City of Guelph wins award for leadership in environmental conservation!

Guelph, ON, May 25, 2015 – Ontario Nature presented the City of Guelph with the 2014 Lee Symmes Municipal Award on Saturday in recognition of the City’s commitment to the natural environment.

The award acknowledges the City’s leading-edge Natural Heritage System policies developed and implemented over the past 12 years.

“The City is honoured to receive the Lee Symmes Municipal Award in recognition of our Natural Heritage System policies and related work,” says Todd Salter, general manager, Planning, Urban Design and Building Services. “This conservation award is evidence of Guelph’s environmental commitment to the long-term protection of the City’s natural heritage features and areas. This environmental achievement would be not possible without the hard work and dedication of City staff, successive City Councils and community stakeholders.”

Todd Salter accepted the award on behalf of the City of Guelph at the Ontario Nature award ceremony in Cambridge on Saturday, May 23.

About the Lee Symmes Municipal Award and Ontario Nature:

The Lee Symmes Municipal Award recognizes municipalities that demonstrate community leadership and exceptional achievement in planning or implementing programs that protect and regenerate the natural environment within a community.

Ontario Nature protects wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. Since it was established as the Federation of Ontario Naturalists in 1931, Ontario Nature has been a champion for nature in Ontario. Today, Ontario Nature’s voice is sustained by a Nature Network of more than 150 member organizations and 30,000 members and supporters.

About the City’s Natural Heritage System:

The City’s Natural Heritage System is a combination of natural heritage features and areas including wetlands, rivers, woodlands, valleylands, wildlife habitats, restoration areas and wildlife crossings. The Official Plan policies for the Natural Heritage System establish minimum standards for development within the city to protect natural heritage features and areas including:

• Woodland and wetland features, including requirements for protective buffers.
• Portions of the Paris Galt Moraine.
• Support for the management, enhancement and restoration of the City’s Urban Forest and the Urban Forest Management Plan.