Natural Areas Inventory (NAI)

Natural Areas Inventory (NAI)

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), a native wetland shrub, in one of Hamilton’s natural areas.
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), a native wetland shrub, in one of Hamilton’s natural areas.

About every ten years since 1993, there has been a Natural Areas Inventory (NAI) in Hamilton to assess the state of the plants and wildlife that call this municipality home. The current NAI, Nature Counts 3, is now a work in progress. It is expected to run from 2024-2026, with a publication released in 2027 detailing the work. The Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA), Hamilton Naturalists Club (HNC), and City of Hamilton (the City) are eager to see this project come to fruition through our collaborative partnership. We are also working with other agencies that span the municipality, such as McMaster University, Royal Botanical Gardens, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Conservation Halton, and Grand River Conservation Authority.

Nature Counts 3

The goal of Nature Counts 3 is to:

  • Identify significant natural areas for protection
  • Determine the status of various local species
  • Establish a baseline with which we can measure positive and negative changes in habitat and species distribution over time
  • Define threats and restoration opportunities across the City
  • Contribute to policy and mapping amendments for conservation purposes

This is one of Canada’s most biodiverse regions, and we aim to assess and protect the area’s biodiversity amidst looming threats.

Over the next three years, data will be collected from a number of sources, including fieldwork and digital sources like iNaturalist and eBird. This NAI will be different from previous NAIs as HCA will try to analyse trends over the last 30 years since the first NAI. These previous NAIs will be used as a foundation to build the current NAI.

Nature Counts 3 will have an online component as well, with public participation coming in through iNaturalist to support the project. The public will also be invited to events that bring volunteers together with experts to learn how to identify different plants and animals. Building on work done by the HCA and partners over the last ten years, and comparing that to the trends witnessed over the last 20-30 years, we are hoping to develop a State of Environment report for Hamilton’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). The BAP is a five-year project aimed at supporting nature through the directed and coordinated actions of partner agencies and the public at large. Completing this NAI is noted as a direct action of the BAP and will serve as a framework to collect natural heritage information that can inform decision-making and policy.

Get Involved

This is a collaborative effort, where we can work together to better understand and protect nature for all. If you would like to get involved and you are within the Hamilton area, you are welcome to join the current Hamilton Natural Areas Inventory project on iNaturalist and start uploading observations.

If you have any questions or would like to get more information, contact:
Kasia Zgurzynski
Natural Areas Inventory Coordinator
kzgurzynski@conservationhamilton.ca

Nature Counts 2 Videos

Wildlife Checklists

The What’s Alive in Hamilton? wildlife checklists were created as part of Nature Counts 2 for the public to use while out in Hamilton’s natural areas. Wildlife checklists are designed to add to the enjoyment of being outside by letting one know what species are in Hamilton. To use them, simply check off which species you see while you’re out and about.

For resources that help you learn to identify specific species listed in the What’s Alive in Hamilton? wildlife checklists, consult field guides, identification websites and apps like iNaturalist, and participate in nature programs within your community.

Have fun, enjoy responsibly, and good luck!

Presentations

Nature Counts 2 presentation by Nicholas Schwetz, NAI Coordinator