Kathryn Kielstra and Tom Beaton

1. Caring For Our Coast Organizational Structure, Partnerships and Education: Links to Landscape and Species Recovery in Chatham Kent Kathryn Kielstra and Tom Beaton

2. Outline • A Case Study • Trails Master Plan • Greening Strategy • Organizational Structure

3. Cores and Connections in Carolinian Canada

4. Opportunities • To create an internationally appealing sustainable tourism product-unique to South Western Ontario and strategically located along coastal Carolinian forests. • To unite all communities along coastal Carolinian Canada with the intention of providing one uniform tourism product. • To providean interesting and educational tourism experience that will emphasize the importance of Landscape and Species Recovery in Carolinian Canada.

5. Location of the proposed product • Initial partnerships have been solidified in Chatham Kent. • Partnerships with adjoining communities in South western Ontario are being sought and forged at present to allow for the eventual extension of the product to include all of Coastal Carolinian Canada.

6. Partnerships • Meetings of tourism stakeholders in Chatham Kent is ongoing. • Meetings between key players in neighbouring communities in South-western Ontario has already taken place. • There is hope that this presentation will attract interest from other communities in coastal Carolinian Canada who will express their support of the concept and will provide contact information for follow up.

7. Tourism Product • A map that will include all birding and Carolinian forest sites of importance, bicycle routes through birding sites and cycle friendly Bed and Breakfastsin Chatham Kent. • A second map that will include this same information but which will span along and highlight all of the coastal Carolinian forest rangein South-western Ontario. • Variations(both in duration and product content) of cycle and driving packagesto be marketed to both domestic and international tourists.

8. Amalgamation • Amalgamation was critical to kick starting the Trail and Greening movement in CK. • In 1998, 23 entities were amalgamated into one single tier government responsible for 2,500 sq kilometres of land mass. • In May of 2001 the development of a comprehensive trails network was identified as a desirable Strategic Initiative in the Chatham Kent Community Strategic Plan document.

9. Trails Master Plan • In April 2003 Council and Administration worked to develop their priorities for the framework that would be our Corporate and Community Strategic Plan • It was around this time that interest in the TCT and our local trails enthusiasts formed the Chatham Kent Trails Council Inc (CKTC). This created an opportunity for groups to share their ambitions and their projects. • In 2006 a Lifecycle Budget was established for trail development starting at $200,000 per year for three years then ramping up to almost 1M per year starting 2016.

10. Trails Master Plan • In 2008 a Trails Master Plan was commissioned by the Municipality and the CKTC became a integral part of the process. As with most Master Plans it included amendments to our Official Plan, Goals and Objectives, Public Feedback Information (over 400 written submissions in support of trail development), Guiding Principles to include Natural Heritage and Environment, a Designers Toolbox detailing construction specifications and a short, medium and long term Implementation Strategy.

11. Trails Lifecycle Budget • Council has committed to supporting an investment in trails, by way of Lifecycle budget, 20 million over 25 years. • This year alone Council approved 1.1 million dollars in projects.

12. Trails Lifecycle Budget

13. Greening Strategy • The CK Greening Strategy is in its third year of operation. Its goal is to increase forest cover to 10% of our geographic region (which currently is 3.5%). This will be achieved through partnership cooperation between the Municipality of CK, the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, the St Clair Region Conservation Authority and Stewardship Kent (MNR) as the principles

14. Greening Strategy • It is also our belief that we are better to build on our success versus using the stick approach. It is for this reason that we do not have a Conservation By Law. • If the Province allowed for a moratorium period on the creation of a Conservation By Law or introduced fines that deter clear cutting our fear of great losses would be mitigated.

15. Greening Strategy • In the first half year of our reforestation effort we were able to partner with private landowners to plant one acre of trees. The following year 20 acres were planted. Last year 50 acres were planted and this year 50+ acres are being planted. It is hoped and expected that peer pressure, promotion and education are the keys to success versus the heavy hand of bureaucrats. • It was realized that there are complimentary synergies between the Greening and Trails strategies.

16. Council Support • Our Corporate and Community Strategic Plans are reviewed after each election by Council to reinforce previous commitments or to change priorities • Our core values are expressed in every single Report to Council ensuring that projects and approvals are in keeping with those values • To be successful, trails development needs regional representation and support where budgets are shared by the greater communities

17. Council Support • Council also created Lifecycle Budgets to accomplish their goals. They are reviewed annually and based on performance are approved during budget deliberations • Amalgamation forced Council to think from a more global perspective being a single tier government responsible for a huge geographic area. It brought us closer to our neighbouring counties to compliment their trail programs enhancing that global effect

18. Organizational Structure • Key to the success of a trails initiative is the organizational structure. One of the goals was to create a structure that enabled access to funding opportunities from all potential sources.

19. Organizational Structure • Active Communities Committee of Council • An Active Communities Committee of Council will be the umbrella committee responsible for Active Transportation, Safe Routes to School, Accessibility, Policy Development and Trails. This body will be able to access Gas Tax Revenues, potentially Capital Budget dollars or any other sources of financing available to Municipalities. This group will be responsible for eliminating duplication on like projects, ensuring that projects are complimentary to each other and budgets share financial responsibilities when multi use projects are built.

20. Organizational Structure • Chatham Kent Trails Council • The Chatham Kent Trails Council Inc (CKTC) is an independent not for profit body dedicated to trails development. Funding can be sourced from Trillium, Federal and Provincial not for profit funding opportunities or other Trust funding opportunities. This level is the clearing house for all local trails projects. A priority list is compiled by the CKTC , projects voted on for the current year development and Lifecycle dollars will be allocated on that basis.

21. Organizational Structure • Local Trails Groups • Our Local Trails groups that comprise membership on the CKTC Committee. Such as South Kent Trails, Wallaceburg Trails, Wheatley Trails, etc. These groups through their local connections solicit financial or in kind support from local businesses, industries or trust partners. • Partnerships are also being established as the Rotary and Sunrise Rotary Clubs and the Dover Kinsmen become interested in trails.

22. Strategic Initiatives • The success of our programs lies in the above noted Strategic Initiatives and the collaboration of partnerships that were just discussed. We are fortunate to have both a Trails Strategy and a Greening Strategy and it looks that this forum can help to achieve the same goals.

23. Strategic Initiatives • A trail development strategy that is well thought out, that identifies the satisfaction of a trails experience with an educational experience to protect our species sensitive environment is a strategy that will breed success. • It has united CK in support of a common goal that has enhanced the values of our community.

24. Strategic Initiatives • The belief that education is key was our interest in starting our Trees for Tomorrow program. This part of our Greening Strategy is designed and geared to the school curriculum. Students are involved in the collection, the scarification and/or stratification of indigenous seed. The propagation of the seed and the eventual planting out of their harvest. It will be through the students of today that we change the attitudes of reforestation for CK for the future.

25. Latest Development • In our recent acquisition of the CASO Rail Line for trails development we are working on an opportunity to plant the longest arboretum in Ontario. We will be using seedlings from our Trees for Tomorrow program and revenues from the utility company to design and plant this corridor. • This creates an opportunity to enhance the trail experience through education and the use of interpretive panels.

26. Conclusion • Currently, many of our trails are linked to our geographic landscapes along our river and lake corridors. Our agricultural industry does enable trails experiences and this is a big trend in Europe. Our Drainage Corridors (the largest in the world) are another opportunity for development and we are working on this potential. We are really excited about The Lake Erie Community Stewardship Trail and our work with Carolinian Canada.

27. Conclusion • Success for this exciting opportunity for trail development that promotes the grandest landscape South West Ontario has will be realized through the foundation of Structure, Partnerships and Education.