Description

This area presents one of the largest expanses of forested land on the slough/ridge patterned clay plain in the physiographic region. It includes a series of continuous to loosely joined woodlots, surrounded and separated by active croplands . A conservation area occupies the westernmost section (Life Science Inventory Check-sheet in Eagles & Beechey, 1985).

Vegetation

The vegetation patterns of the area are diverse and typical of the region; however, the ravages of very haphazard cutting for fiber and fuelwood have generally disrupted their quality. The mesic clay ridges support forest patterns dominated by red oak- sugar maple- red maple- white ash- white oak (Quercus borealis- Acer sacchrum- A. rubrum- Fraxinus americana- Quercus alba) that range in age from young to submature. The better drained sandy loam ridge phases support similarly aged forests of sugar maple- American beech- red oak (A. saccharum- Fagus grandifolia- Quercus borealis).

Drier clay loam ridges support red oak- bur oak- shagbark hickory- white ash (Q. borealis- Q. macrocarpa- Carya ovata- Fraxinus americana). The extensive mosaic of slough ponds and basins support a well developed variety of wetland associated communities including emergent and submergent marshes, sedge, grass and forb marshes and meadows, scrub swamps of buttonbush, swamp forests of silver maple-white elm and slough fringe groves of swamp white oak- silver maple- white willow. Several extensive old field successional communities occur locally, dominated by trembling aspen- meadowsweet- hawthorn. Intensively cultivated croplands surround the area and occupy occasional opened fields within its boundaries (Life Science Inventory Check-sheet in Eagles & Beechey, 1985).

Representation

This is one of the most extensive woodlot complexes remaining in the region serving as habitat for wildlife and as a source for over 20 streams and tributaries. The landform features of slough/ridge patterned clay plain are well developed and diverse. The slough pond and basin wetland communities are of high quality and diverse in their features. The ridge communities do have local submature well developed stands. The area is reported to support one of the few remaining productive cold water fish habitats in the region. The area has several district significant plant species representative of the southern affinities of this region (Life Science Inventory Check-sheet in Eagles & Beechey, 1985).

Landform

The landform here comprises a well developed slough pond and basin and low ridge patterned broadly rolling glaciolacustrine clay plain. The area is situated as a slight, broad rise between two stream basins; no fewer than 20 streams and tributaries originate in this area. Several buried drumlins lying in the southwestern portion are outliers of the Caledonia Drumlin Field (Life Science Inventory Check-sheet in Eagles & Beechey, 1985).

References

* Allen, G.M., P.F.J. Eagles and S.D. Price (eds.) 1990. Conserving Carolinian Canada: Conservation Biology in the Deciduous Forest Region. University of Waterloo Press, Waterloo. 346 pp.

* Eagles, P.F.J. and T.J. Beechey (eds.) 1985. Critical Unprotected Natural Areas in the Carolinian Life Zone of Canada. Final Report, Identification Subcommittee, Carolinian Canada. The Nature Conservancy of Canada, The Ontario Heritage Foundation and World Wildlife Fund (Canada). 400 pp.

* Macdonald, I.D. 1980. Life Science Features of the Haldimand Clay Plain Physiographic Region. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Section, Central Region, Richmond Hill, Ontario. SR OFER 8001. vii + 266 pp. + map.

© Natural Heritage Information Centre, 1998

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