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Protecting our Natural Infrastructure through NICO

NICO seeks to permanently and strongly protect the river valleys and natural areas of Ontario.

Background

In many municipalities, less than 7% of natural areas are left, while the rest have been destroyed by development. As a result, we lack the natural infrastructure needed to absorb smog and emissions that are a by-product of urban life. As a result, the Ontario Medical Association predicts that within a decade, Ontario may have as many as ten thousand deaths annually due to related respiratory diseases.

Goals

NICO - the Natural Infrastructure Collaborative of Ontario - seeks to permanently and strongly protect the river valleys and natural areas of Ontario by including them in the Greenbelt Plan and by protecting them municipally through zoning changes. In addition, NICO seeks to restore natural areas, with a goal of increasing forest cover to 30% and natural areas to 14%.

Progress

As of 2008-07-03 — Our research to date shows huge support by politicians and staff at all three levels of government, conservation authorities, non-government organisations. Most of all, the public across Ontario is extremely supportive of this initiative. NICO is in the process of creating a plan to achieve its goal in the shortest time possible.