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Heritage in harmony: The integration of natural and cultural landscapes

Photo: The heart of the Ruthven estate is this two-and-a-half-storey limestone Greek Revival-style mansion

By

Tamara Chipperfield and Kiki Aravopoulos

Buildings and architecture, Natural heritage, Community

Published Date: May 28, 2009

Approximately 11,000 years of human culture are recorded in Ontario’s landscapes. Most existing natural landscapes in Ontario today have intrinsic cultural heritage meaning and significance. Over time, the natural and cultural heritage features in many landscapes have been lost to development. Only now are we discovering the significant history of these sites.

Large tracts of land that have both natural and cultural value are held by provincial parks, conservation authorities and land trusts. An excellent example of this integration is Ruthven Park, a 1,600-acre (647-hectare) property in the Village of Cayuga on the Grand River. A National Historic Site, Ruthven was constructed in 1845 for politician and businessman David Thompson and served as the family home for five generations. It stands as a rare example of Classical architecture and picturesque landscape that characterized country estates of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The heart of the estate is a two-and-a-half storey limestone mansion with a five-bay temple façade – an excellent example of the Greek Revival style. Ruthven has been preserved through the efforts of the Lower Grand River Land Trust.

The Ontario Heritage Trust holds a conservation easement that protects both the cultural and natural heritage features of the property. Approximately 400 acres (162 hectares) are designated as a provincial Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). Part of the property is also located within the North Cayuga Slough Forest, which is an important part of the Carolinian ecosystem. Over 485 vascular plants have been documented here, of which seven are provincially rare. The forest represents one of the largest forests left in the Carolinian Zone. The wildlife habitat found at Ruthven also supports a variety of flora and fauna.

Ruthven also has significant archaeological resources. The Grand River was an attractive site for Aboriginal occupation, especially from 6000 BCE to 1000 CE. Ruthven has 33 registered archaeological sites that provide evidence of 8,000 years of human occupation on the property – with a high potential for further discoveries.

Rapids at The Forks of the Credit Provincial Park

Another area where both natural and cultural heritage resources are being stewarded in harmony is The Forks of the Credit. The area – situated on the Niagara Escarpment in Belfountain – contains prominent features associated with the escarpment, such as waterfalls, rivers, rock faces and steep slopes. The west branch of the Credit River joins the main Credit in the steep valley where freshwater springs flow from the valley walls. The cold, spring-fed waters of the West Credit provide habitat to brown and brook trout. The valley is heavily treed with forests of cedar, oak, maple and birch, and is rich in wildlife. The area is a provincially significant life science ANSI.

The rich natural and geological features of the Forks of Credit led to a boom in quarrying of limestone and sandstone in the late 19th century. The limestone deposits were excavated and burnt in kilns to make mortar. The sandstone deposits, however, could not be excavated in open pits because of the thick layers of limestone overlaying the sandstone. Instead, quarry operators were forced to mine the sandstone underground. This is the only known location of underground mining of sandstone in Ontario. The quality and colour of the sandstone were coveted and led to its use in the construction of Ontario’s legislative buildings at Queen’s Park. Echoes of this industrial past – such as the Hoffman Kiln, railway tracks and retaining walls – still exist throughout the Forks of the Credit. The Hoffman Kiln, with its massive stone blocks, serves as a poignant reminder of this era.

The Forks of the Credit area is owned and managed by a number of organizations, including the Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Ontario Parks, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Trust, who all work together to ensure the conservation of the area. The unique cultural and natural features found here have attracted people for many years. The Bruce Trail, the Elora-Cataract Trailway and the Trans-Canada Trail are widely used by the public; the cultural heritage elements provide further points of interest along the route.

Ruthven Park and the Forks of the Credit are just two examples of the commitment of the Trust and its partners to taking an integrated approach to the conservation of Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage.