Credit Isobel Ralston
Map provides approximate location.
Blue Heron Wetlands
Carleton Place, ON
Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust – 2023
43 hectares
Property Description
Blue Heron Wetlands was protected by the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) in 2023 thanks to the support of MapleCross and other generous funders, grants, and community donors.
The property spans 43 hectares, and adjoins three other properties that have been under MMLT’s protection since 2014. This creates a 365-hectare contiguous stretch of natural lands within the Scotch Corners Wetland Complex that will be protected in perpetuity for the benefit of the environment and future generations.
Blue Heron Wetlands is mostly an extensive marsh surrounding a central pond. The marsh is dominated by sedges, reeds, and cattails, which provide habitat for a wide range of animals including frogs, turtles, and muskrats. Many species of ducks, including Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers, nest in the marsh. Wading birds include both Great Blue Herons and Green Herons. There may also be as many as seven species of frogs, including Gray Treefrogs. Many species of tree occur near this wetland area, including hemlock, ash, and elm.
The upland areas around the pond have a forest that is typical for the region: maple, ironwood, oak, and basswood trees. It also has some less common species including American Beech, Black Cherry, Yellow Birch, Bur Oak, and Rock Elm. The forest floor has a dense carpet of sedges, lichens, and mosses covering the gneiss bedrock. These forests provide breeding habitat for birds that migrate from Central America to breed each summer, including species such as Ovenbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The property also supports many other kinds of neotropical migrants including Scarlet Tanagers, Great-crested Flycatchers, Black-throated Green Warblers, and Northern Orioles. Year-round residents include Blue Jays, Pileated Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Barred Owls. The forests also provide habitat for several species of salamander including Red-backed Salamanders.
The property provides habitat for multiple species that are at risk of extinction. These include: Blanding’s Turtle, Eastern Wood-pewee, Black Ash, and Butternut.
Students, researchers, and others interested in learning about wetland and forested environments are encouraged to engage with this special property.
Content and property pictures courtesy of Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust.
