The Long Point Biosphere Region is an area of global ecological significance that makes an ongoing commitment to the United Nations to strive for sustainability. Visitors and residents are inspired to coexist in harmony with nature.
It is located in Norfolk County, on the north shore of Lake Erie in the heart of Carolinian Canada.
Hosting more endangered species per-capita than the rest of Canada, it is home to the greatest number of plants and animals and the highest densities of wildlife in all of Canada.
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Land acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The Long Point Biosphere Region stands in sovereignty on these treaty lands with the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Long Point Biosphere Region Receives Funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada to Enhance Biodiversity in Norfolk County
Biosphere reserves are located in areas rich in cultural and biological diversity and are models of communities living sustainably with nature.
Norfolk County has long been recognized as one of these exceptional places, with rich agricultural lands, vibrant ecosystems and some of the greatest diversity of plants and animalsin Canada. Residents value their interactions with nature, and Norfolk County has a history of rural landowners and farmers who practice sound land stewardship.
Since 1986, Norfolk has been home to the LongPoint Biosphere Region. Long Point is a remarkable representation of unique Great Lakes coastal ecosystems and a significant refuge for migrating birds. The Long Point Biosphere Region promotes research, monitoring, education, partnerships and sustainable communities in Norfolk County.
The Long Point Biosphere Region is pleased to receive funding from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada to increase biodiversity conservation efforts in Norfolk County. Biodiversity supports food security, the economy, health and our quality of life in the form of clean air and drinking water.
This funding will bring local employment opportunities to Norfolk County as well as reinforcing our culture of sustainable living. It is a chance to strengthen partnerships and work with community stakeholders to preserve and enhance biodiversity in our region. Moving forward, the Long Point Biosphere Region will continue to foster healthy relationships with nature and sustainable economic development in Norfolk County.
For more information contact:
Sarah Emons
Conservation Director, Long Point Biosphere
conservation@longpointbiosphere.com
Phone: 226-236-4215
New NatureHood Videos
With funding from Nature Canada, our NatureHood program went virtual this past year.
Due to Covid-19 new videos were produced to showcase the wonderful natural beauty and fragile ecosystem at locations where we normally take our students. We will feature new videos every couple of weeks so be sure to visit our website home page over the next couple of months to see them all.
We have seen a dramatic shift in the way children spend their time, with less time playing outside and more time spent indoors, sedentary and screen-based. Excessive screen time is having negative health impacts on Canadian children.
Students that join us on a trip to the Long Point Bird Observatory get an experience of a lifetime. This trip is highly recommended for anyone interested in birds. Long Point, Ontario, Canada is one of the most exciting places on the continent to observe our rich birdlife. LPBO biologists and visitors have studied birds here since 1960, and over 400 bird species have been observed in the Long Point area.
In southwestern Ontario’s Norfolk County lies an incredible natural oasis known as Backus Woods. This spectacular older-growth forest is home to some of the oldest living trees in Ontario and is one of the best remaining examples of Carolinian forest in Canada. A haven for species at risk, Backus Woods provides important habitat for prothonotary and cerulean warblers, Louisiana waterthrush, eastern foxsnake, Blanding’s turtle and Jefferson salamander.
Big Creek National Wildlife Area is located at the base of the Long Point peninsula on the north shore of Lake Erie. It consists of 3,250 hectares (8,030 acres) provincially significant wetlands. It is home to wildlife including birds, frogs, turtles and many other species that depend upon wetland habitats. The wetlands are a major staging area for waterfowl and hundreds of species of birds that use the area during their migrations in the spring and fall seasons.
Recent news
Keeping cool: restoring natural areas with native plants can lower temperatures
Have you ever gone for a walk in the woods and thought the air felt a little cooler than where you entered the woods from? Chances are that it is. It’s likely cooler than your street, yard, or even the agricultural field nearby.
Keeping an eye on the sky
Whether we think about it or not, birds are an important part of our lives. They are as important to us as they are to the many ecosystems which they play integral roles in sustaining.
Watch for Wildlife on Local Roads this Spring
Now that the first turtles are emerging from their winter naps, motorists should start watching for them crossing local roads. That’s the message of a postcard being mailed out this week to all households in Norfolk County by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in support of its Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place (LPWF) conservation project.