Although the South Shore Joint Initiative (SSJI) Spring meeting and AGM was cancelled earlier this month due to COVID-19 precautionary measures, the advocacy group still have goals to meet and accomplish.

The SSJI 2020 campaign goal is to achieve ‘Conservation Reserve’ status for the Ostrander Point Crown Land Block and Point Petre Provincial Wildlife Areas and the group is working to involve many people from the County and beyond to reach their goal.

The not-for-profit organization supports the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust (HPLT) projects.

“We support Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust in their projects to secure and protect privately owned land in the South Shore,” expressed Cheryl Anderson, Vice-President of the SSJI. “As part of that relationship we have taken over tenancy of the Hudgin-Rose House and are supporting a Friends of the H-R House group as they work towards restoration of that historic building.”

There will be four South Shore Strolls this year to assist people in learning about the habitat and diversity which exists on the South Shore.

Tentative dates are as follows although SSJI reserves the right to postpone the strolls due to the pandemic outbreak: April 19 on Simpson Rd, May 4 on Charwell Point Rd, Sept. 13 Miller Family Nature Reserve and Oct. 4 Ostrander Point Crown Land Block.

Among the tasks being undertaken by the SSJI in order two achieve its goals include:

• Engaging provincial and national organizations in their quest.
• Appealing to the Ontario Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks to designate the lands as Conservation Reserves to ensure their protection.
• Supporting Hastings Prince Edward Land Trust and Nature Conservancy of Canada in their work to secure private lands for conservation. Conservation Reserves.
• Permanently protecting representative ecosystems, biodiversity and significant elements of Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage.
• Providing opportunities for ecologically sustainable land uses, including traditional outdoor heritage activities and associated economic benefits.
• Allowing for scientific research and provide points of reference to support monitoring of ecological change on the broader landscape Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act 2006.

The AGM will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

For more information and to see when the next meeting is please visit the SSJI website www.ssji.ca/ or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/southshorejointinitiative.