Development on the University of Guelph Campus
Development within the University of Guelph happens under the guidance of the Campus Master Plan. This plan, “describes the history of the Campus and provides guidelines for future development. The guiding/planning principles are environmental quality; spatial structure and composition; project design; movement and associated systems; land use locations; and implementation.”
There are statements within the University of Guelph Master Plan to develop, or re-purpose, the field adjacent to the Dairy Bush. These plans include the statement that this development will be completed with, “to minimize adverse impacts on the Dairy Bush” (p.76) and, “the Dairy Bush should be protected in any new development, including through the use of buffers from streets or new development” (p.74).
This is what the Dairy Bush area looks like today.
This is what the Dairy Bush area looks like today.
To protect the Dairy Bush..., “Development should not encroach within 10 meters of natural areas. These buffer areas should be allowed to naturalize and should be managed as part of the larger natural area.” (p.77)
What does 10 from the edge look like? The yellow line in the the aerial view below is 10m long.
What does 10 from the edge look like? The yellow line in the the aerial view below is 10m long.
What is the Campus Master Plan?
To learn more about the Campus Master Plan and how it is used as a transparent way of making decisions for up to 50 years in the future, we met with Mr. Gord Gavrilovic who is the Manager of Space & Facility Renewal for the University of Guelph. He was gracious with his time to help explain to you how this complicated document is put together. The Campus Master Plan takes a 50 year view of how to preserve and enhance valued places on campus and incorporates feedback and needs of communities all across campus.
To learn more about the Campus Master Plan and how it is used as a transparent way of making decisions for up to 50 years in the future, we met with Mr. Gord Gavrilovic who is the Manager of Space & Facility Renewal for the University of Guelph. He was gracious with his time to help explain to you how this complicated document is put together. The Campus Master Plan takes a 50 year view of how to preserve and enhance valued places on campus and incorporates feedback and needs of communities all across campus.
After watching these videos here are some questions for you to consider –
Also, recognise that in the city of Guelph, AMENDMENT NO 42 TO THE CITY OF GUELPH OFFICIAL PLAN, states that 10m should be considered a minimum buffer for development adjacent to woodlands and suggests a boundary of 50m. The exact size of the established buffer will be determined through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
- What are the likely edge effects on the Dairy Bush?
- What are the effects that the other edges have on the forest?
- Why was a buffer of 10m selected in in Campus Master Plan?
Also, recognise that in the city of Guelph, AMENDMENT NO 42 TO THE CITY OF GUELPH OFFICIAL PLAN, states that 10m should be considered a minimum buffer for development adjacent to woodlands and suggests a boundary of 50m. The exact size of the established buffer will be determined through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
CONCEPT - "EDGE EFFECTS"
Forest fragments have a long history of study - in particular how there is a difference between the quality of habitat between interior habitat and habitat closer to the edge. There was a particularly useful review of the principal effects that an "edge" has on forests published in 2004 (Ries et al (2004) Ecological Responses to Habitat Edges: Mechanisms, Models and Variability Explained. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:491–522). They review three principal mechanisms:
Forest fragments have a long history of study - in particular how there is a difference between the quality of habitat between interior habitat and habitat closer to the edge. There was a particularly useful review of the principal effects that an "edge" has on forests published in 2004 (Ries et al (2004) Ecological Responses to Habitat Edges: Mechanisms, Models and Variability Explained. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:491–522). They review three principal mechanisms:
- Abiotic Factors: there is differential movement of solar radiation, temperature, humidity, moisture, and wind between interior and edge habitat. Edge habitats often become intermediate between the two adjacent habitats (e.g. between forest and field, the forest edges become hotter and drier with solar radiation than the interior)
- Access: when resources are spatially separated and edge provides access to both resources.
- Species Interactions: many incidences of increased nest predation for birds nesting in edge habitats.