Chatham-Kent is joining forces with a local conservation authority in an effort to protect at-risk animals and plants in the municipality.
An awareness campaign is being developed by the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority and the municipality to make sure residents know where at-risk species may live and how to limit the public’s impact throughout the year.
The initiative will likely include signage to warn drivers to slow down and take notice of any species crossing roads.
South Kent Councillor Anthony Ceccacci, who brought forward the issue during a recent council meeting, said it is the municipality’s responsibility to help protect species at risk.
“If we want to be seen as a municipality that cares about the environment and species at risk, we need to do more than talk, we need to act,” he said in a news release. “We have willing partners both in terms of organizations and concerned members of our community and we need to do our part to act as good stewards of this beautiful part of the planet we are fortunate to live on.”
According to the municipality, there are more than 100 species in Chatham-Kent that are listed on the province’s Species at Risk list, such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and plants. These species are listed as either endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
