Comments on: Follow up on Biodiversity offsetting public forum in the Niagara region (Canada) http://www.biodiversityoffsets.net/follow-up-on-biodiversity-offsetting-public-forum-in-the-niagara-region-canada/ A Platform for Information and Exchange on Biodiversity Offsets and the Mitigation Hierarchy by Marianne Darbi Tue, 02 May 2017 16:49:45 +0000 hourly 1 By: John Bacher http://www.biodiversityoffsets.net/follow-up-on-biodiversity-offsetting-public-forum-in-the-niagara-region-canada/#comment-11821 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 05:13:59 +0000 http://www.biodiversityoffsets.net/?p=2649#comment-11821 Whatever may be the experience of offsetting in other parts of the world, in Niagara it is simply a scheme to reduce protection for provincially significant wetlands. This is because the discussion in Niagara is part of a review of wetland policy across the province. Now the wetland policy does not permit site alteration in provincially significant wetland. This could change as a result of the policy review.

The wetlands in Niagara that are actually vulnerable to development are all swamp forests. Enormous tracts are owned by developers both within and outside urban boundaries. An offsetting scheme was proposed in 2008 for the Ramsey Road Woodlot in Niagara Falls but this was nixed when field research discovered Blue-Spotted Salmanders and Black Gum Trees.

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