Opportunities for Action

Species and Spaces at Risk

40% of all of Canada's vulnerable, threatened or endangered species are found in Carolinian Canada. Of the more than 800 species identified as rare in Ontario (S1, S2, S3), 34% occur only within Carolinian Canada. The region's remaining tallgrass prairie, savanna and alvar sites are globally imperiled ecosystems.

The steps taken, and lessons learned, in protecting species and spaces in Carolinian Canada will have broad application across the rest of the country. The natural diversity of the landscape coupled with the dense population and competing land uses, makes this region a laboratory for effective programs and policies.

Carbon Sequestration

To meet Canada's commitments under the Kyoto Protocols, one need not look to tropical rainforests or northern tree plantations for carbon sinks. Carolinian Canada offers one of the most richly productive landscapes in Canada. The Big Picture Project calls for significantly increasing the natural vegetation cover across Carolinian Canada to maintain and enhance biodiversity. To achieve this goal new tracts of Carolinian forest will be created, producing a carbon sink in the midst of the source for much of our nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

The revegetation within Carolinian Canada is a winning proposition that addresses such environmental issues as climate change and species at risk, while at the same time protecting the landscape to ensure future productivity. Biodiversity Advances in our understanding of conservation science has made biodiversity the accepted measure of the health of our natural systems. In spite of the cumulative effects of generations of settlement, Carolinian Canada still possesses a richness of native species unequaled in Canada. This legacy is ours to lose or to protect. The success of our national efforts to protect biodiversity will be greatly influenced by our success in Carolinian Canada.

Great Lakes Water Quality

The restoration of the Carolinian Zone will involve:

• Wetland Protection and Restoration
• Forest Restoration
• Stream Protection and Rehabilitation
• Lakes Erie, Ontario, St. Clair and Huron