[All] Fw: Waterloo Region: further endangered species & habitats at risk

Fri Jun 26 13:29:37 EDT 2015

Hi folks
Just sent this off today. 
It provides some of the supporting evidence on the known rare species along Beaver Creek & ESPA 17 and 19. Speaks of how we are entering the age of potential frost free winters and how that may impact the watershed's soil and biodiversity and how we handle tall prairie grassland areas. It taps into endocrine concerns and the need to plan growth within carrying capacity of the lands and not beyond it and it closes with a plea to protect endangered species as a means to protect our water supplies and endangered ecosystems and our own children. 
Lulu :0)
    ----- Forwarded Message -----
  From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
 To: Cornelisse Ken <ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca>; "aap at torontozoo.ca" <aap at torontozoo.ca>; Chris Gosselin <cgosselin at regionofwaterloo.ca>; MIN Feedback (MNR) <minister.mnr at ontario.ca>; "minister.moe at ontario.ca" <minister.moe at ontario.ca>; Rob Horne <rhorne at regionofwaterloo.ca>; Wildlife Ontario/Faune <wildlife.ontario at ec.gc.ca>; Ken Seiling <kseiling at regionofwaterloo.ca>; Thornton Ian (MNR) <ian.thornton at ontario.ca>; "environment at afn.ca" <environment at afn.ca>; "gail.jackson at ontario.ca" <gail.jackson at ontario.ca>; Tim ( MAH) Ryall <tim.ryall at ontario.ca>; Minister (MAH) <minister.mah at ontario.ca>; "ceo at fcm.ca" <ceo at fcm.ca>; Regional Councillors <regionalcouncillors at regionofwaterloo.ca>; "council at cambridge.ca" <council at cambridge.ca>; Council (all) City of Waterloo <council at waterloo.ca>; Rob de Loe <rdeloe at uwaterloo.ca>; Gg Info <info at gg.ca>; DionStéphane [NCR] <stephane.dion at parl.gc.ca>; Francis Scarpaleggia <francis.scarpaleggia at parl.gc.ca>; MPP Kitchener-Waterloo Catherine Fife <cfife-co at ndp.on.ca>; Andrea Horwath <ahorwath-qp at ndp.on.ca>; Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner <leader at gpo.ca>; "premier at ontario.ca" <premier at ontario.ca>; "leona.aglukkaq at parl.gc.ca" <leona.aglukkaq at parl.gc.ca>; Tom Mulcair <thomas.mulcair at parl.gc.ca>; "justin.trudeau at parl.gc.ca" <justin.trudeau at parl.gc.ca>; Elizabeth May <elizabeth.may at parl.gc.ca>; MP Peter Braid (Kitchener-Waterloo) <peter.braid at parl.gc.ca>; Prime Minister/Premier Ministre <pm at pm.gc.ca>; Jim Bogart <jbogart at uoguelph.ca> 
 Sent: Friday, June 26, 2015 1:15 PM
 Subject: Waterloo Region: further endangered species & habitats at risk

Hello Everyone
Waterloo Region relies on groundwater and surface water resources not only toprovide for our wells but to recharge the Grand River which provides water forour Region, downstream communities and Lake Erie. In the age of climate change we need to bump up protection quickly but policy reform often takes years to do and what we don't have right now is the luxury of time. I provide this email in good faith because it's going to take strong leadership  at all political levels to take a hard stance against unsustainable development/farming/aggregate practices. Waterloo Region is at risk today by what is taking place within planning activities and locally we lack policy tools to say no. It is cost prohibitive, there are many battles continuously underway, MNR and MOE are underfunded and understaffed and yet we are risking what our future generations will need the most: WATER. 
Ontario is currently proceeding with the development of new Source Water Protection legislation however it exempts quarry pits from being deemed a risk which is not reasonable. Rich aggregates being dug up are the backbone of our area aquifers and the rinsing of aggregate materials often result in spikes of nitrate, phosphates and pesticide releases into aquifers. Silt from rinses can block up the recharge capacity of holding ponds causing water budget deficiencies in well systems. This is not uncommon which is why ongoing monitoring of water volumes and water quality should be bumped up. 
Years back the Tories promised a National Water Strategy. Does anyone have any data on the status of that or how much money has been allocated towards this goal? What is the roll of the province, what is the roll of municipalities in achieving these objectives?   As snow falls on our forests it settles in the canopy oftrees, grasslands and frozen rivers. The ground is protected by frost.  The rivers covered with ice blanketed withsnow.  As warmth comes the snow and icestarts to gradually melt, seeping water underground and into our tributariesand rivers in a cyclical system. This is the way it has always been and this isthe way today’s planners think will remain but logically with climate change wewill soon be entering into the time of no snow, no frost and no ice and withthat comes serious problems. We need to start planning for that today.   Frost protects soil biota and hibernating creatures. It servesto slow down the absorption of water into the ground. Ice does the same forcreeks and river beds. This helps to maintain consistent temperatures and flow rates and supports biodiversity dependent on these systems byreducing variants in temperatures and moisture Wintering animals only have so much energy stored in their bodies to seethem through til spring. Frequent temperature changes and repetitive melt thawcycles can kill many of these creatures when there Is less snow and ice toinsulate and protect.  When a potted plant is over watered one of the firstthing to be damaged is the soil because all the rich biota and nutrients arewashed away. The soil begins to crumble and the roots will not thrive.  Without hard frosts, our farmland soil enzymescan die too.  When we have less frost thesoil biota cannot regenerate normally. If the earth gets depleted with too much water running through it yearround, it means soil dries out faster and nitrate and phosphate will be appliedto help crops thrive and this is very bad for the algae issues we are facing inErie. These issues are happening world wide right now.   During the drought in the US Midwest, cows died eating cornbecause the nitrate levels were so high it was toxic.  The top soils didn’t hold enough water todilute it.http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/extra/2012/08aug12/0812hn_dangerous-feed.html  Damaged top soil could not grow grasses so to fatten cowsup it got to the point they were feeding them gummy worms, powered hot chocolate,marshmallows and candies of all types to bulk them up to sell. http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/10/news/economy/farmers-cows-candy-feed/  In order to protect out water supply and our soil supplyfor the long term, we need to create a nitrate and phosphate management plans tomake sure whatever quantities are used, it is within the carrying capacity ofthe lands and waters we rely on. We also have to have regard to the farm wastesgenerated by these animals as well. Currently cattle populations in the GrandRiver Watershed produce the same amount of waste as 5 million people. They don’tuse toilets.   Natural wetlands and the biota they contain can naturallybreak down up to 90% of phosphates and nitrates naturally but unfortunately, accordingto the Ontario MNR, 90% of natural wetlands in Southwestern Ontario have alreadybeen destroyed. http://www.npca.ca/wp-content/uploads/LyonsCreekEast/Wetland-Restoration-final_26Feb07b.pdf  According to the GRCA, We only have 1% of our tall grassprairie grasslands left in the Grand River Watershed. http://www.grandriver.ca/Publication/BrantTallgrassPanels.pdf
Burning of grasslands is important for the maintenance of tall grass prairie species. It purges the land of invasive plants and allows burrowing animals and root systems to be protected underground due to the moisture with the top soils but in winters with little to no frost it may mean less moisture in the top soil levels. With less water to protect roots and burrowing creatures the burns may harm these species and delicate ecosystems. We must always keep in mind the variants that exist with today's planning protocols were based on a climate that may no longer exist in the near future. These methods might not be deemed reasonable or sustainable in the days ahead.  The losses of Tall Prairie Grasslands and natural wetlands represent bad planning at all levels of governance. Weneed to stop developing our wetlands and natural recharge zones and startprotecting them with hard constraints and strict prohibitions.  In this day and age we should not evenconsider touching areas like Hidden Valley, Barrie’s Lake or the primaryrecharge areas of the Waterloo North West Corner. The value they provide as Natural Capital alone is irreplaceable and irreparable. For species including Jefferson Salamanders, Blandings Turtles, Acadian Flycatchers these are among the last remaining habitats left. 
Rare species along Beaver Creek and City of Waterloo's Northwest Corner
Here is confirmation of the Acadian Flycatchers in the Waterloo North West Corner Area. At the time I was making an inquiry on the presence of Acadian Flycatchers on the Owen property where there was a Coniferous tree farm. I provided Mr. Cornelisse with data that confirmed Acadian Flycatchers do use coniferous forests to nest in and that this report notes they were located in a Kettle Moraine system similar to the geological features we see in the Waterloo North West corner. In response Mr. Cornelisse wrote the following:  http://images.library.wisc.edu/EcoNatRes/EFacs/PassPigeon/ppv54no01/reference/econatres.pp54n01.jbielefeldt.pdf
--- On Tue, 4/20/10, Cornelisse, Ken (MNR) <ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca> wrote:

From: Cornelisse, Ken (MNR) <ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca>
Subject: RE: Trees removed on Owen Property by ESPA 19
To: "Louisette Lanteigne" <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 12:04 PMHello Louisette, The MNR does not have any records of Acadian Flycatchers in the Owens woodland.  Typically, Acadian Flycatchers use upland forests, with a preference for beech woodlands.   When I checked my records, I have an email from Lyle Friesen of Environment Canada, and as you know, Lyle has done a great deal of monitoring in ESPA 19 (Forested Hills).  Lyle wrote:
 CWS is aware of two Acadian Flycatcher sightings in ESPA 19. One sighting occurred about 500 metres from the Owen property in 1997, and a second sighting occurred at the southern end of Forested Hills approximately one kilometre from the Owen land and was made by Ted Cheskey in 2001. Both sightings involved an unpaired, ‘prospecting’ male that was present for one day, then disappeared and was not encountered again. There was no evidence they were on territory or that any females were present. Acadian Flycatchers are highly vocal birds that sing constantly during the day and would not have escaped detection had they remained on site. The Owen property is a maturing conifer plantation that certainly does not conform to typical Acadian Flycatcher habitat; there are no streams or standing water present and no open understory. As a result, the MNR does not have any concerns at this time. Regards,
Ken  Ken CornelisseDistrict Water Resources CoordinatorMNR – Guelph District1 Stone Road WestGuelph, ONN1G 4Y2phone: (519) 826-6849fax:      (519) 826-4929Email: ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca
Hooded Warblers are breeding in the Schneider's wood properties off Wilmot Line which indicates suitable breeding areas for Acadian Flycatchers as well.  Lyle Freesen has studied these areas for many years and in my view is the best person to consult for further information on the Acadian Flycatchers of the Waterloo Northwest Corner. 
Below I have data confiirming that breeding Blandings Turtles are currently located along Beaver CreekRoad. They were confirmed by the GRCA in 2011 and were found in the parking lot of the Laurel Creek nature centre. I reported the find tothe Guelph MNR, City and Regional Officials.   
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
To: Cornelisse Ken <ken.cornelisse at ontario.ca>; "aap at torontozoo.ca" <aap at torontozoo.ca>; "cgosselin at regionofwaterloo.ca" <cgosselin at regionofwaterloo.ca>; "Karen.Scian at waterloo.ca" <Karen.Scian at waterloo.ca> 
Sent: Saturday, June 8, 2013 5:38 AM
Subject: Blandings at Laurel Creek Conservation Area

Hello
My daughter's friend Ryan Woroch is a co-op student at the Laurel Creek Conservation Area in Waterloo. He works at the Outdoor Education Centre. He found a Blanding's Turtle in the parking lot  on May 29, 2013. Ryan took photos of himself holding the turtle. I only found out about it when he showed me his display board for a project he did about his co-op experience.  He stated the staff at the nature center all witnessed this animal. The animal was a female and she was full of eggs. 

Photos of this animal were posted on the Grand River Conservation Authority's facebook page here:https://www.facebook.com/grandriverconservation  
Details of the find were posted online by a person named Sean McCammon who has a blog site here:
https://outdooredguys.wordpress.com/
Ryan took a few photos of this animal. Photography is a hobby of his.

Currently there are projects happening in proximity to this turtle find that may or may not impact habitat areas including the North Waterloo Subwatershed Study, the new Laurel Trunk Well project. (This area might be in the zone of influence for water withdrawals) as well as development projects along Conservation Drive and a new facility being built on the UW eco reserve off Bearinger Road. 

Personally I've spotted numerous turtle mortalities along Laurelwood Drive where turtles try to cross the street from the conservation area to access  forests and wetland complexes across the street and road kills were also seen going to and from the UW eco reserve areas that are now under construction.  The road kills I witnessed were mapping turtles and snapping turtles and they were all registered with the Ontario Turtle Tally.  My concern is that development to the north of the nature centre may attract more traffic on Beaver Creek Road and that poses a direct risk to the breeding habitats for these animals. 

With intensified development taking place along the UW Eco reserve, it would be beneficial to establish more breeding areas within the Nature reserve with areas of loose gravel for egg laying and whatever road design is planned for Bearinger Road  it would be good to place a physical barrier with tunnels to allow for crossing. Snappers I've witnessed tend to use the eco reserve for egg laying and the staff at Turtle Haven, where Angie Schloen works, states they use the Eco Reserve to cross to and from Columbia Lake. It is important to maintain a wildlife corridor to connect the two wetland complexes. 
Thank you kindly for your time.
Louisette Lanteigne700 Star Flower Ave.Waterloo ONN2V 2L2

__________________________________________________________
Further data on the Blandings find is in the attachments for your reference. 

All four of the Jefferson Salamander complex have been confirmed in ESPA 17 and 19 for many years. I have personally went to the OMB to secure protection of these particular species during Ontario Municipal Board appeal PL071044 and I secured the protection the capture zone of a pond habitat known as W12. There is no plausible deniability on the presence of these Endangered species on the part of the City of Waterloo or the Region of Waterloo.  
The Indigenous people of the Grand River Watershed have a long standing prophecy regarding the end of times. The indicator is when the corn does not grow higher than two feet.  At this time we are well on our way to fulfilling this vision which is why we must change how we plan today. We can choose to maintain healthy water supplies and farmlands to support our community for generations to come or we can choose a path towards our own eradication as a species. 
Currently I have two kids who have known endocrine issues. One has a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. The eggs in the overies are like a pearl necklace that don't shed regularly. The high estrogen associated with carrying the eggs results in testosterone expressions. My daughter had the fat distribution of a male, there was slight facial hair etc. Her condition was reversed with the use of birth control pills that force the eggs to be shed on a monthly basis which normalized her hormones, fat distribution and typical female traits. My other child is transgendered.  These conditions are known to occur via exposure to endocrine disruptors in utero which may or may not be linked to exposure via the water I drank during my pregnancy. I won't know if my third child is affected by this until they reach puberty. There is no history of these issues in my family or my husband's.  Right now endocrine disruptors in sewage treatment plants in Waterloo Region are known to be changing the sex of fish at the discharge point where male fish have eggs in their testies. This is proven by a multitude of studies like this one:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25543172
Fish and humans are all vertebrae species which is why laws to protect fish are so powerful. What impacts the health of fish impacts people too. The change in the fish alone are a sign that we've gone well beyond the carrying capacity of our watershed already. This does not appear to be represent sound reasonable planning. It makes me wonder if kids like mine are the ones paying the price for such decisions. 
Our growth has to happen within the natural carrying capacity of our watershed not beyond it.  As a Metis woman I have struggled for many years in effort to help stop our Region from approving plans that risk destroying our water supply and natural recharge zones because these places and the creature that live here are not only endangered, they are sacred. They protect our water. They protect our ecology and our medicines, our farmlands and food supplies. They naturally filter out the nitrates and phosphates for free. The City and Region have fought me all along the way for years even though I'm trying to protect all of us. I still have faith that perhaps someday the City and Region will see that I have and will never be against them. I'd like us all to work together to help make things right for our kids and the world they will inherit from us. 
If not for my own kids than for your own. I beg you to pay attention to the consequences of our current planning practices and protect that which should be protected by law.  Policy wise these creatures have the power to stop the damages to recharge areas, wetlands and grasslands associated with our current planning projects. It's time for you to have faith, act on the facts I have provided to you and defend these creatures to protect our water.  
Yours in good faith,  Louisette Lanteigne700 Star Flower Ave.Waterloo ONN2V 2L2

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