Bioregional Design for Multiple Aggregate Extraction Site Rehabilitation in the Oak Ridges Moraine by Heather Schibli

BIOREGIONAL DESIGN FOR MULTIPLE AGGREGATE EXTRACTION SITE REHABILITATION IN THE OAK RIDGES MORAINE, ONTARIO

A REPORT COMPILED BY HEATHER SCHIBLI LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH FOR THE ONTARIO STONE, SAND, AND GRAVEL ASSOCIATION JULY 2015

In 2011, Ontario Nature, an environmental non-government organization, was employed by Durham Green to investigate the viability of a bioregional plan for coordinated rehabilitation of a cluster of aggregate extraction sites within the townships of Uxbridge and Scugog in the Oak Ridges Moraine. Part of this investigation included engaging various s t a k e h o l d e r s w h o r e p r e s e n t e d a g r i c u l t u r e , local and provincial gover nment, recreation, environmental groups, and the aggregate industry. Compiled and released in August 2014 by Ontario Nature, the resulting report offers background, context, goals and outcomes from their investigation. The O n t a r i o S t o n e S a n d a n d G r a v e l A s s o c i a t i o n (OSSGA) representing the participating aggregate operators within the bioregional plan approached the University of Guelph to take part in developing a bioregional design for the participating aggregate extraction sites within the Township of Uxbridge. This report is a synopsis of the research process entailed in developing a bioregional design for the colletive re habilitation of the participating aggregate extraction sites within the Township of Uxbridge.

CONTEXT

STUDY SITE

ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

METHODOLOGY

RECREATIONAL ANALYSIS

THREE SCENARIOS

WORKSHOP FEEDBACK

FINAL DESIGN

IMAGE REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

FUNDING FOR THIS REPORT WAS KINDLY PROVIDED BY THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FOUNDATION OF CANADA (LACF) AND BY THE ONTARIO STONE, SAND, AND GRAVEL ASSOCIATION.

orldwide demand for aggregates is anticipated to exceed 53.2 billion metric tons per annum by the year 2017 (Freedonia 2014). Aggregate is defined as â&#x20AC;&#x153;gravel, sand, clay, earth, shale, stone, limestone, dolostone, sandstone, marble, granite, rock or other prescribed materialâ&#x20AC;? by the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA 1990a 1.1). Beyond the buildings and infrastructure composed of these materials, several other products like toothpaste, drywall, paper, glass, and chewing gum contain aggregate (Langer, Drew, and Sachs 2004).

RIGHT North American aggregate extraction sites.

Over the last three decades, aggregate consumption in Ontario has fluctuated between 100 million and 200 million metric tons per annum (Binstock and Carter-Whitney 2011) with a current annual average of 164 million metric tons (Altus 2009). The industry estimates that, over the next 25 years, Ontario will require 4 billion metric tons (OSSGA 2010), 1.5 billion of which will be used for urban infrastructure in the Greater Toronto Area (Binstock and CarterWhitney 2011). Pit operations involve the extraction of glacial or glaciofluvial deposits of unconsolidated materials such as sand, gravel and stone. These operations are often located in clusters, reflecting the aggregate reserves and glacial deposit history. Within the Townships of Uxbridge and Scugog, pit operations total 2,254.75 hectares of land (Rowell 2010); 3,653,274.40 metric tons of aggregate were extracted from the Township of Uxbridge in 2013

alone (TOARC 2013). This consumption results in further development, improved infrastructure, city renewal and densification. It reflects thriving economies and growing populations. It also results in scarring the landscape with an extensive series of depressions where the aggregate was once extracted. In 2013 there were over 6,500 authorized aggregate extraction sites in Ontario (TOARC 2013)

Rehabilitation of surrendered pits and quarries is a recent phenomenon in Ontario. Prior to 1971, rehabilitation of exhausted pits and quarries was not a requirement, leaving a legacy of 3,511 abandoned pits and quarries (TOARC 2015). Currently, pits are rehabilitated on a site-by-site basis with minimal consideration given to context (the ARA stipulates 120 metres). The current MNR minimum requirement for a license or permit above the watertable is to ensure that: topsoil is removed sequentially prior to excavation and does not leave the site (ARA 1990b 5.4, 5.16); side slopes are

maintained at a minimum gradient of 3 to 1 for pits, and a slope requirement of 2 to 1 for quarries (5.19); topsoil or overburden is used for rehabilitation and adequately vegetated to control erosion (5.17, 5.18); excavation is to a minimum distance of 1.5 metres above the established watertable (ARA 1990a 1.2.6); and that rehabilitation ensures adequate drainage and vegetation of the site is provided and compaction is alleviated (5.21).

Bioregional Planning is defined as a systemsbased approach to land use planning. It responds to the natural heritage and cultural patterns and functions found within the landscape for improved connectivity and sustainable outcomes. Bioregional Planning acknowledges and promotes multifunctionality in landscapes. Landscapes serve as the spatial matrix whereby multiple concurrent ecological and cultural

BOTTOM LEFT Aggregate consumption in the United States 1900-2020.

POPULATION 281 MILLION PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF AGGREGATE: 10 TONS PER YEAR

RECESSION

OIL CRISIS

WORLD WAR II

GREAT DEPRESSION

WORLD WAR I

FEDERAL AID HIGHWAY ACT, 1956

3,000 2,5000

LEVITTOWN AND INTRODUCTION OF MASS-PRODUCED COMMUNITIES

3,5000

POPULATION 76 MILLION PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION OF AGGREGATE: 0.5 TONS PER YEAR

MILLION METRIC TONS OF SAND, STONE, AND GRAVEL IN THE USA

TOP LEFT Authorized pits in Southern Ontario.

2,000 1,5000 1,000 500 0 1900

1910

1920

YEAR (COMMON ERA)

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

THIS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH IS TAKEN ABOVE THE YORK DURHAM LINE LOOKING EAST. THE STUDY SITE COVERS APPROXIMATELY 14,000 HECTARES WITH 24 PARTICIPATING PITS REPRESENTING SEVEN COMPANIES.

functions interplay. Corry, Lafortezza and Brown (2010 and 2011) identified that both habitat size and habitat connectivity benefit from planned rehabilitation. If properly planned, the rehabilitation of depleted aggregate sites can improve habitat patterns and quality, while

achieving greater cultural appreciation. Rehabilitation planning grounded within landscape ecology theory, referred to as landscape ecological planning and design by Wang et al. (2001), integrates the macroscale perspective and theoretical focus on spatial heterogeneity with that of rehabilitation efforts for a renewed level of productivity to degraded lands. Reha-

TOP RIGHT Study site is within the Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario. BOTTOM RIGHT Southern Ontario forest cover percentage since 1550.

LANDSCAPE-BASED LEGISLATION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY NIAGARA ESCARPMENT GREENBELT OAK RIDGES MORAINE WATER

225

450km

SMALLPOX AND OTHER EUROPEAN DISEASES CAUSE 75-95% POPULATION DECLINE IN FIRST NATIONS RESULTING IN REFORESTATION AND REWILDING

OAK SAVANNAH AND TALLGRASS PRAIRIE ECOTYPES MAINTAINED BY FIRST NATIONS AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

100

FIRST CONTACT BETWEEN FIRST NATIONS AND EUROPEANS

PERCENTAGE OF FOREST COVER IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO

40 20 0

1550

1600

YEAR (COMMON ERA)

1650

1700

1750

TOP LEFT There is a history of provincial legislation influenced by landscape features and/ or functions.

1800

1850

1950

COMPROMISED FOREST HEALTH DUE TO FRAGMENTATION, INVASIVE SPECIES AND LOST GENETIC BIODIVERSITY

DEFORESTATION-CAUSED EROSION LEADS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES ACT, 1946

1900

PLANTATIONS OF SCOTS AND RED PINE REFORESTATION EFFORTS

thus improving hydrological movement, offering a continuous landscape for both improved biodiversity and recreational opportunities, and increased landscape heterogeneity.

EXTENSIVE DEFORESTATION BY SETTLERS FOR EXPORTS TO EUROPE AND FOR AGRICULTURE

bilitation that considers multiple sites, at the landscape scale and with the intent of creating unified cohesive landscapes, may address outcomes commonly caused by current rehabilitation standards. This approach to the rehabilitation of aggregate extraction sites has the capacity to minimize or eliminate side slopes,

2000

SOUTHERN HALF OF THE

TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM

PROPERTY OWNERSHIP 1780S

RIGHT Survey taken of the study site in the 1780s lists various ecological features. FAR RIGHT Time series of Central Sand and Gravel properties.

1780s

1878

1960

1971

2005

0 .5 1

4km

LAKE CREEK SWAMP MARSH MEADOW WINDFALL (windthrow) BASSWOOD TREE

2009

he Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) is a 160-kilometre long glacially deposited ridge, running north of and parallel to Lake Ontario, that extends from the Niagara Escarpment eastwards to the Trent River. Sand and gravel deposits overlay the limestone and shale bedrock and form a kame and kettle toTOP RIGHT Conservation Authorities and tributaries found within the study site. BOTTOM RIGHT Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMC Plan) Designated Areas. FAR RIGHT Methods infographic

LEGEND STUDY BOUNDARY AGGREGATE SITES TRIBUTARIES RAILWAY LOCAL ROADS ARTERIAL ROAD CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES LAKE SIMCOE REGION TORONTO AND REGION CENTRAL LAKE ONTARIO KAWARTHA

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4km

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LEGEND STUDY BOUNDARY AGGREGATE SITES GREENBELT BUILT UP BOUNDARY ORMC PLAN NATURAL CORE AREA NATURAL LINKAGE AREA COUNTRYSIDE AREA SETTLEMENT AREA URBAN AREA BOUNDARY

pography interspersed with forests, wetlands, agricultural fields, lakes, remnant prairie and numerous communities (Chapman and Putnam 1984; and ORMC Plan 2002). Covering an area of 190,000 hectares, this landform consists of geological, hydrological, and ecological features including: abundant filtered water re-

sources, healthy biologically-diverse habitats, prime agriculture, and aggregate resources close to market (ORMC Plan 2002). These glacial drifts, sometimes 150 metres deep, filter rainwater that is eventually stored in a system of aquifers that feed the headwaters of major rivers and supplies 200, 000 residents with clean drinking water. These same deposits have proven an important non-renewable resource for road development and infrastructure for the GTA (Sandberg, Wekerle and Gilbert 2013). The Oak Ridges Moraine is named for the dominant tree species present during early European exploration. This was a densely-populated area by the Huron, who may have farmed as much as 20,000 hectares (Larson et al. 1999). By the 1750s, the original oak savannahs were transitioning into dense forest due to the absence of indigenous fire regimes. Captain Pierre Pouchot described fine timbered pine and cedar. Later 18th Century explorers, including John Graves Simcoe, catalogued red oak (Quercus rubra), maple (Acer sp.), black cherry (Prunus serotina), basswood (Tilia americana), beech (Fagus grandifolia), pine (Pinus sp.), cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) (Riley 2013). According to the TRCA (2010), Uxbridge, and more specifically the East Duffins Headwaters, would have consisted of up to ninety-five percent forest cover. Woodlands of various forms, with an estimated eighty percent cover, once dominated the landscape in the current Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority jurisdiction. By the time Uxbridge was named Gouldville in the 1830s, after the prominent businessman, property owner and employer Joseph Gould, these same pine were actively milled for their lumber to be used as ship masts in England (Riley 2013; Schmid and Rutherford 1976). By 1890, the Oak Ridges Moraine soils no longer retained moisture through the summer months due to the extensive clearing and overgrazing that had transpired earlier that century. Rainfall flowed rapidly down to Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe, eroding topsoil (Riley and Mohr 1994).

ABOVE Documents referred to for current industry best practices. Ontario Nature document (1) referenced documents 2, 3, and 4. SAROS document obtained online and referenced documents 6, 7, and 8.

At the turn of the twentieth century, over ninety percent of the forests were gone due to unrestrained logging and extensive land clearing for agriculture (Wood 2000). Subsequently, soil erosion, increased access to solar radiation, and silt accumulation irrevocably altered the structure and function of nearby watercourses. Coniferous plantations were planted to mitigate erosion, now occurring throughout the study area, with the most common being red pine plantation. The East Duffins Creek, the Uxbridge Brook, and the Pefferlaw River headwaters all converge south of Goodwood Road in the Township of Uxbridge. Pefferlaw River and Uxbridge Brook, both considered sub-watersheds, flow northwards into Lake Simcoe and thus fall within the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jurisdiction (LSRCA 2012). East Duffins Creek empties into Lake Ontario between Pickering and Ajax. Both the LSRCA and TRCA conservation lands contain rich biodiversity and extensive recreational trails.

PITS There are currently thirty-one aggregate extraction sites within the Township of Uxbridge, and twenty-four of these have committed to participating in the bioregional plan development. This cluster presents a sound opportunity for systems-based bioregional planning for rehabilitation. Most pit operations located within the study site occur on land designated as Countryside Area in the ORMC Plan (see page 9). Two are found within the Natural Linkage Areas designated under this Plan. Possible end uses include: fish, wildlife and forest management; conservation projects and flood and erosion control projects; agricultural uses; home businesses and industries; recreation and parks; mineral aggregate operations; and smallscale commercial, industrial and institutional uses (ORMC Plan 2002 13.3). According to the ORMC Plan the aggregate extraction sites must be rehabilitated to an end use that: maintains the rural character of the adjacent Rural Settlements; maintains, or where possible, improves or restores ecological integrity, health, diversity, size and connectivity of key natural

TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE SOIL + HYDROLOGY ANALYSIS SOILS CAPABLE ONLY OF PRODUCING PERENNIAL FORAGE CROPS WITHOUT POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT

ORMC PLAN HIGH AQUIFER VULNERABILITY

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4km

SAND AND SANDY LOAM SOIL TEXTURE

VERY RAPID DRAINAGE

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4km

AQUIFER NOT TO SCALE 13

OAK RIDGES M HYDROLOGICAL TOWNSHIP OF UX

N-P-K

S E L E C T S P E C I E S T H AT T H R I V E I N L E A N S A N D A N D G R AV E L S O I L S , T H AT D O N O T R E Q U I R E C H E M I C A L I N P U T S I N C L U D I N G F E RT I L I Z E R S , T H AT A R E D R O U G H T T O L E R A N T, A N D T H AT H AV E E X T E N S I V E R O O T S Y S T E M S T H AT W I L L I N T U R N P R E V E N T E R O S I O N

ANNUAL CROPS

NATIVE PRAIRIE SPECIES

NATIVE TAP-ROOTED SPECIES

0 GLEY (watertable fluctuation)

BUR OAK (Quercus macrocarpa)

BIG BLUESTEM (Andropogon gerardii)

HEATH ASTER (Symphyotrichum ericoides)

SOYBEAN (Glycine max)

METRES

SWEET CORN (Zea may )

WATERTABLE SWITCHGRASS (Panicum virgatum)

MORAINE SYSTEM XBRIDGE

R A I N A N D M E LT W AT E R A R E F I LT E R E D A N D P U R I F I E D B Y S A N D A N D G R AV E L L AY E R S . T H I S F I LT E R E D W AT E R I S T H E N D I S C H A R G E D I N T O T H E H E A D WAT E R S O F S T R E A M S A N D R I V E R S T H AT F E E D L A K E S I M C O E , L A K E O N TA R I O A N D L A K E S C U G O G . H E A D W AT E R S A R E V U L N E R A B L E T O C O N TA M I N AT I O N , T H U S C H E M I C A L I N P U T S SHOULD BE MINIMIZED.

PERENNIAL PLANTS ARE MORE DROUGHT TOLERANT THAN T H E I R A N N U A L C O U N T E R PA R T S , A S T H E I R R O O T S R E A C H D E E P E R I N T O T H E S O I L . S W I T C H G R A S S I S A N AT I V E B I O D I E S E L C R O P.

heritage, and ecologically and hydrologically sensitive features; protects landform features; maintains natural stream form and flow characteristics; and maintains the quantity and quality of groundwater, surface water, and groundwater recharge (ORMP 2002 13.1-2).

servation Plan. There are four hamlets: Siloam, Glasgow, Goodwood and Coppin’s Corners. The latter two are located within the cluster of aggregate sites, and thus were considered for the possible future scenarios. METHODOLOGY

Populated with 20,623 residents in 2011,

SOUTHERN HALF OF THE

TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM

AGGREGATE EXTRACTION SITES + DESIGN CLUSTERS

NS CLU PPI

NHS D

OD R

DWO

LUSTER LC

LEGEND

LAKE C

TRA I

GOO

CLUSTE

USTER D CL O O

R STE

GOO DW

UXBRIDGE

LEFT Previous workshops established agriculture (north), recreation (south), and natural heritage (east) as the three main end-uses for the project aggregate site participants (represented by navy blue dotted boundaries). These end-uses were further divided to better represent current site conditions and ownership.

The methods for this study include: data col-

STER LU

STUDY BOUNDARY

CK R

BRO

AGGREGATE SITES DESIGN CLUSTERS RAILWAY LOCAL ROADS ARTERIAL ROAD PREVIOUS CLUSTERS

the Township of Uxbridge consists of the town of Uxbridge, nine hamlets, and the surrounding rural landscape. The five hamlets located in the Township’s northern half fall under the Greenbelt jurisdiction, and are not part of the study site. The southern half of the Township is located within the Oak Ridges Moraine Con-

0 .5 1

4km

lection and analysis; design; and stakeholder engagement. Documents, spatial information, and stakeholder feedback were collected and then analyzed through the duration of the study. The design process was informed by the data, as well as by the stakeholders. The stakeholders were identified early in the study process, and were consulted either through site visits,

A MAJOR TOURIST DRAW TO THE TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE IS THE TRAIL SYSTEM THAT EXTENDS OVER 220 KILOMETERS WITHIN 8,000 ACRES OF PROTECTED GREENSPACE

THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF TERRAIN AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND USER GROUPS

Regionally-native dominant tallgrass prairie species include: ROUND-HEADED BUSHCLOVER (Lespedeza capitata) LITTLE BLUESTEM (Schizachyrium scoparium) BIG BLUESTEM (Andropogon gerardii) ARROW-LEAVED VIOLET (Viola sagittata var. ovata) PINWEED (Lechea intermedia)

Regionally-native dominant oak savannah species include: BUR OAK (Quercus macrocarpa) WHITE OAK (Quercus alba) WHITE PINE (Pinus strobus) RED OAK (Quercus rubra) BLACK CHERRY (Prunus serotina)

TALLGRASS PRAIRIE

OAK SAVANNAH

Regionally-native dominant mixed-wood forest species include:

MIXED-WOOD FOREST

WETLAND

SUGAR MAPLE (Acer saccharum) RED OAK (Quercus rubra) BEECH (Fagus grandiflora) RED MAPLE (Acer rubrum) WHITE ASH (Fraxinus americana) BLACK CHERRY (Prunus serotina) WHITE CEDAR (Thuja occidentalis) EASTERN HEMLOCK (Tsuga canadensis) TREMBLING ASPEN (Populus tremuloides) LARGE-TOOTH ASPEN (Populus grandidentata) WHITE BIRCH (Betula papyrifera) WHITE PINE (Pinus strobus) Regionally-native dominant wetland species include: WHITE CEDAR (Thuja occidentalis) EASTERN HEMLOCK (Tsuga canadensis) BALSAM FIR (Abies balsamea) WILLOWS (Salix spp.) RED-OSIER DOGWOOD (Cornus stolonifera) WINTERBERRY (Ilex verticillata) DUCKWEED (Lemna minor, Spirodela polyrrhiza) PONDWEEDS (Potamogeton spp.) STONEWORT (Chara spp.) BROAD-LEAF CATTAIL (Typha latifolia) WATER HORSETAIL (Equisetum fluviatile) SEDGES (Carex spp.) JEWELWEED (Impatiens capensis) RICE CUT GRASS (Leerzia oryzoides)

SCENARIO A RECREATION

These three scenarios were presented on Arch E (3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;x4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;) sheets at a stakeholder engagement workshop. Participants were encouraged to mark up the designs with suggestions and feedback. Included with the designs were callouts listing enduses with precedent images (not included in this report). The most popular of the scenarios was B: Natural Heritage. For further information regarding the workshop, refer to Schibli 2015.

SCENARIO A

SCENAR

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email, telephone, and the workshop.

THREE SCENARIOS The three options selected for possible future scenarios were in response to the end-use options determined by previous workshops held for the bioregional planning of aggregate rehabilitation in the Township of Uxbridge by On-

NATURAL

RECREATION

2km

tario Nature. For a list of the participants from these previous workshops, refer to the Ontario Nature (2014) bioregional plan document pages 40-51. These three pre-determined end uses were agriculture, recreation, and natural heritage. Each of the three possible future scenarios emphasized one of these three enduses while including the other two to a lesser extent. The three possible future scenarios were informed by informal interviews with the producers during the site visits; the biophysical inventory, spatial data and historical documentation collected; and the best practices found within the grey literature.

2km

RIO B

L HERITAGE

SCENARIO C AGRICULTURE

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WORKSHOP FEEDBACK Stakeholder engagement is recommended within bioregional planning for multifunctional landscapes because this process can address the complexity of the landscape by attaining a variety of perspectives, feedback and mutual understanding. One method for engagement is to bring stakeholders together using design as a tool to help visualize possible future scenarios within the bioregional planning process for multifunctional landscapes. Stakeholders were identified as those already engaged in the bioregional planning process for the Township of Uxbridge. Those identified were invited to participate in a workshop that began with a presentation of the three possible future scenarios followed by participant introductions and a breakout session into smaller groups. Participants were encouraged to discuss, critique and reflect upon the three sce-

2km

narios during the break-out session. Participants then reconvened to share their suggestions for, and responses to, the three future scenarios. FINAL DESIGN

CONCLUSION

A final design was developed to integrate the majority of suggestions that emerged from the stakeholder engagement workshop. Additional data was included from key informants, as identified by profession, the best practices, and conservation authority documents to further inform the revised future scenario. Trail connections were included where advised, and the housing development was removed due to current restrictions within the ORMC Plan. Natural heritage patterns were maintained and enhanced, while other land uses permitted under the ORMC Plan were included to generate income both for the aggregate companies who planned to sell their land after rehabilitation and also as a tax base for the Township. See Appendix H for the revised future scenario.

After centuries of fragmenting the landscape, rehabilitating aggregate sites beyond privately owned property lines, let alone across jurisdictional boundaries is not only exciting, it is needed. Reconnecting what intact habitat patches still remain in the landscape is necessary for building sustainable landscapes. As we continue to extract aggregate and other materials from the earth, there will be more opportunity to design for multiple extraction site rehabilitation.

REVISED SCENARIO SOUTHERN HALF OF THE

TOWNSHIP OF UXBRIDGE

REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM

J L M

P I

N B

E F G

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A. Bur and White Oak Savannah

4km

with Tallgrass Prairie • Prescribed burns • Oak clusters planted to follow forest cover patterns described in the LSRCA ELC spatial dataset and based on aerial photography • Seed collection + sale • Possibly include red + white pine, black cherry • Species associated with this ecotype are drought tolerant due to deep root systems • Species thrive in well-drained sandy loam soils and gravel • Visitor view deck for birdwatching B. Viewdeck • Birdwatching • Similar to elevated platform south of the town of Uxbridge C. Savannah Trail System • Linked to Oak Ridges Moraine Trail system, thus providing additional off road trails connecting to Stouffville trails D. Research Facility, Seed Sorting + Storage • Precedents include: Lady Bird Wildflower Center, Koffler Scientific Centre, and St. Williams Nursery • Test plots • Native species research and visitor centre • Children’s programming • Seed collection and sorting from tallgrass prairie • Wholesale and retail seed sales • Possible seedling/plant sales too • Research conducted through collaborations with post-secondary institutions • Possible rental facility for events like workshops and weddings for added income E. Campground • Rental yurt year-round camping • Access to Giordano Lake • Facilities on site • No vehicular access to camp sites • Possible tent camping • No power • Walk/cycle/ski into site • Joined to trail system F. Public Beach • Sandy beach along north shore • Public swimming, paddling, kayaking • Wetland plantings along south shore • Trails circle lake and connect to adjacent properties

G. Wetland • Southern half of Giordano Lake plantedwith wetland native vegetation • Supports vulnerable species • Raised boardwalks minimize encroachment into habitat by recreationists and their pets H.Honey Apiarybees pollinate adjacent commu • nity gardens • Locally managed by cooperative I. Community Garden • Organic farming • Rental garden plots J. Cut Your Own Christmas Tree and Berry Farm • Variety of non-invasive evergreen species (preferably native) that resond to site microclimate and conditions. • Pick your own berries (raspberry) during summer months • Direct sales K. Detention Pond Naturalized with Native Plants • Water management for adjacent homes • low impact L. Cottage Development • Proposed development in countryside area for cottagers • Container homes are removable • Low impact development • Utilize alternative forms of energy M. Children’s Naturescape Playground • Publicly accessible playground • Connected to trail system • Stormwater management on site • Low impact design N. Connected Trail System • Further connect Uxbridge’s trail system • Encourage hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and skiing • Interior habitat for vulnerable species not accessible to greenspace users O. Maple Sugar Bush • Connecting adjacent woodlands • Maple Syrup Spring Festival • Direct sales and wholesale production • Connected and adds to natural heritage P. Apple Orchard or Vineyard • Pick your own apples • Possibly apple + pumpkin festival • Direct sales through farmers markets and onsite • Cidery or winery

BOBOLINK (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

500 1,000

2,000km

BLANDING’S TURTLE (Emydoidea blandingii)

breeding range

range

passage migrant

sightings

Above is a detail of the proposed Tallgrass prairie and oak

savannah. A large prairie Area composed of a number of aggregate sites, with a minimal trail system may benefit endangered interior grassland species like the bobolink. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority has identified this species within the study site. These birds require 150 hectares of interior habitat.

500 1,000

2,000km

The Blanding’s Turtle population is in decline due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. Consequently, it is listed threatened under the Endangered Species Act. These turtles require forested cover spreading 380 metres from the wetland edge, and ideally not intersected by a road. The proposed Vicdom’s Giordano Lake may provide habitat for this endangered species.

WOOD THRUSH (Hylocichla mustelina)

500 1,000

2,000km

BUTTERNUT (Juglans cinerea)

breeding range

range

passage migrant

sightings

The wood thrush is a forest interior habitat species that thrives in forest patches with a minimum area of 250 hectares, and should be within 2 kilometres of another forest patch. It is listed as a species of special concern by the Endangered Species Act. The above forested patch has minimal trails for interior forest habitat where such species may prosper, safe from negative impacts caused by human, dog, and cat activities.

500 1,000

2,000km

Butternut, another vulnerable species found within the study site, has been listed Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada since 2003. It is threatened with extinction by Butternut Canker, an introduced pathogen, that Infects this species across its entire range. Providing habitat for butternut and if necessary introducing offspring from resistant specimens will hopefully encourage continuity of this species. Butternut thrive in hardwood forest openings.

Cedarhurst Campbellville Pit

350 348 346 344 342 340 338 336 334 332 330 328 326 324 322 320

EXISTING CONDITION

3:1

SLO

APPROVED REHABILITATION PLAN

POSSIBLE REHABILITATION WITH FILL

Cedarhurst

ACTION

OF EXTR

MAXIMUM DEPTH OF EXTRACTION

OLD HIGHWAY 47

EXISTING CONDITION

3:1 PE

SLO

350 348 346 344 342 340 338 336 334 332 330 328 326 324 322 320

LIMIT

350 348 346 344 342 340 338 336 334 332 330 328 326 324 322 320

OLD HIGHWAY 47

Parratt Pit

350 348 346 344 342 340 338 336 334 332 330 328 326 324 322 320

MAXIMUM DEPTH OF EXTRACTION

APPROVED REHABILITATION PLAN OLD HIGHWAY 47

The current Ministry of Natural Resource site rehabilitation plan standards include 3:1 engineered slopes, redistribution of stocked topsoil and overburden, and overseeding to minimize erosion. Rehabilitation plans are considered on a per site basis, which may disrupt landscape flows and functions.

ON EXTRACTI

350 348 346 344 342 340 338 336 334 332 330 328 326 324 322 320

F LIMIT O

350 348 346 344 342 340 338 336 334 332 330 328 326 324 322 320

POSSIBLE REHABILITATION WITH FILL

EXTRA CTION

OF LIMIT

SCALE 1: 6,000 50

3:1

100

200m

SLO

KEY MAP UXBRIDGE

FILL BACKGROUND MATERIAL EXTRACTED MATERIAL DEPTH OF EXTRACTION

SCALE: HORIZONTAL 1:1,800 VERTICAL 1:600

OD R

DWO

REGIONAL ROAD 1

LIMIT EXTRACOFTIO N

CK R

BRO

HIGHWAY 47

GOO

4km

HIG

HW AY 47

HIG HW AY 4 7

SLO

OLD

3:1

REGIONAL ROAD 1

HIGHWAY 47

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SCALE 1: 6,000 FILL BACKGROUND MATERIAL EXTRACTED MATERIAL DEPTH OF EXTRACTION

SCALE: HORIZONTAL 1:2,000 VERTICAL 1:500

100

200m

IMAGE REFERENCES Cover, Table of Contents, and inside back cover Graphics and photo provided by the author. Pages 1-2 United States 2014 aggregate extraction sites data provided by Aggregate Manager (aggman.com). Canada extraction sites data provided by: Global Forest Watch Canada. (2013). Industrial Tenures of Canada Report. This report includes vector data: Canada Mineral Claims 2013, Canada Mineral Leases 2013, and Canada Mineral Permits 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2015 from http:// www.globalforestwatch.ca/data/20100913B. Ontario aggregate site data provided by: [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 2006. Aggregate Site Authorized. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). Historic American aggregate use from Langer et al 2004: 8-9, 13. Pages 3-4 Aerial photo taken May 2015 by In the Sky Photography for OSSGA. Property lines included by the author. Pages 5-6 [NEC] Niagara Escarpment Commission. (2005). Niagara Escarpment Plan Boundary. Georgetown, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMMAH] Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (2005). Greenbelt Designation. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2001). Oak Ridges Moraine - Planning Area. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2002a). Oak Ridges Moraine - Land Use Designations. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2005a). Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Orthophotography Project 2005. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2005b). Greenbelt Natural Heritage System - Areas. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2006b). Conservation Authority Administration Area. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). Southern Ontario historic canopy cover data from Riley 2013: Figure 15. Pages 7-8 Archives of Ontario. (ca. 1978). RG 1-100-0-0-4092. Maps Crown Lands: Patent plans. Uxbridge Township [178?]. Retrieved April 16, 2015 from http://ao.minisisinc.com/scripts/mwimain.dll/365/1/0?SEARCHandERRMSG=[IMG_WEB] includes\errors\img_simNo.htm Belden, H. et al. (1878). Map of Uxbridge Township. Illustrated historical atlas of the counties of Northumberland and Durham, Ontario. Toronto, Ontario: H. Belden and Company. Google Maps. (2005). Uxbridge, Ontario. Retrieved May 18, 2015 from [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (1971). Flight Lines: 4402-2, 4403-24, 4404-29. Air Photo Collection at University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. [NAPL] National Air Photo Library, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Resources. (1960). Flight Line: A17188. Air Photo Collection at University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario.

[OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (1971). Flight Lines: 4402-2, 4403-24, 4404-29. Air Photo Collection at University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. Google Maps (2009). Uxbridge, ON. 44.055163, -79.209592. Retrieved from https://www.google.ca/maps/place/ Uxbridge,+ON/@44.0579081,-79.2079178,3985m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x89d53be3ca8700f1:0x461532be0e1dc e3e. Pages 9-10 OMMAH 2005, OMNR 2001, OMNR 2002a, OMNR 2002b, OMNR 2006b. Pages 11-12 [AAFC] Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (1998). Canada Land Inventory, National Soil Database. Ottawa, Ontario. Distributed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). [OMAFRA] Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. (2003). Soil Survey Complex. Ontario, Canada. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). Township of Uxbridge. (2014a). Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area: Areas of Aquifer Vulnerability. Official plan: Office consolidation. Schedule J. Retrieved September 10, 2014 from http://www.town.uxbridge.on.ca/taxonomy/ term/68 [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2006a). Aggregate Site Authorized. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). Pages 13-14 Google Maps (2009), www.oakridgestrail.org Pages 15-16 [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2011a). Ontario Hydro Network (OHN) - Watercourse. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2009). Ontario Road Network Segment With Address (ORN). Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2008). Conservation Areas. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). [OMNR] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (2006d). Wooded Area. Peterborough, Ontario. Distributed by Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange (OGDE), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). Pages 23-24 Compton, B.W. 2007. Status Assessment for the Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in the Northeast. Department of Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003. COSEWIC. 2005. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the Blanding’s Turtle Emydoidea blandingii in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. viii + 40 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Farlee, L., K. Woeste, M. Ostry, et al. 2010. Conservation and Management of Butternut Trees. Purdue University Extension. Publication FNR-421-W. Ostry, M.E. and K. Woeste. 2004. Spread of Butternut Canker in North America, Host Range, Evidence of Resistance within Butternut Populations and Conservation Genetics. Proceedings of the 6th Walnut Council Research Symposium. General Technical Report No. NC-243. Pages 25-26 Cedarhurst Quarries & Crushing Limited (1995). Campbellville Pit Site Plan. Cedarhurst Quarries & Crushing Limited (2005). Parrat Pit Site Plan.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Altus Group Economic Consulting (2009). State of the Aggregate Resource in Ontario Study (SAROS) Paper 1 – Aggregate consumption and demand. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. 220p. [ARA] Aggregate Resources Act (1990a). Retrieved January 19, 2015 from www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/ elaws_statutes_90a08_e.htm#BK57 [ARA] Aggregate Resources Act (1990b). Aggregate resources policies and procedures Sections 5.16, 5.17, 5.18, 5.19, 5.20 and 5.21 of the Operational Standards. Retrieved January 19, 2015 from www.ontario.ca/rural-and-north/application-standards-proposed-pits-and-quarries Binstock, M., and Carter-Whitney, M. (2011). Aggregate Extraction in Ontario: A Strategy for the Future. Canadian Institure for Environmental Law and Policy. Retrieved September 15, 2014 from cielap.org/pdf/AggregatesStrategyOntario. pdf Chapman, L.J., Putnam, D.F. (1984). The physiography of Southern Ontario 3rd edition. MNR, Ontario. Corry, R.C., Lafortezza, R., and Brown, R.D. (2010). Ecological functionality of landscapes with alternative rehabilitations of depleted aggregate sites. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment. (3)24. 216-232. Corry, R.C., Lafortezza, R., and Brown, R.D. (2011). Cultural acceptability of alternative pit and quarry rehabilitations. Ecological Restoration. (1and2)29. 64-72 Freedonia Group Inc. (2014). World Construction Aggregates. Construction Material Market Research Report. 418p. Langer, W.H., Drew, L.J., Sachs, J.S. (2004). Aggregate and the environment. AGI Environmental Awareness Series 8. American Geological Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey: Alexandria, VA. 68pp. Larson, B., J.L. Riley, E.A. Snell and H.G. Godschalk. (1999). The Woodland Heritage of Southern Ontario: A Study of Ecological Change, Distribution and Significance. Federation of Ontario Naturalists. [LSRCA] Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. (2012). Pefferlaw River Subwatershed Plan. 354p. Retrieved October 15, 2014 from http://www.lsrca.on.ca/reports/. Ontario Nature (2014). Bioregional Planning for Aggregate Extraction in the Townships of Uxbridge and Scugog. Ontario Nature, Toronto, Ontario. [ORMC Plan] Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (2002). Retrieved September 13, 2015 from http://www.mah.gov. on.ca/Page323.aspx [OSSGA] Ontario Stone Sand and Gravel Association (2010). The Importance of Aggregates. Retrieved November 11, 2014 from http://www.ossga.com/publications/ Riley, J. L. (2013). The Once and Future Great Lakes Country: An Ecological History. McGill-Queen’s University Press: Kingston and Montreal. 488p. Riley, J.L., and Mohr, P. (1994). The Natural Heritage of Southern Ontario’s Settled Landscapes: A Review of Conservation and Restoration Ecology for Land-use and Landscape Planning. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aurora, Ontario. Rowell, D.J. 2010. Aggregate resources inventory of the Regional Municipality of Durham, Southern Ontario. Aggregate Resources Inventory Paper 185. Ontario Geological Survey. 55p. Sandberg, L.A., Wekerle, G.R., and Gilbert, L. (2013). The Oak Ridges Moraine Battles: Development, Sprawl, and Nature Conservation in the Toronto Region. University of Toronto Press: Toronto, Ontario. 336p. Schibli, H. (2015). Bioregional Design for Multiple Aggregate Extraction Site Rehabilitation in the Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario. Master of Landscape Architecture Thesis, University of Guelph, Ontario. Available at https://dspace.lib. uoguelph.ca/xmlui/handle/10214/8814.

Schmid, H., and Rutherford, S. (1976). Out of the mists: A history of Clarke Township. Orono Weekly Times. Orono, Ontario. 338p. [TOARC] The Ontario Aggregate Resources Corporation. (2013). Aggregate Resources Statistics in Ontario: Production Statistics 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2015 from http://www.toarc.com/research/statistics.html. [TOARC] The Ontario Aggregate Resources Corporation. (2015). Management of Abandoned Aggregate Properties Program [MAAP]. Webpage accessed April 17, 2015 from http://www.toarc.com/maap1/about-maap.html. [TRCA] Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. (2010). East Duffins Headwaters, Terrestrial Biological Inventory and Assessment. Retrieved November 20, 2014 from http://trca.on.ca/the-living-city/watersheds/duffins-carruthers-creeks/resources.dot Wang, Y., Dawson, R., Han, D., Peng, J., Liu, Z., and Ding, Y. (2001). Landscape ecological planning and design of degraded mining land. Land Degradation and Development, 12(5), 449-459. doi:10.1002/ ldr.462 Wood, J.D. (2000). Making Ontario: Agricultural Colonization and Landscape Re-creation Before the Railroad. McGill-Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Press: Montreal Quebec. 213p.

WALKER WOODS, UXBRIDGE, ONTARIO

CLUBINE CONSERVATION AREA, UXBRIDGE, ONTARIO