10
Significance of Struggle to Protect Thundering Waters Forest
John Bacher
Since the first assault on it was made in late June of 1992 the protection of what has become known popularly , as Thundering Waters Forest , ( also termed Ramsey Road Woodlot and Niagara Falls Slough Forest ) has become one of Niagara ’ s key environmental struggles . The removal of about 150 acres of old growth swamp forest here , from 1992 to 2015 , full of vernal pools that provide excellent habitat for amphibian breeding , represents the darkest stain on an overall good record of environmental protection .
Since the Greenbelt was created in 2005 there have been no urban boundary extensions in Niagara . Such expansions trigger the death of streams , by massive nonpoint water pollution surges , as has happened most vividly on Shriners ’ s Creek . Here pollution is so severe that it was found a threat to the health of researchers studying the problem . Urban expansions lead to the widespread destruction of amphibian habitat in Niagara Falls , including the burying of streams
There was an attempt to achieve an urban expansion in North Eastern Niagara Falls in the watershed of the Ten Mile Creek , but it was rejected by the OMB , largely through the work of conservationist , Jean Grandoni . When Dr . Michael Dickman and expert witness for this OMB hearing and myself were doing research for this procedure , we found that recently urbanized areas of Niagara Falls had no frog calls in the spring since all their former streams ( identified on old maps ) were now entombed .
The environmental assault most comparable to what happened in 1992 , the clear cutting of swamp forest , took place in 2001 in the Garner Road Forest . The forest as-