This weekend, the Frontenac Biothon is taking place! Where is Frontenac, you say? And what is a biothon? The answer to the first question is that Frontenac refers to the Frontenac Arch, an amazing section of the rugged Canadian Shield that dips down through southeastern Ontario and connects the far north bioregions with the Adirondack Mountains in New York state. The Arch marks an entirely different landscape from the surrounding plains. The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve Community website describes it this way:
To many, the Canadian Shield is the quintessential Canadian landscape ”the rugged “north”, and a land of forests and lakes. But many haven’t realized that a portion of the Shield extends southward though Ontario, and into the U.S. The Frontenac Arch, as this hourglass-shaped outlier of the Canadian Shield is known, is the ancient backbone of North America. In Mohawk tradition, this massive landform is :The Bones of the Mother”.
The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve was designated as Canada’s 12th biosphere reserve by the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” program in November, 2002. This designation recognises the uniqueness of this amazing region, which supports a terrific diversity of plant and animal life. Factors that contribute to this wealth include the fact that the region is at the intersection of major continental migration routes, the region has a complex geology and rugged landform, and climate effects.
The Frontenac Arch is the subject of research completed by Frontenac Bird Studies. You can follow research results and learn fascinating information about unusual species of birds at the blog site, here. This weekend Frontenac Bird Studies is hosting the Frontenac Biothon 2011, their second annual fundraising event. Frontenac Bird Studies conducts vital research and you can contribute to this important project by supporting one of the three teams participating in the Biothon. To make a donation, visit the Biothon sign-up page linked here: Frontenac Biothon 2011.
The photographs accompanying this post were contributed by Frontenac Bird Studies. Thanks!
Willow House Chronicles 
Sheri — thanks for the geological information. So much I don’t know about this earth. — barbara
Barbara, there’ s so much to know, isn’t there? Thanks.
[…] The first few kilometres of the trail are undemanding, following the gently undulating landscape up and down with few steep inclines. Rocky outcroppings bordering the trail remind you that you are on the Frontenac Arch, part of the Canadian shield. You can read more about the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve here. […]