New Case Studies Show Nature’s Public Health and Economic Benefits

Greenbelt Foundation and EcoHealth Ontario Highlight the Importance of Investing in Natural Spaces

TORONTO, May 26, 2021—The Greenbelt Foundation and EcoHealth Ontario have released two new case studies and one survey design that showcase the economic, public health and community well-being benefits of urban greenspace. Previous studies in the region have examined the health benefits of greenspace, but these are the first to calculate the health savings from those benefits using a framework developed by the EcoHealth collaborative. The framework can be used on future projects to inform policy and land-use decisions and can estimate total health system savings that would result from natural infrastructure investments.

Inventory Acceleration project: local governments get better ways of delivering core services – naturally.

  May 26th, 2021

 As an avid cyclist and skier, I feel very fortunate to live on the west coast of our great country where I can easily access mountains, forests and oceans.   Whenever I ski or cycle, I always stop to take photos of the incredible nature surrounding us (much to the chagrin of those who have to wait for me).     So, when I joined the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI) nearly two years ago and discovered nature does so much more than look pretty, I   thought: “hey, that just makes sense!”

Stretching over 2 million acres, Ontario's Greenbelt protects critical farmland, forests, wetlands, rivers, and lakes. These natural systems clean our air and regulate water quality and quantity, reduce flood risks, provide a home for wildlife, manage rising temperatures, and ensure our communities have greenspaces to explore, improving our mental and physical well-being. We call this natural infrastructure.

Since the Greenbelt Plan came into effect in 2005, new and existing infrastructure projects have contributed to creating vibrant communities and supported growth and economic development. There is concern, however, among many planners, municipal Councillors, and others that there is limited knowledge of the cumulative impact of infrastructure within and crossing the Greenbelt. Through a literature review, interviews, and analysis, The Impacts of Linear Infrastructure Development on the Greenbelt assesses the current and long-term threats of linear infrastructure to the Greenbelt.  

Qu’est-ce que la nature périurbaine et pourquoi la protéger?

La nature périurbaine englobe les forêts, les vallées fluviatiles, les terres humides, les prairies, les terres agricoles et d’autres entités écologiques qui entourent nos villes et en partagent le territoire. Elle est essentielle à la santé et au bien-être de toutes les formes de vie qui se côtoient dans le Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), et c’est l’une des ressources qui peuvent le plus sûrement nous aider à nous adapter aux changements climatiques. Alors que l’on s’efforce de protéger des aires naturelles beaucoup plus éloignées, le sud de l’Ontario est l’une des régions du Canada où l’on trouve la plus grande biodiversité et dont les écosystèmes procurent directement à la plus grande concentration de communautés et de gens au pays des services irremplaçables, puisqu’ils les protègent des inondations et filtrent l’eau et l’air.

Or, cette proximité expose la nature périurbaine à un risque énorme de dégradation et de perte, d’où le besoin critique de mieux la préserver.

Ontario Coalition Identifies Opportunities for Protecting Nature in Canada’s Most Developed Areas

Near-Urban Nature Contains High Levels of Biodiversity, Provides Critical Benefits to Communities

Vous trouverez la version française ICI.

Toronto, May 05, 2021, the Southern Ontario Nature Coalition (SONC) has released A Solution to Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss, a short summary report of solutions for protecting near-urban nature across Canada. These solutions will help Canada meet federal biodiversity and climate targets while conserving important near-urban areas as part of larger federal efforts to protect 25 per cent of Canada’s lands and waters by 2025 and to set the stage for 30 per cent by 2030. Federal, provincial, and local initiatives will all benefit from new solutions that help conserve near-urban biodiversity and improve climate resilience close to densely populated regions.  

Un organisme ontarien veut protéger la nature dans les régions les plus exploitées du Canada

La nature périurbaine fait vivre de très nombreuses espèces et est particulièrement bénéfique pour les communautés.

For English translation, click HERE.

Toronto, 5 mai 2021. Dans un rapport sommaire intitulé Une solution aux changements climatiques et à la perte de la biodiversité, la Southern Ontario Nature Coalition (SONC) propose des moyens de protéger la nature périurbaine au Canada. Le but : aider le Canada à préserver sa biodiversité, à lutter contre les changements climatiques et à protéger d’importantes aires périurbaines dans le cadre de l’engagement du gouvernement fédéral à protéger 25 % des terres et des eaux du Canada d’ici 2025 en vue d’un objectif de 30 % en 2030. De fait, les solutions avancées par la SONC pour préserver la biodiversité périurbaine et améliorer la résilience climatique à proximité des régions densément peuplées vont contribuer à certaines initiatives fédérales, provinciales et locales.  

Our Cities Need Nature Too

  April 29th, 2021

  I live about a five-minute walk from Lake Ontario, which together with the four other Great Lakes store an estimated 20 per cent of the world’s surface freshwater. I always find this fact mindboggling, but the lake means more than this to me on a personal level. It’s an incredible place and the source of an abundance of life—home to millions of humans, along its shores. And yet, it was rare that I went to admire these shores pre-pandemic, when more of my time went to social commitments and commuting to the office. It is really timely that I got to know this nature close to my home when I did.

New Projects Will Help Sustain the Greenbelt’s Natural and Agricultural Systems

Greenbelt Foundation Announces Five Grants that Build Climate Resilience for Ontario Communities

Toronto, April 8, 2021, the Greenbelt Foundation is announcing five new grant projects that take innovative approaches to protecting southern Ontario’s natural and agricultural systems, and draw on these systems to support biodiversity and build greater climate resilience for communities.

Your Greenbelt: A Source of Pride

 March 23rd, 2021

When I joined the Greenbelt Foundation as the Director of Strategic Communications in 2020, I thought of the saying — Birds sing not because they have the answers, but because they have songs. Did I have all the answers for this new venture? I was drawn to the work of the Foundation — enhancing two million acres of land that provides clean air, fresh water, and local food to Ontarians; and protecting forests, river valleys and wetlands, which are critical to the health and well-being of all life. With that clear sense of purpose, I saw the opportunity in telling stories about why the Greenbelt is a source of pride for many.