| Jun 08, 2016


The Frontenac Stewardship Council brought a number of local and regional organizations together at the Clar-Mill Hall in Plevna last Saturday to present information of cultural and environmental/ecological interest.

“This area is blessed with unbelievable natural riches, and on that land, many generations of people have added other riches,” said event organizer Gray Merriam.

The event was designed to build on a similar event that was held two years ago at North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne, but the focus was different this time around. At Cloyne, forestry and alternative energy proposals were a focus, and there were a number of formal presentations, as well as involvement from the school community

It was a drop-in event, with booths set up by a dozen different organizations.

They included booths by local artisans, who are putting the finishing touches on the Back Country Studio Tour this September, and the Clarendon-Millar Archives.

Glenn Tunnock, who is a land use planner and has written a thesis on the Algonquin Land Claim, provided information about the Algonquin Land Claim and its implications for landowners.

Members of Mazinaw Lanark Forestry, a corporation owned by local foresters who have the contracts for forestry on Crown Lands in the region, were on hand to talk about sustainable forestry practices.

The Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust was also there, with information about the 358-acre Rose Hill Nature Reserve, which is located at the northwest junction of North Frontenac and Addington Highlands.

One group that has an interest in North Frontenac but has a lower profile in the region is The Land Between.

Leora Berman is the founder and chief executive officer of the group, which is a Haliburton-based organization dedicated to developing an understanding, appreciation, and ultimately the preservation of a large swath of land in Central and Eastern Ontario.

The Land Between (TLB) refers to an “eco-tone”, a region located between two major geological regions, in this case the region between the St. Lawrence Lowlands to the south and the Canadian Shield to the north.

It is described on the TLB website as being “characterized by low relief exposed granite to the north side and 'stepping stones' of limestone plain along the south side. Small and connected lakes and wetlands between these dry open ridges and patches of cool shaded forest are the patterns of this unique natural system. “The physical character of The Land Between, as an eco-tone, is shaped by fundamental transitions in: geology; physiography; climate; and elevation.

The Land Between is the outer reach for species from both sides, in addition to being the home base for other species, making it the region with the highest biodiversity in the province. It is also set to play a major role in maintaining species in the face of the effects of climate change, as some species retreat to the north because of climate change and others retreat to the south.

The Land Between is at the northern limit for species in Ontario such as White Oak, Woodchuck, Yellow-throated Vireo, Cottontail, Green Heron, Chorus Frog, Common Crow and others.

It is at the southern limit for Shield species such as Grey Wolf, Moose, American Raven, Jack Pine, River Otter and others, and other rare and unique species are found in TLB that rely on the region for survival, such as Ontario’s only lizard, the Five-lined Skink, the Golden Winged Warbler, Whippoorwill, Common Nighthawk, snakes, turtles, etc.

While The Land Between generally follows a line parallel to but slightly above Highway 7, in Frontenac County the rock outcrops, thin soil, mixture of limestone and granite, and marshes and fens, extend south to the Godfrey area, and include most of Central and North Frontenac. Certainly, as bleary-eyed residents can attest, there are Whippoorwills throughout that area.

The Land Between is a charitable organization with a board made up of a majority of First Nation members. Its goal is to provide research and to foster public awareness of the land and the culture of the region.

The preponderance of undeveloped Crown Land in North Frontenac makes the township important for TLB, because many of the larger and some of the smaller lakes in Muskoka and Haliburton counties have been developed to the point where they are no longer a suitable habitat for all of the species that were supported in the past.

“In order for a lake to continue to provide for the habitat in its vicinity it needs to remain at least 75% untouched,” said Leora Berman.

“As lakes are developed, there are ways to do it so that condominium and resort developments allow for the shoreline to be shared, keeping most of the lakefront intact.”

TLB has a number of projects on the go, including some major habitat research projects; education campaigns, The Land Between Book an educational video about the role hunting plays culturally and ecologically in the region; and the Turtle Guardian Campaign, which is aimed at youth.

“No other species can replace the role that turtles play in cleaning the water in our lakes,” said Berman, “so with the turtle population down by 50% all over Ontario, and most turtles now on the endangered list, we are all at risk.”

For further information on TLB, go to thelandbetween.ca

Support local
independant journalism by becoming a patron of the Frontenac News.