Much Ado About Wood Turtles
No other aspect of the proposed habitat regulation received more attention than the provisions related to the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta). Wood turtles are brownish-grey, medium-sized turtles classified as endangered in Ontario. They use both aquatic and terrestrial habitat, including rivers, streams, bogs, swamps, wet meadows, woods, upland fields and farmland. Significant threats to wood turtles are habitat loss, road mortality and the pet trade industry.
The proposed Regulated Habitat for the wood turtle consisted of both aquatic and terrestrial areas used by wood turtles or adjacent to areas used by wood turtles. Larger areas of habitat were defined for wood turtles in northern municipalities than in southern locations.
The defined habitat included in the final regulation for both northern and southern municipalities differs significantly from what was proposed. Specifically, the buffer zones in aquatic areas (i.e., below the high water mark) increased tenfold for southern populations (from 200 m to 2,000 m), and even more for northern populations (from 500 m to 6,000 m). Buffers around nesting sites increased from 30 m to 300 m for both northern and southern populations.
The protection for this species drew ire from industry associations and private landowners in some affected northern rural municipalities, who warned in the media that this “overbearing protection of wood turtle habitat” is “penalizing an already hard-pressed forest industry,” abrogates private landowner rights and “could create massive restrictions for planning development” in affected communities. While acknowledging that certain activities may be approved to continue within wood turtle habitat, opponents argued that a permitting system for operating in wood turtle habitat is an “additional layer of red tape the [forestry] industry just can’t afford right now.” Further, many opponents argued that poaching for the illegal pet trade – not habitat loss – is the greater threat to wood turtles.
Northern opponents stated that MNR should have consulted “with the people whose livelihoods and way of life would be most affected” and were critical of MNR for holding only one consultation session in Toronto. They stated the Ontario government is “falling victim more and more to pressure groups from urban areas” and that “we cannot let a southern Ontario politically motivated decision endanger our livelihood.”
In November 2009, Renfrew County passed a resolution that outlined its position that “the wood turtle habitat regulation should be immediately withdrawn prior to filing and returned to Cabinet for revision, accompanied by a comprehensive socio-economic impact assessment.” Other local municipalities soon followed suit and backed this resolution.
Groups in support of the habitat regulations said that the wood turtle was being used as a scapegoat for the “real” problems facing the forestry industry, such as “the strong Canadian dollar, the falling demand for products like pulp, newsprint and lumber, and highly efficient, low-cost global competitors.” The director of Ontario Nature noted in a newspaper editorial: “Given the growing consumer demand for green wood products, why is the [forestry industry] doggedly pitting economy against protection, north against south, rural folk against city dwellers? … It is time … to stop blaming endangered species for an economic crisis.”
While it is commendable that MNR held province-wide open-houses after the regulation was filed to explain the regulation and to provide advice to affected landowners, it would have been more helpful and more transparent to have held similar open houses beforehand. This might also have alleviated some of the concerns of local landowners who may not have fully understood the implications (or likelihood) of having habitat on their properties, or the availability of the flexibility tools to permit certain activities on prescribed habitat.
However, much of this heated debate appears to be moot due to MNR’s proposed guidance for forestry in wood turtle habitat. Forestry activities will still proceed in regulated wood turtle habitat, with some restrictions. The ECO questions MNR’s rationale in releasing this guidance document for wood turtle habitat only after the habitat regulation passed. The polarized debate would have been eased if the guidelines had been available for comment concurrent with the habitat regulations.
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| This is an article from the 2009/10 Annual Report to the Legislature from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. |
Citing This Article:
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 2010. "Much Ado About Wood Turtles." Redefining Conservation, ECO Annual Report, 2009/10. Toronto, ON : Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. 55-56.Ministry of Natural Resources
