[All] Fwd: CoC-Guelph [ACTION]: Comment on Guelph's application to harm Jefferson Salamanders and damage potential habitat

Wed Apr 21 14:06:58 EDT 2010

Hi Norah:

Shouldn't we be reminding the Ministry of Natural Resources of the attached
report:

Jefferson Salamander Recovery Team. 2010. Recovery Strategy for the
Jefferson Salamander
   (*Ambystoma jeffersonianum*) in Ontario. Ontario Recovery Strategy
Series. Prepared for the
   Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario. vi + 29pp.

The Recovery Strategy Development Team Members included MNR reps and others,
e.g. Dr. Jim Bogart, U of G, and Tony Zammit, GRCA.  For those who haven't
seen the report before, it is riddled with comments like the following on
Page iv:

*Major threats to the Jefferson Salamander in Ontario include: habitat loss,
habitat fragmentation and degradation/alteration, road mortality, impairment
of wetland/hydrologic function and the introduction of fish to breeding
ponds.*

*The conservation biology of the Jefferson Salamander is well known in
comparison to that of other species at risk in Ontario. This recovery
strategy provides the scientific basis with which to establish habitat
protection guidelines and make recommendations to protect this species in
Ontario. Toward this end, this recovery strategy also outlines and
prioritizes recovery approaches and programs. Because known Jefferson*
*Salamander
populations exist in areas that are presently under development pressure,
there is an urgent need to implement the recovery approaches and to
communicate the recovery goals to municipalities, developers and other
stakeholders where conflicts exist or are anticipated.*

*It is recommended that the habitat regulation for Jefferson Salamander
include:*
*• all wetlands or wetland features that provide suitable breeding
conditions where the Jefferson Salamander** and jeffersonianum-dominated
polyploids occur,*
*• terrestrial habitat areas within 300 metres of the edge of the breeding
ponds that **provide conditions required for foraging, dispersal, migration,
and hibernation, **and*
*• corridors that provide contiguous connections between breeding locations
(up to a maximum distance of 1 kilometre).*
**
*Any newly discovered breeding locations and associated terrestrial habitat
as well as extirpated and historical locations where suitable habitat
remains should also be included within the regulation.*

On Page 22*:*
**
*Corridors that provide contiguous connections between breeding locations
can extend up to a maximum of 1 kilometre and should also be included within
the habitat regulation. Non-vegetated open areas such as agricultural fields
may be used as migratory corridors between the breeding pond and forested
areas.*

* *
I'm not sure how the Exclusions section on page 22 plays into your
circumstance though:

*Exclusions*

* *

*The following features should not be included within the habitat
regulation:*

*• Existing houses, buildings, structures and quarries (and other
pre-existing **industrial land uses) that are within 300 m of a breeding
pond.*

*• Major roads within 300 m of a breeding pond which present barriers to
migration and dispersion (e.g. highways).*

*• Open areas such as agricultural fields that are within 300m of a breeding
pond **but which do not directly separate breeding ponds from forested areas
and therefore do not serve as corridors between habitats and /or breeding
areas.*
**

Deb Swidrovich
519-746-8403

2010/4/19 Norah & Richard <nrchaloner at hotmail.com>

> I am sending this hoping that you will write to oppose this latest
> craziness of City of Guelph
> in their request "to harm Jefferson Salamanders and to damage possible
> habitat".   Norah
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> As you likely know, the City is currently monitoring the wetland complex
> slated to become the Hanlon Creek Business Park for evidence of the
> Jefferson Salamander, a species at risk in Ontario. It has come to our
> attention that, if the City does indeed find evidence for the existence
> of Jefferson Salamander at the site, it is asking the Ministry of
> Natural Resources for permission to harm Jefferson Salamanders and
> damage their potential habitat. Yes, you read that correctly. Read the
> text from the Environmental Bill of Rights website below:*
> "The City of Guelph, Belmont Equity (HCBP) Holdings Ltd. and Guelph Land
> Holdings (the applicants) are applying for an agreement to mitigate
> impacts Jefferson Salamanders and their habitat for the purpose of
> developing the Hanlon Creek Business Park (HCBP), a new subdivision in
> the City of Guelph.*
>
> The Jefferson Salamander is listed on the Species at Risk in Ontario
> List, in Ontario Regulation 230/08 under the Endangered Species Act,
> 2007 (ESA), as a threatened species. Clause 9(1)(a) of the ESA provides
> that no person shall kill, harm, harass, capture or take a living member
> of a species that is listed on the Species at Risk in Ontario List as an
> extirpated, endangered or threatened species. Clause 10(1)(a) of the ESA
> provides that no person shall damage or destroy the habitat of a species
> that is listed on the Species at Risk in Ontario List as an endangered
> or threatened species. Protection for Jefferson Salamander habitat came
> into force in February 2010.
> *The subject lands are currently being surveyed for the presence of
> Jefferson Salamander. The survey began in March and will continue until
> the end of April. If Jefferson Salamanders are found, the City of
> Guelph, Belmont Equity (HCBP) Holdings Ltd. and Guelph Land Holdings are
> requesting an authorization through an agreement to harm Jefferson
> Salamanders and to damage potential habitat."*
>
> The full details on the application can be found here:
> http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTA5NDE2&statusId=MTY0MzE5&language=en
>
> Public comments on this application can be made now by emailing esa.permits.agreements at ontario.ca and need to include the EBR Registry
> Number 010-9560.
>
> Those more comfortable with using mail or telephone can use the
> following contact info:
>
> James Fitzpatrick
> Species at Risk Team Advisor
> Ministry of Natural Resources
> Policy Division
> Species at Risk Branch
> 300 Water Street
> Floor 4
> Robinson Place South Tower
> Peterborough Ontario
> K9J 8M5
> Phone: (705) 755-5409
> Fax: (705) 755-1788
>
> The deadline for comments is May 10th.
>
> Let's let the MNR know what we think about this idea!
>
> CoC-Guelph.ca
>
>
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>
> _______________________________________________
> All mailing list
> All at gren.ca
> http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca
>
>
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