about schemers who“ Speak With Forked Tongue.”
The justification for the Thundering Waters assault is a document termed the Draft,“ Characterization and Environmental Impact Study.” Although the report is a product of both Dougan Associates and C. Portt Associates, it clearly states that its“ primary author” is Dr. Stephen Hill.
In the sales copywriting, it stresses the strength of what is termed,“ Buffers between the Provincially Significant Wetland( ie. Remaining forests) and the residential / commercial areas.” The report’ s readers are reassured that these buffers will be protected by“ re-vegetation of cleared areas with native species.” Such careful buffer plantings are supposed to“ reduce the risk of contaminants such as heavy metals, salt, and pesticides reaching vernal pools.” A pledge is also made that pro-active use of planting native species in buffer zones impact by development. This is said to“ minimize the establishment on non-native species.”
Sweet words of re-assurance are contradicted by the tragic reality of what is on the ground. Although there are 500 acres still remaining of the Thundering Waters Forest, south of Oldfield Road, in 1992 the area was 800 acres in extent. There has been massive forest destruction north of Oldfield Road, for both a golf course and a residential development. This destruction of 300 acres of forest is the worst environmental mayhem experienced in Canada’ s most species diverse ecological region, the Carolinian life zone. The development here lacks any ecological sensitivity. It is just text book Concrete Brutalism, without for instance, any bio-swales. Nothing but cement curbs and gutters to speed polluted water to the Niagara River, where it was formerly slowed down by vernal pools, rich in habitat for species such as Wood Frog, and the Blue Spotted Salamander. To facilitate development here a strip has been torn south of Oldfield Road,
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