Biospheres

Biospheres are unique ecosystems recognized by UNESCO

Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve

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Georgian Bay is almost as big as Lake Ontario, but it’s still just considered a bay of Lake Huron. The Niagara Escarpment separates the bay in the form of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island. Above are the Recollet Falls on the French River at the north end of the biosphere. Most of the famous explorers of Canada passed this way: Brûlé who lived with the Huron as a teen around 1610, Champlain and Mackenzie, among others. Radisson and his brother-in-law may have been the most consequential, as they realized the economic potential of Ojibwa fur trading canoe routes. Unlike the licensed voyageurs, the pair were outlaw traders, known as coureur des bois, ‘runners of the woods’. When the French declined to support their venture, they turned to the English and formed the Hudson Bay Company.

The south end of the biosphere is at the Severn River, where there’s an impressive canal/ boat-railway system for transiting small craft between Lakes Huron and Ontario. Much of the biosphere belongs to the Anishinaabek people, who call it the Mnidoo-gamii, the ‘spirit of the lake’. The lakeshore is well protected, remote and home to a great many species. As ages ago, boat is still the best way to explore this ‘30,000 islands’ area. Still, I managed to spot two black bears just outside the park where I hiked to the falls above. Fortunately I didn’t see any of their rare local rattlesnakes. Northwest of Georgian Bay, on Manitoulin Island, I saw a bald eagle, six sand hill cranes, and a variety of smaller birds. Georgian Bay is a lovely area, and I’m glad it’s protected.

Long Point Biosphere Reserve

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The Canadian side of Lake Erie is prettier. The spit of sand above goes 25 miles eastward into the lake, and around behind to the left are wetlands with many birds. I wasn’t really paying attention, but I saw doves, ducks, geese, grackle, gulls, a Harrier, a Great Blue Heron, sparrow, swallow, and several other species I couldn’t identify. I should have popped into the Bird Observatory, which is the oldest continuously operating one in North America, but the birders there looked much more serious than I. There are also wetland trails, campgrounds, unhealthy snack shacks, and many ‘cuts’ for small boats to runabout, go fishing and explore. The dunes are quite healthy, and there are a surprising number of different types of trees all mixed together. Unlike the US, Canada seems to do a better job of protecting, developing and promoting its Biospheres, so that regular people can learn and enjoy too.

Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve

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Between Algonquin Park in Canada and the Adirondack Mountains in New York, there’s a rocky high ground that sets the level of Lake Ontario. The St Lawrence River and glacier melt long ago scrubbed a path through the 1,000 Islands, but the Frontenac Arch is the connecting rock. Above at Halsteads Bay, near Gananoque Ontario, is a bit of the arch that’s above water, looking upstream before the seaway narrows. Several of the busiest international bridges cross these scenic islands, and there are boat trips from both sides to gawk at the views and fancy private island residences.

The Biosphere is a much larger area that extends northwest from the arch itself. The Rideau Canal and its charming villages are included, as are many parks with lakes, forests and rocky hills for recreation. Driving through and stopping frequently, I saw an otter, heron, many geese and other wildlife.

The name Frontenac is used widely, from the hotel in Québec to a provincial park lake in the Biosphere. Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau, was Governor General of New France in the late 17th century, and he fought with the Iroquois and built various forts. The natives hunted and traded along the arch for 20,000 years or so, and there are still native lands along the border and on some of the 1,000 islands.

Manicouagan Uapishka

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This UNESCO Biosphere’s most remarkable feature can be seen from space, and you may have wondered about the Eye of Quebec when looking at a map of Canada. Over 200 million years ago a meteor hit here, leaving a 70 mile crater. When the river was dammed for hydropower, the lake in the crater’s ring became permanent with an island in the middle. While it’s possible to drive an electric car up there, I didn’t have a lot of time to hike or kayak around the lake, and, while I support hydropower (with fish ladders), I don’t need to see a dam. I would like to go back to experience Innu culture, but for now I chose to visit the ecologically diverse coastal part of the biosphere.

On the drive here, I saw plenty of rivers, waterfalls, foliage and bays, but this is a particularly good place to get a sense of all of the ecosystems in close proximity, especially near the lowlands that are large enough to have subtle differentiation in plants reflecting how many days per year each part of the land is flooded. Between the Manicouagan River that powers the dam and the Outardes River, there is a delta with Outardes Nature Park on its southwest point. Here there’s a fine visitor center, campsite and good trails to see the different boreal forests, salt marshes and dunes. I saw a Cooper’s Hawk, several Black-bellied Plovers, and a Ruby crowned Kinglet, in just a few minutes. It’s a lovely spot.

Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve

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A couple hours drive northeast of Quebec City, up in the mountains is the Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie park, the core of this pristine UNESCO Biosphere. The landscape is dramatic with high cliff multi-level waterfalls in spring and lovely maple foliage in fall, and above a low dam, there’s a boat (above) that takes sightseers up the lake in summer. Canadians are more fit than Americans, so 5 1/2 hour trails that would be labeled “strenuous” in the US are called “moderate” here. They also bring canoes and bicycles to get around, but I think the best views are found by hiking part way up one of the many trails to get a view of the water from above, such as from the Acropole des Draveurs—the rafter’s Acropolis—that looms over the scene above.

The Biosphere includes a big chunk of land from the mountains to the seaway, and there’s a tourist train in the summer that brings folks up to some of the dozen interesting little towns where they can catch buses to a half dozen parks and reserves. Up here the St Lawrence is less lakes & rivers and more ocean bay, and there are whale watching tours from Saguenay. While the peaks are around 3,000 feet—only a fraction of Colorado’s 14ers—, they’re beautiful with plenty of skiing in the winter.

Lac Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve

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Between Montreal and Quebec City is the beginning of the St Lawrence Estuary, near the city of Trois-Rivières. (One of the dozen tributaries here has islands at its mouth, making it look like three rivers). The UNESCO Biosphere includes this large wetland lake and many islands in the seaway and tributaries, making it an excellent site for birds. Its great blue heron rookery is quite famous, but may be difficult to access. I chose to visit the Ecological Park of Anse du Port, because it has a very long boardwalk out through the wetland all the way to the lake, with a three story viewing platform to view container ships passing in the main channel. From the boardwalk, I saw several great blue heron, two beaver, a raccoon, a woodpecker, ducks (above), bittern, and a half dozen other types of birds. Binoculars or a telephoto lens camera would be helpful, but sometimes the birds come quite close.

Mont Saint-Hilaire Biosphere Reserve

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Between Lake Champlain New York and Lac Saint-Pierre Quebec is tiny Lac Hertel (above) in the Gault Nature Reserve of McGill University in this UNESCO Biosphere. The hills are covered in Sugar Maple, Beech and Hemlock, some of which are hundreds of years old, plus some other species that have become quite rare recently. Being close to Montreal, the hiking trails were busy, so I didn’t see much wildlife besides ducks and geese. But there are bats, beavers, red foxes, grass snakes and turtles, among others. Advance, timed entry tickets are required, and there are well developed trails, boardwalks, picnic areas and camp sites. Very pretty nature reserve in the middle of a rural farming river valley.

All UN Sites in Canadian Maritimes

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New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, the three provinces known as the Maritimes, have three world heritage sites and three biospheres recognized by UNESCO. Well, almost all the sites are in Nova Scotia, but I enjoyed driving around all three provinces.

With plenty of great seafood, hiking, Celtic & Acadian culture, wildlife, history and miles of picturesque coastline, this region is highly rewarding for travelers, especially an electric road tripper. With a CCS adapter and the ChargeHub app, it’s not difficult to explore the entire region and well worth the drive.

World Heritage Sites

Grand Pré conveys the tragic history of the British expulsion of the Acadians. The landscape is lovely, and be sure to try the Tidal Bay local wine in a coastal town like Wolfville home to Acadia University.

Joggins Fossil Cliffs reveals an impressive geologic record of the coal age. Take a hard hat tour at low tide and find fossils.

Lunenburg is a beautiful, well-preserved seafaring and fishing port. Spend the night and eat all the local seafood you can.

Biospheres

Bras d’Or Lake is open to the sea through small channels making it an important fish and bird habitat. Try a local restaurant and maybe listen to some Cape Breton fiddle at a céilidh (kay-lee).

Fundy has the world’s largest tides with dramatic coastline, shorebirds and forests. The biosphere is on the New Brunswick side of the bay around the eponymous national park.

Southwest Nova protects many species, including the piping plover and blanding’s turtle. The biosphere has both a coastal and a forest component with plenty of hiking.

Bonus: Green Gables is home to LM Montgomery and her beloved characters. Prince Edward Island is the smallest province but very charming.

New Brunswick also has Kouchibouguac and Fundy National Parks, plus Campobello. Nova Scotia has Kejimkujik and Cape Breton Highlands National Parks. And Prince Edward Island has the new Pituamkek and Prince Edward Island National Parks.

Bras d’Or Lake

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Bras d’Or Lake Biosphere Region is the brackish waters and surrounding land that takes up much of the middle of Cape Breton Island in northeast Nova Scotia. The ‘Golden Arm’ lake area is famed for beauty, boating and seafood. There are many narrow channels dividing the lake restricting the tides which are extreme in the surrounding area, and several rivers reduce the salt content. Above is the Little Narrows cable ferry.

Alexander Graham Bell lived and worked here for many years, and his family still own his beautiful home on the lake. Among many inventions, he designed a hydrofoil that broke the world speed record here in 1919, and it can be seen at his historic site in Baddeck. I enjoyed a day here exploring and admiring the views. Many folks venture up into the highlands on the Cabot Trail or attend ceilidhs (‘kayleez’) to listen to Gaelic music. I enjoyed a couple fine seafood meals and some good local music in Baddeck.

Southwest Nova

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Much of southern Nova Scotia belongs to this UNESCO Biosphere, and the at the center is Kejimkujik Lake, historic site and national park above. My cousin was instrumental in gaining early recognition for the area’s exceptional starlight and dark skies, making it a great place to stargaze. The visitor center has a couple beautiful birchbark canoes and exhibits on the First Nation people who have lived in the area since time immemorial.

Due to extreme fire conditions, the backcountry was closed during my visit, but a few lakeside trails were open. The lake was low, the air and forest dry, but the day was lovely and quiet. The climate change is even more visible to the north, and there were many fires burning in Newfoundland in September. The national park includes a seaside section on the southeast coast with nesting piping plovers on a (closed) beach from April to September, but the biosphere covers far more land, outside the core park, from Yarmouth to both southwest and southeast Nova Scotia.