Conservation: Aggregate Mining In Ontario, Jefferson salamanders are primarily found along the Niagara Escarpment, an area largely comprised of dolostone. This form of limestone is highly sought after for making concrete and asphalt, resulting in the opening of many aggregate mines. To build these mines, the vegetation and organic topsoil is removed before the stone underneath is loosened via explosives, and taken away. This processes destroys many important habitats and can disrupt the ground water and aquifers. These underground reservoirs help feed many of the temporary ponds that the Jefferson salamanders, amongst other species, use for breeding. While the Greenbelt Plan stops new mines from opening up on top of any populations of these Endangered salamanders, open pit mines can still effect the surrounding environment and ecology as a whole.
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