Introduction

Ecological Significance

The following are the key conservation values, based on desktop analyses and field evaluations:

• Metamorphic rock barrens have limited occurrence in southern Ontario, but cover 1.2% of the Highlands Corridor.
• Total wetland coverage in the Highlands Corridor is approximately 17.9%, indicating high regional representation. This includes twelve Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) complexes totaling 4,892 ha, approximately 916 ha of an additional candidate PSW, and 13,420 ha of unevaluated wetlands.
• About 23% of the wetlands in the Highlands corridor are fens, bogs or coniferous swamps with deep organic deposits, providing highly valuable functions for climate resilience, including carbon storage and flood prevention.
• 75% of the forests of the Highlands Corridor are mature and 2% qualify as old growth forests. The largest old growth forest identified is the 210 ha Catchacoma Old-growth Forest, notable for Eastern Hemlock.
• The Highlands Corridor supports 39 federal and/or provincial species at risk, and an additional 26 provincially significant species and 43 regionally rare species.
• A circuit theory analysis, conducted to show areas of concentrated wildlife movement, found high priority areas for conservation that enhance connectivity and allow wildlife movement among the three existing provincial parks.
• One candidate provincially significant Earth Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) (Lochlin Esker) and two candidate regionally significant Life Science ANSIs (Lochlin Bog and Silent Lake – Lowrie Lakes) are within or adjacent to the Highlands Corridor.