Natural heritage systems planning is about maintaining, restoring, and enhancing ecologically sustainable and resilient landscapes. It goes beyond a features-based approach to natural heritage planning by identifying Greenways -- spatially and functionally interconnected systems of core natural features, corridors, and buffers. However, many municipalities struggle with natural heritage systems planning because of a lack of resources and expertise.
The goal is to share and promote these examples so that municipalities across the province are better positioned to integrate natural heritage systems planning with other land use planning objectives."
This Best Practices Guide, produced in collaboration with Ontario Nature, is a resource designed to assist municipal planners with policy development as municipalities review and update their Official Plans. It provides leading examples of natural heritage system policies in approved, adopted, or draft Official Plans from over 80 municipalities across southern and eastern Ontario, highlighting the good work that municipalities are undertaking to identify, preserve, enhance, and restore natural heritage systems.
The goal is to share and promote these examples so that municipalities across the province are better positioned to integrate natural heritage systems planning with other land use planning objectives. Municipal land use planning provides an ideal opportunity to integrate Greenway planning into urban design, agricultural management and other resource utilization activities, and to achieve multiple long-term benefits for all members of society.
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