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GUELPH MERCURY (Ontario) 12 August 09 Salamander expert wants city to halt construction until spring (Thana Dharmarajah)
Guelph: One of the country’s foremost experts on Jefferson salamanders says the city should halt construction until next spring when further testing can determine whether the creature exists within the Hanlon Creek lands.
The city’s consultant Natural Resource Solutions Inc. took water samples from wetlands on the site, beginning as early as March. On April 20, a dead hybrid Jefferson salamander was found along Laird Road. Following the discovery, further testing of the ponds were done.
“It must have been using a pond somewhere,” said retired University of Guelph zoologist Jim Bogart, who has been studying salamanders since 1975. “I think it would be wise to find out where that was before the development (takes place).”
Since the Jefferson, protected by the federal Species At Risk Act, is so rare, Bogart said it’s often difficult to sample populations. Monitoring for the Jefferson should be done during their breeding season, which begins in late March or April, he said, adding that certain years the testing isn’t successful as some ponds dry out. That’s why it would be ideal to monitor a pond for three years, Bogart said.
“We need more information from this area,” he said of the Hanlon Creek lands.
Following a meeting Tuesday between city staff and a Ministry of Natural Resources representative, the city’s economic development officer Peter Cartwright said there are plans to do additional monitoring at the site next spring.
“It would mean we would not do the entire servicing,” he said.
The discussion at the meeting surrounded on how construction could proceed on a culvert in a tributary of the Hanlon Creek, without having a potential impact on the Jefferson, Cartwright said.
The ultimate decision lies in the judge’s decision later this week, he added, noting the Ministry of Natural Resources has said the city does have to take care in moving forward with the culvert. The city filed a motion for an injunction on July 31, after protesters shut down construction of the proposed business park on July 27. Last week, the protesters also filed a motion to prevent the city from going ahead with construction.
Some of the options for the culvert discussed with the ministry were putting up additional silt fences, setting up additional salamander traps and possibly stopping vehicles from driving onto the site to minimize impact on a possible Jefferson in the vicinity, Cartwright said.
The city plans to schedule another meeting with ministry officials later this week. The ministry has also requested to examine engineering drawings of the culvert.
On the Hanlon Creek lands Tuesday, activity was quiet as about 10 protestors were rising for the day and getting food in the kitchen they built earlier on during the two-week occupation. A core group of 30 activists remain camped on the site. They saw the judge’s decision to reserve his decision as a positive one.
“It’s pretty spectacular that we have that much evidence against the city,” said Shabina Lafleur-Gangji, referencing correspondence from the ministry in May and July recommending construction not proceed until the site had been re-examined for a potential Jefferson salamander habitat.
On the witness stand Monday, a ministry official said the city wasn’t in contravention of any current legislation by beginning construction.
Activist Sam Ansleis said Tuesday that a report from the city’s consultant Natural Resource Solutions Inc. states that on an April 2 visit to the site with ministry officials, staff was taken to all salamander trap sites with the exception of two wetlands, north of Laird Road.
The wetlands have been identified as a potential breeding site for the salamander by the city consultant, Ansleis said, and one of them is located about 40 metres away from the access road on McWilliams Road.
Senior biologist David Stephenson with Natural Resource Solutions Inc. said he believes thorough monitoring of the site for the Jefferson was done. He said perhaps the ministry hadn’t attended to those wetlands on April 2.
“I do know as of today, they have seen all these wetlands and assisted with sampling,” Stephenson said.
He added the site will continue to be monitored every year, until there is 75 per cent buildup and then another two years later.
City officials say the Hanlon Creek Business Park will house 21 century enterprises such as environmental technology and agribusiness companies. It is part of the city’s plan to accommodate 32,400 new jobs by 2031 without sprawling beyond the city’s boundaries, a city news release stated Tuesday.
At the injunction hearing, it was brought forth that the city doesn’t have any businesses that have committed to setting up on the land yet.
“You will not have a confirmed land sale until you have property serviced,” Cartwright said. “There has to be more certainty (for the businesses).”
Cartwright said it’s a realistic goal for Guelph to want to draw agribusiness companies, especially when the city already has a cluster of such types of business. Guelph is seen as a leader in agri-technology and that in itself will be a draw to many, he said. If the city doesn’t attract such businesses right away, they’ll work on examining their marketing initiatives to ensure they do, Cartwright said.
http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/521141
Guelph: One of the country’s foremost experts on Jefferson salamanders says the city should halt construction until next spring when further testing can determine whether the creature exists within the Hanlon Creek lands.
The city’s consultant Natural Resource Solutions Inc. took water samples from wetlands on the site, beginning as early as March. On April 20, a dead hybrid Jefferson salamander was found along Laird Road. Following the discovery, further testing of the ponds were done.
“It must have been using a pond somewhere,” said retired University of Guelph zoologist Jim Bogart, who has been studying salamanders since 1975. “I think it would be wise to find out where that was before the development (takes place).”
Since the Jefferson, protected by the federal Species At Risk Act, is so rare, Bogart said it’s often difficult to sample populations. Monitoring for the Jefferson should be done during their breeding season, which begins in late March or April, he said, adding that certain years the testing isn’t successful as some ponds dry out. That’s why it would be ideal to monitor a pond for three years, Bogart said.
“We need more information from this area,” he said of the Hanlon Creek lands.
Following a meeting Tuesday between city staff and a Ministry of Natural Resources representative, the city’s economic development officer Peter Cartwright said there are plans to do additional monitoring at the site next spring.
“It would mean we would not do the entire servicing,” he said.
The discussion at the meeting surrounded on how construction could proceed on a culvert in a tributary of the Hanlon Creek, without having a potential impact on the Jefferson, Cartwright said.
The ultimate decision lies in the judge’s decision later this week, he added, noting the Ministry of Natural Resources has said the city does have to take care in moving forward with the culvert. The city filed a motion for an injunction on July 31, after protesters shut down construction of the proposed business park on July 27. Last week, the protesters also filed a motion to prevent the city from going ahead with construction.
Some of the options for the culvert discussed with the ministry were putting up additional silt fences, setting up additional salamander traps and possibly stopping vehicles from driving onto the site to minimize impact on a possible Jefferson in the vicinity, Cartwright said.
The city plans to schedule another meeting with ministry officials later this week. The ministry has also requested to examine engineering drawings of the culvert.
On the Hanlon Creek lands Tuesday, activity was quiet as about 10 protestors were rising for the day and getting food in the kitchen they built earlier on during the two-week occupation. A core group of 30 activists remain camped on the site. They saw the judge’s decision to reserve his decision as a positive one.
“It’s pretty spectacular that we have that much evidence against the city,” said Shabina Lafleur-Gangji, referencing correspondence from the ministry in May and July recommending construction not proceed until the site had been re-examined for a potential Jefferson salamander habitat.
On the witness stand Monday, a ministry official said the city wasn’t in contravention of any current legislation by beginning construction.
Activist Sam Ansleis said Tuesday that a report from the city’s consultant Natural Resource Solutions Inc. states that on an April 2 visit to the site with ministry officials, staff was taken to all salamander trap sites with the exception of two wetlands, north of Laird Road.
The wetlands have been identified as a potential breeding site for the salamander by the city consultant, Ansleis said, and one of them is located about 40 metres away from the access road on McWilliams Road.
Senior biologist David Stephenson with Natural Resource Solutions Inc. said he believes thorough monitoring of the site for the Jefferson was done. He said perhaps the ministry hadn’t attended to those wetlands on April 2.
“I do know as of today, they have seen all these wetlands and assisted with sampling,” Stephenson said.
He added the site will continue to be monitored every year, until there is 75 per cent buildup and then another two years later.
City officials say the Hanlon Creek Business Park will house 21 century enterprises such as environmental technology and agribusiness companies. It is part of the city’s plan to accommodate 32,400 new jobs by 2031 without sprawling beyond the city’s boundaries, a city news release stated Tuesday.
At the injunction hearing, it was brought forth that the city doesn’t have any businesses that have committed to setting up on the land yet.
“You will not have a confirmed land sale until you have property serviced,” Cartwright said. “There has to be more certainty (for the businesses).”
Cartwright said it’s a realistic goal for Guelph to want to draw agribusiness companies, especially when the city already has a cluster of such types of business. Guelph is seen as a leader in agri-technology and that in itself will be a draw to many, he said. If the city doesn’t attract such businesses right away, they’ll work on examining their marketing initiatives to ensure they do, Cartwright said.
http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/521141