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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014
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tions between designated natural
areas.
•
Tunnels such as the Oakwood Tun-
nel will reduce existing barriers for
wildlife and enhance wildlife move-
ment across the corridor.
Vegetation and Vegetation Commu-
nities / Designated Natural Areas
•
More than 300 acres of lands will
be made available for recreational
green space, enhancement or res-
toration. Opportunities to dedicate
portions of these lands to appro-
priate bodies for protection will be
discussed at later design stages.
•
Lands acquired for the Parkway will
be available to be dedicated for pro-
tection including provincially rare
vegetation communities, habitat for
species at risk, wildlife corridors
and other ecological functions. As
a result, a net gain in the extent of
designated natural areas with im-
portant ecological functions will
result from the Recommended Plan.
•
There are also opportunities to part-
ner in enhancements to other lands
in public ownership adding another
opportunity for overall benefits.
MTO will consider entering into
agreements with organizations for
the transfer and long-term manage-
ment of surplus lands.
•
The areas for restoration and en-
hancement will result in the creation
of new Monarch butterfly habitat as
these areas can be intentionally or
naturally seeded by host plants.
Fish and Fish Habitat
•
Fish locks will be incorporated to
provide fish passage upstream and
downstream in the Cahill and Len-
non drains thereby maintaining ac-
cess to upstream spawning areas.
•
The removal of 30 entrance culverts
and the redesign of the Wolfe Drain
using natural design principles will
lead to overall enhancements to fish
habitat.
•
Stormwater quality control within
the highway corridor will lead to
overall enhancements to water qual-
ity and net benefits to fish and fish
habitat for receiving watercourses.
Landscape Plan
•
The Parkway is sensitive to com-
munity needs, providing significant
buffer areas between the roadway
and neighbourhoods; protecting,
restoring and enhancing ecological
areas; creating potential recreational
opportunities; and improving com-
munity connectivity.
Specific SAR issues:
Species at risk were the focus of
extensive study during the Detroit
River International Crossing (DRIC)
environmental assessment. This study
included hundreds of hours of field-
work over several seasons to monitor
and assess location, migration patterns
and lifecycle of wildlife.
Through the DRIC study, we dis-
covered that construction of the Park-
way will affect ten species protected
HERB GRAY PARKWAY
