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Areas in the nearshore that have been identified as having high ecological value, for purposes of better understanding places for conservation, restoration or protection in the Canadian Great Lakes. |
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Areas in the nearshore that have been identified as having high ecological value, for purposes of better understanding places for conservation, restoration or protection in the Canadian Great Lakes. |
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5000 |
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<DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><DIV><P><SPAN>These data represent the results of a consensus-based and collaborative process to identify areas of high ecological value in the Canadian nearshore waters of the Great Lakes, as part of the Overall Assessment of the State of Nearshore Waters. Forty-four participants, representing a range of agencies, organizations and inter</SPAN><SPAN>e</SPAN><SPAN>sts around the Great Lakes Basin provided input on biophysical </SPAN><SPAN>attributes</SPAN><SPAN> commonly used to determine ecological significance (as determined through an extensive literature review).</SPAN></P><P><SPAN>An area of high ecological value in Canadian nearshore waters is one that exhibits one or more of the following biophysical attributes: uniqueness or rarity; importan</SPAN><SPAN>t</SPAN><SPAN /><SPAN> for species life history stages; important in maintaining nearshore features or processes; important for species at risk; vulnerable or fragile (lacking resilience); biologically diverse; natural/pristine; important for scientific research and/or monitoring. An area exhibiting one or more of the biophysical attributes will be considered of high value if it also has social or economic value and/or is culturally or historically important.</SPAN><SPAN> In the attribute table, "1" means that the area contains the specific biophysical attribute or additional consideration; for more information and detailed methodology, see </SPAN><SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;">Development and Implementation of an Approach for Identifying Areas of High Ecological Value in Canadian Great Lakes Nearshore Waters</SPAN><SPAN>, ECCC.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN>"High ecological value" is a value-laden concept that </SPAN><SPAN>is likely to be </SPAN><SPAN>interpreted differently by each user. It is therefore important to emphasize that the results presented in this data are a subjective, screening level analysis reflecting expert consensus and </SPAN><SPAN>do not reflect a</SPAN><SPAN> quantitative data</SPAN><SPAN>-derived</SPAN><SPAN> analysis. They do not imply any official designation and have no policy implications, such as in land use planning.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN>T</SPAN><SPAN>hese results should not be considered exhaustive or wholly accurate given differing views on the characteristics of a particular area, or the nature or location of a given threat. The boundaries of the areas are not fixed </SPAN><SPAN>and </SPAN><SPAN>are likely to shift with changing environmental conditions, especially water level fluctuations. For these reasons, this work represents the starting point in a broader narrative about areas of high ecological value in the Canadian nearshore waters of the Great Lakes, and it is recommended that they be reviewed and updated periodically.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN><SPAN>Current to November, 2021.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV> |
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Great Lakes Nearshore Waters - Areas with High Ecological Value |
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["Great Lakes","nearshore waters","nearshore assessment","Lake Huron","Lake Superior","Lake Erie","Lake Ontario","high ecological value","biophysical attributes"] |
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en-CA |
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150000000 |
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