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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
[email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 <[email protected]>
To: Bird Alert Ontbirds <[email protected]>; WEP Birds
<[email protected]>
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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Send bird reports to [email protected]
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--- End Message ---
_______________________________________________
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial
birding organization.
Send bird reports to [email protected]
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
Posting guidelines can be found at
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
