It is extremely important that we (The Task Force For
The Preservation Of The Wilfrid Bog) draw your immediate attention to
a situation developing at the Wilfrid Bog near Cannington, Ontario.
It appears that the local peat extractor has ignored all previous
attempts to preserve the SE corner of this ANSI (Area of Natural and
Scientific Interest), environmental protected (EP) property, deemed
both a regionally and provincially significant, rare wetland area.
Wednesday July 28, 1999, Pefferlaw Peat Products entered the property
via a makeshift (and up to the time of this article) unapproved
access and has destroyed a sizeable section of this unique habitat in
preparation for what we believe to be peat removal.
This is not the first time such an event has occurred
at this wonderful, glacial relic, treed bog habitat. In 1981, an
Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing reversed a municipal zone
change granted previously by our local council of the time, that
converted the EP status of the property to M4-1 (which gave the
company the right of way for peat extraction). This OMB decision also
placed conditions on the removal of peat from this site.
Unfortunately, extreme damage was inflicted on the pristine
environment found here, with the clear-cutting and scarification of
approximately 18 acres of the 67 untouched acres within the EP zone.
In 1991 - 1993, further damage was caused in several
attempts to clear-cut more trees from this site, including an old
stage deciduous area leading down to the bog that contained large
American Beach, Hard & Soft Maple, Butternut Hickory, Hemlock and
several large White Pines. It was a two year battle to stop this
newest assault on the property before The Task Force For The
Preservation Of The Wilfrid Bog (a group set up to deal with the
atrocities) finally saw a halt to the destructive action. This event
finally ensued when Durham Region's Bylaw officer enforced the then
new (and controversial), Regional Tree Conservation bylaw.
Unfortunately the highland forest had been damaged extensively,
leaving within the pre-bog area mostly deciduous swamp with Soft
Maple along with White and Black Ash. Trees that were cut remain
unclaimed and rotting to this day.
Remember, all this was taking place while the area was
zoned EP!
The Wilfrid Bog was identified as a significant
wetland site in the early 1970's in an IUCN Man and the Biosphere
survey. In 1972 it was zoned EP under recommendation of this study.
In 1980, the Nature Conservancy of Canada in it's report on the bog
stated ‘Wilfrid Bog provides a vital public service through its
biological and hydrological functions. To destroy it through
deforestation and peat extraction would be contrary to public
interest, the Official Plan, and the environmental well-being of
Ontario. This vital headwater source must be protected.' In 1982 a
study by the local conservation authority recognized the Wilfrid Bog
as an Environmentally Significant Area. The study described the bog
as ‘an exceptional example of a northern bog ecosystem. The
fragility of the bog community and the pressures that are being
exerted on it make this a high priority area of protection'. Also of
note is the fact that the Pefferlaw Peat Products company purchased
this site in 1977, five years after the EP zoning. Since this time it
has been classified by our Provincial Government as an ANSI 6 wetland site.
The Task Force For The Preservation Of The Wilfrid Bog
would like to see an immediate stop to this destructive action being
inflicted upon this EP property. We have contacted our local council
and requested them to look into the matter. We have contacted Durham
Region and asked them to investigated and enforce any contravenes to
bylaws that are in place that regulates the removal of peat and/or
tree cutting on EP zoned areas within Durham Region. The Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources has been contacted and an immediate
visit was made to the ANSI site. We have also sent a letter on the
matter to our Regional councilor (Larry O'Connor) and have made our
plight visible to a variety of conservation groups. We have informed
them of the trouble and reviewed the history with them. With bylaws
in place, the OMB ruling of 1981, along with the existing EP status
on the property, a halt to this activity must be demanded, which is
contrary to the municipalities zoning, Durham Regions Official Plan
and bylaws, as well as the judgment of the 1881 OMB hearing.
