I N T R O D U C I N G Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place Ontario’s Priority Place for Species at Risk conservation Located on the north shore of Lake Erie, Norfolk County is renowned for its fertile agricultural land, forests, beaches and coastal dunes, tallgrass communities and wetlands. The vision for the LPWF Priority Place is to create healthy, resilient, and con- nected ecosystems that support biodiversity, productive landscapes, and a thriving community. Photo: Leanne Gauthier-Helmer. n August 2017, Long Point Forest Complex, which is also The land cover in LPWF Walsingham Forest (LPWF) was recognized as an Important Bird includes agriculture, forests, Iselected by the federal govern- Area. Over 400 species of birds beaches and coastal dunes, tall- ment as Ontario’s ‘Priority Place’ have been recorded in the Long grass communities, and wetlands. for species at risk conservation. Point area. LPWF has retained much of Located entirely within Norfolk While LPWF makes up less its natural integrity due to the County, LPWF is 86,715 hectares than 1% of Canada’s total land conservation and stewardship large and includes the longest area, it was selected as Ontario’s initiatives spearheaded by private freshwater sand spit in the world, priority place for the following landowners, conservation authori- Long Point. Long Point is an inter- reasons: ties, not-for-profit organizations, nationally recognized Ramsar site and government. 1) its high concentration of (wetlands of international impor- biodiversity, including over 80 spe- This conservation community tance), an international Monarch cies at risk; has been addressing the numerous Butterfly Reserve, a UNESCO threats affecting species at risk 2) the significant threats to its World Biosphere Reserve, and the and their habitats in LPWF. first globally significant Impor- biodiversity; and These threats include land use tant Bird Area in Canada. 3) its highly engaged local changes, fire suppression, roads, LPWF also includes the Norfolk conservation community. and invasive species. Boundaries of the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place. In Budget 2018, the Govern- species at risk, and to improve and ecosystems. Eff orts will be cies at risk, and opportunities to ment of Canada invested a its natural environment. concentrated on priority places, advance conservation eff orts. What is historic $1.35 billion to support The federal government, in species, sectors and threats In each priority place, the work with other governments, collaboration with the prov- across Canada, thus enabling federal and provincial or territo- Indigenous groups, non-profi t inces and territories, has agreed conservation partners to work rial governments will collabo- a “Priority organizations, and others in to implement the Pan-Canadian together and achieve better rate with partners to develop nature conservation. Approach to Transforming outcomes for species at risk. and implement a conservation This funding will support Species at Risk Conservation in A portion of this funding action plan coordinating ac- Place” Canada in reaching its biodiver- Canada. supports conservation eff orts tions to address the greatest sity goals, which are to protect This new approach will shift in 11 priority places identifi ed threats to species at risk. Such anyway? a quarter of its lands and a from a single-species conser- across Canada. Priority places actions include habitat steward- quarter of its oceans by 2025, vation approach to one that are areas with signifi cant biodi- ship, habitat restoration, and to create healthier habitats for focuses on multiple species versity, concentrations of spe- education and outreach. May 2021 2 Ontario’s ‘Priority Place’ – May 2021 l l l The Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place Collaborative The LPWF Collaborative is a “working groups”. Each working partnership of over twenty non- group is implementing conserva- government and government or- tion actions that address priority ganizations that are committed to threats to species at risk and their improve biodiversity conservation habitats. The priority threats and in LPWF through the coordinated important habitats and species identification and implementation include: of priority conservation actions. o Threats: Roads, Invasive The Collaborative has devel- species, Agricultural Runoff, Fire oped an Integrated Conservation Suppression and Logging and Action Plan (ICAP) which identi- Wood Harvesting American Bullfrog. Bald eagle perched in a Sycamore tree. fies the highest priority actions for o Important Habitats and Spe- Photo: Darren Helmer Photo: Brian Craig improving ecosystem health and cies: Coastal Wetlands and Inner conserving species at risk. Bay, Open Country, Forests and The knowledge and expertise Treed Swamps, Watercourses and of the Collaborative is integral to Riparian Areas and Amphibians The importance fulfilling the vision of the LPWF and Reptiles ICAP, which is to create healthy, re- Environment and Climate silient and connected ecosystems Change Canada has invested ap- that support biodiversity, produc- proximately $4.5 million in federal of biodiversity and tive landscapes and a thriving funding to conservation projects in community. LPWF from 2018-2021. The Collabor- Within the Collaborative, there ative has matched that investment are five subset committees called with approximately $6.6 million. protecting Species at Risk Road Ecology Working Group Members: Ontario Road Ecology Group, Long Point World Biosphere Re- in the Priority Place serve Foundation, and Canadian Wildlife Service Goal: Reduce wildlife road mortality by enhancing road infrastructure to When ecosystems are functioning well, facilitate safe movement of wildlife across the landscape. Although we might not they provide us with important benefits, For additional information, or to get involved, please contact: always recognize it, plants Mandy Karch, Executive Director, Ontario Road Ecology Group including clean air, clean water, and fer- [email protected] and animals play a huge role tile land to grow healthy food. They can also help mitigate the effects of climate Invasive Species (Phragmites australis) Working Group in keeping our environment change. For example, ecosystems such as Members: Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Re- healthy and balanced. forests, wetlands, and grasslands absorb sources and Forestry, and Canadian Wildlife Service and store carbon dioxide and greenhouse Goals: Biodiversity is a term used broadly to gases from the atmosphere. 1. By 2025, 90% of the vegetation in the Coastal Wetlands and Beaches and describe the enormous variety and vari- The Long Point Walsingham Forest Coastal Dunes ecosystems is native. ability of life on Earth. It can also be used Priority Place is an incredibly biodiverse 2. Maintain and improve the riparian zone so that 75% is vegetated with more specifically to refer to all of the spe- area. It is located in a part of Canada native plants cies in one region or ecosystem. For additional information, or to get involved, please contact: referred to as the Carolinian Life Zone. The term “ecosystem” refers to groups Eric Cleland, Director, Nature Conservancy of Canada This fragile ecoregion is found in both [email protected] or plants, animals, and other organisms the eastern United States and southern that are found in the same area and inter- Ontario. It is characterized by mixed leaf Agricultural Runoff Working Group act with each other. These interactions forests, although deciduous (broad leaf) Members: ALUS Norfolk Inc., Norfolk County, Long Point Region Conserva- form the environments we know and trees predominate. tion Authority, Carolinian Canada Coalition, Long Point Basin Land Trust, Ontario recognize, such as the different forests, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Canadian Wildlife Service wetlands, and other ecosystems around While this vegetation zone takes up Goals: Norfolk County. less than 1% of Canada’s total land area, 1. Maintain and improve the riparian zone so that 75% is vegetated with it contains a greater number of plant and Balance within these ecosystems native plants animal species than any other vegetation 2. By 2025, at least 50% of surface water samples meet the provincial water requires the continuation of these zone in Canada! quality objective for phosphorus (0.03 mg/L for streams and rivers). interactions, and the decline or loss of For additional information, or to get involved, please contact: one species often triggers the decline or Preserving the biodiversity of the Stephanie Giles, Program Coordinator, ALUS Norfolk Inc. loss of others. This is why it is important Priority Place is essential to ensure that [email protected] to preserve biodiversity and all species, the benefits we receive from healthy and Open Country Working Group especially threatened or endangered Spe- functioning ecosystems are preserved for cies at Risk. future generations. Members: Nature Conservancy of Canada, Natural Resource Solutions Inc., Tallgrass Ontario, St. Williams Conservation Reserve, Ontario Plant Restoration Alliance, ALUS Norfolk Inc., Long Point Basin Land Trust, Ontario Nature, and Canadian Wildlife Service Goal: Maintain existing Open Country habitat and restore additional areas, prioritizing sites where: existing habitat patches can be increased in size, habitat patches >=5 ha can be created, patch connectivity is best achieved and/or there are opportunities for