Significance of the Leitrim Wetlands
- Leitrim Wetlands is unique in Eastern Ontario.
- Its flora is not duplicated elsewhere in North America.
- It is an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage.
- It is the most important remnant of a once extensive wetland complex that covered many thousands of acres and spread eastward to the South Nation River.
- It is unusually complex, resulting in a high degree of biodiversity. (It has been listed as one of Canada’s “hotspots” of biodiversity.1038 species of organisms identified to date).
- Its complexity results from a poorly-understood, complicated hydrology and geology that would be difficult to duplicate.
- It contains regionally, provincially and nationally rare species over 200 species of regionally significant plants.
- It contains more regionally significant plants than the Mer Bleue, a Ramsar site, even though it is only one-tenth the size.
- It harbours patches of old growth trees — up to 250 or more years old.
- It contains 90 species of resident or breeding birds, including a sizable rookery of Great Blue Herons nesting in the tops of ancient White Pines. During migration times, up to 150 species of birds can be seen in the wetlands. The Red-shouldered Hawk, a vulnerable species, nests in wooded part of the wetland.
- The Canadian Wildlife Service (1993) described the Leitrim Wetlands as “clearly an area of outstanding ecological significance.”
Involvement of the OFNC
The following three articles, written by OFNC member Albert Dugal and originally published in Trail & Landscape, explain in detail the significance of the Leitrim Wetlands and the club’s reasons for opposing development of the area.
This page was revised on 9 November 2017
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