Preserving wetlands really in everyone’s best interest

I recently read the Sun article, of Tuesday, Jan. 13, about the development plan which has been submitted for the South Village area, south of Patricia Avenue. Some claim this will be a real “win” for Brandon residents to have another large commercial area in the city. Maybe that is true, although others might argue that we don’t need even more retail outlets to stoke the consumption of even more consumer products that is fuelling increased household debt and environment degradation.

But let’s just leave that discussion for another day, because at issue in this plan is a much more immediate and specific problem. The city planner quoted in the article very correctly identifies that there are concerns about maintaining the integrity of the very large wetland on the development property. This is a Class 4 wetland, subject to special protections in provincial regulations.

Interestingly, in the current plan submitted by the developer, the word “wetland” barely appears. When it does it is quickly, rhetorically transformed into a “green space” that will host trails, play structures and benches, and will be carved up into a series of connected “naturalized storm water ponds.” While this is clearly a wetland, a sensitive and vital natural ecosystem, the site developer seems to see “green space” opportunity where they plan to “enhance the habitat and aesthetic qualities of the wetland” (a quote from the plan document).

What a wonderful vision, right? But let’s look at the reality obscured by the vision. The current plan proposes a “parks and natural area” of 55.1 acres, of which the wetland portion is part. Keep in mind, this includes all the recreational area they propose to create in the “green space.” Now consider that the wetland assessment that was part of an earlier planning phase for this same site (on file with the city) determined the area of the wetland to be 90 acres. That includes 35 acres of deep and shallow marsh zone (where you will find standing water most of the time) and 23.5 acres of what is called “wet meadow zone.” Already that is 60 acres in which if you go for a hike you will be walking in water or mud.