To help address some of the conservation challenges in the Carolinian Region, LPBLT focuses its actions on the protection of functioning natural systems and priority habitat, such as watersheds, woodlands, wetlands and savanna, as well as the species that depend on these habitats.
Conservation projects
Active Conservation Projects
Conserving Carolinian Reptiles
Nurturing Nature
Past Conservation Projects
Turkey Point Picetum
Konrad Reserve
CONSERVING CAROLINIAN REPTILES
Southern Ontario is rich in reptile diversity, however they are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and multiple other threats related to high human population, such as roadways. As a result, the majority of our reptile species are now designated at risk and many experts fear that populations will continue to decline. In response to this urgent threat, LPBLT has developed a major, multi-year conservation effort to help protect and recover snake and turtle populations, and bring awareness to their ecological importance.
The “Conserving Carolinian Reptiles” project aim to aid in the recovery and conservation of reptile species at risk by identifying and protecting areas of important reptile habitat and creating habitat such as overwintering sites and nesting sites. To find out more about how we create reptile habitat or what you can do, check out our fact sheets and videos.
Another key part of the program is documenting reptile population status and trends. To do this, LPBLT relies on its volunteers to participate in reptile surveys and the greater community to report reptile sightings in the Long Point Basin area. If you have recently spotted a reptile in the Long Point Basin Area and would like to report it, you can report sightings through our online form or call our toll free number (1-844-755-9498).
After six years, LPBLT recently commissioned an indepth review of the impact of the Conserving Carolinian Reptiles project and found that our project is having an impact:
NURTURING NATURE
The community has a vital role to play in conserving ecologically important areas and our native wildlife. LPBLT has launched a multi-year outreach project to engage local communities.
Part of the “Nurturing Nature” project is to allow public access through well marked trails with an interpretive guide to allow people to witness the diverse habitats and the amazing flora and fauna of the Long Point Basin area. Nature events will be held at each reserve that features some of its best attributes or learning about becoming good stewards of nature. It also aims to encourage community members to become stewards of our nature reserves by forming stewardship groups for each nature reserve. If you are interested in becoming a steward or getting involved please visit our volunteer page.
TURKEY POINT PICETUM
Long Point Basin Land Trust has worked with Dr. Alan Gordon since 1998 to help
preserve a unique and globally significant collection of spruce trees (Picea) that have
been assembled from around the world. These trees are an important source of genetic material that, if lost, can never be replaced. Many of the source populations of these trees (from places as far away as China) have disappeared.
KONRAD RESERVE
This reserve is part of the South Walsingham ANSI and is a provincially significant wetland as well as a good example of Carolinian forest. The portion of the property that was in agriculture has been restored by volunteers with a mixture of tree species that are found on site. This 98 acre reserve is owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). LPBLT worked with the NCC to raise the funds to purchase the site and has been responsible for restoring it.