About the Long Point Biosphere
Where are we?
Long Point and the surrounding watershed is an area rich with natural and cultural heritage, home to a wide array of species, biodiverse ecosystems, and incredible scenery.
In the heart of Carolinian Canada, Long Point is situated in Norfolk County, on the north shore of Lake Erie, about 2.5 hours southwest of Toronto.
When And Why Was Long Point Designated A Biosphere Reserve?
An area comprising 26,250 hectares in the Long Point area was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in April 1986. Only the third in Canada, today it is one of 19 Biosphere Reserves in the country. It provides an example of the Great Lakes coastal ecosystem and a unique blend of habitats.
The Southern Norfolk sand plains that lie immediately to the north of Long Point are well-known for their rich agricultural lands, tallgrass prairie and oak savanna remnants, wetlands and forests. Farmers, woodlot owners and other rural property owners living here take great pride in practicing sound land stewardship and value the interaction they have with the biodiversity in this special part of Ontario.
Within the watersheds that feed Long Point Bay are some of the finest examples of Canada’s remaining Carolinian forest and habitats that have arguably the highest diversity of plants and animals anywhere in our country. This includes a wide variety of fish and game as well as many species at risk such as the threatened Eastern Fox Snake, Blanding’s Turtle, the endangered American Badger and, Eastern Flowering Dogwood.