Huron County Natural Environment Update

Updated December 2020

Background

The Huron County countryside supports a variety of land use activities, with agriculture being prominent. Natural areas provide important services that help make Huron County a productive area for farming and a great place to live. Forests prevent soil erosion, wetlands filter our water.

The Natural Environment Update, which began as the Natural Heritage Plan (NHP), is a summary of Huron’s current approach to natural environment planning and contains suggestions for consideration at the time of local Official Plan and Zoning By-law updates. A supporting document, known as the Technical Document, defines what features are considered significant ecologically and maps these areas.

The Natural Environment Update was approved in principle in August 2019, and the document and mapping will be used to help make informed decisions when planning for the natural environment into the future. Implementation will occur at the local level at the time of a Five Year Review of an Official Plan and Zoning By-law update. A more detailed review and further public consultation under the Planning Act is required before any changes are made.

You can download the final Natural Environment Update document, the Technical Document, and a Frequently Asked Questions page at the links below:

Natural Environment Update for Huron County

Technical Document – Natural Environment Update for Huron County

Frequently Asked Questions

Mapping

The following mapping depicts which natural areas are supported / not supported from a technical perspective; this does not necessarily mean those areas will be designated Natural Environment. Please contact the Planning and Development Department and ask for Denise Van Amersfoort, Senior Planner, should you have questions about this mapping. The Technical mapping has implemented during the 2018 Five Year Review of the Howick Official Plan. Please refer to the Official Plan Schedules on the Township of Howick website for additional information.