The Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities (FPEIM) has released a new guide to help PEI municipal leaders and staff protect forest and other natural areas.
“With the urgent need to develop housing and the pressures on our land, municipal leaders want to ensure PEI’s natural areas are protected,” says FPEIM President Bruce MacDougall. “Forests and other natural areas make our Island more resilient to climate change. These areas also provide animal habitat and help to create communities where people want to live and visit.”
Forest and Natural Areas Conservation: A Guide for PEI Municipalities was written for FPEIM by registered professional planner Janice Harper.
“Municipalities can play an important role in habitat conservation,” Harper says, noting that municipalities with official plans regulate the land within their boundaries. For example, municipalities can use their planning documents and approval processes to create open spaces.
“By outlining approaches that can be used as land is subdivided or developed, this guide will help staff, councils, and community members participate in the municipal planning process.”
Harper adds that the guide’s approaches can also be used while protecting agricultural and resource land, by directing development away from such areas.
To help users apply the information, the guide also includes specific policy examples, sample bylaw wording, and comprehensive resources. Find the guide here.
FPEIM thanks the PEI Forested Land Priority Place project core team members – especially the Forests, Fish and Wildlife division of the PEI Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action – for their support in preparing the guide; and Environment and Climate Change Canada for its funding of the PEI Forested Land Priority Place project.