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With a list of upcoming meetings regarding forest cover, environmental sustainability and the need to balance competing interests, the Chatham-Kent Natural Heritage Committee got to work Monday evening.

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Held virtually, similar to a regular council meeting during the pandemic, councilors heard a staff presentation that included an overview, as well as next steps.

Wallaceburg County. Aaron Hall was elected chairman of the committee while South Kent Coun. Trevor Thompson was elected vice-president.

“Environmental sustainability is a priority for this board mandate,” said Hall, who started the process earlier this year on a temporary clearcutting stop.

“Through the dialogue, comments and passionate comments we heard along the way, it is clear that this is also an extremely important topic and a priority for the residents of our community. “

Upcoming meetings will include presentations on topics such as the latest tree cover statistics, natural heritage watershed mapping, planning regulations and the Chatham-Kent Official Plan, as well as a review of the community engagement to date.

The staff report also stressed that the engagement of First Nations must be taken into account to recognize the diversity of histories, priorities and cultural values.

Conservation authority officials are due to make a presentation to the committee on November 29.

Randall Van Wagner, manager of lands and conservation services for the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, said the organization is used to partnerships and making the most of funding opportunities.

“Working with the community and community members is what conservation authorities do best,” he said. “We have the capacity and the know-how to leverage the resources and, roughly speaking, we can turn a dollar into three dollars.”

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Ryan Jacques, director of planning services for the municipality, said Chatham-Kent needs to develop a strategic framework that includes a vision, goals, objective, policies and implementation measures.

“I believe a vision statement will come together over time as this committee deliberates and hears from the public on issues of importance across the community,” he said.

Future meetings are planned for the rest of the year and early next year. Additional meetings will be scheduled as needed to wrap up the work of the committee, including hearing final public debates and making final recommendations to Council on any matter considered by the committee.

“There are going to be a lot of tough decisions before this committee and the board as a whole,” said Thompson.

“We have to keep in mind that there is a rural area that needs to know that its voice is being heard. It should be understood that there is a social and societal benefit to tree cover and natural areas, so it will be difficult to balance them. “