Natural Heritage Information Centre

Jim Mackenzie

Nov. 5, 2013

Science and Research Branch

NHIC’s role within the Ministry of Natural Resources

• The Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) is a unit within Science and Research Branch of the MNR

• Partners with other conservation organizations −

Memorandum of Understanding (Nature Conservancy of

Canada, Bird Studies Canada, Ontario Nature, Ducks Unlimited Canada, NatureServe Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Parks Canada)

• Supports − Species at Risk, Biodiversity, Far North, Climate Change,

Renewable Energy, Great Lakes, Forestry, Natural Heritage, and Parks program areas

Global influence as part of an international network

• NHIC is part of a network of 82 natural heritage programs across 14 countries that provide authoritative information about species and ecosystems of conservation concern

• Conservation data centres, like the NHIC, use a standardized Natural Heritage methodology to gather, manage, analyze, and share data

NHIC core services

• Biodiversity knowledge development and maintenance

Species Plant communities

Wildlife concentration

areas

Natural areas

NHIC core services

• Information dissemination – online, Land Information Ontario (LIO), NHIC

newsletter, other publications

• Scientific and technical research, review and reporting

• Landscape/watershed biodiversity

assessment/analysis projects (e.g. big

picture, Biodiversity Conservation Blueprints, Natural heritage systems)

• Biological field surveys, inventory and monitoring

• Training and technology transfer

Did you know?

• NHIC currently tracks the location and condition of 1,965 species of conservation concern in Ontario

• 26% of tracked-species observations overlap with provincially or federally regulated protected areas

• One of the oldest records we have was recorded during the war of 1812

• Since 2003 we have recorded over 100 species new to Ontario

• Dynamic − with new elements being created and new observations being added on an ongoing basis

• Comprehensive − covering all species taxa and natural heritage areas of conservation concern

• Supported − by a broad spectrum of conservation partners that supply observations and provide information

• Updated, quality-checked, and shared − on a need to know basis as part of the “provincial record”

NHIC information is…

Dwarf Hackberry population

If we don’t have your observation, then it is not part of the “provincial record”.

Interpreting information

• Data are maintained as polygons to identify areas important to the conservation of an element

• The absence of a mapped element in an area should not be interpreted to mean that it is not present

• NHIC data includes habitat by definition, but it does not necessarily include all of the habitat suitable or critical for a species

• Check out the updated NHIC website http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca • Data is current and

available in different formats

• Updated site is streamlined and easy to navigate

Access to NHIC data

http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca

• Get information! • Available GIS and website data options • Species lists • Information about the NHIC Reference Centre • Biodiversity atlases

• Get involved! • Report a rare species, wildlife concentration area, rare

or exemplary plant community, or a natural area

• Learn more! • How to request access to data • Data Sensitivity Training • Natural Heritage Methodology

Access to NHIC data – updated NHIC website

• Become a licensed NHIC data user • Contact your local MNR office, or

• Contact the NHIC

(nhicrequests@ontario.ca)

Access to NHIC data

Questions?