Friends of Wye Marsh

Wye Marsh IBA, Ontario

Friends of Wye Marsh is a non-profit organization committed to connecting people to nature and promoting an understanding of the vital role wetlands play within the environment. For the past 20 years this organization has had stewardship and management responsibilities for approximately 1000 hectares that make up the Wye Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area which includes the IBA.

The Wye Marsh IBA is home to a significant number of Black Terns and Least Bitterns, both of which are listed as vulnerable in Ontario. The Friends of Wye Marsh will monitor and collect data on the population sizes, nest success and habitat requirements for these species. The information will help fill in gaps from the 2000 and 2001 surveys and will provide guidance for future stewardship and management activities.

In addition to monitoring Least Bittern and Black Tern populations, The Friends of Wye Marsh will also develop and implement an education and awareness campaign about the Wye Marsh IBA. The program will include displays, signage and educational materials about the IBA, the bird species utilizing the area and what can be done to help conservation measures at the site.

Birding Guide to the Carden Alvar

Carden Plan IBA

Carden Plain IBA, Ontario

The Carden Plain IBA is one of the last strongholds of the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike. In order to educate the public about the importance of conserving this local population of the endangered Shrike, the Carden Plain IBA group has produced a Guide to the IBA. This 18 page illustrated guide includes information on the species, its habitat, viewing areas and birding ethic. The hope is that increased public awareness will translate into increased public support for habitat protection for the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike by the local municipality. With the help of the Canadian Nature Federation's support the Carden IBA will be able to make some updates to the guide and print another 2000 copies for distribution.

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Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) Communities in Action Projects

In addition, from January to March of 2004, the Canadian Nature Federation supported Communities in Action projects at IBAs with funding from the Government of Canada Stewardship Program for Species at Risk. These projects focussed on habitat stewardship at IBAs for bird species at risk:

Community Conservation Planning for Loggerhead Shrikes and Other Grassland Birds

Kingston Field Naturalists

Napanee Limestone Plain IBA, Ontario

The Napanee Limestone Plain is a large IBA in eastern Ontario. Grassland, pasture, and alvar vegetation in the IBA support an important community of breeding birds, including two endangered species, Henslow's Sparrow and Eastern Loggerhead Shrike. Land-use changes are of concern in the IBA, where activities such as quarrying and lack of constant grazing result in a loss of habitat for these grassland dependent species. With CNF's support, the Kingston Field Naturalists have written a Community Conservation Plan for the IBA, which will allow the many stakeholders in the area to contribute more effectively to bird and habitat conservation by setting out key strategic actions to be accomplished.

Restoring Connecting Forest Habitat for Species at Risk

Norfolk Field Naturalists

Norfolk Forest Complex IBA, Ontario

The Norfolk Forest Complex, located along the north shore of Ontario's Lake Erie, comprises some of the most ecologically significant deciduous forest in Canada. This forest habitat is home to a very high diversity of species at risk, including several at risk breeding bird species: Acadian Flycatcher (endangered), Prothonotary Warbler (endangered), Hooded Warbler (threatened), Cerulean Warbler (special concern), and Louisiana Waterthrush (special concern). CNF supported the work of the Norfolk Field Naturalists, who undertook thinning of a pine plantation within the IBA. This was done to allow native oak forest and savannah habitat to regenerate, which will help to connect existing patches of native forest - important habitat used by a multitude of species at risk.

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