As thousands of people move into Craighurst and Horseshoe Valley as part of new development in the coming years, naturalists are growing concerned about the potential negative impact on the Copeland Forest.
"The Horseshoe Valley provincial forest, we call the Copeland Forest, is the largest and most contiguous forest in southern Ontario and home to many rare species," said master naturalist Bob Bowles of Orillia.
Bowles is fearful of the forest becoming further fragmented by more trails and human disturbances to the wildlife, which has been building over the years already.
Single-handedly, Bowles, 79, has begun an inventory of living plant and animals species in the 1,781-ha forest, which is Crown land, managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries. He's put together a long list of plants, birds, butterflies, and other features and is documenting changes.
"There are so many species in this forest, but recreational pressure has greatly changed the habitat and number of species," he said.
Bowles is now looking for volunteers to come out Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m., meeting at the Nordic Centre at Horseshoe Resort off Horseshoe Valley Road to find the variety and placement of fall flowing plants such as golden rod and asters.
“I want to protect Copeland Forest. I want everyone to enjoy it, but not to the extent that they are impacting the natural features. You have to understand the ecology and what’s there in order to protect it,” said the founder of the Master Naturalist Certificate Program at Lakehead University.
Bowles plans to meet on successive Wednesday mornings at the same time and location, for approximately three hours per session. Every week the group will visit a different section of Copeland Forest to map which species are in which sections.
He is also the volunteer ecologist with Copeland Forest Friends, a group dedicated to the forest's preservation and use by recreational groups such as hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.
Copeland Forest is the area between Horseshoe Valley Road and Ingram Road (near Highway 400) and from Penetanguishene Road (Highway 93) to Oro-Medonte Line 5 N.. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway runs through its wetlands.
When the Teamsters Union went on strike in August, Bowles walked the tracks from Highway 93 to Martinville, a former lumber camp, and back.
"It really gave me a great view of the Copeland Forest," he said.
The forest is critical to the health of local water, he stresses. It sits on the Oro Moraine, under which lie aquifers of cold, clean water that bubble up to form the headwaters of rivers draining into Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay.
There are three river systems that start in the Copeland Forest: the Matheson Creek, the Sturgeon River and the Coldwater River. Matheson drains into Willow Creek, to Wasaga Beach and into Georgian Bay. The Sturgeon River flows into Georgian Bay near Victoria Harbour. The Coldwater River flows through the Town of Coldwater and into Matchedash Bay into Georgian Bay.
Each of these streams are clean and cold and support plants and animals.
The province purchased the land from the Copeland family in 1978 (four years after Horseshoe Resort bought a large parcel of their land) and hired a consultant to do an inventory in 1979. A second inventory was conducted by the Couchiching Conservancy in 2011.
Bowles said a lot has changed in the forest since 1978 and even since 2011 and that it is time for a fresh, comprehensive wildlife survey.
"We need an accurate and updated biological inventory for Copeland Forest."
The database can be used by ecologists to study changes to the area over time.
One of the recent changes is the removal of an old Ducks Unlimited dam on the Coldwater River. The structure was failing and its removal has allowed the river to flow freely. There is no longer a pond.
"Already the plants are starting to grow in," said Bowles.
A negative change is the influx of invasive species such as phragmites (common reed) and Japanese Barberry, both now in the Copeland Forest. These plants are aggressive. They spread quickly and choke out native species, Bowles explained. In addition, they don't provide food to native animals.
People interested in learning more about the forest and helping develop the species map, should contact Bowles by phone or text at 705-790-8884.
For more information about Copeland Forest Friends, visit their website: copelandfriends.ca.
