In the discourse of Brownfield Sites, expanding our definition of the term becomes crucial in being able to effectively manage these landscapes. The current definition narrowly describes post-industrial sites. New definitions are needed to capture the variety of landscapes that are impacted by industrial activity. This is especially true when looking at British Columbia as a case study. There are a variety of landscapes that are often not considered industrial or brownfields. This is due to the fact that they can often be considered remediated or simply the pollution isn’t deemed toxic. Additionally, many brownfields are left out of discourse because they aren’t explicitly landscapes of industrial use but rather they are directly impacted by industry. These interstitial spaces are often left out of the conversation because they lie in the periphery but their contamination is still due to industrial activity. If we consider these new parameters for a widened definition of brownfields it becomes clear that there are many landscapes in British Columbia that have been overlook. Under this new definition we can consider transportation networks, cut blocks, and agricultural land as either a brownfield itself or a proxy for a peripheral brownfield.
Transpiration Corridors
Transportation corridors are a key infrastructural network that supports the various industries of the province. These corridors cut through a variety of different landscapes from near complete wilderness to highly dense urban areas. As such understanding the contaminants that are produced by these networks is crucial to understanding how to manage them. Peripheral spaces next to the highway could fall under the definition of brownfield as they are both generally void of human use and directly impacted by industrial activity. These peripheral spaces are subject to an accumulation of harsh chemicals such as de-icing agents, salt, microplastic, hard metals, soot, etc. Through hydrological and mechanical factors these contaminants end up in these landscapes and impact the life living there if any at all.
Cut Blocks
Although generally not considered brownfield sites cut blocks are sites of industrial extraction. Clear cutting, being the main method of harvesting in British Columbia, scrapes the land clear of most vegetation.
Although contamination on these sites takes a different shape they nonetheless impact the land. Heavy metal leaching from machinery is a concern but of larger concern is the soil destabilization that occurs from this activity. In this landscape increased soil erosion can asphyxiate water ways and release heavy metals and nutrients from the soils. Additionally replanting of monocultures reduced biodiversity and CO2 sequestration capacity.
Lastly the use of herbicides to keep undesirable plants at bay, essentially maintaining the monoculture and adding pollutants to the landscape is common practice. Cut blocks are also often left inactive for decades post industrial activity a common factor among brownfield sites. Although these landscapes don’t fall under current definitions of brownfields they should be considered as such due to the industrial nature of the landscape and the lack of human remediation efforts.
Agricultural Land
Agricultural Land Reserve is the general land classification that is suitable and reserved for agricultural development in British Columbia. As such it serves as a good proxy for agricultural land. Although agricultural practices and typologies vary greatly there is a large agro-industrial machine at work through out North America. These agro-industrial practices should be considered no less than industrial. These landscapes while green in appearance are often dead landscapes that are designed to produce a single crop repeatedly. Through the use of heavy chemical such as pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers these sites host larger number of chemicals. Through wind and rain these contaminates find their way to peripheral sites where they accumulate into toxic levels. Once again, these sites are devoid of any true human use or care and as such share that trait with the classic definition of a brownfield site. New or expanded definitions should consider these sites as subject to contamination and little care for remediation from industrial activity.
