The province's 29,600 hectares of wetlands have a new measure of protection with the adoption of A Wetland Policy for Prince Edward Island.
Minister of Environment Chester Gillan announced the new conservation policy today. While wetlands are already protected under the Environmental Protection Act and other provincial legislation, the policy goes a step further in protecting these important lands, the minister said.
"Wetlands play a critical role in our Island environment. They provide essential habitat to many species of fish and wildlife. They improve water quality by serving as natural filters – trapping and breaking down contaminants such as chemicals, organic waste and sediment; and they provide Islanders with recreational opportunities such as fishing, hunting and birdwatching," said Minister Gillan. "The new wetland conservation policy will help ensure that we do not lose any of these positive benefits of wetlands, today or in the future."
In reviewing development proposals for impacts on wetlands, the policy of the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment has been avoidance and minimization. Wetlands are to be avoided unless the project is in the greater public interest or impacts on public safety; and, in the rare case where the effects of development on a wetland cannot be avoided, potential negative impacts are to be minimized. Minister Gillan said the wetland conservation policy formalizes that process and introduces the principles of compensation and no net loss. In those rare instances where a development that impacts on a wetland is approved, the proponent of the project must compensate for any loss of wetland area and wetland function. That means replacing the wetland or restoring one of a similar class.
"Avoidance remains the first and best choice for protecting wetlands, and it is still the top priority for Government," said Minister Gillan. "Compensation must be seen as the last resort. At the same time, it is an essential part of the formula because it ensures that there will be no net loss of wetlands in Prince Edward Island."
A committee of wetland experts will recommend appropriate compensation and determine the costs. The committee will include representatives of the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, and Ducks Unlimited, which is the major non-governmental organization involved in wetland conservation in Prince Edward Island.
Wetlands cover 5.2 per cent of the surface area of the province. About 20 per cent are salt marsh, and 80 per cent are freshwater wetlands ranging from large open water ponds to small wet meadows. Minister Gillan said increasing awareness of the function and value of these lands is another key objective of the wetland conservation policy.
The announcement of A Wetland Policy for Prince Edward Island comes in the wake of World Wetlands Day which is celebrated February 2. World Wetlands Day marks the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Under the convention, Malpeque Bay is officially recognized as a wetland of international importance.
For further information on the new wetland conservation policy and wetland management, contact the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, Fish and Wildlife Division, at 368-4683. The policy is available online at www.gov.pe.ca/go/wetlands.
Backgrounder
A Wetland Conservation Policy for Prince Edward Island
1. What is a wetland?
Wetlands are shallow wet areas that support aquatic vegetation such as bulrushes and cattails, as well as shrubs and trees. More recently, numerous small wetlands have resulted from the construction of stock watering ponds and borrow pits in areas with high water tables. Wetlands cover 5.2 per cent of the surface area of Prince Edward Island. About 20 per cent are salt or tidal marshes which are considered some of the most productive ecosystems on earth. They are found on the edges of bays and estuaries. The remaining 80 per cent are freshwater wetlands. These include open water ponds, marshes, small wet meadows, wooded swamps and bogs.
2. Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands perform a variety of important functions. They:
a. provide habitat for fish and wildlife species and contribute to productivity of rivers and estuaries;
b. form a vital link in the water cycle by acting as groundwater recharge, discharge and storage reservoirs;
c. act as water purification systems by trapping and breaking down contaminants such as chemicals, organic waste and sediment;
d. act as "carbon sinks" which help reduce greenhouse gases;
e. stabilize shorelines of rivers and coast;
f. provide recreational opportunities for such activities as hunting, fishing, trapping, bird watching and canoeing; and
g. provide food and habitat for commercially-important fish species. 3. Why do we need a wetland conservation policy?
As is the case in areas throughout North America, clearing and drainage of land during and following settlement has resulted in an unknown loss of wetlands in Prince Edward Island over the past 350 years. Ducks Unlimited Canada has estimated that more than half of the coastal marshes in Atlantic Canada have been converted to other uses; 60 per cent of Ontario's wetlands are gone; and 70 per cent of the wetlands on the Prairies have disappeared in the past 100 years. Many people do not appreciate the value of wetlands. As a result, wetlands continue to be lost.
4. How will a wetland conservation policy help?
The policy has two goals:
a. To manage human activity on or near wetlands in a manner which will achieve no net loss of wetlands and wetland function;
b. To promote and facilitate the development of wetland stewardship awareness and education through government initiatives and cooperative relationships among local citizens, stakeholder groups, the private sector, and municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
The first goal will be achieved through a wetland mitigation process to be followed when developments are proposed on or adjacent to a wetland. It consists of three stages with the steps between each stage to be considered as huge barriers that are only to be breached in rare circumstances:
a. Avoidance: Development proposals will avoid wetlands
b. Minimization: In the rare case where, after all avoidance options are exhausted and impacts on the wetland are unavoidable, potential negative impacts on the wetland will be minimized.
c. Compensation: The developer will compensate for any and all loss of wetland area, function and value resulting from development. The second goal of stewardship and education will be an ongoing objective which will be addressed through a variety of means:
a. examining the potential of restrictive covenants, easements and tax incentives as means of protecting wetlands;
b. participating in cooperative stewardship programs to protect and enhance wetlands;
c. securing wetlands through acquisition wherever possible;
d. retaining ownership of all wetlands or portions thereof, presently owned by the Province;
e. participating in cooperative projects to manage wetlands through agreements;
f. promoting and assisting in the development of wetland education programs which target the general public, public schools, landowners and other stakeholders;
g. supporting and encouraging the development of cooperative educational programs with the private sector; and
h. encouraging the exchange of information and expertise among government departments and other jurisdictions regarding wetland issues.