PHOTO COURTESY OF THUNDER BAY FIELD NATURALISTS
Four hundred and ten acres in the Municipality of Neebing overlooking Lake Superior outside Thunder Bay, Ontario, has been purchased by the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists to establish a new nature reserve. Under zoning regulations, the area could have been opened up for housing, but the purchase will protect the area for nature lovers and wildlife, offering two inland lakes, some dramatic cliffs, and a small creek that flows from Ward Lake down towards Sturgeon Bay. Tree species on the property include jack pine, white pine, and both red and sugar maple. The area, to be called The Ward Lake Nature Reserve, will be accessible to hikers but off-limits for hunting and motorized vehicles. The nearby cliffs were the site of the first re-introduction of Peregrine Falcons into Ontario back in 1989, and Peregrines still nest in the area today. The Ward Lake Nature Reserve will protect an excellent example of the Nor’westers landscape that dominates the area south of the city.
“There’s lots of other Crown land nearby where people can enjoy those pursuits, so it’s nice to have one place that’s protected for the animals, for the birds, for the habitat where people don’t damage it. It remains natural,” explains spokesperson Susan Bryan, reports TBnewswatch.com.
The cliffs in the area were the first release site for peregrine falcons reintroduced to the Thunder Bay area. “We all know that since then, there’s been great success for falcons here, and it’s not uncommon to see them flying alongside those cliffs. They nest nearby on other cliffs…That particular habitat has been important for the birds,” adds Bryan.
Funds from other projects had to be allocated for the purchase of the land, and the public can help contribute to raising additional funds by donating at TBFN’s website, tbfn.net.
