Today, the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site exists as a planned naturalized space situated on the border of Thorold and St. Catharines, on St. David's Road. Prior to 1976, the space existed as a limestone quarry, though the land existed as multiple distinct plots of farmland in several decades before. After being acquired by the City of St. Catharines, the quarry was converted into a municipal landfill, used to store mounds of waste generated within the region. The Glenridge Quarry Landfill Site operated until January 1st, 2002. The Regional Municipality of Niagara decided that the site would be naturalized and transformed into a park following its closure. The park - surrounded by the reintroduced flora, native to this Carolinian forest zone - consists of a large landscaped area trails intertwining through the land's expansive meadows. In addition, the space holds signage which details its history and transformation, a picnic area, a playground with child-oriented science exhibits, small ponds, and one larger waterbody with a boardwalk for closer observation. One of the naturalizations site's most notable topographic features is a large hill which contains much of the decomposing waste from its past existence as a landfill. The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site also contains a linkage to the Bruce trail, a large marked hiking trail spanning much of Niagara Region. As a consequence of its naturalization, as many as 125 species of bees have been documented on the park's lands, having returned to the now favourable conditions. The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site is widely regarded as an ecological success, having won awards for its completion as a regionally-planned venture.

Animation 1: The Glenridge Quarry's Progression. Visible is its agricultural use in 1934, closure of the landfill in 2000, naturalization in 2002, and vegetative growth onward.

Municipality: St. Catharines, Niagara Region

Local area name: Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site

Other Identifying Names: Glenridge Quarry, Glenridge Quarry Landfill Site

Latitude and Longitude: 43.11927, -79.23953

Physical Dimensions

Length: 916 metres

Width: 682 metres

Surface Area: 460620 metres squared

Elevation:

Highest Point: 634 feet

Lowest Point: 544 feet

The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site is a unique site, with a tumultuous existence as an urban ecosystem. The land has seen considerable industrial use, in previous decades being typified by a number of manmade changes to its topography. As a result of its existence as a quarry and landfill, the quality of habitat the site could provide has been degraded significantly. In order to adequately naturalize the site, a significant amount of vegetation had to be reintroduced anthropogenically due to history as a barren land. Additionally, the conservation of the site is predicated on a sealed clay container containing the remnant landfill waste - now visible as a prominent landform of nearly 90 feet tall. This has had a significant impact on the hydrology of the site, as the hill is by design a mostly non-permeable surface. However, the naturalization of the site has been largely successful in regards to plant and animal life, with many native species of pollinators returning to the land in recent years.

Map 1: The current state of the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site and its vicinity

For decades, quarrying and landfill activities necessitated the Glenridge Quarry to be a barren landscape, allowing for minimal to no habitation from native species of plants and animals. During the naturalization process plants native to the region's Carolinian forests (comprised primarily of broadleaf deciduous trees) were reintroduced to the land, intended to reestablish the ecosystem that had once existed prior to its agricultural and industrial use (Tourism Niagara, 2012). According to Papastravrou (2012), special attention was paid to the creation of an environment suited to the needs of pollinators, including vegetation such as flowering plants. In the park's central area, the most evident plants were tall grasses and small herbaceous species, organized into meadows. Larger plants lined the periphery of the site, with an arboretum of newly planted trees towards the Southeast (Niagara Region, 2019). According to Kirkwood (2001), clay caps used to contain buried landfill sites' waste may be susceptible to damage from the roots of large woody plants such as trees, likely the reason for their absence on the site's hill.

The Northmost area of the site is home to a mature Carolinian forest, which has strong implications for the animal and plant life on its grounds. As deciduous forests in the Niagara region are under threat by the invasive emerald ash borer, ash trees on the land are undergoing extirpation (Streit, Scarr, & Farintosh, 2012). Resulting from this process, the forest ecosystem can be expected to undergo a process of succession, allowing for another species to take the place of ash trees (Streit et al., 2012). As the ash tree's diminishing presence will leave holes in the forest canopy, which may allow smaller herbaceous plants on the forest floor to establish themselves due to an increased presence of sunlight (Hough, 2004). A forest undergoing such a successive process may encourage or discourage the habitation and presence of different insects and animals within the ecosystem - depending on their reliance on certain plant species - which may resultantly occur to a minor degree in the Glenridge Quarry (Hough, 2004).

As a consequence of its naturalization, as many as 125 species of bees have been documented on the park's lands, having returned to the conditions as their needs are now suited (Tourism Niagara, 2012). Additionally, a measurable number of small and large birds are observable on the site, the latter seeming to use the large pond to prey on fish. It is likely that many of these species would not have been found on the land between the site's establishment as a limestone quarry and its naturalization, happening in 2002 and beyond. The Glenridge Quarry is bordered on some sides by highway and arterial roads, which has contributed to the fragmentation of the greater ecosystem and reduced its size and quality as a habitat (Farina, 2006).

Image 1: The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site, 2015

Image 2: The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site, 2010

Image 3: The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site, 2002. The naturalization process is being initiated.

The Glenridge Quarry sits atop the Niagara Escarpment, a large landform comprised primarily of sedimentary rock (Niagara Escarpment Commission, 2019). The portion of the escarpment from which this site is geologically comprised was formed approximately 440 million years ago, characterized by shale and limestone (NEC, 2019). One of the essential compounds for the formation of limestone is calcium carbonate, which is typically derived from the remains of marine organisms such as mollusks and coral. The site's formation was made possible by the existence of a tropical sea close to the area at the time, and sediments from its shoreline were deposited continually to allow the underlying sedimentary rock to form due to intense compression (NEC, 2019). The retreat of glaciers over the land 'carved' the escarpment's face, exposing its underlying geology (NEC, 2019). As the Glenridge Quarry sits atop the escarpment, its natural geomorphology in past decades would have been a mostly flattened surface.

The geomorphology of the Glenridge Quarry has been significantly altered to suit human industrial uses. The landscape was used as a limestone quarry, necessitating the excavation of underlying sedimentary rock and soil. As a result, much of the site's ground has been lowered considerably, visibly distinct from surrounding surfaces. According to Ratcliffe (1974), excavation alters landscapes permanently, negatively affecting landform, soil, and drainage conditions. It is likely that these effects have contributed to the degradation of the site over previous decades. In addition to excavation, the Glenridge Quarry operated as a landfill for nearly 26 years (Tourism Niagara, 2012). The landfill waste was made a permanent part of the landscape's morphology when it was covered in a compacted layer of clay, used to prevent the spread of contaminants (Papastravrou, 2012). Subsequently, the clay cap required coverage with a layer of topsoil, with the roots of reintroduced plants preventing its erosion (Papastravrou, 2012). This soil barrier now forms a significant landform of nearly 90 feet tall, establishing a slope in all directions from its summit. As a result of these industrial processes, the geomorphology of the Glenridge Quarry has been altered from a mostly flat surface into a hilly area, with the resulting grades providing future implications for the site's soil and landform conditions (Ratcliffe, 1974).

A series of ponds exists within the Glenridge Quarry, with one being considerably larger than the rest. Naturally, the site would have possessed little hydrological phenomena, existing as flat land prior to the initiation of quarrying activity. However, the hydrogeology of the Glenridge Quarry has been significantly impacted by humans, with much of it being entirely constructed.

During the construction of the landfill, a clay liner was used to seal the bottom and sides of the landfill, in order to prevent leachate from polluting the surrounding ecosystem (Papastravrou, 2012). Additionally, the closure of the landfill involved the use of a similar technique. A tightly packed cap of clay was used to seal the top of the mound of waste present on the site, which was then covered in a few feet of soil in order to facilitate the growth of vegetation (Papastravrou, 2012). According to Alberti (2008), the infiltration of water into subterranean aquifers can be reduced by the presence of tightly packed clay, due to it being a largely impermeable material. Resultantly, the hill area acts as an impermeable surface, incapable of water penetrating into the top or bottom of the landform. This effect may be compounded by the presence of sloped topography (Alberti, 2008). This seems a likely factor in shaping the hydrology of the Glenridge Quarry, especially as the summit of the central hill rises an approximate 90 feet above the lowest point on the property. As the slope of this elevated surface allows water from precipitation to flow downward, the resulting runoff should continue towards the park's periphery, further establishing a poor capacity for infiltration on the grounds (Alberti, 2008).

The clay used for the formation of the summit was taken from a borrow pit on the grounds, which has since been established as a large pond. This artificial water body's continued existence is due in part to its underlying layer of clay, largely impermeable to water (Alberti, 2008). In addition to this easily visible waterbody, another significant hydrological feature exists out of sight. As there are environmental concerns regarding the percolation of leachate from within the sealed landfill, a leachate collection system was built beneath the ground. According to Papastravrou (2012), this system consists of a series of pipes leading from a drainage layer comprised of gravel at the underside of the clay liner. The contaminated water is then drained into the sanitary sewer system for treatment. Stormwater ponds are also present on the site, built in order to prevent any exiting leachate from contaminating the surrounding naturalized areas and water bodies (Papastravrou, 2012). However, this channelling of water from the Glenridge Quarry to manmade sewer systems may further reduce the amount of water available to aquifers (Alberti, 2008).

The most evident human alteration of the site's topography is the large hill in its centre, containing landfill waste from the Glenridge Quarry's previous land use. This manmade landform protrudes significantly from the surrounding terrain, its elliptical shape creating a distinct slope in all directions from the summit. According to Hough (2004), slopes have the capacity to affect microclimates due to two major factors: influencing wind direction and strength, as well as altering incoming solar radiation and its heating effect. As "south-facing slopes concentrate solar energy" and thus produce an increased amount of heat, the steep and wide grade on the south face of the mound may slightly increase the amount of heat in the local environment (Hough, 2004, p. 190). However, this should be moderated by the reduced amount of solar energy made available to the hill's North-facing slope (Hough, 2004).

The choice to use gravel roads instead of permanent paved surfaces during the reconstruction of the park also contributes to the site's influence on its microclimate. The urban heat island effect is characteristic of any landscape with a significant concentration of paved and other surfaces that typify urban construction and engineering, easily conducting heat from solar radiation (Hough, 2004). This effect is reduced somewhat by the use of gravel for the area's vehicular network and parking area.

The human-designed establishment of vegetation on what used to be barren land within this site also provides implications for the surrounding region's climate. Vegetation has a significant moderating effect on temperature, reducing the urban heat island effect by limiting the amount of heat absorbed onto the Earth's surface (Hough, 2004). In addition to reducing air temperature by restricting incoming solar heat, plants also reduce humidity and heat by processes of evapotranspiration (Hough, 2004). Also notable is the application of dense forest canopy and tree cover in significantly mitigating the amount of solar heat transferred to the ground, which would otherwise warm an area by conducting this energy into air at the surface level (Hough, 2004). Unfortunately, the design of the site has not at present included a significant canopy due to the emphasis on planting smaller herbaceous plants on the majority of the park's landcover. However, the implementation of a small arboretum on the site's Southeast end should result in a moderate forest canopy when a large share of its broadleaf trees begin to reach maturity.

Additionally, the area's multiple uses have contrasting implications on its surrounding microclimate due to the sequestration and creation of greenhouse gases. As a result of the site's existence as a landfill, the decomposition of the site's buried waste creates a steady output of landfill gas that needs to be vented into the atmosphere (Papastravrou, 2012). Due to the greenhouse effect, gases such as carbon dioxide allow the atmosphere to retain heat and continually warm the Earth (Hough, 2004). As the landfill gas released by the existing ventilation system is primarily comprised of carbon dioxide, it can be understood that these emissions have existed as a contribution to the greenhouse effect and thus warmed the area marginally (Papastravrou, 2012). However, the intentional naturalization and establishment of vegetation may affect the microclimate to the opposite effect. Plants utilize photosynthesis to obtain nutrients from their environment, which consumes carbon dioxide in the process (Hough, 2004). Additionally, the soil microorganisms they support are highly capable of sequestering carbon in the atmosphere, with both processes together contributing to a reduction in air temperature (Hough, 2004). Resulting from this process, it can be reasoned that plant life in the Glenridge Quarry effectively reduces the air temperature of the surrounding climate, though the landfill gases likely contribute to a rise in air temperature.

Initially, the space now occupied by the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site existed was developed as farmland, evident in air photos taken in 1934. At an unknown date, the land was repurposed for quarrying activity, and after this operation ceased it was purchased by the city of St. Catharines in 1975 (Papastravrou, 2012). In 1976, the site was once again repurposed, being used as a municipal landfill until its closure at the end of the year 2001 (Tourism Niagara, 2012). In 2002 and onward, it was decided that the land was to be naturalized and converted into an ecosystem reminiscent of Carolinian forest (Tourism Niagara, 2012).

Education

The space holds signage which details its history and transformation, describing its use as a quarry, transformation into a landfill, and subsequent naturalization. These are located primarily at the entrance pavilion. A playground with child-oriented science exhibits sits in the central area of the park, with text and imagery describing natural processes and similar educational themes.

Additionally, an informative pamphlet exists digitally at: https://www.niagararegion.ca/exploring/gqns/pdf/Gl...

Architectural Heritage

This site has no presence of architectural heritage, largely due to the industrial use of the site in past decades. However, the site represents a potential for industrial heritage value in coming decades - having existed as a limestone quarry and landfill. While no buildings stand from these times, the existence of leachate and gas monitoring and collection systems could one day be construed as an important part of the area's heritage, especially following their decommission.

Recreational Uses

The Glenridge Quarry possesses a variety of marked and unmarked hiking trails, many of which lead to the connected Bruce Trail. Recreationally, the site is commonly used for dog walking and family excursions such as picnics. Fishing, walking dogs without leashes, smoking, and the playing of sports are all prohibited on the grounds (Niagara Region, 2019).

The Glenridge Quarry is controlled by the Regional Municipality of Niagara, though it is located in St. Catharines on the border of Thorold. Public access is permitted to the area, though it is restricted to the hours of 6 am to 9 pm between May and October, and 8 am to 6 pm between November and April (Niagara Region, 2019).

This landscape is governed under part V of the Environmental Protection Act, due to its previous existence as a landfill (Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 2010). Additionally, the site has been managed according to a Closure Plan, necessary due to its discontinued operation as a landfill and reconstruction for another land use (Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 2010). Due to these controls, it has been necessary for the Regional Municipality of Niagara to build landfill gas and leachate management stations, ensure the site's hydrological isolation, and continually monitor the presence of pollutants around the area (Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 2010).

The region employs a company named Integrated Gas Recovery Services to manage the landfill gas emissions from below the surface of the ground (IGRS, n.d.). While the performance of the gas collection system can be monitored remotely, IGRS conducts checks and maintenance on mechanical systems weekly, and examines manhole systems biweekly (IGRS, n.d.). The mandate of these practices required the construction of underground wells, manhole systems, and a single building on the site.

The Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site is surrounded by a wide range of land uses: Brock University to the West, Highway and arterial roads to the South and East, and the forested Bruce Trail immediately to the North. Additionally, suburban residential areas exist further along to the North and to the East, a factor which significantly affected the use of the site over time. During the 1980s, effluent from the site - at the time operating as a landfill - would be occasionally released onto nearby streets through sewer systems (Draper, 2019). At its most extreme, these events resulted in such waste entering the basements of nearby homes, a point of contention and anger for nearby residents (Draper, 2019). This resulted in residents of St. Catharines forming what was then called the Glenridge Landfill Citizens Committee - now the Glenridge Landfill Liaison Committee - to work with the involved municipal governments and voice their demand for the site's closure and naturalization (Draper, 2019). Thus, the surroundings of the site inadvertently shaped the existence of the site, ensuring its future as a naturalized landscape.

According to Alberti (2008) "species are not likely to persist in isolated patches" within urban ecosystems (p. 111). Fortunately, the Glenridge Quarry is attached to the forests of the Niagara escarpment, a significantly sized biosphere reserve with an extent of uninterrupted swathes of natural habitat. As a result, the connectivity and high potential for animal movement required for urban ecosystem health is accommodated by this land (Alberti, 2008).

This site is managed by the Regional Municipality of Niagara

Address: 1815 Sir Isaac Brock Way, Thorold, ON, L2V 4T7

Phone: 905-980-6000

Website: https://www.niagararegion.ca/living/naturalization...

Literature Referenced

Alberti, M. (2008). Advances in urban ecology: integrating humans and ecological processes in urban ecosystems. New York: Springer. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/...

Draper, D. (2019). Celebrating an Environmental Success Story in Niagara. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://niagaraatlarge.com/2019/07/23/celebrating-....

Farina, A. (2006). Principles and methods in landscape ecology: towards a science of the landscape. Dordrecht: Springer. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/...

Hough, M. (2004). Cities and Natural Process (Vol. 2nd ed). London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.brocku.c...

Integrated Gas Recovery Services. (n.d.). Glenridge Quarry Landfill - St. Catharines, ON. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from http://igrs.ca/PDF/Glenridge.pdf

Kirkwood, N. (2001). Manufactured sites. [electronic resource] : Rethinking the post-industrial landscape. Spon Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat00778a&AN=bu.b2437898&site=eds-live&scope=site

Niagara Escarpment Commission. (2019). Geology. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://www.escarpment.org/NiagaraEscarpment/Envir...

Niagara Region. (2019). Glenridge Quarry naturalization site. Retrieved from http://www.niagararegion.ca/living/naturalization/...

Ontario Ministry of the Environment. (2012). Closed Glenridge Quarry Landfill Site. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from https://www.accessenvironment.ene.gov.on.ca/instru...

Papastravrou, S. (2012). Niagara's natural park: The restoration of the Glenridge Quarry into a naturalization site. Policy Brief #4, Niagara Community Conservatory, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada.

Ratcliffe, D. A. (1974). Ecological effects of mineral exploitation in the united kingdom and their significance to nature conservation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London.Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 339(1618), 355-372. Retrieved from http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resolve/00804630/v339i1618/355_eeomeiatstnc

Scarr, M., Streit, T., & Farintosh, L. (2012). Woodlot Management for Emerald Ash Borers. Retrieved November 1, 2019, from https://npca.ca/images/uploads/common/woodlot-mana....

Tourism Niagara. (2012). Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site. Retrieved from http://brocku.niagaragreenbelt.com/listings/73-nat... quarry-naturalization-site-.html

Wessolek, G. (2008). Sealing of Soils. In Urban Ecology (pp. 161–179). New York: Springer. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.proxy.library.brocku.ca/..

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 1934 [map]. Layers used: 1934 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 2000 [map]. Layers used: 2000 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 2002 [map]. Layers used: 2002 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 2006 [map]. Layers used: 2006 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 2010 [map]. Layers used: 2010 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 2013 [map]. Layers used: 2013 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

Regional Municipality of Niagara. Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site 2015 [map]. Layers used: 2015 Aerial. Scale 1:10,000. Generated by Ryan Nicol; using "Niagara Navigator" (Accessed October 25th, 2019).

This Local Landscape Report was prepared by Ryan Nicol for the Brock University course TOUR 2P94: Human Dominated Ecosystems on November 07, 2019.

All copyrights for cited material rest with the original copyright owners.