5.3

Enhance linkages between and among natural heritage features - Evaluate and prioritize natural heritage restoration opportunities; Increase implementation of natural heritage restoration and maintenance; Ensure land retention of natural heritage linkages, Investigate increased land connectivity options including land acquisition and landscaped or below grade Eco passages to enhance natural areas linkages.

Lead: Parks; Planning. Supporting Role: Legal; ERCA; Ontario Parks; Friends of Ojibway Prairie; Tallgrass Ontario; WDBA; MTO-Herb Gray Parkway; Wildlife Preservation Canada.

Official Plan, Parks Master Plan

Medium-Term

$$$$

High

5.4

Implement an Invasive Species Program - Hire an invasive species coordinator for the City of Windsor; Monitor Windsor's natural areas for invasive species species such as Phragmites, Oak Wilt, the Asian long horned beetle etc.; Increase invasive and woody species control measures such as prescribed burns cutting and physical removal; Enhance targeted education to the public regarding best management practices for protecting private trees from invasive species.

Lead: Parks. Supporting Role: CFIA; WEC Health Unit; Essex County Field Naturalists; Friends of Ojibway Prairie; Tallgrass Ontario; Ontario Parks; MNRF; MOECP; ERCA; DRCC; Carolinian Canada; St. Clair Horticultural; Uwindsor; Point Peele National Park.

Short-Term

$$

Medium

5.5

Complete an Urban Forest Management Plan - Complete the City of Windsor Street Tree and Park Tree Inventories; Complete a Canopy Cover Study & Benefits Assessment and develop a Tree Canopy Cover goal for the Windsor community to benefit the environment and human health; Work towards achieving the Tree Canopy Cover goal through increased quality tree planting, maintenance and replacement; Continue to protect the urban forest through enforcement of the public tree by-law (By-law 135-04); Explore additional measures to limit the removal of trees in Windsor; Increase awareness of the air pollution and greenhouse gas reduction benefits provided by trees.

Lead: Parks. Supporting Role: ERCA; DRCC.

Environmental Master Plan

Short-Term

$$

Medium