The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) has acquired 40 hectares of land in the heart of Minesing Wetlands.
This 40-hectare, or 100-acre, acquisition adds to lands protected by NVCA and its conservation partners over the past 60 years.
Minesing Wetlands is recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International Significance and is considered a regional biodiversity hotspot. The area provides habitat for a variety of wildlife and offers recreational opportunities including birdwatching and paddling.
The wetland also serves as natural infrastructure for communities throughout the Nottawasaga watershed. It filters pollutants and nutrients while absorbing and storing excess water during heavy rainfall, spring snowmelt and periods of high groundwater. NVCA says these functions help reduce peak flows and contribute to flood protection for downstream communities, including Wasaga Beach.
For communities upstream, the wetland also helps reduce erosion by slowing the movement and reducing the volume of water entering downstream rivers and streams.
“This acquisition is another example of what can be accomplished through a long-term commitment to conservation,” says Kyra Howes, Director of Conservation Services with NVCA. “Minesing Wetlands was not protected all at once. It has been built piece by piece, property by property, through the efforts of many organizations, landowners and conservation partners. Each protected property strengthens this interconnected landscape and helps ensure the wetland continues to provide its ecological and community benefits well into the future.”
Trumpeter swan in Minesing Wetlands
NVCA has worked to secure the core of Minesing Wetlands for more than 60 years, including through partnerships with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
“Minesing Wetlands is one of the great natural gems of our watershed,” says Jonathan Scott, NVCA Chair. “This acquisition may be a small piece of the larger Minesing puzzle, but every piece matters. By protecting these lands today, we are helping ensure that the wetland can continue providing flood protection, and critical benefits to wildlife, the environment and our communities for generations to come.”
NVCA is encouraging landowners within Minesing Wetlands and across the watershed to consider options for conserving their properties. For more information, click here.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at:
- News1013@LocalRadio.ca (Milton)
- News1015@LocalRadio.ca (Orangeville)
- News92@LocalRadio.ca (South Simcoe)
- Rick.Sargent@LocalRadio.ca (Bolton)
If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
