Fundy Biosphere Reserve - Mary's Cove, New Brunswick, Canada - UNESCO Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves on Waymarking.com

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Fundy Biosphere Reserve - Mary's Cove, New Brunswick, Canada

in UNESCO Geoparks and Biosphere Reserves

Posted by:  T0SHEA

20T E 369208 N 5065904

The UNESCO Fundy Biosphere Reserve encompasses the Shepody National Wildlife Area and can be viewed from Marys Point Road about 3 km SE from Harvey Bank. The area is abundant with natural landscapes and features birds and other wildlife.

While driving by, we noticed all the signs at the Shepody National Wildlife Area, so stopped to have a look. Much to our surprise we noticed the sign designating this as an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The sign is very close to the road and should be easy to see. While there enjoy all the wildlife in the area. We were there in mid-May on a beautiful calm day and Canadian geese were observed close to the road.

Fundy Biosphere Reserve

Located on the western side of the upper Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada, the area is renowned for its Acadian mixed wood forests, rugged coast line, extreme tidal ranges, salt marshes, tidal mudflats as well as for its terrestrial and marine biodiversity.

The area also has a rich cultural heritage starting with the original Mi’kmaq aboriginal inhabitants. The first settlers from France and other European countries, during colonial times, had an influence in shaping of the landscape that is evident today.

The southern half of the proposed area is one of the least developed areas on the east coast of North America where steep, forested river valleys are deeply incised into the landscape creating gorges with waterfalls, rapids and steep rock walls. Topographical elevations range from 30 m below sea level in the estuarine area to 400 m inland. At the head of the bay is a broad gently undulating landscape with wide ranging salt marshes in the coastal area.

The intent of the Fundy Biosphere Reserve is to provide a forum for dialogue and information sharing between communities, resource sectors, government agencies and researchers. This cooperative network of partners will assist communities in developing a more sustainable way of life based on a common understanding that healthy economy can only be supported by a healthy environment.

Shepody National Wildlife Area

Shepody National Wildlife Area was established in 1980 and is comprised of the Germantown Marsh, Mary's Point and New Horton sections that are situated on and adjacent to Chignecto and Shepody Bays. Shepody National Wildlife Area was also designated as part of a Ramsar site, its wetlands having been recognized as having international significance because it supports large numbers of mud shrimp, the principle food source for millions of fall migrating shorebirds to Central and South America; primarily the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Shorebird flock

Both the Germantown Marsh and New Horton sections were largely former lakes, bogs and salt marsh that many years ago had been drained and converted to farmland with the installation of dikes and aboiteau that held back tidal waters. Since being incorporated into the NWA these marshes have been restored, with the assistance of Ducks Unlimited Canada. By creating earth dikes, the marshes were shallowly flooded with fresh water to replace wetland habitat that was formerly lost. The Mary's Point section that is situated on the coast where Shepody and Chignecto Bay converge is comprised of a large salt marsh and a forested peninsula that extends out into Shepody Bay. This peninsula is made up of a sand/gravel beach, sand dunes, rocky cliffs and inter-tidal ledges.

The impounded wetlands of Shepody National Wildlife Area provide important production, staging and migration habitat for waterfowl including American Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck. The freshwater wetlands further provide some of the best nesting habitat in the Atlantic Provinces for a variety of marsh birds such as the Pied-billed Grebe, American Bittern, and Sora. The salt marshes support staging and migration habitat for waterfowl with the inter-tidal mud flats and gravel beaches providing migration habitat for shorebirds including the Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers among others. The dominant species is the Semipalmated Sandpiper which roosts on the beach at Mary's Point in the thousands during peak migration.
Source: Environment Canada
Marsh History Sign

This area was originally salt marsh. It was dyked to keep out the sea early in the province's history and was farmed up until the 1960's. By 1978 the dykes had fallen into disrepair. At that time Ducks Unlimited Canada began their first project with this marsh. A water control structure with a tidal gate was installed. In 1994, the water control structure and a culvert were replaced. At that time loafing bars, which are mud piles used by ducks for resting were constructed.

On June 5th 1980, Daley Creek became part of the Shepody National Wildlife Area.