Ontario promotes the protection of natural areas through conservation easements under the Conservation Land Act. Easements may be entered into with a qualified organization and landowners can provide limits on land use. Since the easement is registered on title, it binds all owners over the easement’s term.
The province provides a framework for protection of resources at the municipal level. Under the Municipal Act, municipalities in Ontario may pass tree cutting by-laws, to promote the sustainable management of private woodlands by establishing localized harvesting standards based on good forestry practices as defined in the Forestry Act.
In addition, natural heritage protection policies under the Planning Act require planning authorities to consider natural heritage features, such as significant wetlands and woodlands during development and site alteration.
