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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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NIAGARA ESCARPMENT |
 © Photo: Willy Waterton |
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| General Description |
The Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve in Ontario stretches 725 km from Lake Ontario (near Niagara Falls) to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula (between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron). The Escarpment corridor crosses two major biomes: boreal needle leaf forests in the north and temperate broadleaf forest in the south. It also includes wetland complexes, cliff faces, slopes and aquatic ecosystems. The biosphere reserve includes the provincial Niagara Escarpment Plan Area and two national parks. There is a backbone of strictly protected lands at and near the cliff face. The biosphere reserve is managed according to a series of land use designations with decreasing levels of various protection corresponding to core, buffer and co-operation (transition) zones. About 120,000 people live in the area, including 1,000 First Nations. The number rises to 1,090,000 when including the population of the urbanized areas straddling the biosphere reserve limits (2002). Main occupations vary, from wine production, tourism and tender and mixed fruit farming in the south to cattle farming and adventure tourism in the north. A web site, printed materials and a monitoring and habitat enhancement program help raise public awareness about the aims of the biosphere reserve. |
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| Major ecosystem type | Temperate broadleaf forests or woodlands | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Mixed forests with sugar maple (Acer saccharum), red maple (A. rubrum), beech (Fagus grandifolia) and red oak (Quercus rubra); escarpment rim woodland includes eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) and white birch (Betula papyrifera) along with ferns and bryophytes; lake shores characterized by Thuja occidentalis, willow (Salix spp.) and Physocarpus opulifolius; shallow lake vegetation with Salix spp., Cornus sp., Scirpus sp. and Typha latifolia; bog complex supporting Larix laricina, Thuja occidentalis and Rhamnus alnifolia; limestone cliffs, crevices and talus slopes with ferns; caves; agroecosystems with maize, mixed grains, fruits etc.; forestry systems with sugar maple (Acer saccharum), oaks (Quercus rubra and Q. alba) and pines (Pinus strobus, P. sylvestris and P. resinosa) | |||
| Location | 43°10' to 45°15N; 79°03' to 81°40'W | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 190,270 | |||
| Core area(s) | ~ 26,300 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 93,340 | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | ~ 87,600 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | -90 to +560 | |||
| Year designated | 1990 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Niagara Escarpment Commission | |||
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| Brief description |
Acidic deposition Anthropogenic pollutants Cultural anthropology Fish/wildlife population dynamics Biological surveys of flora and fauna Ecosystem studies/succession/fire effects Ecosystem restoration Invasive species monitoring Great Lakes level changes 13 SI/MAB forest biodiversity plots Mining reclamation Recreation/tourism impacts Mapping of the different zones of the biosphere reserve Tree health assessment The Biosphere Reserve has developed a monitoring framework identifying key environmental indicators Indicators of sustainability relevant to economic activities: Forest fragmentation satellite image analysis; forest interior bird nesting success Water quality monitoring |
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| Specific variables... | ||||
| Abiotic | Abiotic factors, acidic deposition/acid rain, hydrology, monitoring/methodologies, pollution, pollutants. | |||
| Biodiversity | Alien/Invasive/Exotic/Introduced species, biodiversity, ecosystem assessment, fauna, fires/fire ecology, fishes, flora, forest systems, methodologies, phytosociology/succession, population genetics/population dynamics, restoration/rehabilitation/redevelopment, wildlife. | |||
| Socio-economic | Anthropological studies/Anthropology, indicators of sustainability, mining, recreation, tourism. | |||
| Integrated monitoring | Environmental quality, impact and risk studies/environmental impact, mapping, monitoring/methodologies, planning and zoning measures/zonation. | |||
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| Contact address |
Richard Murzin Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association c/o Niagara Escarpment Commission, 232 Guelph Street L7G 4B1 Georgetown, Ontario Canada |
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| Telephone | (1.905) 877 8144 | |||
| Fax | (1.905) 873 7452 | |||
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richard.murzin@mnr.gov.on.ca scarp@netrover.com |
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| Web site | www.escarpment.org/biosphere/world.html | |||
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| Last updated: 26/02/2007 |
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