The Eramosa Karst remains threatened with destruction from proposed development if the province doesn't step in and protect the remaining 80 acres of land, says the Friends of the Eramosa Karst.

"If there is blasting done," said Rita Giulietti, communications coordinator for the non-profit environmental group, "the reverberations would collapse the rock and change the water course in the area."

A McMaster University biologist, Joe Minor, recently joined the Friends of the Eramosa Karst, in calling on the provincial government to protect the land formation located in upper Stoney Creek.

He stated the best option for preservation of animal habitat is for the conservation area to be expanded to include lands to the east bounded by Second Road west and Rymal Road.

"The ecological functions of the Eramosa Karst ANSI (Area of Natural Scientific Interest) are best maintained if the native species on the feeder area are not destroyed by roads, buildings and other hard structures. The best way to promote the long-term ecological stability of the karst would be to add the 80 acres of the feeder area to the current designated conservative area," he said.

Hamilton council last December decided to halt reviewing any planning proposals for the lands east of the Eramosa karst until at least this spring. The Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC), which owns the property, is scheduled to submit its technical reports, including water flows and biological review, on the geographical landmark, to the city.

Hamilton's planning staff is proceeding with the secondary planing process on the lands west of the karst, north of Rymal Road.

ORC officials, who have managed the 80 acres of karst lands, have indicated developing them would accommodate about 1,300 residential units and create about 800 jobs.

Hamilton planning officials are scheduled to provide councillors with an update on the lands this April.

The city has asked the provincial government to transfer the remaining karst lands in the Trinity Neighbourhood to the Hamilton Conservation Authority.

The 13,000-year-old karst is a series of caves, dry valleys, and sinking streams caused by dissolving limestone.

In 2006, the Ontario government transferred about 180 acres of the land, including the entire core area, core buffer and feeder creek areas to the HCA. An additional seven acres of low-lying land at the southwest corner of Upper Mount Albion Road and Highland Road was also designated greenspace and transferred to the HCA.

Last month, new Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield toured the karst lands with Stoney Creek councillor Brad Clark, Ms. Giulietti and other local environmentalists.

"(Ms. Cansfield) said she will keep her eye on the process," said Ms. Giulietti. "She is ecologically minded, but she made no promises."

Area political leaders and environmental activists applauded Ms. Cansfield's tour of the area.

"It's telling that she is taking an interest in the area," said Ms. Giulietti. "I'm glad she took the time to come here."

Ms. Giulietti said the group is urging the provincial government to also protect the feeder creek area of the karst so it can remain a natural ecosystem.

Area residents have seen such wildlife as peregrine falcons, raccoons, deer, flying squirrels, displaced by the Red Hill Valley Parkway and red-tailed hawk, she said.

"It's a beautiful place," said Ms. Giulietti. "The more natural the place is, the better chance we have to protect it."