Kawartha Land Trust’s Forbes Lane Property consists mainly of deciduous forest and conifer swamp with a small area of cultural mixed forest.

The property’s size and proximity to lands protected by other conservation organizations means that a significant amount of the land is considered interior forest, which provides more mature and less disturbed habitat for species that rely upon it.

This extensive tract of forest provides habitat for mammals like White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Fisher, and interior forest birds like the Pileated Woodpecker and Wood Thrush, a species of Special Concern.

The conifer swamp on the property is part of the Dummer Lake Complex South Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW), an important floodplain for the Indian River that helps to slow water and filter pollutants before they reach the river.

Found within the swamp are a diversity of trees, including Black Ash. Black Ash trees are just one of the many species of ash trees under threat from the Emerald Ash Borer. In January 2022, Black Ash was officially designated as “Endangered.”

White-tailed Deer, whose tracks were seen during KLT’s first visits to the property, browse upon the Eastern White Cedar found within the swamp, particularly during the winter months. The conservation of this swamp will help ensure this beloved species has enough food and habitat to make it through future winters.

Additionally, the swamp’s vernal pools create predator-free breeding habitats for certain species like the Blue-spotted Salamander and at-risk Western Chorus Frog.

Along the northern boundary of this forest, is a 20-foot limestone ridge, where water seepage was observed. The damp and cool cracks and crevices of this ridge can provide habitat for a diversity of lichens, mosses, and liverworts. At the base of the ridge, pooling occurs before the water is routed into a small stream, creating habitat for breeding amphibians and moisture-loving forest plants.

The conservation of this property also ensures that its natural features and important carbon storage capabilities will be protected from future development.

The ECCC’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF) is a $631-million, 10-year fund to support projects that restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands and grasslands that store and capture carbon. Nature-based solutions are actions that conserve, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, build resilience and improve water quality, and provide critical habitat for Canada’s wildlife.

Conserving and restoring nature is fundamental to mitigating and adapting to climate change. The climate and nature crises are inextricably linked. Climate change is altering the water cycle, resulting in flooding, droughts, and wildfires. It is one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss, which is proceeding at an unprecedented rate with up to one million species currently at risk of extinction. Canada is committed to nature-based solutions to build resilience and help Canada meet its 2030 and 2050 climate change objectives.