Wetlands, Woodlands and Watercourses
Partnering with a purpose
The Lake Simcoe
watershed continues
to be one of the
fastest growing
regions in Canada.
Increasing population and urban
expansion require LSRCA and our
municipal partners to accommodate
growth while also maintaining natural
heritage features and systems.
A natural heritage system is made up
of woodlands, wetlands, shorelines
and watercourses, and provides many
significant environmental services
in our watershed. A recent study we
commissioned took an inventory
of natural features and attached a
staggering value to the services they
render in the watershed—128,000
hectares of natural heritage features
providing $922.7 million in ecosystem
services such as recreation, water
supply, pollination, clean air and
carbon sequestration!
Armed with this information, we
developed the Natural Heritage System
Restoration Strategy. Complete with
a 39-action implementation plan with
clear and measurable targets, our
strategy aims to protect, restore and
improve our natural spaces to support
vibrant and healthy communities while
reinforcing climate change resilience.
