Natural Areas

Poor farm management practices that lead to soil and water degradation can also damage fish and wildlife habitat. Wetland destruction from poor drainage practices can cause an irreversible loss to habitat for certain species. Algae blooms caused by agricultural nutrient runoff can cause fish kills.  Habitat destruction and loss in intensive agricultural areas have contributed to the endangerment of many plant and animal species in Ontario.

But the good news is that many Best Management Practices for soil and water conservation are also good for fish and wildlife habitat.

Most of the wetlands and woodlands in southern Ontario were cleared for agriculture in the last century. As a result, wildlife habitats are fragmented.

Steeply sloping fields under intensive cultivation are prone to soil erosion by water. And, some of these fields have been left uncropped or abandoned. These degraded habitats could be improved.

Steeply sloping fragile lands can be planted with trees, shrubs and grasses to improve the habitat for wild animals.

Wild turkeys, successfully reintroduced into southern Ontario since 1984, will use young plantations for cover.

Habitat areas can be connected to wildlife corridors such as windbreaks, shelterbelts and treed fencerows. Corridors are prime habitat for some species, such as the bluebird. With proper design and maintenance, corridors can also reduce wind and water erosion.

Manure spills and leaks or caused by poor storage and handling practices can lead to the proliferation of algae and other aquatic plants in nearby surface water bodies. When these plants die, the microbes that help with plant decomposition use up most of the dissolved oxygen. This is one of the main causes of fish kills in rural southern Ontario.

Many farmers have completed the Environmental Farm Plan for their operation. In this procedure, livestock producers are encouraged to develop contingency plans to effectively manage spills. Contingency plans specify producers to: eliminate the source of the spill, contain the spill, contact the Ministry of the Environment and to clean and dispose of the spilled material.

In intensively grazed and poorly managed conditions, livestock can damage wetland and watercourse habitats by eating protective vegetation, trampling erodable soils and adding excessive nutrients and bacteria.

Fenced and re-vegetated buffer strips along watercourses or around wetlands help to keep livestock out, prevent further farm-based pollution and allow the habitat to regenerate.

For more information, refer to the following Best Management Practices books:

• Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management
• Farm Forestry and Habitat Management
• Water Management
• Field Crop Production
  
  

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  Best Management Practices: A First Look

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