The LPWF Collaborative is a partnership of over twenty non-government and government organizations that are committed to improve biodiversity conservation in LPWF through the coordinated identification and implementation of priority conservation actions. The Collaborative has developed an Integrated Conservation Action Plan (ICAP) which identifies the highest priority actions for improving ecosystem health and conserving species at risk. The knowledge and expertise of the Collaborative is integral to fulfilling the vision of the LPWF ICAP, which is to create healthy, resilient and connected ecosystems that support biodiversity, productive landscapes and a thriving community.
Within the Collaborative, there are five subset committees called “working groups”. Each working group is implementing conservation actions that address priority threats to species at risk and their habitats. The priority threats and important habitats and species include:
- Threats: Roads, Invasive species, Agricultural Runoff, Fire Suppression and Logging and Wood Harvesting
- Important Habitats and Species: Coastal Wetlands and Inner Bay, Open Country, Forests and Treed Swamps, Watercourses and Riparian Areas and Amphibians and Reptiles
Environment and Climate Change Canada has invested approximately $4.5 million in federal funding to conservation projects in LPWF from 2018-2021. The Collaborative has matched that investment with approximately $6.6 million.
Road Ecology Working Group
| Members: Ontario Road Ecology Group, Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, and Canadian Wildlife Service |
| Goal: Reduce wildlife road mortality by enhancing road infrastructure to facilitate safe movement of wildlife across the landscape. |
| For additional information, or to get involved, please contact:
Mandy Karch, Executive Director, Ontario Road Ecology Group ontarioroadecologygroup@gmail.com |
Invasive Species (Phragmites australis) Working Group
| Members: Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Canadian Wildlife Service |
| Goals:
1. By 2025, 90% of the vegetation in the Coastal Wetlands and Beaches and Coastal Dunes ecosystems is native. 2. Maintain and improve the riparian zone so that 75% is vegetated with native plants |
| For additional information, or to get involved, please contact:
Eric Cleland, Director, Nature Conservancy of Canada eric.cleland@natureconservancy.ca |
Agricultural Runoff Working Group
| Members: ALUS Norfolk Inc., Norfolk County, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Carolinian Canada Coalition, Long Point Basin Land Trust, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Canadian Wildlife Service |
| Goals:
1. Maintain and improve the riparian zone so that 75% is vegetated with native plants 2. By 2025, at least 50% of surface water samples meet the provincial water quality objective for phosphorus (0.03 mg/L for streams and rivers). |
| For additional information, or to get involved, please contact:
Stephanie Giles, Program Coordinator, ALUS Norfolk Inc. alusnorfolk@alus.ca |
Open Country Working Group
| Members: Nature Conservancy of Canada, Natural Resource Solutions Inc., Tallgrass Ontario, St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Ontario Plant Restoration Alliance, ALUS Norfolk Inc., Long Point Basin Land Trust, Ontario Nature, and Canadian Wildlife Service |
| Goal: Maintain existing Open Country habitat and restore additional areas, prioritizing sites where: existing habitat patches can be increased in size, habitat patches >=5 ha can be created, patch connectivity is best achieved and/or there are opportunities for long-term management. |
| For additional information, or to get involved, please contact:
Kristen Bernard, Program Director – Southwestern Ontario, Nature Conservancy of Canada kristen.bernard@natureconservancy.ca |
Forests and Treed Swamps Working Group
| Members: ALUS Norfolk, Birds Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Long Point Basin Land Trust, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Norfolk County, Norfolk Woodlot Owners Association, St. Williams Conservation Reserve |
| Goal: Maintain existing 2018 Forests and Treed Swamps cover and where possible increase/improve interior forest habitat and connectivity through additional forested acreage and forested corridors by 2050. |
| For additional information, or to get involved, please contact:
Ian Fife, Ontario Forest Birds Program Coordinator ifife@birdscanada.org |