| 1984
Carolinian Canada Sites |
|
WALPOLE ISLAND
| AREA_ID: 17692
|
| Significance
|
| Area Type
|
| Size
|
| Centroid UTM
|
| Map #
|
|
|
| Carolinian Canada Site
|
| 22250.06 ha
|
| 17,371379,4711719
|
| 40J/10
|
 Description
This First Nations Reserve harbours the only extensive wetland-prairie system
in Ontario, if not Canada. It represents mesic and marshes. The site
provides habitat for many species of rare plants and animals (Eagles
& Beechey, 1985).
Vegetation
Principally three large delta islands (Walpole, Squirrel and St. Anne)
at the mouth of the St. Clair River, these islands are primarily cattail
marsh with a series of upland oak-hickory forested ridges interspersed
amongst it. Some significant areas of natural grassland also occur on
the islands. The forest is a classic oak savannah habitat perpetuated as
such by frequent fires (Hoffman and Lambs, 1980 in Eagles & Beechey,
1985).
Communities include: oak-hickory forest; silver maple and varied wetland
forest types; marsh; wet and dry prairie meadow systems (Hoffman and
Lamb, 1980 in Eagles & Beechey, 1985).
Walpole Island- South End (Hoffman and Lamb, 1980 in Eagles &
Beechey, 1985):
The southern end of Walpole Island forms an extensive wetland complex
including aquatic vegetation, extensive Typha marshes which grade into
wet prairie which gradually becomes less wet and support extensive wet-mesic
and wet prairies which are bordered on their inner edge by one of the
largest wet savanna complexes in Ontario. The savannas are dominated by
Quercus macrocarpa, Q. bicolor etc. and with Carya ovata as well as less
common hickories. The intervening openings are dominated by the riches
assortment of wet prairie species to be found in Ontario and include
extensive numbers of rare plants. One can stand at the southern
extremity of this complex and perceive prairie and savanna literally for
as far as the eye can see.
Representation
Landform
Soils include: Brady (sand, gently sloping and imperfectly drained),
Colwood (fine sandy loam, level with poor drainage), and Marsh (sand or
clay, depressional with poor to very poor drainage) (Hoffman and Lamb,
1980 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.
- Hoffman, D. and L. Lamb (eds.) 1979. Background Report No. 13 to
the Lambton County Official Plan - Environmentally Sensitive Areas.
County of Lambton Planning Board. Funded by Ministry of Environment
through Experience '79. 160 pp.
- Hoffman, D. and L. Lamb (eds.) 1980. Lambton County Preliminary
Environmentally Sensitive Areas Study. Prepared by the University of
Waterloo Environmentally Sensitive Areas Study Team for the Lambton
County Planning Department. Funded by the Lambton County Planning
Board and the Ministry of the Environment under Experience '79 and
Experience '80. 243 pp.
Walpole Island
Heritage Centre
©
Natural Heritage Information Centre, 1998
|
