Together with its Board of Directors and staff, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is pleased to share its 2021 Annual Report. Through a series of short stories and spotlights, this Annual Report shares the NPCA's mission, showcases conservation leadership and team members, highlights the NPCA culture, celebrates successes, and lays the groundwork for the future.
"2021 was about living through challenges, maximizing resiliency, and our continued transformation as an organization," says Chandra Sharma, NPCA CAO. "The 2021 Annual Report tells the story of how we are charting the course for the next generation of work to improve ecosystems, develop resilient communities and shorelines, address climate change, and engage communities in the watershed."
One of the NPCA's most celebrated achievements of 2021 was completing the 2021-2031 Strategic Plan – a clear indication of the energy and drive to build conservation-inspired action and collaboration in the Niagara Peninsula watershed. The plan envisions a healthy and vibrant environment with shared greenspace and clean water that sustains life for future generations and prioritizes result-oriented actions to make well-informed decisions.
This year's Annual Report connects the NPCA's progress to the new strategic plan's guiding principles of healthy watersheds, green infrastructure, collaboration, and innovation. This future theme – progress, growth, and advancement – is integrated throughout the report.
In 2021, the NPCA continued to navigate and respond to legislative changes in the Conservation Authorities Act while effectively protecting people and property from flooding and natural hazards and conserving natural resources.
Some of the key highlights in 2021 include:
- Record attendance of over 90,500 paid admission visitors at four flagship conservation areas (Ball's Falls, Binbrook, Long Beach, Chippawa)
- More than 1,800 NaturePlus Membership Passes sold
- Increase of 80.3% ($1.14 million) in sales and admissions from the previous year
- Completion of 1,150 planning and permit reviews
- 8,977 hours logged by 409 volunteers
- More than 75 community groups engaged in conservation work
- 450,000 website views and 949 media stories about the NPCA's work in the watershed
- Completion of 61 restoration projects with more than 63,000 trees and 7,000 shrubs planted
- Completion of $3.7 million in capital projects
A significant challenge in the coming years will be the growth, intensification, and climate change impacts on local watershed resources. The NPCA remains committed to strengthening its science capacity and innovative research to support evidence-based decision-making and the application of best practices. It will continue to update policies and procedures to adapt to the watershed's changing needs, with climate change at the forefront of the NPCA's watershed work.
"2021 was a year for conservation-inspired action not only for our team but for our communities and partners," adds Sharma. "We thank this incredible community for helping us protect and sustain healthy watersheds and look forward to collaborating with our municipal partners, stakeholders, and community to deliver on our promise of bringing forward the next generation of conservation."
The final 2021 Annual Report is now available online and was shared with participating municipalities, community stakeholders, NPCA Public Advisory Committee, and the public in several media formats. Watch the 2021 Year in Review Video.
Learn more about the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority at www.npca.ca. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more updates.
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About NPCA:
The NPCA manages the impact of human activities, urban growth, and rural activities on the Niagara Peninsula watershed with programs and services that help keep people and their property safe from flooding and erosion, while retaining the safety of our drinking water.
NPCA manages 41 Conservation Areas, including Ball's Falls, Binbrook, Long Beach, and Chippawa Creek. These lands are held in public trust for recreation, heritage preservation, conservation, and education. NPCA's Conservation Areas marry nature, culture, and adventure to create limitless opportunities for discovery.
Questions related to the above release should be directed to:
Erika Navarro, Communications Specialist
Mobile: 905-650-4027
enavarro@npca.ca