|
August 19, 1999
Gayle Wood & James Watt
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
PO Box 282
120 Bayview Ave.
Newmarket, ON
L3Y 4X1
Dear Gayle:
I am writing you on behalf of The Task Force For
The Preservation Of The Wilfrid Bog.
We would like to draw to your attention a
situation developing at the Wilfrid Bog. It appears the new land
owner (Bloom Maker Soils Inc.) has ignored all previous attempts to
preserve the SE corner of the ANSI 6, environmental protected
property, deemed both a regionally and provincially significant rare
wetland area. Wednesday, July 28, 1999, Pefferlaw Peat Products
(owned by Bloom Maker Soils) entered the property via a makeshift
(and up to the time of this letter) unapproved access and has once
again destroyed a sizable section of this unique habitat in
preparation for peat removal.
We would like to see an immediate stop to the
destructive action currently being exerted upon this EP property and
we are hoping that the LSRCA may be able to help. In 1981, an OMB
hearing reversed a zonal change from EP to M4-1 (a zonal change
granted previously by our local council) and also regulated the
removal of peat from this site. Also, there are regional bylaws in
place controlling the removal of peat in Durham Region. This should
investigated and enforced. We have generated a letter to Brock
Township Council, The Region of Durham and the OMNR on this matter.
These points alone, along with the existing EP status on the
property, should be sufficient to accomplish the halt to this
activity, contrary to the EP zoning, the municipalities Official
Plan, Durham Regions bylaws and the judgment of the 1981 OMB hearing.
Is this activity not in defiance of the LSRCA policies as well?
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 its 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 of that time, recognized
the Wilfrid Bog as an Environmentally Significant Area. The study
described the bog as ‘as an exceptional example of a northern
bog ecosystem. The fragility of the bog community and the pressures
that are bing 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 the Wilfrid Bog has been classified by our
Provincial Government as an ANSI 6 wetland site.
The access that has been placed onto the
discussed property along side-road 17 may be of particular interest
to the LSRCA, as it is unapproved and is currently blocking drainage
through this water filled ditch, which is a man made structure built
to replace the existing discharge area when the 17th side road was
placed there. It was further extended west by increasing its flow
through channeling, so as extra water could be pumped by Pefferlaw
Peat Products, making the peat beds workable. I have noticed there
are small fish within this water, and this observation has been
verified by the OMNR. Apparently this may be the first record of fish
habitat at the Wilfrid Bog, and therefore should be investigated by
the LSRCA. We have also contacted Mark Hartley from the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans on this matter. The culvert used here is only a
12" pipe. The creek however is 3 feet across and almost 2 feet
deep. Peat is already settling and has restricted passageway and
water-flow even further. As well, we feel flooding along the 17th
side road and Regional Road 12 into Cannington may be a possibility
next spring due to these restrictions.
Other than looking into the placement of fill
across this water-way which may possibly cause adverse effects on the
conservation of the land as a result, is there anything else the
LSRCA can do to help prevent this environmental atrocity? Has the
Ontario Government granted our Conservation Authorities any new
powers to help deal with these ever increasing important issues?
Due to the time restraint involved here (a large
amount of damage can be occurred in a very short time) We thank you
for your prompt attention to this matter.
Kevin Tipson
Task Force For The Preservation Of The Wilfrid Bog
PS:We have a Web-site out on the Wilfrid Bog that
may help you with the issue. You can find us at
www.millicentorchids.com/wilfrid . You can email me at
ktipson@millicentorchids.com .
For your convenience, please refer to your file # SCH-2-15(b)	ADM-2-7 |
