OSSGA recognizes reclamation project with its highest honor

The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) issued its Bronze Plaque to the Wildwood Pit within the Wildwood Conservation Area in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. According to OSSGA, the Bronze Plaque is its highest honor. Only 20 sites in Ontario have earned the award since it was established in 1975.

According to a press release, sand and gravel from the Wildwood Pit was used in many local infrastructure projects in the 1960s. Extraction at the site ended before 1971, and rehabilitation of the pit began in 1996.

The reclamation of the Wildwood Pit was particularly significant because a rare tallgrass prairie plantation, as well as a thriving fen and pond that support native plant species, amphibians and reptiles, were created. OSSGA says only 1 percent of the original tallgrass ecosystem in North America remains and almost 20 percent of Ontario’s rare plant species occur in these communities.

“This represents the best of the best among the thousands of rehabilitated former aggregate extraction sites in the province,” says Ted Wigdor, CEO of OSSGA. “The diverse ecosystem created here, with rare plant species and habitat for snakes and turtles, is why this site is so exceptional.”