The Natural Areas Protection Program:
A Component of Ontario's Living Legacy
May 1998 - March 2002

Program Overview

The Natural Areas Protection Program (NAPP) was announced in May 1998 as a $20 Million, four-year program. The program, which was administered by the Ministry of Natural Resources, was designed to acquire and protect significant natural areas in southern Ontario. A total of $5 Million was allocated each year to acquire significant ecologically important lands, principally on the Niagara Escarpment, Rouge Valley and the Lynde Marsh. Partner agencies were encouraged to leverage funding to match the Province's share. In general, title and property management rested with partner agencies. Each year, 10% of the annual funding was allocated for small-scale capital projects to ensure access, safety and enjoyment on new and existing public lands.

Report Overview

The summary document highlights with text and beautiful photographs some of the major acquisitions and capital projects constructed over the 4-year life of the program. The origin of NAPP, how properties were chosen, who the partners were and much more are recounted in this summary report. To show the Province's commitment to protecting significant landforms like the Niagara Escarpment, a successor program to NAPP known as the Ecological Land Acquisition Program (ELAP) is also highlighted. The appendix to the report provides statistics on acquisitions and capital grant projects by year and geographic area over the span of the program.

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