FAQs

Wetlands are areas that are seasonally or permanently covered by shallow water, or have a water table close to the surface. By retaining water and releasing it slowly, wetlands help reduce flooding and facilitate groundwater recharge.

Wetland plants take up pollutants, thereby improving water quality while also providing vital habitat for amphibians, reptiles and insects. Four major types of wetlands are recognized in Ontario: marshes, swamps, bogs and fens. Each type is characterized by their own distinctive plant and animal communities.

Wetland restoration is vital to the health of our watersheds and communities. Historically, the southern Ontario landscape featured an abundance of wetlands. With the growth of agriculture and land development, however, this has changed dramatically. The Toronto area alone has lost more than 85% of its original wetlands. Wetlands today are additionally threatened by the hotter and drier weather associated with climate change, as well as the encroachment of invasive species.

The loss of wetlands has been a detriment to native fish, reptile, amphibian and bird populations. Once widespread, these species are now confined to smaller and smaller fragments of habitat

The benefits of wetland restoration include:

• Increased biodiversity
• Increased wildlife habitat
• Improved habitat connectivity
• Flood attenuation
• Improved water quality
• Improved hydrologic function
• Improved base flow for watercourses
• Recreational opportunities (such as bird watching and fishing)
• Improved air quality
• Urban Heat Island mitigation
• Carbon sequestration

The Audley Road Wetland Project site is located within the Carruthers Creek watershed at Kingston Rd E and Audley Rd.

To mitigate the loss of wetlands and the ecological benefits they provide, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) strategically restores and creates wetlands throughout their jurisdiction.

By prioritizing restoration opportunities based on natural cover, hydrology, aquatic habitat, ecological heritage value, and connectivity, TRCA can identify wetland projects with the greatest potential benefit — both to people and to plants and wildlife.

TRCA often creates wetlands on former agricultural lands, the marginal lands of current agricultural fields, and valley lands in urban areas. These projects usually involve the removal of tile drains and grading the land to re-establish natural water drainage, or else to capture overland and outfall flows before they enter a watercourse.