Land-Use Change in a Selected Area of the Niagara Fruit Belt 1954-1978

Abstract

The thesis examines land-use changes in a selected area of the Niagara Fruit Belt between 1954 and 1978. Part of the former township of Louth was chosen for investigation because it is located in the centre of the fruit belt, and is an area affected by several urban influences. Two detailed land-use maps were produced from aerial photograph interpretation. These maps reveal the many exchanges among agricultural land uses and the actual loss to urban and urban-related uses which occurred during the time span investigated. They indicate the loss of fruit land to non-agricultural uses is less than was anticipated. Increases in grape acreages have been implemented relatively close to the city of St. Catharines and the lost peach acreage is not entirely due to urbanization. A land-use change index was developed, based on total change per lot, for use in the quantitative analysis. The 1954 assessment roll provided the data on individual properties. Eight hypotheses were developed to account for the land-use changes. These were rejected, and it was suggested that the study area was undergoing a "normal” process of change, resulting from a combination of agricultural and urban forces. Further research is needed in order to understand more fully, the processes of land-use change in an area such as Louth.