Revised Final Environmental Study Report (24 MB) - Gold Canyon ...

Gold Canyon Resources Inc: Final Environmental Study Report Review
March 30, 2013
sampled, 53% of them were unclassified and did not match up with existing FRI data,
which was attributed to “lack of accurate data for the current FRI (Terrestrial Baseline
Report, page 3-3).”
Overall, there are a variety of areas where the study was deficient;
All 23 selected ecosites were within a small region of the larger study area, and were
not representative of the overall study area or the eastern corridor;
The study failed to determine what vegetative species were present in the area
through field work;
No reference made to the forest fire and cumulative impacts to vegetation;
No discussion regarding harvesting 645 km2 of timber and its impacts on vegetative
biodiversity;
No discussion on how the eastern corridor would impact endangered, threatened,
special concern or extirpated vegetative species;
No environmental protection and mitigation measures proposed for vegetative
species at risk;
No discussion on potentially important wildlife plant food sources that may be
compromised;
No statistics provided to determine accuracy of reporting.
As with the other terrestrial baseline studies, conclusions were drawn about the low
impact of the project on terrestrial parameters, based on flawed methodology and lack of
data: “None of these stands have been found to occur within the RSA, therefore the
potential environmental effects are considered to be negligible and no mitigation is
required (Draft ESR, page 3-28).”
Based on the narrow analysis used to derive these unsubstantiated conclusions, it is
fair to say that this study was unscientific, poorly conducted and results are
inconclusive.
Recommendation: GCU needs to conduct a thorough fieldwork vegetation study in
conjunction with First Nation communities that documents all ecosites, plant species and
communities relevant to the eastern corridor.
Recommendation: During the next vegetation study, GCU will document the plant species
that are listed in the Ontario Species At Risk - Vascular Plants list, and those that are used
within First Nation traditional purposes.
Recommendation: The road closure and rehabilitation plan developed for the eastern
corridor needs to have all plant communities well documented, and outline how revegetation
will occur in order to return those sites back to their original states.
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