Lower Welland River Characterization Report - Niagara Peninsula ...

Lower Welland River Study Area
Characterization Report
of plant and wildlife, and to permit those uses that support or are directly related (Section 4.6.1).
Like the areas zoned Agriculture, areas zoned as Rural Areas shall have the predominant land use
of agriculture including livestock farming, and for forestry and the conservation of plant and wildlife.
However, other types of development are permitted in these areas, such as for example, veterinary
establishments, public utility, and schools, churches, and cemeteries (Section 4.7.1).
The City of Thorold has two designations under areas zoned Industrial; Serviced Industrial and Dry
Industrial. Serviced Industrial lands receive full municipal services whereas Dry Industrial lands are
“those areas where industrial uses are permitted, but where there is no municipal commitment to
provide piped water supply and piped sanitary sewerage” (Section 4.3.3). The Lower Welland
River study area contains lands designated as Dry Industrial. Uses permitted in these areas
include industrial activities which do not require large amounts of water and wastes generated shall
be of a clean and low discharge nature (Section 4.3.3).
City of Welland
The remaining 6 percent of the study area falls within the City of Welland boundary. Land use in
this area is Agriculture. The City of Welland Official Plan (Dillon 2010) recognizes that agriculture is
an important economic activity and therefore outlines several strategies to provide land for farming
and agricultural related activities and help protect the City‟s agricultural lands from urbanization
(Section 5.1.2.1). Some of the strategies include limiting activities permitted in this designation,
limitations on lot creation, and the support of value added activities for the agricultural industry
(Section 5.1.3.2 to 5.1.3.6).
Natural Heritage Resources
“One of the most fundamental principles of conservation is that there should be a system of natural
corridors across the landscape, interspersed with large core natural areas” (Federation of Ontario
Naturalists No Date). Not only does a natural heritage network provide a web of natural habitats
that is crucial to the long-term survival and sustainability of biological diversity but this natural
complex is critical in the maintenance of a healthy functioning ecosystem.
In southwestern Ontario, the Carolinian Life Zone is a rich and diverse network of cores and
corridors that stretches from Toronto to Grand Bend extending southward to Lake Erie. Also known
as the Eastern Deciduous Forest Region, this unique ecosystem boasts roughly one-third of
Canada‟s rare and endangered species. Even though the Carolinian Life Zone makes up less than
one percent of Canada‟s total land area, it contains a greater number of species than any other
ecosystem in Canada and many of these species are not found anywhere else in the country
(Johnson 2005). As part of its Big Picture project, Carolinian Canada identified a network of cores
and corridors across much of central and southern Ontario, illustrating at a general level where
important natural cores and corridors are located.
A core natural area is defined as: “an intact natural area with larger habitat blocks; regions with a
high overall percentage of natural vegetation cover; viable occurrences of globally rare species
and vegetation community types, and concentrations of rare species and vegetation; should
exceed 200 hectares where possible with smaller high-quality sites in areas with lower amounts of
natural vegetation cover; as well as having minimum corridor widths of 200 meters plus any
adjacent areas of natural cover” (Riley et al 2003).
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