Long Point Bay and the rest of old Norfolk County comprise a unique region of southern Ontario which is critically important to several species of North America's waterfowl. The Bay is one of the most important waterfowl staging areas in North America, while the non-coastal portions of old Norfolk County also provide important foraging and migratory stopover sites for ducks, geese and swans. Long Point Bay was saved from overexploitation in the mid 1800s by conservation-minded hunters; today it enjoys protection from numerous public and private interests. Much of old Norfolk County drains directly into the Inner Long Point Bay through Big Creek and Dedrick Creek. Consequently, the land-use practices and cropping intensity within old Norfolk County have the potential to have a direct and profound effect on the ecology of Long Point Bay. Fortunately, old Norfolk County has been largely exempted from the ravages of excessive urbanization and unsustainable farming practices, and it is one of the most heavily forested regions of southern Ontario (between 18 and 25% forest cover).