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FOREST RESOURCES Existing Resources At present there is 13% forest cover in the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority watershed. In 1800, there was an estimated 90% cover which decreased to 6% by 1925. The cover loss was due to the clearing of land for farming. Reforestration on abandoned farmland brought the cover up to its present level. Originally, the cover was composed of hard maple and American beech with white cedar in the creek valleys and white pne and red oak on the Oak Ridges Moraine to the north. Today, most of the remaining forest is white cedar, aspen, and poplar. Much of the good upland forest stands are now scattered throughout the watershed in the form of small farm woodlots. The remaining forests are mainly associated with the creek valleys. The Bowmanville and Soper Creeks have the greatest amount of forest cover along their routes with an extensively forested region in the headwaters at Long Sault. The Farewell and Black Creeks also have heavy forest cover in the area around the 3rd and 4th Concessions of the Town of Newcastle. The Lynde Creek watershed in the Town of Whitby supports extensive forest stands especially in the area between Heber Down and Anderson Street. The headwaters of the Lynde at Chalk Lake are heavily wooded also. Problems Affecting The Forests Much of the remaining forest is in danger of being lost to development. Urban and rural residential expansion is threatening the woodlots on the outs irts of Oshawa, Whitby, and Bowmanville and on the Oak Ridges Moraine.. The existing woodlots are generally poorly managed with much of the stands used for grazing cattle. This practice ruins a woodlot through soil compaction and seedling damage. The lack of commercially usable forest is also a problem since only white cedar has good commercial potential at present. These problems are compounded by a general lack of reforestation projects on the private lands in the watershed. Aithough assistance is available from the Authority, only 36 acres have been planted by private landowners under this program since 1977. Tree planting through the Authority's private reforestation assistance program. C.L.O.C.A.'s Role in Good forestry practices are an essential part of the overall conservation program followed by the Authority. Most of the 1,051.3 hectares of land owned by the Authority are under forest cover. All of the forests in the conservation areas are manag- ed to produce a healthy woodlot and reforestration is carried out whenever it is needed. As part of a. program to conserve our forést resources, an inventory was completed and the sensitive forests in the area were mapped. Prograis for private landowners include a woodlot management adviceand services from the Ministry of Natural Resources as well as reforestation assistance from the Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources. The watershed plan will evaluate the existing forestry program in light of the following objective: Forest Management "To conserve, and promote the sound management of forested areas in order to main- tain their biological, aesthetic, hydrological, and erosion prevention functions, and their forestry production value." New forestry programS wibe considered which could include a revised reforestationsprogram for the rrivate landowners which hopefully would spar new interest. The Authority intends to continuepromoting the Ministry of Natural Resources woodlot management services, and possibly supply services to landowners who don't own enough land toqualify for the Ministry of Natural Resources program. Conservation areas forest management will continue with more forest demonstration areas which will provide examples of proper management practices for a variety of purposes. FISH and WILDLIFE Existing Resources The C.L.O.C.A. watershed has a large percentage of urban areas (100 square kilometres) with development pressure being felt throughout. However, there are some areas remaining which support fish and wildlife populations. There are 96 kilometres of stream in this watershed which support populations of coldwater fish. These include resident populations of brown trout and speckled trout. Spring migration runs of rainbow trout from Lake Ontario are heavy in the Bowmanville and Soper Creeks with some of these trout also found in the Farewell and Lynde Creeks. A number of lakeshore marshes are found in the C.L.O.C.A. Problems. Affe Fish and Wild The major problem affecting the fish and wildlife in our area is the loss of habitat. Industrial expansion is affecting .the shoreline marshes, such as the Oshawa Second Marsh and residential developments are affecting the wildlife resource throughout the watershed. watershed with the Cranberry Marsh in Whitby and the Oshawa Second Marsh being two of the largest and most significant. Both of these marshes have large numbers of nesting waterfowl and breeding mammals and birds. The first recorded nesting of the Little Gull on the North American continent occurred in these marshes. Some large forested areas are still found within the watershed. Many of these forests such as Long Sault, Stephen's Gulch, and Heber Down are now conservation areas. Wildlife found in these areas range from small mammals such as mice and rabbits to the largest mammal in our watershed, the white-tailed deer. cting . life Developments along the creeks affects the fisheries habitat by causing changes in water quality, siltation, and pollution. Dams built along our streams stop fish from migrating to upstream spawning grounds. Lake Ontario marshes provide prime habitat for fish and wildlife. U$E> 14y Forest habitat in a conservation area.