City growth affecting biodiversity, healthy habitats for animals
CITY RELEASES ‘ENVIRONMENT AND HISTORIC RESOURCES REPORT’
While the City’s recently released “Environment and Historic Resources Report” suggests Lethbridge does well overall in maintaining good air quality, clean water and in disposing of waste efficiently, there are significant pressures on biodiversity and healthy habitats for animals due to ongoing growth and development.
According to the report, riparian areas and natural grasslands have been particularly impacted, with the report stating, “It is rare to find undisturbed native grasslands in Lethbridge.”
The report says it is important for the remaining “patches” to be preserved.
“Natural grasslands are rapidly declining,” the report reads, “and there need to be processes put into place so that the remaining areas are preserved.”
With the riparian areas, the report studied Pavan Park, Alexander Wilderness Park, Peenaquim Park, east of Elizabeth Hall wetlands, Indian Battle Park, Botterill Bottom Park, Bull Trail Park, Lethbridge Country Club, Island Site, Six Mile Coulee, North Paradise Canyon Golf Course, South Paradise Canyon Golf Course, Popson Park and Cottonwood Park.
Of these areas, only Six Mile Coulee is ranked as “healthy,” with little to no impairment to riparian functions in the eco-system. North Paradise Canyon Golf Course, South Paradise Canyon Golf Course, Lethbridge Country Club and the Helen Schuler Nature Centre are all ranked as “Unhealthy,” with severe impairments to riparian function due to management or natural causes. The rest of the areas studied fall somewhere in between, ranked as “Healthy, But with Problems.”
The causes listed in the report for these riparian areas to be considered challenged or unhealthy include: invasive plant species, disturbance-caused plants predominate and lessen bio-diversity; root-mass protection is lacking along the riverbanks; removal of water from the system has restricted the supply of water available for supporting riparian eco-systems; and perhaps most concerning, control of flood/peak timing by upstream dams has effected the long-term sustainability of Lethbridge’s cottonwood forests and other natural plant communities.
The “Environment and Historic Resources Report,” which can be found online at the City’s website, was prepared over the past three years in co-operation with community partners, and is intended to provide city council with information, not direction, states Maureen Gehring, manager of planning and development for the City of Lethbridge.
“Everybody has a different opinion in terms of development versus land preservation,” she says. “I think it is up to the municipality to demonstrate a responsibility in terms of growth, but also for what else we are doing to achieve that balance. We see quite a bit of greenfield growth, but we also see more and more infill development happening. So how are we doing that responsibly?”
“It’s not so much a moratorium on doing anything, because change has to happen,” she adds. “It is just how you sensitively do the change, and making sure you are checking all your boxes for your values and the community’s interest.
The Environment and Historic Resources report has been seen and accepted by council, says Gehring, and councillors will likely refer to it when they create their new Municipal Development Plan later this spring.
“I think if you look at our efficient land-use strategy, as well as our environment strategy, is they build upon each other,” says Gehring. “So looking first at our land base, and really understanding the natural environment in the built environment in how they co-exist — and where there might be gaps and issues. And then understanding where our economy and tourism aspects are located, and how we can make sure those continue to be viable and to be able to grow as well. And then that relationship strategy — who are our partners in all of this? The whole initiative was meant to be building blocks; one on top of the other.”