London’s Byron Gravel Pit is home to a thriving colony of bank swallows, beneficial birds that migrate north each summer to breed and raise their young along sandy cliffs. However, the colony’s future is now uncertain due to a planned redevelopment project that could potentially impact their habitat.
The proposed plan for the Byron Gravel Pit includes high-rise residential development along its perimeter and a natural public greenspace at its center. However, concerns have been raised that the necessary remediation of the area to prepare it for residential and recreational use may require backfilling the steep cliffs where the bank swallows nest.
Brendon Samuels of Bird Friendly London emphasizes the importance of these swallows, stating that the colony of around 2,000 is one of the largest known inland colonies in the province. He highlights their role as voracious insect eaters, providing a valuable ecological service.
Councilor Skylar Franke has proposed an amendment to the motion approving the Byron Gravel Pit Secondary Plan. The amendment calls for civic administration to explore the creation of artificial habitat or alternative nesting sites for the bank swallows if their current habitat is affected by the redevelopment.
Franke emphasizes that her motion is not intended to delay residential approvals but rather to ensure that the bank swallow habitat is not overlooked or lost amidst the competing provincial regulations surrounding gravel pit remediation and endangered species protection.
Samuels believes that the protection of the bank swallow habitat can coexist with the development of housing for Londoners. He stresses that careful planning and a thoughtful approach to land use can balance the needs of both the birds and the community.
The clarification of provincial regulations regarding the remediation of gravel pits is also seen as beneficial for municipalities, developers, and bank swallow colonies across Ontario.
The city council will consider Franke’s motion at its meeting on April 23, and the outcome will determine the future of the bank swallow colony and the balance between development and habitat preservation in the Byron Gravel Pit area.
