The Rural Voice, 2005-07, Page 29wild turkeys.
Wetlands like this are becoming
rarer in southern Ontario. Yet
wetlands can be called the
workhorses of the water cycle. With
today's focus on water quality, the
value of wetlands' function gains
notice. Ducks Unlimited says Canada
contains nearly 25 per cent of all the
wetlands on Earth. Farmers may not
be surprised to learn that about 14 per
cent of Canada is wetland, but that
area is diminishing annually.
In Ontario, wetlands are
categorized as bogs, fens, marshes, or
swamps. True bogs are least common
in southwestern Ontario, with the
Beaverdale Bog near Markdale a rare
example. Fens appear along the Lake
Huron shore, where acidic soil
creates home for exotic plants. Both
bogs and fens, while inhospitable to
agriculture, attract "eco -tourists" who
travel long and far to observe and
enjoy their wild features. One of the
measures economists use to value
wetlandsis the distance people are
willing to travel to them.
This measure would move
Bruce County high on the list.
For farmers here, any
economic benefits come indirectly
from the feeding and hosting of
visitors.
The wetland on your farm is most
likely a marsh or swamp. Marshes,
open areas with standing water and
such plants as cattails, duckweed or
sedges often border creeks, small
lakes, woodlots, and even cultivated
land. The "Bognor Marsh" is actually
three marshes within a 668 -hectare
area managed by Grey Sauble
Conservation Authority. It forms
headwaters of a system of creeks and
rivers known as the Bighead River
watershed.
Swamps — usually treed, wet part
of the year and characterized by
"muck" soils — are notable for their
abundance, when in their natural
state. On maps of southern Ontario,
the Greenock Swamp stands out.
Covering about 20,000 acres, the
Greenock claims top status as the
largest Class 1 Wetland in the
province. About 8,000 acres here are
owned by the SVCA, with plans to
conserve the wetland, while
encouraging use of trails. Within the
Saugeen watershed, this vast stretch
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