Long Point's Inner and Outer Bays and their associated marshes (hereafter Long Point Bay) represents one of the most important migratory stopover areas for waterfowl in North America (Figure 1.1). This can be attributed to their unique geographic location, the protection afforded by the Long Point spit as well as the conservation efforts of the Long Point Company in purchasing the majority of Long Point in 1866 and conserving it for hunting. The relatively natural state of Long Point Bay can also be credited to the fact that the Big Creek watershed which drains most of old Norfolk County also happens to be one of the most pristine farming areas left in southern Ontario (Figure 1.1). This is because of the extensive reforestation efforts to conserve the highly erodible soils of the old Norfolk Sand Plain in the early 1900s, and several unique farming practices associated with the region's predominant agricultural crop, tobacco. It is quite apparent that waterfowl and their habitats are influenced by numerous physiographic, limnological, cultural, agricultural, and recreational forces, both on Long Point Bay and throughout old Norfolk County. Therefore, while this background report has been presented as a series of chapters pertaining to Long Point Bay and old Norfolk County, it should be remembered that ecological processes within the two regions are interrelated and should be conceptually thought of as a whole.
This report is intended to synthesize and integrate existing information in an attempt to further the ecological as well as agricultural understanding of the region, and to promote the conservation of waterfowl and their habitats. In doing this, key areas of importance or concern for management and wise use of waterfowl and their habitats are identified, while information gaps are identified in the hopes of inspiring research that will ultimately facilitate conservation efforts in generations to come (see Appendix 17 for a matrix of ecological issues and associated management recommendations). Results and suggestions should be of assistance in ensuring the sustainable development of the waterfowl resource within the region, and should also be of interest to local governments and citizens, as well as land-use planners and managers, educators and students. This report will serve as a backdrop for a condensed initiative report which will be used at the grassroots level in an attempt to further promote an understanding of waterfowl and wetlands in old Norfolk County and how these resources can be more effectively managed through sustainable agricultural, developmental and recreational practices.
The completion of this report and the subsequent initiative report is quite timely, as the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV), through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, has identified the lower Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin, and Long Point in particular, as a priority area for waterfowl habitat management. EHJV aims to increase the availability and quality of waterfowl habitats by promoting more sustainable land-use practices that benefit both waterfowl and farmers, and by protecting, enhancing and creating wetlands where appropriate. Therefore, it is hoped that this document and the subsequent initiative report will be useful to resource planners of the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture, as well as those of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Wildlife Service, and the Long Point Region Conservation Authority in their continued valiant quest to conserve the legacy of waterfowl and wetlands throughout the Long Point region.
