Mer Bleue Bog is a protected area in

Gloucester, Ontario Gloucester ( ) is a former municipality and now geographic area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Located east of Ottawa's inner core, it was an independent city until amalgamated with the Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton in 2001 to become ...

, an eastern suburb of

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Its main feature is a sphagnum

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

that is situated in an ancient channel of the

Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...

and is a remarkable boreal-like ecosystem normally not found this far south. Stunted

black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...

tamarack ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...

bog rosemary ''Andromeda polifolia'', common name bog-rosemary, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only member of the genus ''Andromeda'', and is only found in bogs in ...

blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...

, and

cottongrass ''Eriophorum'' (cottongrass, cotton-grass or cottonsedge) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cyperaceae, the sedge family. They are found throughout the arctic, subarctic, and temperate portions of the Northern Hemisphere in acid bog h ...

are some of the unusual species that have adapted to the acidic waters of the bog. The area provides habitat for many species, including

beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...

muskrat The muskrat (''Ondatra zibethicus'') is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America and an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over a wide range of climates and habitat ...

, waterfowl, and the rare spotted turtle (''Clemmys guttata''). A 1.2 km (¾ mile)

boardwalk A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...

allows visitors to explore a section of the bog. There are

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

trails that follow raised areas along the edges of the bog and

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

trails for use in winter. The conservation area is managed by the

National Capital Commission The National Capital Commission (NCC; french: Commission de la capitale nationale, CCN) is the Crown corporation responsible for development, urban planning, and conservation in Canada's Capital Region (Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec), i ...

. The value of this unique wetland was not always recognized. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

used this area for bombing practice. Now, this area has been designated as a Wetland of International Significance under the

Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It i ...

since October 1995, and an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest since 2011. The name "''Mer Bleue''" (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, meaning "blue sea") is thought to describe the bog's appearance when it is covered in morning fog.

History

Europeans began farming in the area surrounding the bog in the 1830s. Active exploitation of the bog itself occurred from the 1870 to the early 20th century and included activities such as logging, hunting, blueberry picking, farming, peat extraction, development for transportation/utility corridors, recreation, and scientific investigations. In the mid-1950s, the federal government of Canada expropriated the farmland, making it part of Ottawa's Greenbelt. Today, the bog is reserved mainly for recreational and scientific purposes.

Physical features

Mer Bleue is located in the western end of the southern melt water channel of the post-glacial

(whereas the

Alfred Bog The Alfred Bog is a domed peat bog in Eastern Ontario, Canada, about south of Alfred and east of Ottawa. The bog is considered the largest high-quality bog in Southern Ontario, and was designated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as ...

formed at the eastern end of this channel). This channel was eroded into the floor of the

Champlain Sea The Champlain Sea (french: Mer de Champlain) was a prehistoric inlet of the Atlantic Ocean into the North American continent, created by the retreating ice sheets during the closure of the last glacial period. The inlet once included lands in ...

, which invaded the

Ottawa Valley The Ottawa Valley is the valley of the Ottawa River, along the boundary between Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais, Quebec, Canada. The valley is the transition between the Saint Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield. Because of the surroundi ...

some 12 000 years ago. Bedrock topography consists of two north north-east/south south-west trending ridges. Surficial material consists of some glacial till, thick marine clay, and freshwater and deltaic deposits grading from coarse sand to clay.

Peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

deposits in the bog proper are up to thick. There are two sand ridges that extend from the west towards the center of the conservation area. These two parallel ridges divide the bog in three sections. The northern ridge (Dolman Ridge) used to have farms, which were expropriated in 1958 and subsequently removed, while the southern ridge (Borthwick Ridge) continues to have a few farms on it and provides access to the visitor boardwalk. The hydrological features at this site are most unusual. Being a domed bog, water enters the bog mainly from natural precipitation creating oligotrophic conditions. The periphery of the bog is encircled by a mineral-enriched

lagg Lagg may refer to: *Lagg, Arran, North Ayrshire, Scotland **, see Arran distillery *Lagg, Jura, Argyll and Bute, Scotland *Lagg (landform) *Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-1, a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II * Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG ...

that maintains a base water level for the bog. Drainage is poor due to underlying clay deposits as well as numerous beaver dams. Water eventually drains slowly both westward into Greens Creek and eastward into Bear Brook. However, water levels remain at or near the surface of the bog for most of the year. Saline ground-water sources are found under the organic overburden. A number of artificial ditches were dug in the bog for land reclamation or drainage of adjacent lands, however, most are no longer functioning efficiently due to the many beaver impoundments and gradual sedimentation that has occurred along their lengths.

Ecological features

Mer Bleue is a boreal peatland, a type of ecosystem that is usually found in the boreal forest to the north. The sphagnum bog contains two main types of vegetation—the black spruce forest and the open heath vegetation. The black spruce ('' Picea mariana'') forest is dominated by black spruce with some growth of larch (''

Larix laricina ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...

''), trembling white aspen (''

Populus tremuloides ''Populus tremuloides'' is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name aspen. It is commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, mountain or golden aspen, tr ...

'') and grey or white birch (''Betula'' spp.). Sphagnum mosses are the dominant low lying form of vegetation in the bog. About 12 species of heaths (members of the family Ericaceae) thrive in the bog. The most common are Labrador tea ('' Rhododendron groenlandicum''), leatherleaf (''

Chamaedaphne ''Chamaedaphne calyculata'', known commonly as leatherleaf or cassandra, is a perennial dwarf shrub in the plant family Ericaceae and the only species in the genus ''Chamaedaphne''. It is commonly seen in cold, acidic bogs and forms large, spread ...

'' spp.), small cranberry (''

Vaccinium oxycoccos ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family. It is known as small cranberry, marshberry, bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, or, particularly in Britain, just cranberry. It is widespread throughout the cool temperate ...

''), bog-laurel (''

Kalmia polifolia ''Kalmia polifolia'', previously known as ''Kalmia glauca'' and commonly called bog laurel, swamp laurel, or pale laurel, is a perennial evergreen shrub of cold acidic bogs, in the family Ericaceae. It is native to north-eastern North America, f ...

''), and sheep-laurel ('' Kalmia angustifolia''). At least nine species of orchids (family

Orchidaceae Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

) are found in Mer Bleue along with a variety of cottongrasses (''

Eriophorum ''Eriophorum'' (cottongrass, cotton-grass or cottonsedge) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cyperaceae, the sedge family. They are found throughout the arctic, subarctic, and temperate portions of the Northern Hemisphere in acid bo ...

'' spp.) and sedges ('' Carex'' spp.) in the family

Cyperaceae The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' w ...

. The marsh areas around Mer Bleue are characterized by plants such as cattails (''

Typha latifolia ''Typha latifolia'' (broadleaf cattail, bulrush, common bulrush, common cattail, cat-o'-nine-tails, great reedmace, cooper's reed, cumbungi) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus '' Typha''. It is found as a native plant species in North a ...

''), alders (''

Alnus rugosa ''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...

''), willows ('' Salix'' spp.), and a variety of sedges (''Carex'' spp.). There are several aspen islands in the centre of Mer Bleue consisting of an overstory of aspen and an understory dominated by bracken fern (''

Pteridium Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...

'' spp.). The edges of the islands are surrounded by small bands of cattail and some alder growth. The ridges of the site extend from the center of the conservation area westwards. There is a wide mixture in the vegetation from early succession poplars and shrubs to some very large mature specimens of white pine,

maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...

, and

ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

. A section of this area includes a variety of hard and softwood plantations established by the Canadian Forest Service.

Hydrological values

Mer Bleue drains both westward into Green's Creek and eastward into Bear Brook. Drainage was formerly through small creeks, which now have been modified through a series of ditches dug in the late 19th century. These ditches are no longer functioning efficiently due to the many beaver ponds, which started up in the late 1950s. As in a typical bog, the water level is at or near the surface for most of the year. Much of the bog is surrounded by the "lagg" that is basically a moat of standing or slow flowing water found between the outer perimeter of the bog and the land. Flooding is controlled naturally through beaver dams and the ability of sphagnum to absorb large amounts of water. The bog receives most of its water in the form of atmospheric precipitation. Flow velocities of ground and surface waters are very low given the impermeability of the underlying clay soils, the absorption qualities of sphagnum and the presence of numerous beaver dams. Shoreline stabilization is not a significant concern as the impact of water on the ridges is minimal and most of the land is relatively flat.

Flora

Regionally significant vegetationRamsar fact sheet

* Beech-maple forests (upland tolerant deciduous forest) rare in Ottawa-Carleton region *Swampy forests of maple, cedar, and hemlock (lowland tolerant forests) are regionally significant *

Black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...

- larch forests (lowland intolerant coniferous forests), rare in the Ottawa district *Open bog, low-shrub bog, and treed bog are highly significant within an Ottawa District and Southern Ontario context *Bog pool is regionally significant

Nationally significant flora

*Porsild's

('' Eriophorum x porsildii'', a hybrid of ''E. vaginatum'' and ''E. chamissonis''), Cyperaceae *Southern twayblade (''

Listera australis ''Neottia bifolia'' (syn. ''Listera australis''), common name southern twayblade, (as ''Listera australis'') is a species of terrestrial orchid found in eastern Canada (from Nova Scotia to Ontario) and the eastern United States (from Florida west ...

''), Orchidaceae *Torrey's manna grass ('' Torreyochloa pallida''), Poaceae

Provincially significant flora

*Black-berried highbush blueberry ('' Vaccinium corymbosum'') *Downy goldenrod ('' Solidago puberula'') *Drooping manna grass ('' Glyceria x laxa'') *Folliculata sedge (''

Carex folliculata ''Carex'' is a vast genus of more than 2,000 species of grass-like plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (or seg, in older books). Other members of the family Cyperaceae are also called sedges, however those of genus ''Carex'' ...

'') *Greene's rush ('' Juncus greenei'') *Ground pine ('' Lycopodium obscurum'') *Hayden's sedge ('' Carex haydenii'') *Heart-leaved tearthumb (''

Polygonum arifolium ''Polygonum'' is a genus of about 130 species of flowering plant in the buckwheat and knotweed family Polygonaceae. Common names include knotweed and knotgrass (though the common names may refer more broadly to plants from Polygonaceae). In the ...

'') *Large purple-fringed orchid ('' Habenaria fimbriata'') *Long manna grass (''

Glyceria melicaria ''Glyceria melicaria'', the melic mannagrass or northeastern mannagrass, is a perennial grass found in the eastern United States. Its specific epithet ''melicaria'' means "similar to '' Melica''". Its diploid number is 40. Description ''Glyceri ...

'') *Marsh dandelion ('' Taraxacum palustre'') *New England sedge ('' Carex novae-angliae'') *Seaside dock (''

Rumex maritimus ''Rumex maritimus,'' commonly called golden dock, bristle dock, or seashore dock, is an annual plant species of the genus ''Rumex''. ''Rumex maritimus'' grows in Argentina, Burma, Canada, China, and the United States. It is native to Canada and ...

'') *Slashed avens ('' Geum laciniatum'') *Twin-scapped bladderwort (''

Utricularia geminiscapa ''Utricularia geminiscapa'', the hiddenfruit bladderwort, is a perennial, medium-sized species of aquatic bladderwort. This species occurs naturally in the northeastern United States and Canada with one record from British Columbia British C ...

'') *White-fringed orchid (''

Platanthera blephariglottis ''Platanthera blephariglottis'', commonly known as the white fringed orchid or white-fringed orchis, is a species of orchid of the genus ''Platanthera''. It is considered to be an endangered species in Connecticut and Ohio, a threatened species ...

'')

Southern Ontario significant flora

*Alpine cottongrass ('' Scirpus hudsonianus'') *Fernald's sedge ('' Carex merritt-fernaldii'') *Flat-topped hawkweed (''

Hieracium umbellatum ''Hieracium umbellatum'' (commonly called ''Hieracium canadense''), the Canadian hawkweed, Canada hawkweed, narrowleaf hawkweed, or northern hawkweed, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Distribution It is native to most of the temper ...

'') *Prostrate sedge ('' Carex chordorrhiza'') *Small bur-reed ('' Sparganium minimum'') *Sticky everlasting ('' Gnaphalium viscosum'')

Fauna

The bog has a number of significant fauna because of its relatively undisturbed natural habitat and its uniqueness in representing a

boreal Boreal may refer to: Climatology and geography *Boreal (age), the first climatic phase of the Blytt-Sernander sequence of northern Europe, during the Holocene epoch *Boreal climate, a climate characterized by long winters and short, cool to mild ...

habitat which is normally found much farther north. Here is a list of mammal species that are present in or around Mer Bleue. Aquatic furbearers such as

(''Castor canadensis''),

(''Ondatra zibethicus''), and mink (''

Neogale vison The American mink (''Neogale vison'') is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe, Asia and South America. Because of range expansion, the American mink i ...

'') live in the surrounding marshes. It is also home to: woodchuck (marmot), raccoon, skunk, porcupine, vole, mole, squirrel (red, grey/black), chipmunk, weasel, cottontail hare, snowshoe hare, moose, white-tailed deer, red fox, coyote, black bear, and possibly Canada lynx and eastern wolf in the remote woodland areas alongside the bog (their presence is yet to be determined). Rare species include the

spotfin shiner The spotfin shiner (''Cyprinella spiloptera'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is a small sized freshwater fish found abundantly in many watercourses of North America. Taxonomy Edward Drinker Cope described the s ...

(''Cyprinella spiloptera''), the beetles '' Stenolophus magnacephalus'' and '' Agonum darlingtoni'', and the spotted turtle (''Clemmys guttata'').

References

External links

* {{Ramsar sites in Canada Bogs of Canada Protected areas of Ontario Parks in Ottawa National Capital Commission Ramsar sites in Ontario Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest