Salamandergate – Jim Bogart, Hanlon Creek And City Hall Spin
Jan Andrea Hall, Royal City Rag
It turns out that Dr. Jim Bogart, Emeritus Professor at the University of Guelph may not be quite the Salamander expert we were led to believe.
Check out this affidavit from biologist Dean Fitzgerald used during the Ontario Municipal Board process for case PL071044, in particular #25.
View the affidavit (2.88 mb)
It seems that Dr. Bogart is an expert in identifying salamanders in the laboratory from genetic material NOT in terms of habitat used by salamanders during breeding migration.
Which raises the issue of whether he really should be commenting in the Guelph Mercury on the likelihood of finding a Jefferson Salamander at Hanlon Creek.
The rest of the affidavit document is worth reading because it reminds us that confirming the presence of the salamander may only be as good as the techniques used to find them. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. It all depends how you look, how hard you look and who is doing the looking.
As to whether the City of Guelph is really worried about finding a Jefferson Salamander, or whether they have already found one, is not clear.
More likely they are just trying to surreptitiously protect themselves in case they do find one.
It is interesting that Jim Bogart should be commenting in the Guelph Mercury on the likelihood of finding a Jefferson Salamander on the same day that the city’s application for permission to harm Jefferson Salamanders and damage their habitat was uncovered by activists.
It also seems that the Guelph Mercury got it wrong in their April 22 editorial on the subject, Species Decision Backed By Law.
Turns out that the city have changed their position with respect to the salamander.
When they first found a Jefferson Salamander at Hanlon Creek in May 2009, the City of Guelph released this press release.
“This discovery is the result of our rigorous, ongoing monitoring program in this area. The City remains committed to protecting the habitat of endangered species, and we will work closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources,” said Mayor Karen Farbridge.
Ouch!
Which brings me to the April 23 column from Scott Tracey in the Mercury, City Looking The Other Way When Rules Get In The Way.
Glad to see that someone is still earning their crust the right way at the Merc!
Jan Andrea Hall
janhall@royalcityrag.ca
For more on this and other community issues, tune into Royal City Rag, Saturdays 7-9 a.m. on CFRU 93.3fm. Speaking Truth To Power.
Water Yes! Pipeline No!
Posted in Commentary, tagged Guelph Mercury, Municipal Politics, Water on September 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The Guelph Mercury weighs in on Guelph’s water conservation strategy. Yes to more conservation, no to a pipeline to Lake Erie!
Candidates Need To Talk About Water
Guelph Mercury, Editorial
September 20, 2010
There’s a sobering chart in the just-issued annual report of the city’s water conservation and efficiency public advisory committee.
The line graph plots the city’s annual water production against its population growth. The population line is ever rising in the 1998-2010 statistical illustration. The water production is a much flatter line – trending down, with the final year tracked providing the lowest volume flow of water.
During the last civic election campaign, there was some talk of a previously floated remedy to this dilemma – the option of tapping Lake Erie via a pipeline.
So far, the issue of providing a sustainable water supply for the municipality has produced little campaign talk. That might change with the emergence of the water conservation report. It would be good if it did.
The city is set to launch a terrific-sounding pilot program related to this policy area.
This week, the community development and environmental services committee will review a proposed incentive plan to encourage new home builders to establish houses that make smarter use of water. The program would see builders be able to achieve rebates of up to $2,460 for installing such things as low-flow toilets and taps, greywater reuse systems, and/or rainwater harvesting systems.
It could be in place by Nov. 1. We hope it is. It appears a wonderful extension of water conservation measures already undertaken by the municipality such as its promotion of the use of rain barrels and encouragements to replace old inefficient toilets with water-conserving ones.
More can be done and needs to be in this area, however. The city is aiming to reduce average daily water use by 8.7 million litres of water, per day, by 2019. That’s an ambitious target and timeframe – before projected population growth during that period is factored into the thinking.
The pilot Blue Built Home Pilot Program is an example of the type of thinking that will be required to meet this goal. We look forward to council candidates adding to the brainstorming about else could be done. Just please, keep the Lake Erie solution bottled up.
For more on this issue listen to Municipal Election Radio, Tuesdays 7-9 a.m. on CFRU93.3fm in Guelph. Remember if you don’t catch Municipal Election Radio live, you can always pick it up later that day via the CFRU archive or here, on the blog, a day or so later.
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