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| Islands of Life |
The 32,000-plus islands in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River are unique. The largest collection of freshwater islands in the world, their wealth of biological diversity helps make the Great Lakes Basin one of the world's most remarkable ecosystems – in a region that's also home to 42 million people.
Bounded by water and often isolated, the islands provide important habitat for migratory and nesting birds, as well as spawning and nursery areas for fish. They're home to a wide variety of habitats and species, many of which – from Pitcher’s Thistle to the Lake Erie Watersnake – are found only in the Great Lakes region.
Now, through an international partnership of governments and conservation organizations, the ecological treasures of the Great Lakes islands have been catalogued in an important new atlas. Islands of Life: A Biodiversity and Conservation Atlas of the Great Lakes Islands describes the islands' species, habitats and biological functions. It also assesses many of the threats to the ecology of the islands from human activity.
"This atlas, published in the International Year of Biodiversity, will help decision-makers protect important habitats and species in the Great Lakes," says Jim Mackenzie, coordinator of the Natural Heritage Information Centre in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. "Today we're all a little richer because of the knowledge we've gained about the natural heritage on our Great Lakes islands.”
According to the atlas, eight of the 10 most biologically diverse islands are in Canada. Manitoulin Island – the largest freshwater island in the world – has more known rare species and habitats than any other island in the Great Lakes. But with considerable residential development and many recreational areas, access points, quarries and aquatic invasive species, Manitoulin's biodiversity is also the most threatened of the Great Lakes islands.
Other islands with a high number of species and habitats include Pelee Island in Lake Ontario, Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair, and Drummond Island in Lake Huron. The most threatened islands include the western part of St. Joseph Island south of Sault Ste. Marie, Grosse Isle in the Detroit River and Grand Island in the Niagara River. Because the southern Great Lakes are the most densely populated, the islands that are furthest south are generally experiencing the greatest threats to their biodiversity.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and The Nature Conservancy (U.S.) worked together to produce the atlas. MNR funding for the project was provided through the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem. The Great Lakes Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided the U.S. funding.
"The Great Lakes are vital to the environment, economy and way of life of the people in the region," says Mackenzie. "Building our knowledge of the Great Lakes islands is an important step forward in protecting and managing the Great Lakes today and for the future."
Read or download Islands of Life: A Biodiversity and Conservation Atlas of the Great Lakes Islands. Digital data and information are available through Land Information Ontario.
