Appendix 2: Landowner Information and Permission Form
Carp Hills –South March Highlands Bio-Blitz
May 28, 2011
The bio-blitz challenges experts from a number of fields to identify as many species as possible
within a 24-hour period. All observations of species at risk will be recorded in the Natural Heritage
Information Centre database maintained by the Ministry of Natural Resources. A final report will
be prepared and published electronically with a listing of species.
The bio-blitz will take place May 28, 2011. All participants are asked to complete a registration
form. The form includes a waiver stating the terrain is difficult and remote and that they participate
at their own risk. I am also purchasing liability insurance to provide separate coverage.
The official 24-hour count (Blitz) period will start at mid-night on May 27th and end at mid-night on
Saturday, May 28th. There is no rain date; the event will occur rain or shine. Individuals who want
to do night work or start before 7 a.m. will make arrangements with me. I will advise you if any
participants wish to start extremely early or working into the evening.
Participants may only enter your property on foot. I anticipate 40-50 in total, but the area to study
in very large so you may only see a few scientists or possibly none at all. Certainly specialities
may wish to collect a small numbers of specimens strictly for identification purposes. Typically,
the specimens would be limited to insects, moss or lichens.
I have rented the Carp Agricultural Hall to use as a base camp for the bio-blitz. The Hall is located
at 3790 Carp Road in the Carp Agricultural Hall right next door to the Farmers Market.
All participants must report to the Carp Agricultural Hall to sign-in and be oriented to the access
points. Participants parking near your house should introduce themselves before setting off into
the field. All participants will have an identification card. Some participants may enter your land
from an adjoining property.
From 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 28th a preliminary tally and report will occur. At this point
each person or group will present a first cut of the number of species they found.
At 6:30, volunteers will provide a pot luck supper for the scientists only. I regret that landowners
cannot attend the potluck, but response has been so positive that the volunteers preparing the
meal do not feel they can cope with such large numbers. I am hoping to arrange a video of the
presentations that will be posted to the website after the event.
However, the Hall is open to everyone during the day on Saturday. A number of organizations will
have information booths with experts you can speak to about characteristics of the plants and
animals on your property. These organizations (listed on the following page) have generously
provided funding, expertise and/or volunteers that will help create a successful project.
Thank you very much for agreeing to include your property in this study. If you have any
questions or further information, do not hesitate to get in touch.
Linda McCormick
(613-986-6608)
lindamccormick@xplornet.com
http://carphills.wordpress.com/
Carp Hills – South March Highlands Bio-blitz Report
Appendix 2: Landowner Information and Permission Form
The groups and agencies are providing assistance:
Ottawa Field Naturalists
Ottawa Stewardship Fund
Canadian Biodiversity Institute
City of Ottawa
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists
Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust
Conservancy
South March Highlands – Carp River
Conservation
The following information is extracted from: Brunton, Daniel F. 1992 Life Science Areas of
Natural and Scientific Interest in site District 6E-12: A Review and Assessment of Significant
Natural Areas. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Kemptville, Ontario and various studies that
have been completed in the South March Highlands.
The Carp Hills constitute the largest Canadian Shield outcrop in region and the only substantial
“island” of Precambrian bedrock south of the Canadian Shield in south-eastern Ontario. It has
extremely complex bedrock geology, containing a variety of gneissic, granitic and marble
substrates. Accordingly, it supports a number of vegetation-landform complexes which are unique
in region and much of south-eastern Ontario. Including the following habitats:
UPLAND HABITATS
Late Successional Mixed Forest
Late Successional Deciduous Forest
Early Successional Deciduous Forest
Early Successional Mixed Forest
Early Successional Coniferous Forest
Scrub and Thicket
Bedrock Outcrop
Meadow/Abandoned Cropland
Developed/Severely Disturbed Land
WETLAND HABITATS
Open Water
Marsh
Thicket Swamp
Early Successional Mixed Swamp Forest
Early Successional Deciduous Swamp
Forest
Late Successional Deciduous Swamp
Forest
There are two candidate ANSI in the area of this bio-blitz their descriptions identified several
areas as having particular exceptional ecological value.
The Carp Barrens is dominated by the most extensive, best-expressed complex of granite
bedrock barrens on the Carp Ridge and in the site district and southern Ontario east of the
Frontenac Axis. Scattered individuals and clumps of trees (White Pine, Red Maple, Trembling
Aspen, White Birch, Large-toothed Aspen, Red Oak) occupy depressions where a thin layer of
soil has formed. Common Juniper forms dense, low shrub thickets on the outcrops with patches
of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) and Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina). Shallow beaver ponds and
thicket swamp-dominated wetlands are common throughout. Emergent vegetation and marsh
habitats are common in late summer and fall in and around these wetlands, providing feeding
habitat and shelter for resident and migrant birds and mammals alike. An extensive sub-mature
White Pine forest on bedrock dominates the south-western edge of the candidate; few older
forest stands are present as a result of past fires. These are dominated by light and drought
tolerant deciduous species such as Trembling Aspen, Red Oak and Red Maple. Given the
drought experienced in this upland area in most summers, frequent fire was likely a natural
element of the ecology of the Carp Barrens before human settlement occurred.
The South March Highlands is situated on the southern end of the Carp Ridge, a high rolling
terrain with highly irregular drainage, typically thin to absent soil and a complex and rich geology
which is unique in site district 6E-12. It supports unsurpassed representatives of a number of
landform vegetation complexes for the site district, including mature deciduous and mixed upland
forest and mixed and coniferous lowland forest on thinly to deeply buried granite bedrock,
sandstone rockflats, granite-based escarpment forest, and bedrock barren and beaver pond
complexes.
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Appendix 2: Landowner Information and Permission Form
South March Highland – Carp Hills Bio-Blitz
May 28-29, 2011
Address (or lot, concession):
Name:
Phone:
Email:
As the owner the property described above, I give registered participants in the South
March Highlands – Carp Hills Bio-Blitz permission to assess my property or to cross my
property May 28 and May 29, 2011. Permission is granted for this time period only.
Participants must proceed by foot and may only remove samples required to confirm
identification.
Participants enter my property at their own risk, recognizing that the property is
undeveloped, remote and may contain physically challenging terrain or wildlife.
I understand the purpose of the Bio-Blitz is to identify as many species as possible within
this limited time period and that all observations of species at risk will be recorded on the
Natural Heritage Information Centre database and all species will be record in a final
report. The participants are primarily recognized experts and may include volunteers
such as local students who will be assisting with the field work.
Special features on my property:
Participants may park in designated areas to conduct the inventory.
□
Yes
□
No
I am willing to guide participants.
□
Yes
□
_______________________
No
Signature of property owner
Thank you very much assisting in the completion of the inventory. Please contact Linda
McCormick at (613) 839-6608, should you have any questions or concerns before or
after the Bio-Blitz.
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