Land conservation: Increase the quantity and improve the condition of conserved and restored land across the basin

Image depicting a conservation area beside the river.

Strategy Description

Increase the amount and improve the condition of conserved and restored land across the basin, particularly in areas of high biodiversity or hydrologic importance. This strategy aims to maintain and improve hydrologic function and watershed health, while focusing on areas that have low value for resource development but still meet biodiversity targets. This will minimize the lost opportunity cost of protecting an area while still improving streamflow and water quality while providing for a well managed and intact landscape that can help to mitigate flooding, etc. 

 

Possible Benefits 

  • Potential water quality improvements
  • A more natural landscape with potentially higher biodiversity
  • Potentially less alteration to the hydrological regime of the basin
  • Potentially fewer flood days
  • Potentially fewer IFN violations 

Possible Trade-offs

  • Industrial activity may move to other parts of the basin, impacting industrial footprint in other areas
  • Potential decrease in meeting navigational targets due to storing more water on the landscape
  • Potential increase in shortages under dry conditions 

We provide Canadian educational resources on water practices to promote conservation and sustainability. Our team crafts current and relevant content, while encouraging feedback and engagement.

The Canada WaterPortal is a registered charity, #807121876RR0001

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Land Acknowledgement

We recognize and respect the sovereignty of the Indigenous Peoples and communities on whose land our work takes place.

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Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Ross Douglas

Ross Douglas

Board Member

Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.

Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.

Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Brian Mergelas

Brian Mergelas, PhD, ICD.D

Board Member

Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market.   With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry. 

Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector. 

He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency. 

Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field. 

Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation.   As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.