ERCA joins many partners in celebrating major conservation milestone for proposed Windsor-area National Urban Park
- dstuebing
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Essex Region Conservation Authority joined partners from the Ontario Conservation Accelerator, Parks Canada, regional First Nations,
the City of Windsor, Friends of Ojibway Prairie and others to celebrate an important step forward in the creation of the proposed national urban park in the Windsor area, following the acquisition of 19 hectares of the former Windsor Raceway lands.
These newly protected lands strengthen ecological connections to the Ojibway Prairie Complex, one of Canada’s most biodiverse landscapes, and support the long-standing community vision of conserving important natural areas for future generations. With this acquisition, the total area being considered for the proposed park has grown to 495 hectares, including lands administered by Parks Canada, the City of Windsor, the Province of Ontario, and ERCA.
ERCA Chair Molly Allaire joined First Nations, government, municipal, and conservation partners at the announcement in Windsor, recognizing the collaboration that has helped move the proposed national urban park closer to designation. She also announced ERCA's commitment to include Chappus Prairie, 100 acres of high-quality environmental habitat, along with additional ERCA-owned lands, to this collaboration. These lands include a created wetland and primarily rare Tallgrass Prairie habitat, and support many species at risk. ERCA continues to invest significant resources in their restoration and management so they remain healthy, resilient, and vibrant for generations to come.
“ERCA is proud to support the effort to create the Windsor area National Urban Park alongside many dedicated partners,” said Allaire. “We are pleased to contribute our conservation expertise and commitment to local watershed health to this effort. This milestone shows what collaboration can achieve for nature and future generations, and we extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Ontario Conservation Accelerator, Parks Canada and all partners for protecting this important land.”
