This presentation is part of the Landscape Conservation Planning and Prioritization Organized Session.
The Canadian portion of the Great Lakes coastal ecosystem, spanning over 8,500 km and encompassing more than 1 million hectares, has experienced significant habitat loss since European settlement. Over 70 percent of wetlands, 80 percent of forests, and 98 percent of grasslands have been lost across the region. Conserving, protecting, and restoring the remaining habitat is important to the health of the Great Lakes, and to the people, communities, and economies that depend on them. To better understand the current extent, diversity, and condition of coastal habitats, Environment and Climate Change Canada completed a first ever Canadian Great Lakes Baseline Coastal Habitat Survey. The Survey leveraged a newly developed Great Lakes Shoreline Ecosystem classification and inventory to establish a benchmark of existing habitat and to measure and report on habitat changes over time. The survey results were then used to characterize and rank coastal ecological significance and coastal pressure, and to identify conservation needs and opportunities. This information helps resource management agencies and conservation practitioners determine where to strategically focus their efforts and resources to maintain and enhance the resilience of native species, natural systems, and processes.
