Scheffer,M.,Elmqvist,T.,Gunderson,L.,Holling,C.S. (2004)."RegimeShifts,Resilience,andBiodiversityinEcosystemManagement".Annual ReviewofEcology,Evolution,andSystematics35: Peterson,G.,Allen,C.R.,Holling,C.S.(1998)."EcologicalResilience,Biodiversity,and Scale".Ecosystems1(1):6 18. JKotta,RAps,KHerkül(2008)Predictingecologicalresilienceofmarinebenthic communitiesfacingahighriskofoilspills. EnvironmentalProblemsinCoastalRegionsVII: ( inki/kotta%20et%20al%20oil%20spill%2008_ok.pdf) Feltmate,B.andJ.Thistlethwaite.2012.ClimateChangeAdaptation:APrioritiesPlanfor Canada.Chapter2:Biodiversitypp37 50.ReportoftheClimateChange AptaptionProject(Canada).UniversityofWaterloo,IntactFinancialCorporation. 6

7 TheThousandIslandsNationalPark,attheheartoftheA2Aregion ThousandIslandsNationalPark(TINP),formerlySt.LawrenceIslandsNationalPark, facessignificantthreatsandchallenges.accordingthethecpawsthousandislands CommunityAtlas,p.6 ThemajorthreatstoSt.LawrenceIslandsNationalParkarethe destructionofnaturalhabitatandthefragmentationofthishabitatbyhumanactivity. Fragmentationoccurswhennaturalhabitatisseparatedintopatchesthatarenot connectedtoeachother,makingitdifficultforwildlifetousetheremnanthabitateven ifitisthere.themajorsourcesofhabitatdestructionandfragmentationinthe ThousandIslandEcosystemaretransportationinfrastructure(onlandandwater),and urbanization. ThousandIslandsNationalParkislocatedtothesouthofthepipeline(whereoilwould flowfromarupture).itspropertiesareprimarilyinleedscounty.thestaffattinpwere notnotifiedbyenbridgeasapartoftheirprocesstonotifyentitiesthatmightbe affected,despitethepark sproximitytothepipeline.thestaffhasnotbeenconsulted withregardtothegenerallocationsofthepark shighvalue,atriskareas,norto participateinanytable toporspillresponseexercises,nortosolicittheirfeedbackon thepipeline.parkstaffrequireamoredetailedmapthathaswatershedboundariesfor thethousandislandsecosystemalongwiththepipelinelocation.theirprimaryconcern isthatanappropriatespillresponseisinplacetocontainanyspillstotheareaoutside ofthousandislandsnationalpark. WithinTINPisalargewetlandatJonesCreek.Thewetlandisthreatenedbyanyspill thatmightoccurwherethepipelinecrossesjonescreekinleedscounty. EnbridgewasaskedtoprovidespecificemergencymeasuresfortheSpeciesatRiskin theparkthroughthequestionsposedbymeinmyinformationrequest,butfailedtodo so.specificallythefollowingspeciesatrisk,likelytobeaffectedbyanoilspill(since theyspendallorpartoftheirlivesinwaterorfeedinwater)shouldhavespecific recoveryplansinplacetoaddressmitigatingtheeffectsofapipelinespillshouldone occur:leastbittern,blanding sturtle,easternmuskturtle,northernmapturtle, SnappingTurtle,PeregrineFalcon,AmericanEel,GrassPickerel,PugnoseShiner,Bridle Shiner,WesternChorusFrog,EasternRibbonSnake,AmericanWaterWillow,Eastern Pondmussel,LakeSturgeon,LouisianaWaterthrush,SilverLamprey,SpottedTurtle, EasternPrairieFringedOrchid,KingRail,HornedGrebe,RustyBlackbirdandYellowRail. PleaseseeAppendix3. UnlessanduntiltheissuesaddressedintheparagraphsrelatingtoTINP,arenegotiated withthestaffoftheparkandtheresultsofthesenegotiationsaredeemedtobe adequatebytinp sstaff,project OH shouldnotproceed. 7

8 Conclusion TheA2ARegion,givenitsbiodiversity,uniqueabilitytoconnectwildlifehabitatona continentalbasis,itsmitigatingeffectsonclimatechangeanditsfragilityshouldbe givenspecialstatusleadingtohigherstandardsofpipelinesafetyandemergency responseplans.enbridgeshouldmakeitssafetyplanavailableinitsentiretywithout redaction,anditshouldmakethechemicalcompositionofthegoodsittransports publiclyavailable. Apipelinespillofanysizewouldkillordamagefloraandfaunathroughdirectcontact, andalsodestroyhabitat,whichinturnwouldleadtomorewildlifedeathinthehighly biodiverseandsensitivea2aregion.apipelinespillofanysignificancewouldinterrupt healthywildlifehabitatandconnectivity,therebydegradingtheuniquebiodiversityof thea2aregionandthedispersalofwildlifethatresultsfromitsconnectedhabitat, threateninggeneticdiversityashabitatbecomesfragmented.itwouldalsorelease chemicalsintothisfragileregionthatwouldhaveimmediateandlastingeffectsonthe healthofthefloraandfaunalivinghere.aspillwouldalsodecreasethea2aregion s mitigatingeffectsonclimatechange. Therefore,fromtheperspectiveofmaintainingthehealthoftheecosystemsintheA2A RegionandtheirroleinwildlifemovementandspecieshealthacrossEasternNorth Americaandtheclimatemitigationtheyprovide,itisimperativethataseriousspillbe prevented.wecalluponthenationalenergyboardtoexerciseduediligenceinholding Enbridgetohigherstandardsofsafetyandinsistthatthecompanyupgradeitsgeneric EmergencySpillResponseplantomakeitaccessibleandspecificinthewaysIhave pointedoutinthissubmission. Thankyoufortheopportunitytoparticipateasanintervener.Ihopethatmyevidence willproveusefulinyourdeliberations.pleasecontactmeificanclarifyanypartsofmy submission. Respectfullyyours, EmilyConger PresidentAlgonquintoAdirondacksCollaborative 121BlackRapidsRoad, 8

9 R.R.4,Lansdowne,ONK0E1L0 Homeoffice:(613) Appendix2 LetterofComment HearingOrderOH : EnbridgePipelinesInc.(Enbridge)ApplicationfortheLine9B ReversalandLine9CapacityExpansionProjectpursuanttosection58andPartIVofthe NationalEnergyBoardAct IamwritingtoprovideaLetterofCommentabouttheabove notedapplicationtothe NationalEnergyBoard.Thecommentsaremineasanindividual,asabiologistwhohas workedinthisregionfor35years. Asabriefsummaryofcredentials,IhavebeentheChiefParkNaturalistfortwoof Canada snationalparks PointPeleeandSt.LawrenceIslandsNationalPark(now renamedthethousandislandsnationalpark);afoundingmemberandpastexecutive memberandcurrentboardofdirectorsmemberofthethousandislandswatershed LandTrust;andaco authorandpastexecutivedirectorofthefrontenacarchbiosphere Network,theoperatingorganizationoftheFrontenacArchBiosphereReserve. Noneofthoseorganizationscantakeanadversarialoradvocacyposition,becauseof regulationsinthecaseofnationalparks,orbecauseofstipulationsregardingcharitable statusbythecanadarevenueagency.therefore,iwriteasanindividual,butinformed bytheassociationwiththoseorganizations. Asabiologist,Iamconcernedabouttheeffectsofapotentialspillorruptureofthe pipelineastheymayhaveonthesensitiveecosystemsoftheunescofrontenacarch BiosphereReserve.Asyoumayknow,biospherereservesaredesignatedintheUNESCO ManandtheBiosphereprogramonlywhenitisdemonstratedthatthenominated region snaturalandculturalhistoryattributesaredeemedofsignificanceonaglobal scaleasimportanttotheworldasawhole.thereareonly16unescoworldbiosphere ReservesinCanada. Regardingtheecologyoftheregion,thedesignationbyUNESCOwasexceedinglyquick, dueinlargeparttotherecognitionofnaturalsignificance.thefrontenacarchisof utmostimportanceasanecologicalintersectiononthiscontinent.itcameintobeingat theendofthelasticeage:theintersectionofthefrontenacarchandthest.lawrence RiverValley.TheArchconnectstheCanadianShieldandtheborealforesttotheforests 9

10 oftheadirondackandappalachianmountains asouthtonorth/northtosouth migrationroute.therivervalleyisaroutefromthegreatlakesforestheartlandofthe continenttotheforestsoftheatlanticcoast.thefrontenacarchbiosphereisatthe verycentreofthatintersection,wherethemeetingofthegreatforestregionscreate whatisprovingtobetheregionofcanada sgreatestdiversityofplantandanimal communities. Highlysignificantisthatmanyspecies,becauseoftheintersectionofforestregions,are atrangelimitsandinsomecasesareremnantpopulations,outliersfrommainbodiesof populations,andoftenexhibitevolvedgeneticvariation.thesepopulationsare especiallyvulnerable. Atthesametime,becauseoftheruggedPrecambrianlandscape,developmentofthis regionhasbeentoamorelimitedextentanddegreethaninotherpartsofsouthern Ontario.Approximately40percentofthisregionremainsforested,andsome30percent ofthisregioniswet withlakesrivers,streamsandallvariationsofwetlands.such naturalcoverresultsinquantitiesofhabitatthatarerefugefortheabundanceofplant andanimalspeciesfoundhere.thereare34speciesatriskinthisregion,demonstrating thesignificanceofthisnaturallandcover,andaccountingforthepresenceofan abundanceofremnantpopulations. Thesenaturalmigrationrouteshavealsoproventobetradeandmigrationroutesfor Firstnationspeoples.Discoveriesatsomearchaeologicalsiteshaveunearthedcopper knivesfromthefarnorth,shellsfromthesoutherncoasts,chertforprojectilepoints fromfurtherwestandinland,andpotterytypesfromseveralregions. Theseculturalandecologicalricheswerekeyamongreasonsforthedesignationin CanadaoftheFrontenacArchBiosphereReserve,byUNESCO.Thedesignation celebratestheglobalsignificanceoftheregion,wherethethousandislandsarethe Biosphere sfrontdoor. Thelandtrustmovementhasbeenactiveinthisregionoverthepasttwodecades, workingwithlandownerskeenonplayingtheirpartintheconservationofecosystems here.theworkofthethousandislandswatershedlandtrust,thenatureconservancy ofcanada,ontarionatureandothershasresultedindoublingthesizeofthenational park,andincreasingthesizeofbothcharlestonlakeprovincialparkandthequeen s UniversityBiologyStationbyathirdmoreinsize.Theconservationofbiodiversityisvery muchfrontofmind,andofpriorityhere. Conservationisajustifiablepriorityhere.Nearly20percentoftheMixedwoodsForest Plain thesmallestofcanada sforestregions isfoundinthefrontenacarch Biosphere.Thatforestregionisjust2percentoftheCanadianlandmass.Thesensitivity andsignificanceofthisregioncannotbeoverestimated.itisthereforevitalthatevery conceivablemeasureistakentoprotectthisgloballyimportantecologicaltreasure. DonRoss;HillIsland,Ontario 10

11 August6, Thousand Islands - Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve World Network of Biosphere Reserves Nomination From Sept 7, Thousand Islands Ecosystem Species at Risk Habitat Availability St Lawrence Islands National Park Parks Canada Priority Investment Fund for Species at Risk Full Proposal 2005 / Greater Park Ecosystem Atlas Revised 25 Nov 2003 Steering Committee, AACA board, CPAWS team 4. Significant Wildlife Habitat Technical Guide 2000 Fish and Wildlife Branch Wildlife Section Science Development and Transfer Branch Southcentral Sciences Section 5. Climate Change and Ecosystem Services Workshop March 8, 2011 in Gananoque 11