LAB 2: CONSTRAINT ANALYSIS & PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES GEO441

Nature Centres Nicole Dulong Nancy Fauvet Kyle Battersby Brandon Ackerman

Definition A visitor centre or interpretive centre usually opened by an organization designed to educate people about nature and the environment. Nature centre's often include special gardens or arboretums, and generally display small animals and contain museum exhibits about natural history.

This nature centre is located within the City of Toronto, neighbouring a variety of urban infrastructural developments, from residential and commercial areas to highway 427. It is a part of Humber College, but still classified as a nature centre! Located at 205 Humber College Blvd, Toronto, Ontario

Located South of Orillia, at 82 Line 15 South, Oro-Medonte, Ontario. Looking at the provided satellite image to the left, it is clearly visible that the nature centre (A) is located in close proximity to highway 11 and various commercial buildings as well as farm land and areas with extensive vegetation and forestry.

In contrast to Scales Nature Park previously seen, the Kortright Centre is located much further away from development, surrounded by a much larger parcel of natural land. Kortright is situated in the middle of the natural area, with minimal infrastructure. Located at 9550 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge, Ontario

What we can derive from the previous examples is that nature centres can exist in a variety of areas. However, we believe it is crucial that they be constructed in a specific location that permits reasonable transportation distances for supplies, employers, visitors etc. but is far enough from urban areas, so that it embodies the natural environment and a solid sustainable message to the audience. This balance is extremely difficult to locate and identify. The following are lists of suitable and unsuitable factors for the development of a sustainable and successful nature centre, found in the York Region File of the Ryerson Z drive database. There is potential for overlap however we would like it be minimal. Essentials  Quiet areas, little infrastructure and roads, close proximity to vegetation, forestry, water bodies, open spaces, trails, parks, with relatively level slopes Constraints  away from any potential noise, air, and water pollution, traffic, airports, hospitals, schools, industrial/commericial/residential areas, steep slopes, …

Steps to Buffering 1.Opened York Region File of the Ryerson Z drive database 2.Select the Geoprocessing Tab 3.Select Buffer 4.In this window, select your input feature, name your output feature and select the distance you wish to buffer * Our buffer choices are based on a nature centre similar to the Kortright, based on extensive natural landscape and minimal industrial activity in the periphery

Airports - Minimum buffer of 3 km Ideal Constraints EMS Station - Minimum buffer of 3 km Fire Station - Minimum buffer of 3 km Buildings with Large Footprints - Minimum buffer of 1 km Hospitals - Minimum buffer of 3 km Police Station - Minimum buffer of 3 km Pipelines and Transmission Lines - Minimum buffer of 1 km Industry and Resources - Minimum buffer of 2 km Commercial Buildings - Minimum buffer of 0.5 km Transformer Station - Minimum buffer of 5 km

Ideal Essentials Forests Watercourse Open Space Vegetation Trails Parks and Recreation * Based on the vast coverage of the constraints and the minimal amount of untouched surface, buffering was unnecessary for essential factors. The open areas are where we have placed our choices for nature centres.

Elevation The legend below indicates elevation classifications in the York Region. The darker colors represent the steepest slopes (both high and low), generally unsuitable for development Though it is possible to build into mountains and onto slopes, inefficient time and costs must be factored in, rendering a constraint.

Land useWetlands Hospitals Fire Stations Police Stations Airports Ideal Buffers

Transformer Stations EMS Stations Buildings with Large Footprint Pipelines and Transmission lines

The buffer sizes we have chose are ideal in terms of the criterion we would like to incorporate or exclude from our potential location, however they are not concrete. All of these distances are arguable based on the criterion of the nature centre as well as the constraints. Nature centres can serve a variety of purposes on various scales. For example, the Kortright Centre covers an area of 325 hectares and is primarily based on conservation of the natural environment and wildlife biodiversity, whereas the Humber Arboretum does so on a much smaller, urban scale covering a mere 5.7 hectares. Though we have chosen to focus a large scale nature centre in the more northern areas of the region, urban centres are also possible. Furthermore, the nature of the constraints may also vary. The noise pollution caused by hospitals, fire stations, police stations, EMS Stations, etc differs greatly based on size as well as the nature of the industrial/resource land uses. These differentiations largely impact the size of the buffer that should be chosen.

Compiled Buffers Though our constraint buffers seem reasonable when separate, after being combined are extremely confusing and unprofessional (see left) Furthermore, buffering everything to our ideal distances yield a limited amount of space in terms of possible sites for nature centres, as seen above. The image on the right depicts erased buffers. This is unrealistic. Therefore, in order to determine a future location some constraints must be lifted or minimized. =

 Ultimately, most of the constraint buffers we have chosen may also be argued as insignificant or benefactors when considerations are taken into account other than seclusion from all industry.  Therefore, we have provided multiple buffer scenarios in order to asses all possibilities.

Educational Buildings The presence of educational buildings may be beneficial as they are generally located in more rural/less industrial areas throughout the York Region, and they provide business for the nature centres, as well as potential employees, volunteers, etc. Post Secondary: 500 m, 750 m, & 1Km All Schools 500 m, 750 m, & 1Km

Fire, EMS, Police Stations & Hospitals Safety is a crucial factor for all facilities and noise pollution varries, thus when constraints are emitted or lessened EMS, Police, & Fire Stations as well as hospital may also be considered an asset. Fire Stations: 1, 3, & 5 km EMS Station: 1, 2, & 3 km Hospitals: 1, 3, & 5 km Police Stations: 1, 2, & 3 km

In terms of minimal environmental impact, railways may also be considered beneficial in regards to transportation of supplies and resources. (Less fuel and more space vs. transport trucks) Railway: 250 m, 500 m, & 750 m Transportation Major Roads include Freeways, Arterial Roads, Regional Roads, and all Interchanges. Though the noise pollution is generally high, the closer the proximity to these roads the less natural land we will have to disrupt in order to build necessary road infrastructure to attend our facility Major Roads: 500 m, 1 km, 2 km

Commercial Buildings We also have the option to remove or minimize entirely the commercial buildings buffer, as distance from the majority of these businesses it is not essential. Small stores (i.e. convenience stores, banks, eateries) are present, and have minimal impact. It is important to remember however not all commercial buildings are this insignificant Commerical Builldings: 500m, 1 km, & 2 km

We have eliminated the above constraints, and erased the remaining buffers, leaving only the airports, pipelines and transmission, as well as transformer stations and buildings with large foot prints, because they indicate extensive industrial activity and have negative environmental impacts. AIRPORTS – 3KM, BFR: 1KM, C, PTR - 1 KM, IRR – 2 KM Airports: 1, 3, & 5 km Buildings w Large Footprints: 1, 2, & 3 km Pipeline & Transmission Lines: 1, 2, & 3 km Industry & Resources: 1, 2, & 3 km

After Though not much difference is evident, there are larger pockets of green available for nature centre development, seen in the image to the right. Each of these areas are suitable locations for nature facilities. Before

Police Stations Fire Stations Hospitals EMS Stations Land Use Wetlands Railway Major Roads Pipelines and Transmission Lines Buildings with Large Footprints Airports Attribute Query Essential Layers Schools Constraint Layers York Region Layers Trails Wetlands Open Space Forests Watercourses Vegetation Parks and Rec Buffer Minimum 120m Process Flow Chart Erase Buffer Geo- processing Buffer First Draft Industry / Resources Overlay Slope Police Stations:1, 2, 3 km Graduated Colours Symbology EMS Stations:1, 2, 3 km Hospitals: 1, 3, 5 km Fire Station: 1, 3, 5km Railway:250 m, 500 m, & 750 m Major Roads:500 m, 1 km, 2 km Buildings with Lrg. Footprints: 1, 2, & 3 km Post Secondary: 500 m, 750 m, & 1Km Airports: 1, 3, 5 km Pipeline & Transmission Lines: 1, 2, & 3 km All Schools 500 m, 750 m, & 1Km : Industry & Resources: 1, 2, & 3 km Final Draft Reduce/Resize Constraints Re - Buffer PTR - 1 KM IRR – 2 KM Airport: 3km BFR: 1KM Erase Overlay