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Town- Country DRY CLEANING SAME DAT 877 HALTON HILLS SHOPPING CENTRE SECTION THEHUtAlD Wednesday May IS Page Use of farm up for study by Heritage Foundation By Herald Staff A study how the Ontario Her logo da Ion can make the best use of acres or pro perty bequeathed to by Stewart and Dennett has begun The four month is being undertaken by Sears and Russell Consultants of To onto Located in Ball nafad Scotsdale Farm was left to the on three ago when the Bennetts d then a number of stud have been conducted on the land north of Georgetown In 1983 George Card tier an earth study of the topography so i l pes bedrock and agora Escarpment features of the land Webber did a life study of the plan and animals llv there and regional archaeologist Bill Fox did a preliminary archaeology study Last year the ml and arch tcctural evolution of the Id at Scotsdale Farm was studied by consultant Barbara All these studies are background to help us decide haw to manage the property in the future Natural Heritage Co B 11 said The Foundation has spent WOOD for those he said The current feasib lity stud will pubic com men on opt for property and after be rev owed by the Foundation s board of directors plans should be underway the fall for Scotsdale Farm Scars and Russell planner Jane Holmes so right now back ground informal on and the stud are be rev cued by the consul We haven l really started in proposing r opt she said Options for the pro perty v try to preserve the environmentally sen tlve areas and be compatible w th neigh boring property uses and the agora Escarp ment Co on she sad Two meetings are planned The one s to the a feasibility study being conducted and to ask for public as to how the property should be used A second meet ng will identify recommended options for using the land and gel feedback on them It sounds 1 we re studying the thing to death but this is the normal route before we venture Into capital expenses Foundation proper administrator Brian Rogers said Clark was left the farm animals by the Bennetts n their will Photos by Am Herald Staff Nestled in a swampy area shaded by ever greens grow seven orchid species on Scots dale Farm near The 540acre farm eight kilometers north west of Georgetown is a haven for many other rare plant and animal life Unknown to many Ira vellers who speed down Trafalgar Road past the property formerly belonging to Stewart and Bennett these lands are home to over species of birds ing the Northern Goshawk Red shoulder Hawk and Red breasted Nuthatch Belonging to the Ontario Heritage Foun since Mrs Bennett died in 1982 the property most cant area is the conifer swamp Located on either side of Trafalgar Road the evergreens swamp on the southwestern part of Farm It mokes up per cent of the property or Accord to a recent study of the flora and fauna on the Bennett estate by Webber the conifer swamp la the best example of this typo of vegetation seen by the Credit Valley Cbnserva Authority In Peel or Hal Ion The lands arc under the Authority jurisdiction Ms Webbers study was done for the Herit age Foundation which Is responsible for the use of the property Her inventory showed nearly half of the plant life that can be found in Halton region occurred at Scotsdale Farm A total of species of plants were uncovered including Si species of trees species of shrubs and species of ferns In fact two plants found at Scotsdale Farm tire considered rare in Ontario the ebony spleen wort fern and the walking fern Ms Webb er also discovered a species of Virginia Creeper which may bo added to the provincially list In the The conifer swamp provides a habitat for smaller birds like the Nashville Warbler and the White Throated Sparrow There is a dense growth of White Cedar Balsam r Larch and Black Spruce growing there making walking difficult because of many fallen trees As well this area contains a diversity of herbs rarely found In Southern Ontario Ms Webber noted Altering the drainage in the area would have serious environmental consequences on the vegetation and animal life in the swamp as would removing the trees that have been blown down by the If the area is to be used for nature walks Ms Webber recommends a narrow boardwalk be built as the regionally cant orchids and other small herbs won The agara Escarp ment forms the back bone of Farm which is neighbor to the Authority nature centre at Silver Creek At present half the farm property has been clear for agriculture and about onethird of the remaining forested portion has been ted to selective cutting or has been grazed by cattle Mr Bennett priie winning shorthorn cattle regularly grazed on the pasture lands which make up acres Before settlement and clearing of the land for culture some 100 to 150 years ago Scotsdale Farm was mainly cover b dec duo us and coniferous forest At present vege tation types occur on the property and 12 kinds of mammals including white tailed deer red fox coyote porcupine and striped skunk Although the value of the lands high the real estate value is likely to Increase due to encroachment or estate development In the Georgetown area An research centre operated by the University of had been suggested earlier when the bequest was but that idea has been dropped as the University Is far from the property Mr Rogers sold Wchave to be careful what we put there be l will have future consequences and could work the on in the future he said We have to be careful we dan 1 put a use In tl ere that loo act ve and would bother the ne thbars The Foundation wants uses at are cconoml colly v able as well and don re a lot of upkeep ng Mr Rogers said Vt on be tearing I anyth down Mr Rogers It not I our on to tear l fall down The study of bu Id on the large proper showed cm to be of j loeil and anal I interest nice I rural farm Id Mr The Bennett were us ng as a ret re farm and the Foundoti on looking at turn a working 1 farm Mr Rogers d It could be developed Into a tour attraction he S the the property has been used by horsy groups I 1 the Pony Club Rock wood Tra 1 R dcrs and the Ontario Equestrian Federal on Mr Rogers he or Natural I Resourc has also used the property as a fcrencc centre on many The eld of and the Halter eld Natural sis I taken wilks on the pro I It public property Mr Sargant said Vie re not lot of use because there arc ithefacllit es there In terms of parking or Is Also don want people tramp ng through the area and dcslrojing what there m CONDITIONING SEE US TODAY FOR DETAILS YOUR FORD STORE HAS TO OFFER DRIVE TODAY TO OUR LOW OVERHEAD CAPITAL SALES LTD 361 Guelph St Georgetown Dnim 8731626 tour Bast HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FOHDLATELY