Provincial Issues Day
Friday, June 8 2007

Making Green Connections, Creating Partnerships and Providing Tools for Greenways

Trent University – Winjack Theatre, Peterborough, Ontario

Building on last year’s discussion of Greenway issues, we will employ plenary speakers, case studies and workshops to highlight real world examples and best practices for creating and implementing greenways and waterways that provide connections for nature and people.

We will explore the important links between interest groups, including the provincial government, local governments, non-profit organizations, conservation groups, the business community, farmers and volunteers and their roles in implementing the greenway initiative.

Major themes for these conversations include the imperative of climate change, the critical role of provincial policies and legislation that supports greenway planning and implementation, and the connections between greenways and personal health. Provincial Issues Day is an opportunity to make connections with each other as we improve our ability to make connections for nature.

Schedule at a glance

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration, Information and Exhibits

9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.
Welcome – The Honorable David Ramsay, Minister of
Natural Resources (Invited)

9:20 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Plenary Speaker: Dr. Reed F. Noss, Ph.D.
University of Central Florida, Davis-Shine Professor of
Conservation Biology, University of Central Florida

"Greenways and Ecological Connectivity in Urban
Landscapes & Beyond"

10:30 a.m. – noon
Concurrent Workshops

A) Greenway Best Management Practices

Moderator: Gray Merriam, Retired Professor
Natural Spaces Program: Building Greenways in Southern Ontario through Voluntary Tools and Incentives, Lynne Peterson, Director of Natural Spaces Program, MNR
Kitchener/Waterloo Perspective, TBC
Greenway Conservation Planning in Grey and Bruce Counties, Mark Carabetta, Conservation Services Manager, Ontario Nature

B) Climate Change – The Adaptive Value of Greenways

Moderator: Don Pearson, General Manager, Conservation Ontario
Global warming and Biodiversity Loss: How bad is it and what can we do?, Jay Malcolm, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto
Planning for Climate Change : The Role of Greenways in an Ecosystem, Paul Gray, Senior Program Advisor, Ontario Parks
Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Fragmented Landscapes of Southern Ontario, Ken Towle, Terrestrial Ecologist, Ganaraska and Kawartha C.A.'s

C) Policy Gaps – Opportunities and Incentives

Moderator: Caroline Schultz, Ontario Nature, Executive Director
Protecting Ontario's Natural Heritage: From Good to Great, Wendy Francis, Conservation & Science Director, Ontario Nature
Ontario's Natural Heritage Policies Failing to Protect Environmentally Important Landscapes, David Donnelly, Environmental Lawyer, Gilberts LLP
Ontario’s New Endangered Species Act Amendments, Debbie Ramsay, Manager Species at Risk Legislative Review, MNR

D) Valuing Nature’s Ecological Goods and Services

Moderator: Cathy Nielsen, Ontario Nature Board of Directors
Nature Count$ - Natural Spaces, Amy Handyside, Serior Planner, MNR
Farmers Want to Talk About the Environment with Canadians, Dave Reid, Coordinator, Norfolk Land Stewardship and Bryan Gilvsey, ALUS Demonstration Farm
Agro Forestry Systems: Providing Ecological Goods and Services, Andrew Gordon, Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph

E) Valuing Landowner Contributions to Greenways

Moderator: Wayne Caldwell, School of Rural Planning, University of Guelph
A View from Fleetwood Ridge, Russ Powell, Landowner, Central Lake Ontario C.A.
Living Rural for a Greener World: Non-farm Land Use Decisions and Open Space Systems, Lee-Ann Milburn, University of Guelph
The Rural Landowner Stewardship Program: Helping Landowners to Set Conservation Actions, Doug Van Hemessen, Victoria Land & Water Stewardship Coordinator, Ontario Stewardship

noon – 1:15 p.m.
Luncheon

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
"Making the Connection" – Panel Session
Reed Noss, Gray Merriam, Don Pearson, Caroline Schultz,
"Cathy Nielsen and Wayne Caldwell are tasked with bringing
it all together to move forward in
"Making Green Connections, Creating Partnerships and
"Providing Tools for Greenways".

(Completion of Sessions – all participants are welcome to attend the following)

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Ontario Nature Annual General Meeting

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Wine and Cheese Reception

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Barbeque Dinner

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Presentation of Ontario Nature Conservation Awards

Join us for the full day!

Cost: $85.00 includes, full day program, lunch, wine & cheese reception and dinner. (Cheque Payable to PFN Conference 2007)

Register: Peterborough Field Naturalists, Jim Cashmore, 1 Claudette Court, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7Y7

Download Registration Form