Attention Long Point Land Owners - Fowler Toad Update

We are letting you know that a habitat regulation for the Fowler's Toad has been finalized under the Endangered Species Act, 2007.  This affects all of Long Point.



This regulation protects :

• Any parts of wetlands, ponds or other bodies of water, including vernal or other temporary pools that are being used for breeding, egg laying or tadpole development as well as the 30 metres around such areas;
• Natural or man-made hibernation sites;
• In the geographic township of Walsingham; suitable habitat is protected up to a distance of 150 metres up and down the shoreline from known occurrences of Fowler's Toad and up to 700 metres inland from the shoreline.
• In all other listed geographic townships; suitable habitat is protected up to a distance of 150 metres up and down the shoreline from known occurrences of Fowler's Toad and up to 300 metres inland from the shoreline.
• The dispersal corridor along the water's edge, where the distance between two occupied areas is less than one kilometre; and
• Naturally occurring areas used by Fowler's Toad to migrate between breeding areas,  hibernation sites and/or seasonally used beach areas, where at least two such deatures are within 2 km of each other.
• The above areas are protected until five consecutive years of documented non-use.

The decision notice is posted at www.ebr.gov.on.ca (Registry #011-9021).

You now require a permit from MNR if you are considering an activity that may adversly affect regulated habitat.

Activities that are generally NOT compatible are :

• Significant alteration, clearing, or dredging of natural features, such as dunes, ponds and wetlands.
• Large-scale construction, such as a housing development or roads.
• Replacement of natural dune and beach shoreline with artificial stabilization or erosion control structures such as breakwalls or the construction of piers or gyrones.
• Beach maintenance activities such as grading, grooming, clearing of algae, and mechanical removal of sand (except when performed in a manner or time of year that maintains habitat functionality for Fowler's Toad).

That last statement is very vague.  Are cottage owners allowed to move the wind blown sand without a permit?  We suggest you make sure before you do.  We are sure that the permit process will be slow, painful and expensive.

Thankfully renovations and shed building has been excluded from the regulation.

Are the additional eco-passages being installed soon now affected by the new law?

Will this halt the repaving of the Road?

Will Marina's no longer be able to install shore protection and dredge channels?

The Parks will no longer be able to groom the beaches?

Will Police no longer be able to drive ATV's on the beach to patrol since it compacts sand?

With the additional red tape will cottage values drop?