Hamilton-Wentworth Natural Areas Inventory
Editor: Audrey E. Heagy
This report is the culmination of a biological inventory conducted by the HNC during 1991-1992 in conjunction with several government agencies. This study involved the inventory of evaluation of biophysical attributes of some 92 natural areas within the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. For each area, available biophysical information from diverse sources was compiled and analyzed; an intensive program of field work carried out in 1991 was the major source of biological data. The field work was conducted by several of the most knowledgeable biologists in Ontario.
This report is split into two very readable, attractively presented and interesting volumes.
In Volume I there is a background to the project and discussion of the project results and comprehensive set of recommendations. The Regional context is an overview of the physical, hydrological, and biological features of the Region. Descriptions and summaries of the geology, hydrology, and plant communities of the Region include an annotated checklist for each of birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, plants, fish, and butterflies. (Published in 1995).
In Volume II, for each of 92 sites there is a physical description of its plant communities, flora and fauna including rare species, land use at the site and linkage to other natural areas, an evalution of the site based on the criteria for environmental sensitivity and recommendations for protection of the site, a map and relevant topographic location information, a list of the field visits conducted in the study and a bibliography of information used to prepare the site report. (Published in 1993).
The data was used to evaluate each site on its environmental sensitivity. The results of this work have been used by the Region to designate over 80 environmentally significant areas in the Region within the new official plan which is almost double the number which were designated prior to this study.
For anyone interested in the natural history of this region or for those interested in the state of the art of biological inventory reporting, this report is essential reading. This report is available at libraries in Hamilton and can be obtained from the club for $60.00 for both volumes.
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