In October 2016, County Council initiated the process to develop a Natural Heritage System (NHS) for Wellington County in response to the 2014 Provincial Policy Statement. The Grand River Conservation Authority was retained by the County Planning and Development Department to lead the project and identify a NHS in Wellington.
The project strived to identify a NHS that best reflects the County of Wellington's natural heritage with a 'Made in Wellington' approach that respects the balance between natural systems and the importance of agriculture and other land uses on the County landscape. On April 3, 2018, a public open house was hosted for the project where the public was invited to view the draft mapping, ask project team questions, and learn about stewardship opportunities for landowners.
On September 27, 2018, County Council received a final report on the Wellington County Natural Heritage System. The final report is an information report and will be used to help inform future policy and stewardship initiatives. Interactive mapping of the Wellington County Natural Heritage System can be found below. It should be noted that the mapping does not form part of the Official Plan.