Whitevalemarsh

Just today, in the marsh, a snapping turtle resting...  Several species of turtles are at risk or endangered   in Ontario as described in this link  Turtles at risk in Ontario . For more information about the plight of this marsh and our struggle to save it, please refer to the 17/04/2017 and 12/04/2017 posts.

Just a few shots from our fall photo contest, won by Andre Denis (microphotography), Elton Law (the marsh) and Mary Evans (the trail). The irony is that we thought Andre's shot was of a Milkweed pod, an ubiquitous presence in the marsh site, beneficial to the Monarch Butterfly, but that it was in fact a shot of the noxious weed commonly called "Dog Strangling Wine", an invasive species colonizing many locations in Southern Ontario.

We have launched a Photo Challenge to raise the awareness of the community of the importance and beauty of our Whitevale marsh and former gravel pit. It will start on Sunday October 1st (deadline December 3rd). Come to the Whitevale Arts and Culture Centre (475 Whitevale Road) on Sunday, October 1st between 1 and 4 pm for a guided hike to the marsh and many opportunities to take great photos. Check this link for some background on the pit!  News Advertiser's article Contact us at whitevalemarsh@gmail.com

We want to stop the sale and development of the sensitive area, north of Whitevale, which includes some marshland and a regenerating gravel pit. It should stay in public hands and become a nature park with a trailhead to the Seaton trail. Read previous posts on this blog for additional information. To support us in preventing its sale by Infrastructure Ontario to developers, please contact the following Provincial Ministers: Kathleen Wynne, Premier kwynne.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org Kathryn McGarry, Minister of NR and Forestry kathryn.mcgarry@ontario.ca Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure bob.chiarelli@ontario.ca Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate  Change minister.moecc@ontario.ca Bill Mauro, Minister of Municipal Affairs bmauro.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org Joe Dickson, MPP Pickering jdickson.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org Tracy MacCharles, MPP for Pickering and Minister for Consumer Affairs tmaccharles.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

On Friday, April 21 2017, we made a presentation to the TRCA Board to present our arguments to preserve the wetlands immediately north of Whitevale. Our presentation script and slides and the TRCA Board agenda and decision to support us can be found in the links below. Our delegation presentation to TRCA on Friday, April 21, 2017

The Whitevale Nature and Marsh Committee is dedicated to preserving and restoring the former quarry located immediately North of Whitevale and West of North Road. This area is for now in public hands, owned but the Province of Ontario but Infrastructure Ontario has included in Package 10, which is presently offered for sale to developers. Infrastructure Ontario has even applied for rezoning with the City of Pickering, and has proposed a residential plan, which seems superimposed to the site, without consideration to its ecology nor topography. This site has not been recently studied for its environmental significance. This area is in the process of regenerating. Its flora and fauna are rich, including milkweed where monarch find the ideal habitat, numerous patches of thyme thriving in the sandy areas, woodlots and meadows with diverse habitats for birds and other wildlife. Its striking topography of valleys occupied and marshes, as well as dramatic cliffs overlooking these lower a...