The Carolinian Life Zone is a fragile ecoregion stretching from Toronto to Windsor. The forests in this area are mixed, but broad leaved deciduous trees predominate. Many rare and at risk species of plants, mammals, reptiles, birds and insects can be found in Carolinian forests of Southwestern Ontario and nowhere else in Canada.
The Carolinian Life Zone is home to numerous species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. Some of these species are in danger of extinction or extirpation
Not only does the Carolinian forest provide homes for countless wildlife, it also provides for our home by cleaning, cooling, and oxygenating our air. The forest, like every forest, is a crucial part to our continued survival on this planet.
The Carolinian forest and it’s inhabitants are at serious risk from human encroachment. Urban sprawl, housing developments, agriculture, and human introduced invasive species are major threats facing the survival of the forest.
Several environmental groups, conservation organizations, and parks and reserves like the St William’s Conservation Reserve are helping to push back against the threats facing the forest and to preserve tracts of the life zone.
Norfolk County contains some of the most magnificent examples of Carolinan forest. Visitors are encouraged to walk the trails in the St Williams Conservation Reserve at both the White Nursery tract and Zavitz Turkey Point tracts. When immersed in the beauty and majesty of the timeless forest, one can’t help but be moved to protect such spaces
Plan your visit today. Come and marvel at the wonders of the Carolinian forest. Fall in love with verdant and lush trees of Southern Ontario. What we love, we preserve.
