Frontenac Arch Biosphere - Lansdowne, Ontario, Canada
N 44° 22.205 W 075° 59.115
18T E 421501 N 4913451
The Frontenac Arch is the ancient granite bridge from the Canadian Shield to the Adirondack Mountains. It's incredibly rich natural environment and history was recognized in 2002 when it became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Waymark Code: WMR5HB
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 05/12/2016
Views: 47
The intersection of the Frontenac Arch and the St. Lawrence River Valley forms one of the great crossroads of the continent. The Arch connects the Canadian Shield boreal forest to the forests of the Adirondack and Appalachian Mountains—a south to north/north to south migration route. The river valley is a route from the Great Lakes forest heartland of the continent to the forests of the Atlantic Coast. The Frontenac Arch Biosphere is at the very centre of that intersection, where five forest regions merge, creating a tremendous wildlife diversity.
Shortly after the last ice age, these natural migration routes became trade and migration routes for First Nations peoples. Discoveries of copper knives from the far north, shells from the southern coasts, stone for projectile points from further east and west, and pottery types from several regions tell that story. In historic times, this was a land of Canadian ‘firsts’—first glassworks, first iron works in Upper Canada, oldest railway tunnel, oldest daily newspaper, oldest stone grist mill in Ontario—and so much more, with so much of the built heritage still on the landscape for the world to see.
These cultural and ecological riches were key among reasons for the designation in Canada of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, by UNESCO. The designation celebrates the global significance of the region, where the Thousand Islands are the Biosphere's front door and the Rideau Canal, now celebrated as a World Heritage Site, is a central corridor. All who live and visit here, and who cherish its character, share responsibility in the stewardship of one of our Earth's most precious landscapes.
This unique juncture of humanity and biodiversity presents both a challenge and an opportunity: maintaining a high quality of life, a rich culture, robust economy, and healthy environment while recognizing the realities of growth and development in this region. This requires the development and maintenance of a healthy symbiotic relationship between people and nature: the fundamental pillars of sustainability.
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