Introduction Expanding geoscience awareness through Friends of Canadian Geoheritage To promote greater public awareness and appreciation of geoheritage in the National Capital Region, and to foster protection of classic geoheritage sites, a committee of local geoscientists initiated the OTTAWA-GATINEAU GEOHERITAGE PROJECT (O-GGP) in February, 2003. Since then, J. A. Donaldson (Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON.) and J.M. Aylsworth (Geological Survey of Canada,Ottawa, ON.) representations have been made to municipal, provincial and federal governments, with encouraging results at all levels. When discussions with members of the public revealed considerable interest in geoheritage, the 2 Promotion of a Geoheritage Site: Stromatolites, Ottawa River 5 O-GGP committee initiated a free-membership organization, Friends of Canadian Geoheritage. Membership in this group is now approaching 1000 (attained primarily through informal contacts), A previously neglected outcrop of Ordovician stromatolites occurs on the Ottawa-Gatineau Geoheritage Project Accomplishments demonstrating the potential for rousing public interest and support. Adoption of this Geoheritage Quebec side of the Ottawa River near Champlain Bridge, a major bridge initiative by both the Geological Association of Canada and the Canadian Geoscience Education linking Ottawa and Gatineau. In response to a presentation by O-GGP, Network is now under consideration, offering potential for the original Ottawa-Gatineau Geoheritage the National Capital Commission has agreed to erect a sign at this · Suggestions presented in Feb. 2003 O-GGP brief to the City of Ottawa have been Project to evolve into a truly pan-Canadian enterprise. locality, providing geological information and explanatory illustrations. incorporated in the official City of Ottawa 2020 Plan. (granting recognition to significant natural features) To maintain momentum, O-GGP hopes that other geoscientists across Canada will rally to promote the Friends of Canadian Geoheritage initiative, thereby helping to increase public awareness, · Negotiation with Ontario Ministry of Transportation has allowed preservation of a portion of a understanding and appreciation of the many impressive, but too-often neglected, aspects of our significant Cambrian site that was scheduled for demolition related to expansion of Hwy 417 geoheritage. 1 at Kanata. Recent O-GGP accomplishments illustrate the potential for this initiative. · Discussions with the National Capital Commission has resulted in NCC plans for signage at 2 a spectacular, but previously overlooked, geological site on the shore of the Ottawa River. (stromatolites)
· Discussions with officials of Ontario Parks has led to the initiation of procedures to update Geoheritage brochures and signage, granting greater recognition of geological features in three Ontario Parks near Ottawa. What is geoheritage ? What is a Geoheritage Site? Coalesced stromatolites along Ottawa River at Champlain Bridge. Aerial view (obtained by the balloon crew), shows that many of these · O-GGP invited to become a member of the Council of Heritage Organizations of Ottawa. Geoheritage brings together our understanding A Geoheritage Site is a locality that offers stromatolites are aligned and coalesced in parallel strings. By analogy with living stromatolites in Shark Bay, Australia, such alignment is perpendicular Group preparing to take a ballon-high of the geosciences and society, with particular one or more of the following: to the shoreline. Parallel black lines mark a set of prominent joints. picture of the coalesced stromatolites at Champlain Bridge. · O-GGP invited to contribute geological information essential to the preparation of a formal regard to: · Exposure of a significant record of proposal for attainment of Canadian heritage status for the Ottawa River. · Mineral wealth natural history 3 · Groundwater reservoirs · Characteristic or unique features · Successful Natural Resources Canada grant application for O-GGP display and brochure · Surface waterways · Understanding of the natural history of preparation. · Agricultural sustenance a region 1 Preservation of Significant Geoheritage Site: siliceous stromatolites 4 · Support for biodiversity · New scientific insights A significant Cambrian site was · Members of the O-GGP committee contributed to the Geoscape Ottawa-Gatineau project of Geoscape Ottawa-Gatineau - Living with our geological landscape · The base for buildings & transport systems · Distinctive aesthetic and cultural values During local talks scheduled for demolition related to the Geological Survey of Canada, NRCan. and displays, is a colourful, large-format, multi-theme poster produced by the Poster: available (English or French) at · Remarkable record of Earth history 5 expansion of Hwy 417 at Kanata. This O-GGP members Geological Survey of Canada and partners in provincial and GSC sales offices ($15) · Artistic inspiration from the natural environment locality, displaying numerous sections · Over 20 invited geoheritage presentations: display and mention municipal government and academia and is intended for a broad Website: http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca. through quartz-sand stromatolites, Ottawa-Gatineau audience of general public, teachers and students, planners and 6 Geoheritage Presentations, 2003 Geoheritage Presentations, 2004 Geoscape poster. appears to be unique in the world. geoscientists. It uses over 40 diagrams, maps, and photographs Teacher Resource Kits are currently being This has generated * O-GGP brief to City of Ottawa Planning Committee * National Capital Commission to illustrate the geological history of the OttawaÐGatineau region developed by Natural Resources Canada * City of Ottawa Annual Heritage Day * City of Ottawa Annual Heritage Day considerable Before the start of highway expansion at * International Geo-education conference, Calgary * Riverside Kiwanis Club, Ottawa interest in local and to explain how these events produced the landscape, with the assistance of local teachers and this locality, O-GGP was successful in * Canadian Museum of Nature Seminar Series, Aylmer * Ottawa Lapsmith and Minerals Club production of resources, and natural hazards of the region. funding provided by Ontario Ministry of The OTTAWA-GATINEAU * Ottawa Paleontology Club * Bonnechere Museum, Annual General Meeting The OTTAWA-GATINEAU obtaining MTO agreement to modify * Ottawa M.I.T. Alumni Association * Almonte Lecture Series Geoscape posters Energy, Science and Technology. plans to allow preservation of the most * Kanata Kiwanis Club * Ottawa Council of Heritage Organizations, AGM for other centres. Outcrop threatened by planned expansion of * Potsdam University, USA * GAC, St Catharines This is one in a series of Geoscape projects, focusing on Canadian citiesy the Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. extensive outcrop containing these GEOHERITAGE PROJECT Highway 417 at Terry Fox Dr., Kanata. * Ottawa Gem and Mineral Show * Geotours: Fitzroy, Charleston Lake, and Murphys Point GEOHERITAGE PROJECT organosedimentary structures. MTO Section through a siliceous stromatolite -- not a silicified carbonate * Ottawa River Legacy Planning Group, Pembroke Provincial Parks scheduled for July. also agreed to cut out representative samples for museums and universities and stromatolite, but one composed entirely of crenulate-laminated * Learning in Retirement, Carleton University : local * Rockhound Gemboree, Bancroft (July) quartz sand, representing successive biofilm entrapment of detrital geotours * International Geological Congress, Italy (August) to allow a knowledgable person to be present on site during rock removal (similar siliciclastic grains in a supratidal marine environment. * Natural Resources Canada (GSC talk and field trip) * Learning in Retirement, Carleton University : local Initiated in February, 2003 by a committee of local geoscientists to preserve, protect, and promote to the approach used when archaelogical finds are encountered.) geotours (September)
geoheritage of the greater Ottawa-Gatineau region. cm inch
Promotion of Geoheritage: Goals of the Ottawa-Gatineau Geoheritage Project Promotion of Geoheritage: Geotours and Geotalks 6 Promotion of Geoheritage: Publications and signage Artistic Inspiration Bioclastic, intraclastic Gloucester Limestone Geotours are an excellent method of Burrowed, fossiliferous Tyndall Limestone Granite above anorthosite (blue labradorite) Megacrystic syenite 195 ElginSt., a heritage building (Ottawa Recognition of geoheritage through: Through the use of stone in the built ($1 coin for scale) Indoor, Ottawa City Hall Commonwealth Building, 77 Metcalfe St. Building on Sparks Street Normal School), now part of Ottawa City Hall. introducing geoheritage to the general environment and the longstanding public. 3 1. PRESERVATION: minimize the loss of irreplaceable geological inspiration of geology to art and design, Geology and Heritage Buildings and surface landform features of the Ottawa-Gatineau region the public grows to appreciate that Examples of Several O-GGP members are engaged in the preparation of Carleton University presents geoheritage Ot through insightful land-use planning. geoscience is an intregal part of human ttawa interpretative signs Gat updated booklets and walking tours to view the various building courses within its Learning in Retirement ineau Geo placed by provincial heritage. heri stones used to construct heritage buildings and monuments in (LinR) program. The geoheritage course Pr itage 2. PROTECTION: strengthen and enforce applicable laws to Pa roj rt jec of Fr t governments at sites of iends of C Ottawa. We have started to collect similar information for nearby anad ian G is presented as a series of 6 local Th eoher preserve significant records of natural history. e itage OTTA WA- important modern PR GAT OJE INEA CT U GE historical villages, including Almonte and Eganville. Ottawa Riverkeepers' aware was s OHE geotours. ness tarted RITA of na of the in 2 GE Sign at Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Quebec, tural h geo 002 to Ca isto logica prom pital R ry in a l and ote p geological events. Such eg nd lan ub Kiosk (2003) at ion. aroun dscap lic d Ca e asp This collage presents a sampling of building stones derived from nadaÕ ects a town destroyed by a Leda clay landslide in s Natio 3. PROMOTION: increase public awareness through information THRE nal E M Kitchissippi Lookout, of th AIN O e Otta BJEC 1908 with the loss of 33 lives. public signage increases wa-G TIVE atine S many parts of Canada and elsewhere, and some of the historic · P au G RE eohe Geoheritage may also form part of the Westboro Beach, SERV ritage signs, brochures and guidebooks, and public lectures. by m ATIO Proje in N imizin of w ct are and g the orld-c : surfac loss lass g the public's awareness of Gatin e lan of irre eohe Ottawa, bears several eau dform place ritage buildings. regio featu able sites n thr res o geolo , special events of other nature · P ough f the gical RO insigh Ottaw TECT tful la a- stren ION nd-us descriptive panels for gthen of geo e pla an important natural pre ing a herita nning serve nd en ge s . signific forcin ites b ant r g app y organizations, providing displays or · P ecord licable the Ottawa River. ROM s of n laws OTIO atura to produ N o l histo ction f public ry hazard in the region. guid of info awa ebook rmativ renes s for e sig s thro O-GGP contributed to geohe ns, b ugh th speakers. Th ritag rochu e e e s re prese ites s and geo rvatio herita n, pro inv ge site tectio the panel on the olves s in n, an Representations have been made to all levels of government, with encouraging results. e the s the O d pro duca tewa ttawa motio tion o rdship -Gatin n of greate f peop of lo eau r ge le liv cal na regio geological setting, with stim oherita ing in tural fe n ulate ge re the re atur reg touris cogn gion. P es an ion. C m an ition c rov d National Geoscience Centres and nature-based organizations have offerred considerable support. g onsid d inte an b ision eoh er rna e e of erita able tiona xpecte illustrations of rep ge initia intere l inter d to resen tive st and est in th tative alrea supp the e City s of O dy ha ort fo N of Otta ttawa s bee r this atura wa and n sho stromatolites and shelly l Res , the N Carle wn b ource ation ton U y s Ca al Ca nivers nada, a pital C ities, nd O omm ntario ission Mountain Equipment Co-Op fossils in nearby Park , Estabished collaboration with: Developing working relationships: s. has erected large slabs of Paleozoic outcrops. Rideau Canal of Adair "marble" (dolostone). Lockmasters Station (1884) in centre and · Council of Heritage Organizations of Ottawa · Local Canoeing, Cycling, Walking Clubs rock to cleverly simulate their O-GGP has Bytown Museum/ the Commissariat (1827) on right of fossil- & intraclast-rich Ottawa 1993 Lemieux Landslide is a designated Group limestone. (member of board) · Nature-based tour companies mountain-profile logo in front received a starter grant of their Ottawa store. MEC from Natural Resources Ontario ANSI. Commemorative plaque was · Centre d'interprétation de la géologie du · Nature Conservancy of Canada has kindly provided office Canada to fund printing of placed by the Ontario government at the Grenville (jointly investigating new areas worthy · Mountain Equipment Co-Op space for Ottawa Riverkeeper, a brochure and purchase site of Lemieux, a town that was moved Hogs Back Falls, Rideau River, site of a "LinR" 4 prior to the 1993 Leda clay landslide. of signage/protection in the Gatineau Region of · Trailhead and supports O-GGP. of a velcro display board. Fieldstone church in Buckingham, Quebec. fieldtrip and a popular picnic spot in Ottawa. This Glacial erratics of various lithologies of the Precambrian Shield Québec) · World of Maps locality displays a variety of locally folded O-GGP geoheritage presentation at Ottawa Riverkeepers' River Day event. · Ottawa Riverkeeper (OGGP geological · Ontario Field Naturalists Ordovician strata, and is cut by several faults. The information & illustrations posted on their web surface of one such fault in the foreground shows slickensides on a pink calcite-coated fault-surface, site, and on one of several natural history recording near-vertical movement on this fault. panels at their kiosk, Westboro Beach, Ottawa) A New Initiative: "Friends of Canadian Geoheritage"
What's in the Future for O-GGP 1" Membership is free! Membership flyers below Orthocone Fossil in Ordovician limestone · Dedicated web site (Ottawa Group), as seen Help swell the ranks of Friends of Canadian Geoheritage, to · Incorporation as a non-profit organization at one of the LinR Geotour localities along the Ottawa provide support for our appeals to all levels of government, in Boulder of Gowganda tillite (near Rondeau Park, · Applications for grants to undertake more extensive publicity, including River at Dunrobin. north shore of Lake Erie) was extracted from a our quest for greater recognition of Geoheritage in Canada production of posters for schools, and erection of signs nearby gravel pit and moved to the farm of Keith · CGEN to adopt and promote this project across Canada "LinR" fieldtrip. Participants, ages 40 to 85. McLean, a retired farmer with an obvious appreciation of geoheritage. This forty-ton clast · Affiliation with GAC? has been transported at least 900 km during the
Website: http://www.carleton.ca/~jadonald/index.html th last advance of the Wisconsinan Ice Sheet. Victoria Museum/ Museum of Nature (1905-1911) Chateau Laurier (1908-1912, 1927-1929) Stanstead "granite" base overlain by Nepean Sandstone and Wallace Sandstone Salem (Indiana) Limestone walls. Copper roof.
ylswor
A
J.M.