July 14, 2015 – Simcoe,ON
Today, Diane Finley, Member of Parliament for Haldimand-Norfolk, announced federal funding through the National Wetland Conservation Fund to support a new project in Port Rowan by the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation (LPWBRF).
A total of $580,000 in funding will go to support the installation of two large culverts on the Long Point Causeway that will restore historic aquatic connections between the Big Creek Marsh National Wildlife Area and Long Point Bay, provide safe passage for wildlife under the road and open up large areas of the marsh as fish spawning habitat.
“I’m pleased to see that our Government is committed to preserving the local ecosystems that support wildlife, recreational activities and the economy right here in Port Rowan. This announcement is good news for everyone in the community from recreational enthusiasts, the hunting and angling community and even students who use this facility for important research,” said MP Finley.
Over the past eights years, the LPWBRF has installed 4.5 kilometers of fencing and eight other wildlife culverts along the Causeway which have helped to reduce reptile road mortality by more than 50 per cent. The 3.6 kilometer road was once rated the fourth deadliest road for turtles in North America.
“The first culvert will be installed this fall to restore water circulation through the southern end of the Big Creek Marsh, which is now essentially land-locked” said LPWBRF president Brian Craig. “The second culvert will be constructed in 2016 at the extreme northern end of the Causeway where our road mortality surveys have found lots of wildlife killed by vehicles,” said Rick Levick, coordinator of the Causeway Project.
The Government is funding this project and others like it across Canada through the National Wetland Conservation Fund (NWCF), which includes $50 million for investments that support the goals of the National Conservation Plan, which was announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in May 2014.
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Contacts
Kayla Iafelice – Press Secretary to the Hon. Diane Finley
819-997-5421
Environment Canada Media Relations
819-934-8008
Rick Levick
LPCIP Coordinator
rick@longpointcauseway.com
Cell: 416-723-2910