The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve

Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Network develops an extensive environmental certification program

Located midway between Montreal and Toronto, the Frontenac Arch region covers an area of more than 2,700 square kilometres, extending along the St. Lawrence River and Valley and encompassing the ridge that connects the Canadian Shield and the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Known for its unique migration route and biodiversity, it is often described as the “backbone” of eastern North America. The region is home to all five types of forest found on the eastern part of the continent, and its vast ecosystem includes plant and animal species rarely encountered in other regions of Canada – among them the rue anemone and the black rat snake, Canada’s largest reptile.

The Frontenac Arch territory also takes in three of the most popular tourist regions in Canada — the Rideau Canal, the Land ’O Lakes and the Thousand Islands, an area so beautiful that the Native Peoples gave it the name “Garden of the Great Spirit.” Despite being located in a developed part of the country, the area still consists of over 40% forest, 30% waterways and wetlands, and 15% farmland, making it particularly conducive to ecotourism.

Since 2002, Frontenac Arch has been recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve, under its Program on Man and the Biosphere. UNESCO established its worldwide network of close to 500 Biosphere Reserves – there are 15 in Canada – in response to one of the most pressing issues now facing the world: how to preserve the diversity of the plants, animals and micro-organisms that make up the living component of our biosphere, and ensure that natural ecosystems continue to thrive, while continuing to satisfy the material needs and aspirations of human populations. To have an area designated by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, local residents and organizations must fulfil a certain number of criteria and conditions that demonstrate their commitment to these stated principles.

The Frontenac Arch community succeeded in that task. And in just five years since the area was designated a Biosphere Reserve, that community has managed to forge an extensive network of some 50 partners and about 20 agencies and organizations that have pooled their efforts toward improved reconciliation of economic as well as cultural development and the conservation of this natural heritage for future generations.

Tourism, as one may easily guess, accounts for a significant part of the region’s economy, and together the members of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Network have laid the groundwork for an ambitious environmental certification program covering the entire territory, with the ultimate objective of turning it into a nationwide model for sustainable tourism practices. The program, supported by Transat, aims to raise awareness among companies and tourism industry stakeholders of environmental issues, and urge each of them to apply for eco-certification specific to their area of activity.

“Our approach seeks to mobilize tourism stakeholders and rally them around common sustainable tourism objectives,” says Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Executive Director Don Ross. “Each participant is urged to question their current practices and think about possible improvements and, especially, consider the tangible benefits, both to the organization itself and to the community, of adopting forward-looking practices to ensure that the Reserve will still be there for future generations to enjoy. The unique feature of our program is that it is developed by consensus – by the community, for the community. In this way we hope to protect and manage our rich natural and cultural heritage ourselves.”

With Transat’s support, the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Network has organized a series of customized workshops, facilitated by specialists who can guide companies in the implementation of environmental best practices. An example: golf courses have often been singled out and criticized for using large quantities of pesticides, fertilizer and water. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program aims to mitigate these effects and make golf courses into true sanctuaries where plant and animal populations can co-exist with human activity. To obtain certification under the Audubon program, golf courses must meet stringent criteria in six areas: environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical-use reduction and safety, water conservation, water-quality management, as well as outreach and education.

Following the initial workshops organized by the network for the owners of the approximately 30 golf clubs in the region, many of them have decided to take the steps necessary to become the first courses in Eastern Ontario to be granted Audubon certification.

Similar workshops are being organized to present and promote other types of eco-certification, including the Green Leaf program for the hotel industry, and the Green Marina program for boating organizations. The Network’s project also includes a “Rewards” component for companies that have already obtained certification.

This initiative by the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Network is part of a broader approach aimed at creating an innovative model for action that could one day be applied to all Biosphere Reserves in Canada. The Network is developing the model with help from Parks Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, two key players in sustainable tourism. The initiative will also have significant economic impact, as the Reserve will be able to attract new groups of clients who are more sensitive to sustainable tourism. Details of the project are available on www.fabr.ca and www.mybiosphere.ca.