[All] Fw: Vandals strike pond protected by the OMB

[Louisette Lanteigne]

--- On Sat, 6/11/11, Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com> wrote:

From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
Subject: Vandals strike pond protected by the OMB
To: editorial at waterloochronicle.ca, news at swo.ctv.ca, commissioner at eco.on.ca, editorial at thecanadianpress.com, ESAProPolicy at ontario.ca, maureen at cielap.org, "jeff.allan at 570news.rogers.com" <jduncan at ecojustice.ca>, "Ken (MNR)Cornelisse" <ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca>, "Andrew Wray" <awray at wrayjames.com>, "Dean Fitzgerald" <df59 at cornell.edu>, "Stan Denhoed" <sdenhoed at hardenv.com>, "Mark Calzavara" <mcalzavara at canadians.org>, "Jan d'Ailly" <jdailly at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Diane Freeman" <dfreeman at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Brenda Halloran" <bhalloran at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Ian McLean" <imclean at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Karen Scian" <kscian at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Angela Vieth" <avieth at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Mark Whaley" <mwhaley at city.waterloo.on.ca>, "Scott Witmer" <switmer at city.waterloo.on.ca>
Cc: "Wildlife Ontario/Faune" <Wildlife.Ontario at ec.gc.ca>
Date: Saturday, June 11, 2011, 12:20 AM

Hello everyone
I went to the Ontario Municpal Board, OMB appeal PL071044 to help protect and preserve a wetland feature known as Vernal Pond 12. The MNR prohibited all activity that would augment or cause disturbances to this area. This woodland area has confirmed sightings of the Endangered Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler and Threatened Red Headed Woodpecker as well as Threatened Jefferson Salamanders as noted in previous reports. If you would like more information view the data here:
http://www.waterloomoraineact.com/birdsespa19
Vernal Pond 12 was the confirmed habitat of Yellow Spotted Salamanders as confirmed by the MNR previously. It is the "most likely habitat" for Jefferson Salamanders in ESPA 19 as noted by the MNR. 
Tonight I was doing a frog survey and noticed the absence of frog sounds around the pond with the exception of a few mature green frogs that I witnessed. Upon closer examination, I noticed a large area was cleared towards the north end of the pond.  A fort was built but it was clearly done by adults, not children. The structure is very large and complex, built out numerous large sized, heavy logs and saplings and
 trees from the surrounding area. The structure has a bench inside, panels, and profane statements written all over in pink highlighter saying "get the fuck out" and other statements. The height of the written statements clearly shows this was crafted by a very tall person. The writing was in pink highlighter,( not the first choice color for teen boys to use under any circumstance.) The fort was built using a great deal of materials that had to be brought in including large volumes of duct tape, nails, two by fours etc. It had to take the effort of more than one person to fabricate. There are beer bottles on sight as well. The structure is located by a mini piezometer. 
Earlier this week, work crews removed mature old growth trees as they built a trail system through ESPA 19 to connect the Columbia Forest Subdivision to the
 Activa Holdings property known as Vista Hills. The width of the clearance for this trail system appears equal to or wider than the width of Columbia Forest Blvd. I would like to ask city staff if this clearance was done before or after the Ontario Municipal Board's mandated land bird monitoring report was received by city staff. I was told I would be contacted when the report was available and I have yet to be contacted so I'm wondering if the city has that report in hand yet. Please confirm in writing if the report has been received prior to this tree clearing or not.
In all of the 10 years I've been living here in Columbia Forest, I've never seen our area residents do anything this outrageous in terms of fort building. 
My family spent $27,000 of our own personal funds to protect this pond feature in order to help protect and preserve the rare species of the area as well as the recharge for our municipal water supply located here. I have been submitting reports to Frogwatch of the species found by this pond for years. I have spent many hours here in reflection and prayer. To have seen what I have seen tonight, is devastating.  This is the desecration of our natural heritage and a clear and blatant violation of municipal, provincial and federal law. This is beyond disgraceful. Even with an OMB order in full effect, the pond area has been damaged regardless but by whom? 
I formally request an investigation into this matter.
Thank you kindly for your time.
Louisette Lanteigne700 Star Flower Ave.Waterloo Ontario
N2V 2L2519-885-7619 

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