Appendix 7: Participate Information Sheet and Registration Form
Carp Hills –South March Highlands Bio-Blitz
May 28, 2011
The goal of the Bio-Blitz is to identify as many species as possible within a limited time
period and record all observations of species at risk in the Natural Heritage Information
Centre database. A final report will be prepared and published electronically with a listing
of all species.
The focus is on City owned lands and a number of parcels held by private landowners in
the Carp Hills and the South March Highlands. Little of the property in the Carp Hills has
been studied in detail. This is an opportunity to explore an area of the City that is still
quite remote.
The bio-blitz will take place May 28, 2011. All participants are asked to complete the
registration form and return by email. Printed copies will be available for you to sign
when you check-in on the day of the blitz. Details of your plans for the day can be added
at that time. This is primarily for safety reasons. Base camp is located at 3790 Carp
Road in the Carp Agricultural Hall right next door to the Farmers Market.
Habitats are listed briefly at the end of this note. I will email maps and field data forms
the week of May 23rd. Paper versions will also be available at the Hall on the day of the
bio-blitz.
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. should contact Linda
McCormick (613-986-6608) to make arrangements.
Collecting small numbers of specimens, strictly for identification purposes, will be
permitted.
All participants must report to the Carp Agricultural Hall to sign-in and be oriented to the
access points. Access points are located throughout the area and will be indicated by
numbered signs. Most of the access points are located at private residences where
landowners have agreed to host participants. Please make sure you introduce yourself
before setting off into the field.
Coffee, water, and restrooms will be available at the Hall and at some of the jumping off
points. Snacks will be available throughout the day in the Hall, but given distances and
terrain you should plan to bring your own lunch. Fast food is available in the urban areas
near the South March Highlands, but the Carp Hills are rural and the closest food outlets
are in Carp.
Microscopes will be available for your use throughout the event.
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
Appendix 7: Participate Information Sheet and Registration Form
found. Volunteers will provide a pot luck supper and individuals or groups are asked to
give a 5-10 minute talk about the significance (or lack thereof) of their findings, and give
their general natural history perspective of the region. A computer and projector will be
available to share photographs.
We have a number of amateur and professional photographers who would like to
shadow participants to create a photo-library of species and habitats (not participants). If
you are willing to have a photographer accompany you in the field, please indicate your
agreement on the registration form.
There are many reasons why a one day investigation is not completely sufficient to
document the biota present, but your immediate impressions will provide important
insights and help direct future study. If you will be attending the potluck dinner and are
willing to share your findings, please indicate your agreement on the registration form.
We would like to make duplicates of all field sheets and notes before you leave the hall.
They will be sent to you later for verification. We will have computers available for
entering your results or you can work them up later and submit them (no later than July
31, 2011) to us via email. If you are really pressed for time, we will be happy to enter the
data for you.
We ask you to use a healthy dose of common sense and sensitivity when entering
private properties. The landowners are very interested in supporting the project and
knowing what is on their land. However, they expect there will be no damage or removal
of excessive numbers of samples.
Finally, I encourage you to spread the word and recruit additional help. The area is very
large, has a variety of habitats and high level of bio-diversity. All areas of field expertise/
interests are welcome!
So far the following groups and agencies are providing assistance:
Ottawa Field Naturalists
Ottawa Stewardship Council
Canadian Biodiversity Institute
City of Ottawa
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists
For further information or to discuss your requirements, contact Linda McCormick (613986-6608) lindamccormick@xplornet.com or check out the website at
http://carphills.wordpress.com/
Appendix 7: Participate Information Sheet and Registration Form
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
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
southeastern 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 southeastern
Ontario.
Dan Brunton’s study of the South March Highlands in 1992 identified the following
habitats:
WETLAND HABITATS
Open Water
Marsh
Thicket Swamp
Early Successional Mixed Swamp Forest
Early Successional Deciduous Swamp Forest
Late Successional Deciduous Swamp Forest
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
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 southwestern 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
Appendix 7: Participate Information Sheet and Registration Form
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.
Rock Barrens
Exposed granitic bedrock ridges and outcrops are common throughout the Precambrianbased portions of the Conservation Forest, especially in the west above the Hazeldean
Escarpment and north of the railway near Huntmar Road. These areas are still
regenerating from the impact of the fires of 1870, as well as from logging and former
agricultural practices (grazing). These sites have hot, very dry microclimates with
substrates consisting of a mixture of bare rock, thin moss and lichen mats and very
shallow soil (Figure 13). Such sites are usually associated with a variety of early
successional forest vegetation. A herbaceous cover of native and introduced grasses
and herbs of open, dry sites characterize the habitat, with isolated clumps of droughttolerant shrubbery and/or tree saplings.
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.
Appendix 7: Participate Information Sheet and Registration Form
Carp Hills - South March Highlands Bio-Blitz, May 28, 2011
Participant Registration Form
Name:
Hometown:
Affiliation (university/museum/government/other):
Email:
Cell phone (or land line):
Vehicle description and licence number:
Specialty:
Indicate one of : Scientist, Graduate Student, Undergraduate Student, Amateur
Specialist, Other:
Despite its proximity to an urban centre, the area included in this bio-blitz is very large
and quite rugged. I understand that by volunteering to participate, I do so at my own risk
and will not hold the organizers or property owners liable in case of injury.
The property owners have agreed to permit access to walkers only and limit the removal
of material to specimens required to confirm identification. These permissions are given
for May 28, 2011 only.
I also agree to carry a working cell phone or travel with _____________________ who
has a phone (include number above). I also agree to provide a summary of my findings
plus a copy of my field notes to the organizers.
Anticipated work plan: include area(s) and approximate time(s) if known. (Otherwise,
please indicate the habitat that is your priority so we can direct you to an appropriate
area or jumping off point)
I will/will not attend the potluck dinner on Saturday evening.
I am/ am not willing to have a photographer shadow me in the field.
_____________________________________
Signature of participant
Please contact Linda McCormick at (613) 986-6608 or lindamccormick@xplornet.com,
should you have any questions or concerns before or after the Bio-Blitz.