The Nature Conservancy of Canada used World Wildlife Day on Sunday to announce it has acquired two new nature reserves in the Kingston area, expanding the Frontenac Arch by 111 hectares.
The first, the Blue Lake nature reserve near Frontenac Provincial Park, is a picturesque 35-hectare site with over 1.4 kilometres of shoreline on Gould and Blue lakes.
Winter in Blue Lake, ON (Photo: Rob McRae)
It features intact deciduous forests, wetlands and the pristine Blue Lake, creating a rich mosaic of habitats that support at-risk species like cerulean warbler, several species of snakes and turtles, and more.
The second expands on the existing Hawkridge Nature Reserve near Elgin, protecting an additional 76 hectares immediately north of the property.
The newly conserved section contains forests, marsh and Provincially Significant Wetlands teeming with waterfowl and other birds, turtles and amphibians and has an active and isolated “heronry” on site, meaning that heron pairs are breeding, nesting and rearing young within the site’s rich aquatic habitats.
The NCC says the land purchases were made possible in part by the Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund, and the Government of Ontario’s Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program.
The Frontenac Arch serves as a funnel for migrating birds, bats and insects, as well as animals with large home ranges, such as black bear, moose and eastern wolf.
The NCC says habitat fragmentation poses the greatest threat to the Frontenac Arch but projects like Blue Lake and the Hawkridge expansion help protect large blocks of habitat so that species that live there can continue to move and thrive.
Eastern Ontarion Program Director Rob McRae says, “The Frontenac Arch is a critical habitat linkage of forests, wetlands and lakes. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is thrilled to observe World Wildlife Day by announcing the successful expansion of existing conservation lands in the Frontenac Arch through today’s announcement of the Blue Lake and Hawkridge projects. These sites will continue to support an incredible array of biodiversity and provide us with a chance to mitigate some of the threats that these species face, such as habitat fragmentation and pressure from development.”
