by Oliver Reichl, EOMF
With funding from the Species at Risk Stewardship Fund, the EOMF has initiated a Herpetofaunal Atlas that focuses on the reptiles and amphibians of eastern Ontario. The five counties that make up the model forest are collectively home to 35 species of herpetofauna, including seven turtles, nine snakes, one toad, seven salamanders, nine frogs, and one lizard.
Throughout 2009 and 2010, we are asking landowners, citizens, and visitors to submit simple records of sightings within the EOMF. Volunteers will be able to submit sightings, or frog calls, via an online form, downloadable spreadsheet, mail-in cards, and/or as photographic records…details to follow. All participants will have their contributions acknowledged in the final atlas.
Given that over 88 per cent of the EOMF land base is under private ownership, the voluntary participation of landowners is critical if we are to achieve accurate results. There are ten “at risk” reptile species and one “at risk” amphibian whose ranges include some or all of our area. Although we know which species may be found here, we know very little about their current abundance and distribution. Such quantitative knowledge is essential if we wish to enhance or maintain the habitat(s) of these creatures and identify changes in the status or distribution of their populations over time.
For complete contest details, data submission guidelines, or other atlas-related information, please contact:
Eastern Ontario Model Forest
P.O. Bag 2111, 10 Campus Drive
Kemptville, ON, K0G 1J0
Tel: (613) 258-8241
Email: modelforest@eomf.on.ca.
www.eomf.on.ca.