Road Ecology Working Group

Road ecology is the study of the interactions between the environment and roads. Roads and traffic pose a risk to biodiversity and cause habitat fragmentation. The collaborative Road Ecology Working Group aims to reduce road mortality of Species at Risk and improve habitat connectivity in the Long Point Walsingham Forest.

The priorities of this group are to:

• Increase awareness on the threat of roads to wildlife and engage the local community in stewardship efforts
• Collaborate with Norfolk County to incorporate road ecology guidelines in municipal operations
• Install and maintain dedicated road mitigation infrastructure (e.g. fencing, ecopassages) for Species at Risk amphibians and reptiles

Partner organizations within this group include: Ontario Road Ecology Group (OREG), Norfolk County, Eco-Kare International, Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, and Canadian Wildlife Service as well as local community and naturalist groups.

Invasive Species (Phragmites australis) Working Group

The Phragmites Working Group is a collaborative team targeting the significant threat of the invasive species Phragmites australis throughout the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place (LPWF).

The priorities of this group are to:

• Implement a long-term landscape-scale management plan for Phragmites on private and public lands in the LPWF
• Improve habitat through treatment of Phragmites, secondary re-treatment, and removal of dead Phragmites stands
• Enhance coastal wetlands, shorelines, and riparian areas
• Monitor Species at Risk encountered and the effects of management on aquatic systems

Partner organizations include: The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), Birds Canada (BC), and the Long Point Phragmites Action Alliance (LPPAA).

Agriculture Runoff Working Group

This collaborative group in the Priority Place is working to keep our water clean by mitigating excessive nutrient runoff into our coastal wetlands and Lake Erie.

The priorities of this group are to:

• Restore land with NEW natural features such as suitable wildlife habitat
• Preserve drain corridors through modified practices
• Promote best management practices (BMPs) to landowners
• Increase the number of hectares planted in cover crops

Partner organizations within this group include: ALUS (Alternative Land Use Services) Norfolk, Canadian Wildlife Service, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Norfolk County Drainage Services, and Carolinian Canada.

Open Country Working Group

The collaborative Open Country working group is working to preserve rare and important tallgrass prairie habitat in the Long Point Walsingham Forest (LPWF) Priority Place. Open County refers to any vegetation community where the combined cover of trees and shrubs over 1 m tall is less than 60%, excluding agricultural lands. It encompasses tallgrass communities, which support significant biodiversity, and their deep roots prevent soil erosion and help clean the air and water.

The priorities of this group are to:

• Develop a database on historical and restored tallgrass prairie in the LPWF
• Collaborate on restoration and management activities on private and public lands to improve the condition of tallgrass prairie (like prescribed fire and planting more native flowers)
• Provide opportunities for the public to learn about tallgrass prairie ecosystems and their management
• Support private landowners looking to manage, restore and maintain open country habitat on their lands

Partner organizations within this group include: Natural Resource Solutions Inc., Nature Conservancy of Canada, Long Point Basin Land Trust, St. Williams Conservation Reserve, ALUS Norfolk, Canadian Wildlife Service, and Ontario Nature.

Forests and Treed Swamps working group

The Forests and Treed Swamps Working Group collaborates to address forest fragmentation, invasive forest species, and degradation of interior treed wetlands to keep these systems well-functioning in the Long Point Walsingham Forest (LPWF) Priority Place.

The priorities of this group are to:

• Identify areas of low forest connectivity and improve habitat and increase forest cover through tree planting on private lands
• Implement a project to monitor treed wetland water levels on private and public lands
• Engage woodlot owners, forestry industry, and the public to increase awareness of and practice Species at Risk Best Management Practices
• Develop a model for invasive species control and implement invasive species control on private and public lands

Partner organizations within this group include: ALUS Norfolk, Birds Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Long Point Basin Land Trust, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Norfolk County, Norfolk Woodlot Owner’s Association, and St. Williams Conservation Reserve Community Council.