Minesing Wetlands, Ontario Canada

About

The Minesing Wetlands is one of the most significant wetland systems in southern Ontario, covering 6,000 ha (15,000 acres). This wetland, the third largest in the southern portion of the province, supports extremely high biodiversity values as it is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals, including globally rare vegetation communities, regionally rare wetland types, and many provincially and/or globally rare species.

Funding support: Municipal levy / donations

Number of staff: 30 staff for the entire Conservation Authoity. Approximately 4 staff work on a very part time basis within Minesing Wetlands throughout the year.

Overall aims of the centre

Watershed resource management.

Description of the centre

The Minesing Wetlands is one of the most significant wetland systems in southern Ontario, covering 6,000 ha (15,000 acres). This wetland, the third largest in the southern portion of the province, supports extremely high biodiversity values as it is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals, including globally rare vegetation communities, regionally rare wetland types, and many provincially and/or globally rare species.

Serving as a major waterfowl staging area and white tailed deer wintering yard this wetland is also home to the oldest and 5th largest Blue Heron Colony in Ontario. The area has several natural heritage designations, including an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest, a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) and is included on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.

This area also falls under the provincially significant Life Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) designation. This designation defines areas as having natural landscapes or features with life science values related to protection, natural heritage appreciation, scientific study or education (Environment Canada Minesing Wetlands has also been designated as an internationally significant wetland by the worldwide RAMSAR convention in October 1996.

Three types of significant areas within the wetlands are recognized by the RAMSAR classification systems: Riverine Wetlands (Type M), Perennial, emergent floodplain wetland (Type P) and Peatland bog and fen (Type U) (RAMSAR 1996).

The Minesing Wetlands area is listed as a Simcoe County Greenland, noted to be significant for its role in flood storage and also the aforementioned PSW and ANSI status. The County of Simcoe Greenland system helps ensure that the scale, form and location of development are such that the features and functions of the natural heritage system are sustained for future generations. 2009).