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Mer Bleue
Mer Bleue Bog is one of the largest bogs in southern Ontario and arguably the most important natural area in the National Capital Greenbelt.
Ecologically, Mer Bleue is an especially valuable example of a northern ecosystem - more typical of the Arctic than the Ottawa Valley - and it has been designated an international significant wetland under the United Nations' Ramsar Convention.
The most striking feature of the area is the bog mat itself, a "sea" of deep, saturated peat overtopped by open heath and stunted to moderate-sized black spruce and tamarack trees. The mat is home to a variety of plants, some of which are rare, but almost all exhibit unusual characteristics enabling them to survive in the demanding environment.
The key to the bog's character is a small moss called Sphagnum. Other plants include the sundew, pitcher plant, rare orchids, bog rosemary, Labrador tea, several species of cotton grass, and a variety of low heath shrubs.
A self-guided interpretive trail enables you to learn more about the fascinating story of the bog.
Another 32 images in a carly photobucket album.
ot
Ecologically, Mer Bleue is an especially valuable example of a northern ecosystem - more typical of the Arctic than the Ottawa Valley - and it has been designated an international significant wetland under the United Nations' Ramsar Convention.
The most striking feature of the area is the bog mat itself, a "sea" of deep, saturated peat overtopped by open heath and stunted to moderate-sized black spruce and tamarack trees. The mat is home to a variety of plants, some of which are rare, but almost all exhibit unusual characteristics enabling them to survive in the demanding environment.
The key to the bog's character is a small moss called Sphagnum. Other plants include the sundew, pitcher plant, rare orchids, bog rosemary, Labrador tea, several species of cotton grass, and a variety of low heath shrubs.
A self-guided interpretive trail enables you to learn more about the fascinating story of the bog.
Another 32 images in a carly photobucket album.
ot
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I'm very much reminded of the low coastal wetlands here in Washington state, and the floodplains nearby. I wonder what the ecosystem is like...