Welcome to the Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas (IMPARA) website.
This site is part of the Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network.
Introduction and FAQ's
There can be no doubt that, in general, populations of amphibians and reptiles are
declining in their size and occurrence in Canada. Some species have even disappeared
completely from Canada. The rate of habitat loss far outstrips the rate of regeneration, due
to our ever-increasing demand for forest products, agricultural land, and subdivisions. As
amphibian and reptile habitat disappears, so do individual animals and entire populations.
Canadian amphibians and reptiles are doubly affected by habitat loss, because the areas
with the greatest biodiversity, areas in the south of the country, also tend to have the
greatest habitat loss. For example, over 90% of the original wetlands in extreme
southwestern Ontario have been drained and developed (Snell, 1987).
Many species at risk of extinction in Canada, such as the Queen Snake (Regina
septemvittata) and the Spiny Softshell Turtle (Apalone spinifera), have a tenuous
existence in this part of the country.
Conservationists need to identify critical habitats ahead of time, so that government
agencies, developers, and the public are forewarned of areas important for conservation.
CARCNET has created the Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas program (IMPARA) to do just
that: to forewarn Canadians of places that have special significance for the conservation of
amphibians and reptiles, so that these places can be protected.
We have endeavoured to answer any questions about Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas
you may have below. If you have any further questions, please contact the
IMPARA Coordinator.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas?
Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas are areas that have special worth and significance for
the conservation of amphibian and reptile biodiversity and endangered species. These areas
have immediate relative conservation importance, because if they were lost (e.g., through
habitat destruction), Canada's natural heritage of amphibians and reptiles would be
substantially degraded. While all areas harbouring amphibians and reptiles have some
conservation importance, Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas identify the most valuable
and consequential areas.
What is the point in designating a site important to amphibians and reptiles?
As a national organization representing amphibian and reptile conservation, we hope that our
endorsement of the site as important will carry some weight with policy makers and the
public. For that reason, CARCNET will inform the following organizations that the site is
important and should be protected:
- Politicians: at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, including provincial and
federal wildlife ministers
- Provincial and federal wildlife agencies
- Non-governmental organizations such as
The Nature Conservancy of
Canada and the World Wildlife Fund
- Local naturalists clubs, hunting and angling organizations, and provincial naturalist
federations
The reality is that even many of these wildlife-oriented organizations know little about
amphibians and reptiles. Designation of your site as an IMPARA, at the very least, informs
these groups about the significance of the area for amphibians and reptiles. In the
best-case scenario, lobbying and promotion by CARCNET may help the site become protected
from degradation.
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What makes an area important?
An area is considered important to the conservation of amphibians or reptiles if it:
- holds significant numbers of individuals of a species that is designated as at risk of
extinction
- holds a high biodiversity of amphibians or reptiles;
- holds unusually large numbers of amphibians or reptiles that congregate for the purpose
of some life history activity such as reproduction, hibernation, or thermoregulation
An important factor to take into consideration is whether the population is at the
periphery of the species' range or is isolated from the main range.
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What is meant by "Areas"?
Important Amphibian and Reptile Areas must have clear boundaries (geographical, property, or
political), and must be large enough to potentially support self-sustaining populations.
However they should also be small enough that they form units amenable to locally oriented
conservation and restoration. While areas that already protect amphibian and reptiles
(i.e., parks and conservation areas) are obvious candidates for Important Amphibian and
Reptile Area designation, it is also quite important to nominate areas that are not
currently protected.
If you're unsure about whether your Important Area is large enough or small enough,
contact the IMPARA Coordinator
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What protection does designation give an Important Amphibian or Reptile Area?
The designation of an area only identifies it as important to conservation; it does not
afford any legal protection. The strength in taking this approach is that areas are
identified entirely by their conservation value, and the factual integrity of this decision
is not compromised by considerations of political issues or property ownership. Important
Amphibian and Reptile Area designation is a tool to help communities advocate protection of
important areas, by documenting this importance in a scientific manner.
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Who can nominate an Important Amphibian or Reptile Area?
Anyone with the necessary biological information can nominate a site. Typically this
information can be found at provincial or territorial environment ministries, parks, or
conservation organizations. You can also collect the information yourself: consult a
respected guidebook for the proper methods.
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How are site nominations evaluated and approved?
Site nominations are evaluated by a panel of scientists from CARCNET's membership. This
panel evaluates the facts and arguments presented in the site nomination, based entirely on
how well the site is demonstrated to meet the criteria. The level of importance (national,
provincial, or regional) is also taken into consideration. Affected parties such as land
owners and area managers are informed of the site nomination, and any evidence they present
is also taken into consideration before the site is approved as an Important Amphibian and
Reptile Area. In general, it is the responsibility of the nomination compiler to prove that
the site qualifies.
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References
Snell, E.A._ 1987._ Wetland distribution and conversion in southern Ontario._ Inland Waters
and Lands Directorate._ Working Paper No. 48._ Environment Canada. 53pp.
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