Monarch Point Conservation Reserve

South shore lands gain protected status

The Ontario government announced the creation of the province’s first new conservation reserve in over a decade on Monday. David Piccini, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, made the announcement at Point Petre that the areas formerly known as the Ostrander Crown Land Block and Point Petre Provincial Wildlife Area will now be known as the Monarch Point Conservation Reserve and will be protected to safeguard important habitat for the monarch butterfly and other species that call the area home, as well maintaining the opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the area’s natural beauty.

MPP Todd Smith said the conservation designation was a long time in coming and was made possible by the dedicated and collaborative work of a number of local and national groups, including the South Shore Joint Initiative (SSJI), Prince Edward County Field Naturalists and Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC), as well as support from municipal council. Minister Piccini also noted the wide base of support that led to the creation of the Reserve. “It’s not any one individuals, one group, one level of government, that can conserve and protect Ontario for generations to come, you’ve got to work together,” he said. “I’m so proud to officially announce, after countless years of advocacy by all of you, Ontario’s first new conservation reserve in over a decade. With this designation the Reserve will protect over 4,000 acres along the south shore of Prince Edward County. I’m proud that this new protected area will help preserve Ontario’s unique and rich biodiversity and will ensure future generations can enjoy this natural beauty.”

Mayor Steve Ferguson offered his congratulation to the volunteers whose untiring efforts led to the creation of this newest conservation reserve, the 296th such reserve in Ontario, and noted that around the world there is a “silent crisis” with nearly a million species threatened with extinction in the coming decade. “The County is absolutely thrilled that the Ontario government has finalized this long-sought protection of the south shore. The designation will strongly contribute to the future protection of what has been described as the last undeveloped shoreline on the north shore of Lake Ontario.”

He added that Councillor John Hirsch, in his capacity as president of the SSJI board, was instrumental in driving the project to the point of the creation of this new reserve.

The SSJI came together in 2018 after the success of a number of local organizations to prevent the installation of industrial wind turbines in the County. “Today, we celebrate a watershed moment in our County’s natural history. The Monarch Point Conservation Reserve will ensure generations of people will continue to enjoy access to the rare and fragile lands of this remarkable biodiverse area. Most importantly, it will protect the habitat of at least 39 rare and at-risk species, such as Blanding’s turtles, dozens of migrating bird species, as well as monarch butterflies. SSJI’s vision of a permanently protected south shore, where together biodiversity and people thrive, is one step closer to reality. Together, our mission continues to educate and advocate for the protection, preservation and restoration of south shore land and waters,” said Councillor Hirsch. “In many ways, the project has just begun. SSJI has engaged with Ontario Parks staff who will be developing the all-important management plan for Monarch Point and we have pledged our full support to the public consultation process, which will begin shortly.”

Nature Conservancy Canada Program Director (Central Ontario-East) Mark Stabb said that NCC prioritized this area for protection due to its remarkable diversity of habitats, which include wetlands, coastal areas, forest, dunes and fragile alvar. NCC will be involved in the creation of a management plan, and its staff has already created an inventory of species and natural habitats on Crown lands in this area. “With protection comes responsibility for stewardship, to care for this unique natural resource, so that local residents and visitors can continue to sustainably enjoy this land,” he said.

At the conclusion of the announcement, monarch butterfly expert Don Davis explained how the generation of butterflies born this summer will be the ones to make the migration to their wintering grounds some 3,000 kilometres away, and that protecting this area is vital for the preservation of this at-risk species. Part of his conservation efforts involves tagging monarch butterflies with a tiny adhesive marker so that if they are later recaptured, their migration route can be mapped out. He demonstrated the tagging process and asked some of the visitors to release the butterflies, which flew up into the clear blue sky over the area now named in their honour.

(L-R) Councillor John Hirsch, Mayor Steve Ferguson, MPP Todd Smith, NCC director Mark Stabb and MPP David Piccini with Max stand at the shoreline of the newly designated Monarch Point Conservation Reserve.