|
What is a Biodiversity Hotspot? Biodiversity is the diversity of life, and it includes genes, species, habitats and entire ecosystems. A biodiversity hotspot is an area where such diversity is highly concentrated. In Canada such hotspots are often home to many rare species, including Species at Risk. |
|
Carolinian Canada Coalition works with many agencies and organizations who provide the ecological expertise and local knowledge (socioeconomic, political, practical) to develop effective Conservation Action Plans (CAPs). The products you find here are the result of years of collaborative work by more than 100 partners across the Carolinian Zone. Each of the CAPs focuses on a "biodiversity hotspot" where need for action is most urgent, and where the greatest positive return is likely to be gained. You can learn more about the unique ecosystems and species living in biodiversity hotspots and find out what we are doing to protect and enhance these special areas. Thank you to Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for making this work possible! |
Completed Conservation Action Plans in Carolinian Canada:
Essex Forests and Wetlands Conservation Action Plan(completed July 2009) The Essex Forests and Wetlands CAP covers 109,958.6 ha of forests, wetlands, prairies and beaches in the most south-westerly portion of Ontario along the Lake Erie shore. The area supports plants and animals characteristic of the Carolinian Life Zone, many of which are provincially, nationally and globally rare. The CAP area includes a number of Provincially Significant Wetlands and Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, as well as a National Park, a Provincial Park and a Ramsar Site. |
|
Hamilton-Burlington 7E-3 Conservation Action Plan(completed February 2010) The Hamilton – Burlington 7E-3 Conservation Action Plan (HBCAP) area covers approximately 21,000 ha (210 km2) of lands at the western tip of Lake Ontario. It includes the waters and wetlands of Hamilton Harbour, Cootes Paradise, as well as the portions of the cities of Hamilton and Burlington found within Ecodistrict 7E-3. The area supports plants and animals characteristic of the Carolinian Life Zone, many of which are provincially, nationally and globally rare. |
|
Short Hills Conservation Action Plan(completed February 2010) The Short Hills CAP covers approximately 20,000 ha (200 km2) along the southwest shore of Lake Ontario west of the Welland Canal and the City of St. Catharines east to include the Jordan Marsh, lower portions of the Twenty Mile Creek watershed, south to natural areas in the Pelham area. The Niagara Escarpment bisects the central portion of the CAP in an east-west orientation, and major stream systems (Twelve Mile, Fifteen Mile, Sixteen Mile, Eighteen Mile and Twenty Mile creeks) cross the CAP, emptying northward into Lake Ontario through lakefront marshes and ponds. |
|
Niagara River Corridor Conservation Action Plan(completed February 2010) The Niagara River Corridor CAP area covers approximately 20,000 ha (200 km2) extending between Lake Ontario in the north and Lake Erie in the South. The Welland Canal and the Niagara River form its western and eastern boundaries, respectively. Forest is the dominant ecosystem in the CAP but rivers, wetlands and prairies of high conservation value also occur.
|
|
Ausable River - Kettle Point to Pinery Conservation Action Plan(completed March 2010) The Ausable River – Kettle Point to Pinery CAP (ARKPP CAP) covers approximately 60,000 ha of land along the southeastern shore of Lake Huron between Kettle Point and Grand Bend, and extends inland to include the lower sections of the Ausable River and several other subwatersheds. The area supports plants and animals characteristic of the Carolinian Life Zone, many of which are provincially, nationally and globally rare. Download full report here
|
|
Upper Thames River Conservation Action PlanThe Upper Thames River CAP covers 39,040 ha (96,470 acres; 390.4 km2) of land extending from Fanshawe Lake at the northeast end of the City of London southwest to the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. The CAP includes portions of five subwatersheds of the Upper Thames River as well as a small portion of the Lower Thames River watershed. Despite the fact that much of the area is occupied by Canada’s tenth largest city, with a metropolitan population of 457,000 people (Statistics Canada 2006), the Upper Thames River CAP provides habitat for least 33 extant terrestrial and aquatic SAR, with another dozen or so SAR having occurred historically.
|
|
Elgin Greenway Conservation Action Plan(completed March 2012) The Elgin Greenway CAP (EGCAP) area extends across the central part of Lake Erie’s north coast (188,100 ha) encompassing all of Elgin County. The area is home to a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna, many of them “Carolinian”, at the northern edges of their ranges. The CAP includes parts of the Thames River, Otter Creek, Catfish Creek, Kettle Creek and watersheds. Forests are the dominant ecosystems in the area, but wetland and prairie habitats of high conservation value also occur.
|
|
|
|
Rondeau – Erie Coast Conservation Action Plan(completed August 2013) The Rondeau – Erie Coast Conservation Action Plan (CAP) area covers 67044 ha (670.44 km2) of land along the north shore of western Lake Erie. Wetlands are the dominant ecosystems in the CAP area, along with forest, savannah and prairie habitats of high conservation value. The Rondeau – Erie Coast CAP is home to a remarkable diversity of southern flora and fauna with a total of at least 359 species of birds, 30 reptiles and amphibians, 35 mammals, 87 butterflies, 79 fish and more than 850 taxa of vascular plants recorded in Rondeau Provincial Park. The area provides habitat for at least 33 extant terrestrial and aquatic Species at Risk (SAR), with another 27 SAR having occurred historically. Several globally and provincially rare ecological communities also occur (e.g. Moist - Fresh Tallgrass Prairie Type, Moist - Fresh Black Oak - White Oak Tallgrass Woodland Type).
|
|
|
Lake St. Clair Coastal Conservation Action Plan(completed August 2013) The Lake St. Clair Coastal Conservation Action Plan (CAP) area covers 47790.45 ha (477.9 km2) of land along the eastern shoreline of Lake St. Clair. Wetlands are the dominant ecosystem in the Lake St. Clair Coastal CAP area, but prairie habitats of high conservation value also occur. The Lake St. Clair Coastal CAP is situated in one of the southernmost portions of Canada and is home to a remarkable diversity of southern flora and fauna. A total of at least 180 species of breeding birds, 23 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 36 mammals, nearly 90 butterflies and more than 1100 vascular plants have been recorded in the municipality of Chatham-Kent. The CAP area provides habitat for at least 14 extant terrestrial and aquatic Species at Risk (SAR), with another 15 SAR having occurred historically. Several globally and provincially rare ecological communities also occur (e.g. Moist - Fresh Tallgrass Prairie Type, Dry Tallgrass Prairie Type).
|
|
|
Sydenham River Conservation Action Plan(completed March 2014) The Sydenham River Conservation Action Plan (CAP) area covers 267, 524 ha (2675 km2) of land covering most of the Sydenham River watershed. This includes portions of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Lambton and Middlesex Counties. The Sydenham River CAP is situated in the southernmost part of Canada and is home to a remarkable diversity of southern flora and fauna. Some of this diversity includes at least 153 species of breeding birds, 34 mussels, and 80 fish. The CAP area provides habitat for at least 56 extant terrestrial and aquatic Species at Risk (SAR), with another 13 SAR having occurred historically, plus 94 rare species tracked by the Natural Heritage Information Centre. |
|
|
Grand River Conservation Action Plan(completed March 2014) The Grand River Conservation Action Plan (CAP) area covers 203,544 ha (2035.44 km2) of land north of the eastern portion of Lake Erie, encompassing a large part of Haldimand County, part of Brant County and the Six Nations of Grand River. The Grand River CAP is situated in the southernmost part of Canada and is home to a remarkable diversity of southern flora and fauna. Some of this diversity includes at least 151 species of breeding birds, 19 species of reptiles, 18 species of amphibians, 37 species of mammals, 80 species of fish and over 48 species of butterflies. The area provides habitat for at least 65 terrestrial and aquatic Species at Risk (SAR), with over 110 additional rare species. There are also 6 Globally and Provincially Rare Vegetation Communities. |
