LaSalle council has voted in favour of  of protecting a hectare of land on the north side of Todd Lane and west of the Highway 401 off ramp.

The Ministry of Natural Resources wants the parcel rezoned to natural environment from its current designation as residential.

Ministry officials say this land is home to a number of species at risk, including reptiles like the eastern foxsnake and plants like the willowleaf aster.

Town officials say no public comments in favour or against were received at their meeting in February.

The town's director of development says the rezoning continues to show LaSalle's commitment to protect nautral habitat areas.

"We have several hundred acres of land that are under our management so this is certainly in keeping the values that this community has embraced over the years and council has made lots of investments to make sure areas that are important from an ecological point of view are protected to the greatest extent possible," says the Town's Larry Silani.