Latest report raises concerns on Montreal's green space

By:ShabbyChic

A new study conducted by the David Suzuki Foundation found that Montreal’s wildlife accounts for at least 4.3 billion dollars in goods and services annually to the city’s economy.

The report stated that the services involve preventing flooding, pollinating food plants, filtering air pollution and reducing the effects of climate change. Climate regulation, leisure, tourism and biodiversity habitat account for over three-quarters of the 4.3 billion dollars.

Karel Mayrand, executive director of the David Suzuki Foundation’s Quebec office has hopes that this report will make municipalities further consider the value of nature in their planning on ecoservices. Maynard believes that our economy doesn’t take into account the benefit of ecological services or the costs of the destruction of natural spaces.

The islands of Montreal and Laval, and the north and South Shores from the Ontario border east to the town of Nicolet and from the U.S. border to north of Joliette has been proposed as a green belt around Montreal. This “natural capital” is in the 1.7 million-hectare area and less than 5 per cent of this land has environmental protection.

However, according to the report, this land is also facing pressures from urbanization, industrialization and exploitation of natural resources. More than hald of the 450 of Quebec’s endangered or vulnerable species live in this area, along with 3.7 million people.

The report has also stated that the number of forests that appropriate carbon and stop it from entering the atmosphere, as well as the trees that produce oxygen and take in smog-causing pollutants are decreasing in this area.

It is the foundations belief that economic market failures mean that the value of these ecological goods and services is largely ignored or under-represented, which inevitably leads to unsustainable use.

For more information on the report, visit the David Suzuki Foundation website at, www.davidsuzuki.org