[Ontbirds] Point Pelee National Park in Leamington - temporarily closed
Hello Ontario birders,
Since the park has not posted about this here, and only briefly on Facebook and to a limited email list, I want to make sure that the Ontario birding community knows that Point Pelee National Park in Essex County is closed from January 7 to January 19 of this year for 'deer management'. Hopefully this message prevents people from making the trip in the next week only to find a closed park. From what I understand it will be open again after January 19.
I have no official affiliation with Point Pelee National Park or Parks Canada, so I have little information to offer beyond the above. Questions about this topic should go to Parks Canada or Point Pelee staff. I just think birders should know this in case anyone is planning a trip here in the coming week.
Good birding!
Jeremy Bensette
Leamington
Point Pelee National Park Temporarily Closed to Visitors January 7-19, 2016
Leamington, Ontario, January 5, 2016 – Parks Canada advises that Point Pelee National Park will be closed to visitors January 7 to January 19, 2016.
The reason for the closure is that Parks Canada and Caldwell First Nation will be conducting a deer population reduction in the park for a second year as part of a multi-year plan to restore ecosystems at Point Pelee National Park. Hyperabundant deer are a serious threat to forest and savannah ecosystems at Point Pelee National Park. Through over-browsing, the deer in the park are threatening the health of the Carolinian Forest which is home to many Species at Risk such as Dwarf Hackberry and Red Mulberry trees. Heavy browsing by deer is also jeopardizing park efforts to restore the Lake Erie Sandspit Savannah, a globally rare ecosystem that supports 25% of the Species at Risk in the park.
Based on over 30 years of research and monitoring, a healthy balanced ecosystem at Point Pelee National Park would ideally support 24 to 32 deer. Estimates place the current deer population at well over 100, and action is needed because the forest and savannah ecosystems are severely impacted by these high numbers.
The deer population reduction is only one of a number of on-going projects, such as planting native Carolinian species and removing invasive plant species, to minimize threats to these fragile ecosystems.
Visitors are asked to contact Point Pelee National Park for more information at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca or 519-322-2365. For up-to-date information on park closures, please visit the Parks Canada website at www.pc.gc.ca/pelee.
Fermeture temporaire du parc national de la Pointe-Pelée du 7 au 19 janvier 2016
Leamington (Ontario), le 5 janvier 2016 – Parcs Canada informe la population que le parc national de la Pointe-Pelée sera fermé du 7 au 19 janvier 2016.
Le parc sera fermé car, pour une deuxième année, Parcs Canada et la Première Nation de Caldwell veilleront à la réduction de la population de cerfs dans le cadre d’un plan pluriannuel de restauration des écosystèmes dans le parc national de la Pointe-Pelée. La surpopulation de cerfs pose une grave menace aux écosystèmes de la forêt et de la savane du parc national de la Pointe-Pelée. Le broutage excessif des cerfs menace la santé de la forêt carolinienne qui est l’habitat de nombreuses espèces en péril, notamment le micocoulier rabougri et le mûrier rouge. Il compromet aussi les efforts du parc visant à restaurer l’écosystème de la savane du cordon sablonneux du lac Érié, qui représente une rareté à l’échelle mondiale et qui supporte 25 % des espèces en péril dans le parc.
Trente années de recherches et de surveillance ont permis de constater que dans un écosystème équilibré, le parc national de la Pointe-Pelée peut idéalement accueillir de 24 à 32 cerfs. On estime que la population actuelle de cerfs est bien supérieure à 100 individus. Des mesures sont donc nécessaires, car les écosystèmes de la forêt et de la savane s’en trouvent gravement altérés.
La réduction de la population de cerfs est seulement l’un des nombreux projets, comme la plantation d’espèces caroliniennes indigènes et l’élimination d’espèces de plantes envahissantes, visant à réduire les menaces envers ces écosystèmes fragiles.
Nous invitons les visiteurs qui souhaitent obtenir de plus amples renseignements à communiquer avec le parc national de la Pointe-Pelée en écrivant à pelee.info@pc.gc.caou en composant le 519-322-2365. Pour obtenir les plus récentes informations concernant les fermetures du parc, veuillez consulter le site Web de Parcs Canada www.pc.gc.ca/pelee
Visitor Services
Point Pelee National Park
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeremy Bensette jeremy_bensette@hotmail.com
To: Bird Alert Ontbirds birdalert@ontbirds.ca; WEP Birds wepbirds@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, Jan 13, 2016 5:21 pm
Subject: [Ontbirds] Point Pelee National Park in Leamington - temporarily closed
Hello Ontario birders,
Since the park has not posted about this here, and only briefly on Facebook and to a limited email list, I want to make sure that the Ontario birding community knows that Point Pelee National Park in Essex County is closed from January 7 to January 19 of this year for 'deer management'. Hopefully this message prevents people from making the trip in the next week only to find a closed park. From what I understand it will be open again after January 19.
I have no official affiliation with Point Pelee National Park or Parks Canada, so I have little information to offer beyond the above. Questions about this topic should go to Parks Canada or Point Pelee staff. I just think birders should know this in case anyone is planning a trip here in the coming week.
Good birding!
Jeremy Bensette
Leamington
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