The South Walsingham Sand Ridges and
Big Creek Floodplain "Area of Natural and Scientific
Interest" contains one of the most significant and most
biologically diverse forests remaining in the Carolinian Zone of
southwestern Ontario. This 730_hectare study area, generically
referred to as the South Walsingham Forest, is located just north and
west of Long Point, Ontario. Its impressive complexity is represented
by 573 species of plants, 102 species of breeding birds, 23 species of
mammals, and 22 species of amphibians and reptiles. Much of the forest
is privately owned. The Long Point Region Conservation Authority is
the largest single landowner.
Conservation of forest bird species
diversity has been recognized as one of the management objectives for
the South Walsingham Forest. Bird Studies Canada staff carried out
intensive biological surveys in the forest in an attempt to reveal
relationships between breeding patterns of forest interior birds and
vegetation characteristics. A synopsis of our results is reported in
the strategy document.
Day to day decisions of all landowners
in the area directly affect the quality and quantity of the natural
heritage values and features found here. This strategy document—prepared
in partnership by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Long
Point Region Conservation Authority, Bird Studies Canada, and
landowner representatives—provides a synthesis of the efforts of the
steering committee, the technical planning committee and the
commenting landowners in an effort to conserve natural heritage values
through wise forest management practices and long_term planning, while
at the same time allowing an economic return from the forest. The
strategy document serves as a forest management guide for landowners
and their advisors, and as a catalyst to encourage cooperation among
neighbours.
This represents one of the first
projects in Ontario to study the relationship between forest
characteristics, such as the proportion of different sized trees in
relation to forest bird community representation. This has resulted in
new recommendations in provincial forest management guidelines and has
provided some direction for further studies on forest management and
its impact on forest bird communities.
To download a copy of the
report (2.1mb) click here.
For further information on the
implementation of the management strategy, please contact:
Jim Oliver
General Manager
Long Point Region Conservation Authority
R.R. #3, Simcoe, ON, N3Y 4K2
Phone 519_428_4623
Fax: 519_428_1520
Email: conservation@lprca.on.ca
Website: www.lprca.on.ca
For further information on the
methods, data, and analytical approaches used to develop the
management strategy, please contact the authors of the report:
Ken Elliott
Email:
