Type of Habitat: Deciduous Forest Tracts
The transition area / zone of cooperation that has evolved in practice for the LPBR on the mainland adjacent to the Long Point complex has a number of fragmented forest tracts characteristic of "Carolinian Canada", a region along the north shore of Lake Erie that is at the northern edge of the Eastern Forest Biogeographical Province. The 491 ha "Backus Woods" is a protected "benchmark" forest in which a number of field studies have been conducted; it is also the site for one of the SI/MAB biodiversity monitoring plots that the LPBR set up. The woods are on undulating sand ridges separated by low lying plains, and a creek running through it has created a small ravine. Although owned by the Long Point Region Conservation Authority, the Ontario Heritage Foundation retains a conservation easement on the property.
Main species: Field botanists have identified 540 species of plants in 37 plant associations which have been grouped into 15 "community types". The main types include: (i) wet red maple (Acer rubrum) and silver maple (A. saccharinum) swamps; (ii) American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) uplands; (iv) oak (Quercus spp.) uplands; and (v) buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and dogwood (Cornus spp.) thickets.
Human impacts: There are 12 km of hiking trails through the Backus Woods. Other forest tracts in the zone of cooperation are selectively harvested for veneer quality timber.
Relevant habitat management practices: Backus Woods is under protective management with support from a special trust fund. Some selective reforestation using native species of trees has been sponsored by the LPBR.
Habitats of special interest:
Describe and indicate location of habitats which are unique or exceptionally important from the point of view of conservation.
The main habitats of special interest are the ones noted above. Inventories of the flora and fauna of the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk (which extends beyond the general area of the biosphere reserve) include 1,384 species of plants; 370 species of birds (of which 187 species are known to breed in the area); 102 species of fish; 46 species of mammals; 34 species of amphibians and reptiles; and 91 species of butterflies. It is likely that most of these also occur within the biosphere reserve. Altogether, 172 species of biota in the Region are considered to be rare in Ontario.
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