Abstract
In contrast to the ancient events that formed the Sudbury Basin and its mineral deposits, its human history spans less than 10,000 years. As the Wisconsin glacier receded, a forest cover developed, and the area was settled by native groups. The events that led to Sudbury becoming one of the largest mining and smelting regions in the world (Fig. 2.1) are from a far briefer period of about 100 years. The environmental damage that occurred during this recent industrial period is the focus of this chapter. Other international examples of mining-related ecosystem damage are described in Box 2.1.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Amiro, B.D., and G.M. Courtin. 1981. Patterns of vegetation in the vicinity of an industrially disturbed ecosystem, Sudbury, Ontario. Can. J. Bot. 59 (9): 1623–1639.
Archibold, O.W. 1978. Vegetation recovery following pollution control at Trail, British Columbia. Can. J. Bot. 56 (14): 1625–1637.
Blainey, G. 1967. The Peaks of Lyell, 3rd Ed. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne.
Boldt, J.R., Jr. 1967. The Winning of Nickel. Long-mans Canada Ltd., Toronto.
Carter, D.B., H. Loewenstein, and F.H. Pitkin. 1977. Amelioration and revegetation of smelter-contaminated soils in the Coeur d’Alene mining district of northern Idaho. Proceedings of the Second Annual Meeting, Canadian Land Reclamation Association, Edmonton, Paper 13. CLRA, Guelph, Ontario.
Cowling, E.B. 1982. An historical perspective on acid precipitation, pp. 15–31. In R.E. Johnson (ed.). Proceedings of an International Symposium on Acidic Rain and Fishery Impacts on Northeastern North America. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, Bethesda, MD.
DeLestard, J.P.G. 1967. A History of the Sudbury Forest District. District History Series 21. Department of Lands and Forests, Ontario.
Dreisinger, B.R., and P.C. McGovern. 1971. Sulphur Dioxide Levels and Vegetation Injury in the Sudbury Area during the 1970 Season. Department of Energy and Resources Management, Air Management Branch, Sudbury.
Freedman, B., and T.C. Hutchinson. 1980a. Pollutant inputs from the atmosphere and accumulations in soils and vegetation near a nickel-copper smelter at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Can. J. Bot. 58 (1): 108–132.
Freedman, B., and T.C. Hutchinson 1980b. Longterm effects of smelter pollution at Sudbury, Ontario, on forest community composition. Can. J. Bot. 58: 2123–2140.
Gordon, A.G., and E. Gorham. 1963. Ecological aspects of air pollution from an iron-sintering plant at Wawa, Ontario. Can. J. Bot. 41: 1063–1078.
Gorham, E., and A.G. Gordon. 1960a. Some effects of smelter pollution northeast of Falconbridge, Ontario, Canada. Can. J. Bot. 38: 307–312.
Gorham, E., and A.G. Gordon. 1960b. The influence of smelter fumes upon the chemical composition of lake waters near Sudbury, Ontario, and upon the surrounding vegetation. Can. J. Bot. 38: 477–487.
Hazlett, P.W., G.K. Rutherford, and G.W. Van Loon. 1983. Metal contaminants in surface soils and vegetation as a result of nickel/copper smelting at Coniston, Ontario. Reclamation Revegetation Res. 2 (2): 123–137.
Howey, F.R. 1938. Pioneering on the C.P.R. Mutual Press Ltd., Ottawa.
Hutchinson, T.C., and L.M. Whitby. 1974. Heavy metal pollution in the Sudbury mining and smelting region of Canada, I. Soil and vegetation contamination by nickel, copper and other metals. Environ. Conservation 1: 123–132.
Hutchinson, T.C., and L.M. Whitby. 1976. The effects of acid rainfall and heavy metal particulates on a boreal forest ecosystem near the Sudbury smelting region of Canada, pp. 745–765. In L. S. Dochingen and T. A. Seliga (eds.). Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Acid Precipitation and the Forest Ecosystem, Columbus, Ohio, May 1975. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report NE-23. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Upper Darby, PA
Jordan, M.J. 1975. Effects of zinc smelter emissions and fire on a chestnut-oak woodland. Ecology 56: 78–91.
Kryuchkov, V.V. 1993. Degradation of ecosystems around the “Severonikel” smelter complex, pp. 3546. In M.V. Kozlov, E. Haukioja, and V.T. Yarmishko (eds.). Aerial Pollution in Kola Peninsula: Proceedings of the International Workshop, April 14–16, 1992, St. Petersburg, Russia. Kola Scientific Center, Apatity, Russia.
Laroche, C., G. Sirois, and W.D. Mcllveen. 1979. Early roasting and smelting operations in the Sudbury area-an historical outline. Unpublished report. Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy, Sudbury, Ontario.
LeBourdais, D.M. 1953. Sudbury Basin. Ryerson Press, Toronto.
Linzon, S.N. 1958. Influence of Smelter Fumes on the Growth of White Pine in the Sudbury Region. Department of Lands and Forests, Department of Mines, Ontario.
Linzon, S.N. 1971. Economic effects of SO2 on forest growth. J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc. 21: 81–86.
Murray, R.H., and W.R. Haddow. 1945. First report of the subcommittee on the investigation of sulphur smoke conditions and alleged forest damage in the Sudbury region, February 1945. Unpublished report.
Peck, G.R. 1978. The not-so-distant past. Sudbury Star, September 30, 1978.
Peck, G.R. 1980. The not-so-distant past. Sudbury Star, April 5, 1980.
Pitblado, J.R., and B.D. Amiro. 1982. Landsat mapping of the industrially disturbed vegetation communities of Sudbury, Canada. Can. J. Remote Sensing 8 (1): 17–28.
Rowe, J.S. 1959. Forest Regions of Canada. Bulletin 123. Canada Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources, Forestry Branch, Ottawa.
Smith, W.H. 1981. Air Pollution and Forests. Springer-Verlag, New York.
Struik, H. 1973. Photo interpretive study to assess and evaluate the vegetational and physical state of the Sudbury area subject to industrial emissions.Unpublished report. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Sudbury, Ontario.
Struik, H. 1974. Photo interpretive study to assess and evaluate vegetational changes in the Sudbury area. Internal report. Department of Lands and Forests, Ontario.
Turcotte, C.K. 1981. A comparative study of soils and vegetation in the vicinity of two roast yards in Sudbury, Ontario. Hons. B.Sc. Thesis, Laurentian University.
Wallace, C.M., and A. Thompson (eds.). 1993. Sudbury: Rail Town to Regional Capital. Dundum Press, Toronto.
Watson, W.X., and D.H.S. Richardson. 1972. Appreciating the potential of a devastated land. Forestry Chron. 48: 312–315.
Whitby, L.M., and T.C. Hutchinson. 1974. Heavy metal pollution in the Sudbury mining and smelting region of Canada. II. Soil toxicity tests. Environ. Conservation 1 (3): 191–200.
Winterhalder, K. 1975. Reclamation of industrial barrens in the Sudbury area, pp. 64–72. In Transactions: Annual Meeting, Ontario Chapter, Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists, Sudbury, February 1975.
Winterhalder, K. 1983. Limestone application as a trigger factor in the revegetation of acid, metal-contaminated soils of the Sudbury area, pp. 201–212. In Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Land Reclamation Association, University of Waterloo, August 1983. Unpublished proceedings. CLRA, Guelph, Ontario.
Winterhalder, K. 1984. Environmental degradation and rehabilitation in the Sudbury area. Laurentian Univ. Rev. 16 (2): 15–47.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1995 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Winterhalder, K. (1995). Early History of Human Activities in the Sudbury Area and Ecological Damage to the Landscape. In: Gunn, J.M. (eds) Restoration and Recovery of an Industrial Region. Springer Series on Environmental Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2520-1_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2520-1_2
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7568-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-2520-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive