Biodiversity in several Hamilton areas in ‘severe decline’ says botanist after conducting land survey

By Justin Chandler
CBC News
January 24, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada East

Hamilton’s urban forests and woodlands may look nice and green, but according to a recent land survey commissioned by the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club, looks can be deceiving. The non-profit club says Hamilton’s biodiversity is in “severe decline.” In the spring, Hamilton field botanist Paul O’Hara went out to 11 natural areas in central and western Hamilton… To people living in the area today, it may seem very lush, but the region was once maybe a hundred times richer in biodiversity, O’Hara said. To people living in the area today, it may seem very lush, but the region was once maybe a hundred times richer in biodiversity. That “shifting baseline” is a problem when it comes to protecting our natural world, said Brian McHattie, program director at the naturalists’ club.

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