Photo by Alex Walker
The Sierra Club Ontario has long supported the protection and re-naturalization efforts within the Rouge Watershed, specifically within the Rouge National Urban Park. The Friends of the Rouge Watershed (FRW) have been advocating for the continued protection of the Rouge, especially as it relates the Rouge National Urban Park (RNUP) Management Plan.
The current RNUP Management Plan is a product of long-term, expert input. The issue environmentalists have is that many aspects of the plan are not being applied in practice especially re-naturalization to improve ecological integrity.
FRW states that, The Park Management Plan needs to demonstrate ecological integrity by:
- Implementing Environment Canada’s scientific recommendations for “How Much Habitat is Enough”
- Restoring the Park’s “main ecological corridor” and Indigenous Peoples Trail, linking Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine.
- Implementing existing Park and Watershed Plans to combat pollution, climate change, and flooding.
- Adding Greenbelt lands to create a 100+km2 national park.
Stay tuned for an action alert to support and advocate for these changes in the coming weeks.