Toward Social License for Planning Natural Heritage Systems

Social acceptance is required for identification, delineation, and protection of Natural Heritage Systems (NHS) within municipal plans. Integration of ecosystem services into NHS planning is investigated to increase social license for NHS planning. An NHS planning case study within the Greater Toronto Area is examined. Surveys and interviews gauge perspectives of NHS planning, ecosystem services and integration of the two. Negative perceptions from industry suggest the process has not yet achieved social license. The study includes that integrating ecosystem services into NHS planning could increase social license, if framed as a response to a common concern like climate change.