Species at Risk Endangered by CRD Hartland Landfill Expansion

It is the 21 Century and, thus, you would hope professionals and decision makers would make significant decisions reflective of our advances in knowledge, wisdom, humanity and technology. Unfortunately, backward-thinking prevails in the Capital Regional District’s (CRD) plan to cut down 73 acres of forest and dig a big hole to dump garbage into.

The CRD’s massive landfill expansion plan is shameful when alternatives that reduce waste to landfill and reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions exist and are being utilized successfully around the world.

There are at least two at risk species currently living in the habitat at and around Hartland landfill according to BC's Conservation Data Centre.

Douglas Fir

Coastal Douglas Fir

Hartland Landfill is located next to Mount Work Regional Park which is in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park. It’s one of the last remaining large natural areas in Greater Victoria. The Park contains examples of the rare, dry coastal Douglas fir habitat featuring old-growth forest, wildflower-covered outcrops and meadows, and stands of Arbutus, Garry Oak and Hairy Manzanita.

The CRD expansion plans involve removing 73 acres of this dry coastal Douglas fir habitat putting this species at risk. As well, the plan to spread Class A Biosolid waste, known to contain an array of toxins (heavy metals, microplastics, PFAS, PBDEs) and biohazards (persistent infectious bacteria and viruses). These toxins, the heavy metals and microplastics in particular, will further disrupt the viability of Douglas Fir (as well as other plants and animals) for years to come.

Western Screech-Owl: Threatened species at Hartland landfill/Mount Work Park

The Western Screech-Owl

The Mount Work and Gowlland Tod Provincial Park area surrounding Hartland Landfill is also home to the endangered Western Screech-Owl. The Coastal Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii ) is a small owl that was formerly abundant throughout Greater Victoria. Due to habitat changes which led to the establishment and growth of a now significant Barred Owl population, Western Screech-Owls in Greater Victoria have declined by over 90% in just the past ten years. Today, Western Screech-Owls are restricted to a few older forests, mostly in the Highlands area of Victoria, and only a few pairs are known to be left. It is possible that there are other Screech Owls in the region that have not been detected.

Western Screech-Owl populations have been decimated over the past decade, and have been declining for at least the last 20 years. They are currently listed as a Species of Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act, and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has recommended moving their status to the more severe “Threatened”. (HAT, https://www.hat.bc.ca)

The CRD is proposing to destroy even more of the Western Screech-Owl habitat by wiping out 73 acres in a sensitive old growth forest. Removal of the 73 acres of forest, along with a continuous blasting program for decades to come will remove habitat for this species and disrupt their livelihoods. As well, the toxins spread on the ground around Hartland will persist and evidence from regions around the world, indicate that without doubt, animals within 25 km of biosolid application become contaminated.

We believe the CRD should instead be looking at modern-day approaches to waste management, such as producing energy from waste or plasma arc gasification, as well as community-based programs that reduce the amount of waste to manage in the first place.

You Can Help

Write to the CRD Board of Directors CRDBoard@crd.bc.ca to let them know their draft Solid Waste Management Plan is inappropriate and out-dated and that the more environmentally appropriate options should be adopted to support a viable and sustainable region.