The Loss of Wetlands in Southern Ontario

    

       Wetland decline is a serious issue in southern Ontario that is resulting in rapid and significant biodiversity loss. Many people are unaware that this issue extends right into the backyards of many Ontario residents. In 2010, Ducks Unlimited Canada (a wetland and wildlife conservation organization) released a report indicating that 72% of southern Ontario's large inland wetlands have been lost or converted to other land uses, and that this loss is continuing at an alarming rate. The decline to the wetland base has been most drastic in southwestern Ontario, parts of eastern Ontario, Niagara and the greater Toronto area, where in some regions the loss is greater than 90%. Kingston is one region in particular that has lost a substantial amount of wetland ecosystem, with an estimated 65% loss by 2002. The year 2002 also marks the loss of 1.4 of the original 2.0 million hectares of wetland habitat that was present in southern Ontario prior to European settlement. However, what is even more concerning is that this loss represents only large inland wetlands greater than 10 hectares in size. If the research investigated the loss of all wetlands in Ontario, the percentage of loss would be even higher.

        Wetlands are a vital part of Ontario’s environmental and economic sustainability. They provide many benefits, such as enhancing water quality, ground water recharge, flood, drought and erosion prevention and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Wetlands are important habitat for wildlife and species at risk, offer ecotourism opportunities and provide important social and cultural benefits to the people of Ontario and to all Canadians. A downloadable version of the Southern Ontario Wetland Conversion Analysis by Ducks Unlimited Canada can be found at http://www.ducks.ca/aboutduc/news/archives/prov2010/101012.html

Despite this rapid decline in wetlands, all hope is not lost, and the beaver is one solution to help mitigate the problem. The construction of beaver dams can actually restore and/or create wetlands by expanding the saturated surface area of the riparian zone, which causes the surrounding terrestrial community to be converted into an aquatic community.