Background Report - Town of Georgina

TOWN OF GEORGINA, SUTTON SECONDARY PLAN REVIEW STUDY
BACKGROUND REPORT
2.2 EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND
OPPORTUNITIES / CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS SUMMARY
Study Approach
An analysis of existing environmental conditions was conducted of the Study Area. It consisted of background
data review (reports, mapping), windshield surveys and airphoto interpretation. This information was used to
develop a Natural Heritage System (environmental framework) for the Sutton Secondary Plan Review Study.
Furthermore, the results were used to:
• characterize and map the natural environment features / functions within and adjacent to the Study Area;
• identify opportunities / constraints to future urban land use; and,
• identify habitat restoration/enhancement opportunities, including buffers and corridor/linkage enhancements.
The existing conditions overview included the areas of Vegetation, Wildlife, Fisheries, Corridors/Linkages, Environmental
Policy Areas, LSRCA Regulation Area, Significant Woodlands, the Greenbelt Plan and Natural Hazards
and Lake Simcoe Shoreline. The opportunities and constraints overview that follows, identifies levels of
environmental constraints (Levels 1, 2, and 3), and their criteria, and an additional level of low constraint (Level
4) which consists of existing developed areas, agricultural lands and cultural vegetation. The full report and
analysis is contained in Appendix B.
Existing Conditions Overview
In terms of existing vegetation, the Study Area consists of meadow, shrub thicket and woodland communities that
have largely established on former agricultural lands. Terrestrial features include deciduous, mixed and coniferous
forest associations of varying species composition, age structure and disturbance history. Wetlands within
the Study Area consist of swamp (coniferous, mixed, deciduous, shrub thicket), marsh (meadow, open water) and
aquatic communities associated with areas of high water table conditions, riparian zones (e.g. Black River and
tributaries) and closed depressions.
Portions of the Study Area likely contain Significant Wildlife Habitat, as defined through the Provincial Policy
Statement, and in particular, the large forest blocks, wetlands, Black River corridor and sections of the Lake
Simcoe shoreline. The Study Area supports a diversity of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat, which is capable
of supporting a range of resident, summer resident, migrant and winter visitant animals. The key wildlife habitat
function in the study area and surrounding landscape is associated with the Black River corridor (wetland, upland
habitat, Greenbelt Plan external connection between Oak Ridges Moraine to the south and Lake Simcoe
shoreline to the north) and the large block of forest/wetlands located in the northwest corner of the study area
(east-west linkage connection to the Maskinonge River Corridor to the west). The large wetland and forest block
in the southeast corner of the Study Area (Vatchell Swamp) also provides an important connection between large
habitat blocks to the north and south.
With respect to fisheries, the Black River is a productive system that provides habitat for cold water, cool water
and warm water fish species along with an extensive natural corridor system with a direct connection to Lake
Simcoe. The headwaters, located in the Oak Ridges Moraine to the south, support Brook Trout habitat. The
middle and lower reaches support a fish community more tolerant of warmwater conditions. The shoals located
along the Lake Simcoe shoreline provide important spawning habitat for Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout and Lake
Herring. However, anthropogenic induced degradation has limited the potential of this system. Direct examples
of this within the Study Area include in-stream barriers, nutrient loading, and bank/channel alteration. As a result,
there are numerous restoration opportunities associated with the Black River within the Study Area. The river
The Planning Partnership • LGL Limited • Poulos & Chung • SCS Consulting • Cushman & Wakefield LePage | July 2008
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