Fully Accounting for Canada’s Conservation Lands – Phase II: Assessing the Protection and Conservation Value of 12 Property Clusters Managed by the Conservation Authorities and Partners in Ontario (2018)

This project informs the development of a methodology to assess the protection status of conservation lands and waters managed by Ontario’s Conservation Authorities (CAs). The project enables commentary on the potential contribution of these properties to Canada’s Target 1 contained in Canada’s Biodiversity Outcome Framework and 2020 Goals and Targets, which reflects Canada’s commitment to meeting Aichi Target 11 set out in the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Phase II (2016-2017) used an updated version of the Canadian Council on Ecological Areas (CCEA) screening tool that included a new category for ‘Biodiversity Conservation Outcomes’ and allowed practitioners to assess ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ (OECM) status where appropriate. In collaboration with participating CAs, the study team selected 12 areas comprised of ‘clusters’ of terrestrial and/or aquatic properties that potentially may qualify for protection status. The study team and the CAs employed the CCEA screening tool to explore the socio-ecological characteristics of ‘property clusters’ and to report on their potential contribution to Canada’s Target 1 and Aichi Target 11 commitments.