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11 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M ay 30,2019 theifp.ca own backyard. CVC ecologist Laura Timms says the numbers are higher than what's expected for "base- line extinction" - species that go extinct because of natural pro- cesses. "The number of species going extinct now is way higher be- cause of human activity," she said. "There's a lot of evidence for it." An example from the water- shed is the Jefferson Salaman- der. It's a salamander that lives in the wetlands and forests that has been threatened by develop- ment and land conversion in Brampton and Mississauga. "They're a symptom of this problem of wetland loss," Timms said. She explained Ontario has lost around 85 per cent of its wet- lands since European settlement and that the loss of wetlands not only threatens species, but flood attenuation. "Wetlands are like sponges," Timms said. "They soak up the water, collect it, and prevent it from spilling over and creating floods." With the rise of floods in cot- tage country this year, the threat of wetland loss is visible, she added. Another example of an at-risk species in the watershed is the Bank Swallow. This bird, an ae- rial insectivore, is in decline, which inadvertently increases the number of mosquitoes - their prey. Timms added that there are indeed "more mosquitoes around these days." But the significance of losing these species and the disappear- ing wetlands isn't just pest con- trol and flood attenuation. The Credit River's ecosystem pro- vides nutrient cycling, soil for- mation, photosynthesis, pollina- tion, and many more processes important to all life. In the watershed, land devel- opment is the primary cause of creating at-risk species, Timms identified. UTM associate professor of political science and geography Andrea Olive says the IPBES re- port coincides with new changes to the Endangered Species Act. Olive says when it comes to environmental matters in the watershed, they're a provincial responsibility. "Ontario's Endangered Spe- cies Act was seen as the best one in Canada," Olive said. "But now, you can pay to get out of protect- ing a species." Olive is referring to changes to the act proposed through Bill 108, which would allow develop- ers to pay a charge or a mitiga- tion fee to build in areas where there are endangered species. The money would be collected into a fund that is intended to be used for conservation and other services. "You can never pay enough," she said. "You'll never be able to replace the habitat." AT-RISK SPECIES IN THE CREDIT RIVER WATERSHED: AMPHIBIANS: Jefferson Salamander Blue-spotted Jefferson Salamander Western Chorus Frog BIRDS: Acadian Flycatcher American White Pelican Bald Eagle Bank Swallow Barn Swallow Black Tern Bobolink Canada Warbler Cerulean Warbler Chimney Swift Common Nighthawk Eastern Meadowlark Eastern Whip-poor-will Eastern Wood-pewee Evening Grosbeak Golden Eagle Golden-winged Warbler Grasshopper Sparrow Henslow's Sparrow Horned Grebe Least Bittern Loggerhead Shrike Louisiana Waterthrush Olive-sided Flycatcher Peregrine Falcon Prothonotary Warbler Red-headed Woodpecker Rusty Blackbird Short-eared Owls Wood Thrush Yellow-breasted Chat FISH: American Eel Atlantic Salmon Deepwater Sculpin Lake Ontario Kiyi Lake Sturgeon Redside Dace Shortnose Cisco INSECTS: Eastern Persius Duskywing Monarch Butterfly Mottled Duskywing Rapids Clubtail West Virginia White MAMMALS: Eastern Small footed Myotis (bat) Little Brown Myotis Northern Myotis Tricolored Bat Woodland Vole PLANTS: American Chestnut American Ginseng Black Ash Butternut Common Hop-tree Eastern Flowering Dogwood Hart's-tongue Fern Hill's Pondweed Kentucky Coffee-tree REPTILES: Blanding's Turtle Eastern Milksnake Eastern Ribbonsnake Midland Painted Turtle Northern Map Turtle Snapping Turtle NEWS STORY BEHIND THE STORY Our newsroom received the press release of the IPBES report and thought of how species loss affects our own backyards. Continued from page 10 362 Queen St., Acton 519-853-1730 Watch for the flyer coming in the mail, on Flipp and Rebee www.homehardware.ca (choose acton as your store) also available at New Patients Welcome Family and Cosmetic Dentistry We love meeting neW people marketplace Dental Centre Georgetown Marketplace Mall 905-877-CARE (2273) • www.georgetowndental.com HOURS: Monday & Wednesday 8:00am - 8:00pm • Tuesday & Thursday 8:00am - 6:00pm • Saturday 8:00am - 3:00pm Proudly Serving Georgetown Since 1994. Buy 1, Get 1 Hearing Testing, Hearing Aids • Accessories ARE YOUR EARS 60 YEARS? It's TIME to get them TESTED! Ph: 289-891-8833 120 Mill Street, Georgetown Hearing Testing, Hearing Aids AccessoriesHearing Testing, Hearing Aids and Accessories