The Wasteland


Conservation

Wetlands Map

Bogs and Fens
Shoreline
Prairie Pond
St. Georges Estuary



Prairie Pond Habitat

The Beginning
Concern and Committment
The Wasteland
Chance Encounter Brings Luck
Urban Wetland Restoration
Taking Action
Learning-Teaching
A Gift For Visitors
The Future Looks Bright

Municipal Stewardship Zone
SCECC
The Piping Plover
Bird Watching Locally
Prairie Pond Before Backfilling

A decision was made to backfill the pond to provide space for a recreation area. At the same time a new elementary school was being built adjacent to the pond and the excavated marshland materials were to be used as fill.

Praire Pond Before Backfill Process Began.

Once an environmental assesstment had been completed, backfilling started. The area closest to the hospital was filled in first and filling continued towards the outlet of the pond. The Prairie Pond is connected to salt water, so the area is being continually flushed by the sea, with the rise and fall of the tides.

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The process of backfilling went on for several years. A channel was left on the west side of the pond to ensure that the area houses would not have flooding due to the marsh runoff, that drains into the pond.

The Dave Joy Memorial Playground was built and a ball field was constructed with plans to develop a soccer field in the future.

Dave Joy Memorial Playground  Dave Joy Memorial Playground

The remaining wetland was seen to be host to a multitude of waterfowl and other birds, but the backfilling was still taking place and by now approximately 75% of the wetland had been lost.

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John Maunder's NFLD.
Ecosystems
Earth Force
Newfoundland Ecosystem
No Hunting Zones
Protected Areas NFLD
Seeds Web Site
Terrain Sciences

Wetland Descriptions
Canada's Wetlands
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Wetlands Research Centre
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Wetlands Facts
Wetland Information
Peat Marsh Trail

Roger Tory Peterson
*Plate 12 Gut Bridge*
Archives Roger Peterson
Birding in Newfoundland
Canadian Wildlife Service
Atlantic Canada Birds
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Visual Bird Resources
Birding In Canada
Birds MUN Botanical Garden
Photography Wildlife
The Virtual Birder

The area known locally as "the prairie", was a brackish pond that had been used as a cesspool by the local hospital and residences bordering the pond. This practice was discontinued in 1961 when a Municipal water and sewer system was installed, but the town was still left with what they considered to be an embarrassment, due to the associated smell, flies and rodents.