London-area wildlife protection groups will be receiving funding from the Ontario government to help protect species at risk in the next few months.
“This money means a lot to organizations who focus on protecting wildlife and we’re thankful to be a part of the program. The money is going towards supporting work at nature reserves that we protect in the region. So that might include restoring habitats, removing invasive species to make habitat quality better,” said Daria Koscinski of Thames Talbot Land Trust, an environmental charity.
On February 12, the Ontario government revealed that it will be investing $20 million to help protect species at risk.
Koscinksi said Thames Talbot Land Trust will receive just over $300,000 over about five years.
“Monarch Butterflies are a species at risk and we know that they need milkweed to breed and they need pollinator plants. So taking actions like planting native plants and milkweeds in your garden can support species at risk,” she said.
The release said the funding is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario’s environment and preserve biodiversity for future generations.
“The Species Conservation Program replaces and improves on the former Species at Risk Stewardship Program (SARSP) with four times more funding to boost the valuable work that species experts and community-based protection and conservation projects are doing province-wide,” said the release.
The money will also be going toward protecting plant species at risk.
“So we have lots of plants that are species at risk that people probably don’t realize, or necessarily recognize even when th
ey’re going for a hike in their local forest. So we have different trees that are species at risk that are declining, particularly people would be familiar with the emerald ash borer that went and killed hundreds of ash trees,” said Koscinski.
Salthaven Wildlife is another organization that focuses on rehabilitating animals and species at risk. Employee Brittany Leach said they didn’t receive any funding but they welcome the good news about the investments.
“I think it’s excellent, it’s an excellent step forward for environmental conservation in our province, they’re specifically focusing on multiple levels of environmental protection,” said Leach.
“Just by having this step forward and having the government take it seriously allows us to do what we do,” she also added.
Leach also listed some species at risk in the area:
- Barn Swallows
- Eastern Whip-poor-will
- Peregrine Falcons
- Short-Eared Owls
- Little Brown Bats
- Snapping Turtle
Leach also said that the government gave the money to 46 different groups in the province.
Find out more about the organizations and the release in the links listed below.
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007033/ontario-investing-20-million-to-protect-species-at-risk
