Friends of the UNB Woodlot rally against development. Photo courtesy of Caroline Lubbe-D'Arcy
UNB developing endowment woodlands
The University of New Brunswick plans to lease conservation land
(0)Costco is coming to Fredericton and the proposed site the store wants to build on is causing quite the stir. The location is on the University of New Brunswick Woodlot, which is a conservation endowment from King George III. The proposed site is close to Corbett Marsh, a valuable wetland.
The site of the woodlot is close to the Regent Mall and about four kilometres from the school.
The city of Fredericton is aiding the development by proposing bylaws to rezone the area and turn the area from conservation to development land. The other proposed bylaw would allow for construction of a store, such as Costco.
It appears the plans include a gas station, which would require a variance from the city to allow for its construction. Putting a gas station next to a marsh raises concern for Charlene Mayes, who teaches at UNB and is opposed to developing the land. "What gas station doesn't eventually have a leak? This is not environmentally sound," she says.
As it stands now the first phase of development is for 109 hectares (270 acres). The university has done an environmental impact assessment for the first phase.
"If we go out past 270 acres, if there are any further parcels, there will be further environmental impact assessments done," says Dan Tanaka, communications manager for UNB.
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Map of proposed development of the woodlot, courtesy of Charlene Mayes
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UNB and the location of their Woodlot
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UNB Wooodlot
The Friends of the UNB Woodlot is a group that wants a moratorium on construction until the university conducts an assessment for the entire woodlot. The group wants to see the broader impact, says Mayes, who is also a member of the group.
The damage done
Mayes teaches ecology at the UNB biology department. In 2001, her first and second-year class started monitoring Corbett Brook as a part of a long-term project. During the summer of 2007, construction began on the endowment land -- land was clear-cut for a pond to handle the runoff from new roads and parking lots.
Shortly after, sediment reached the brook, covering the stream bottom. Sediment is "detrimental to stream life for a variety of reasons -- reduced photosynthesis for stream plants and algae, clogged filtering apparatuses for filter feeders, clogged gills of fish and so on," says Mayes.
The woodlot is not to be sold under the endowment, so instead the university is offering renewable 99-year leases. Construction started in 2005 and in 2006, Home Depot opened its doors.
Since construction began, "we have already lost or significantly compromised seven wetlands," says Mark D'Arcy, from Friends of the UNB Woodlot. With the development of Corbett Marsh, taxpayers are going to have to pay "for storm water pipes, retention ponds and the infrastructure to reroute water," says D'Arcy.
It is not just the wetlands that will be affected, but the wildlife as well. In 2006, 24 beavers were killed and, with construction, the habitat of other wildlife is now gone.
Future plans
UNB, the Maritime College of Forest Technology and the citizens of Fredericton all use the woodlot. The woodlot is a teaching forest for the students, and the people of Fredericton can hike, cross-country ski and walk their dogs in the woodlot.
As it stands now, 50 per cent of the woodlot is up for development. The reasoning behind this is simple economics, according to Tanaka. "Fredericton was growing at the time and money was an important consideration," he says.
The university relies on tax dollars and "can only raise tuition for so long," says Tanaka. The university was originally given 5,950 acres by King George III and now owns about 8,000 acres of land in the province.
In Halifax, Dalhousie University and Saint Mary's University both sit on lands endowed for public use by King George III.
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