Cataraqui Conservation invites public comment on two new strategies – Kingston News

Cataraqui Conservation invites the public to share feedback and ideas on drafts of the new Cataraqui Conservation Watershed Resource Management Strategy and Protected Areas Strategy.

According to a statement from the environmental authorities, public feedback will help them better understand the values ​​and priorities of our river basin residents and those visiting our properties.

“These strategies were developed to comply with provincial legislation, 2021 (Ontario Regulation 686/21: Mandatory Programs and Services), which mandates the development of both a Watershed-based Resource Management Strategy (WRMS) and a Conservation Area Strategy. The legislation requires both strategies to be completed by December 31, 2024,” Cataraqui Conservation details.

Members of the public, including those outside the watershed who may visit one or more Cataraqui Conservation properties, are invited to participate in online surveys available at https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/get-involved. The initial 30-day consultation period began Monday, July 8 and will run through Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. A second 30-day consultation period will be held in September 2024, according to the release.

The following details were provided by Cataraqui Conservation:

A catchment-based resource management strategy (WRMS):

Developed based on data and scientific evidence, the purpose of the WRMS is to help environmental authorities improve programs and services to help address and manage possible risks. Risks can include underlying problems or “triggers” that can lead to harm to people or property due to natural hazards such as floods.

Additionally, through this process, Cataraqui Conservation will be able to focus on other aspects of its mandate related to non-mandatory programs and services, as well as establish priorities with our city partners to ensure more effective and efficient implementation.

Land Protection Strategy:

Cataraqui Conservation is the primary landowner in the watershed, with 245 individual parcels totaling over 4,700 hectares (11,600 acres). These lands are locally, provincially, and in some cases, internationally significant. Cataraqui Conservation properties include features such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, watercourses, karst (an irregular limestone region with sinkholes, underground streams, and caves), and lake/river shorelines.

The purpose of the protected area strategy is to set out the overall priorities for protected areas and to give the community a chance to tell us what they think about our protected areas and what is important to them. Part of the new document will be to create comprehensive management guidelines for protected areas and to update/improve the current guidelines for acquiring and disposing of property. All of these documents will be published for public comment as they reach the draft stage.

For more information on both strategies and to download the draft documents, visit https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/get-involved.