30 AVENUES WINTER 2019 REHABILITATION PROFILE THE GARTER SNAKE The Eastern Garter Snake is one of 17 snake species in Ontario. Its range extends across the province, all the way to James Bay. Typically its colour pattern is a greenish-brownish gray with yellow stripes, but it can come in blue, bright red or black. Dark colours help the snakes absorb heat from the sun – they depend mostly on the sun and environment to obtain the heat they need to survive, as they don’t produce their own body heat. After they emerge from hibernation, Garter Snakes mate and the females give birth to 10 to 30 live offspring in a secluded place. They do not provide maternal care after delivery, but young snakes tend to stay together. actually extends about 20 metres below the groundwater level, so the quarry is constantly pumped out to allow dry extrac- tion. When extraction is completed, the area will be allowed to re-fill with water. “Once the aggregate has been fully extracted, the de-watering pumps will be unplugged, which will allow the groundwater to rebound and the quarry will fill with water,” Sisco explains.  The existing two quarries total 40 hect- ares and the expansion lands total another 40 hectares. In planning the rehabilitation of this large space, Waterford has also paid special attention to the final lake shoreline in the Vinemount Quarry Extension. The goal here is to maximize the long-term aquatic fish habitat. This special attention came about after the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry designated a portion of the extension site a Natural Heritage System (NHS) – an area made up of natural features that support processes necessary to maintain biological and geological diversity. “Progressively, as extraction is completed (north to south), the site plans will permit the importation of clean inert fill for much of the quarry slopes,” says Sisco. “This will allow for the creation of a promontory into the lake that both coincides, and will enhance, the Natural Heritage System with the planting of native vegetation species.”  By placing the clean fill in a corru- gated manner, an increased shoreline edge will be created. Cribs (small logs or other inert materials lashed together to make a 519-650-9211 360 Montrose St. North Unit #3 Cambridge, Ontario WWW.NEMXSKILLEDTRADES.CA MILLWRIGHTING CUSTOM FABRICATION RIGGING CWB CERTIFIED WELDING Don’t Worry, We got this! miniature roofless ‘log cabin’ structure) and other fish habitat shelters and structures will also be added. This impressive shoreline initiative has already been recognized with two OSSGA awards: a Community Relations Award and Progressive Rehabilitation Award. In 2014, Waterford also began a partner- ship with the Hamilton Naturalist Club to develop about 20 hectares it owns north of the existing quarry, known as Vinemount Meadow Sanctuary, with the aim to make it accessible to the public. Waterford provides in-kind support for the area, such as the supply of gravel for pathways, and covers the cost of a specific mix of meadowland grass seed. “This local area was already a favourite location for members of the Naturalist Club for bird-watching and so the transformation of the lands into specific meadowland bird habitat was well received,” says Sisco. For Sisco, helping to rehabilitate the Vinemount site has been hugely grati- fying. In particular, he has appreciated the expertise of all involved and the free flow of communication, especially with the extended community. “Waterford staff were deliberate in their professional approach to meet individually with their neighbours to find ways to successfully address each of their initial concerns,” he says.  “This approach allowed the project team to focus on technical issues in dealing with the approval agencies. The result was that at the City of Hamilton Public Meeting/final Council Meeting for the rezoning approval, no neighbours were in attendance.”   Whether it’s helping out local snakes, aquatic life, or keen naturalists, the Vinemount Quarry will one day leave behind a legacy that will benefit animals and humans alike. •