Urban Resiliency through Ecosystem Habitat Restoration

Session: 05. - Within Reach: The Path to De-listing Toronto and Region as a Great Lakes Area of Concern

Gord MacPherson, Toronto Region Conservation Authority, [email protected]

Abstract

Conservation Authorities have a 70 year history of watershed management in Southern Ontario that has left a legacy of widespread habitat restoration.  These restored ecosystems provide a variety of recreational opportunities, valuable fish and wildlife habitat and deliver a level of environmental integrity to our cities.  Habitat restoration is not often considered within the context of the urban ecosystem, yet many projects designed for traditional objectives are now emerging as important investments in resiliency.

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has developed an Integrated Resource Management planning tool that on a hydrologic catchment basis defines strategically opportunities for improving terrestrial cover, wetlands and riparian habitats.  This investment in strategic restoration is paying additional dividends by delineating hydrologic, natural capital and terrestrial natural heritage. 

Historic lake Ontario water levels caused extensive damage along the Toronto Waterfront in 2017. Traditional engineered structures managed well under these conditions and informal shoreline protection techniques consistently catastrophically failed.   The most resistant shorelines that withstood all the effects of high water levels were the naturalized shorelines.

The collective resiliency of habitat restoration projects have the potential to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events and are an important tool to fight the effects of climate change.

1. Keyword
Water level

2. Keyword
shore protection

3. Keyword
wetlands

4. Additional Keyword
resiliency

5. Additional Keyword
restoration