Environment

Scugog township has many environmentally sensitive areas and Areas of Natural Scientific Interest.(ANSI) Scugog township has ten percent of the 100 evaluated wetlands in Durham region. These wetlands are located on the many rivers that flow into Lake Scugog. Some of the wetlands are protected areas, such as the Nonquon Wildlife area. All wetlands, swamps and forests in Scugog need to be protected because these areas in North America have the same role as the rain forests in South America. They provide oxygen and are habitat for wildlife.

This Map show all the wetlands, swamps, and environmentally sensitive areas in Scugog Township. The wetlands, swamps and forested areas are like the rain forests of South America, they provide the oxygen to the area. The swamps are also places where migratory birds stop, because they are teaming with life. Environmentally sensitive areas are often the only breeding areas left for some wildlife, and/or are home to some others. Most of the environmentally sensitive areas are located in the low-lying areas, the river valleys and the low lying lakes. The other environmentally sensitve area is the Oakridges moraine, which lies to the south of Port Perry. The moraine is the main source of ground water for most of Scugog, as well as the area to the south.

The Nonquon Provincial Wildlife Area

The Nonquon Provincial Wildlife Area is crown land; crown land is any land that is owned by the government. The Nonquon Provincial Wildlife Area is not a wildlife preserve or sanctuary. It is an area set aside to protect any wildlife that cannot be hunted. The wildlife area protects reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. There is no hunting in the educational area that is operated by the Durham District School Board. In that area, students in grades 1 to 13 in the Durham region can come there and learn about ecology, science, geography, and biology.

The Nonquon River

The Nonquon Provincial Wildlife Area is about 1100 hectares. 100 hectares is in use for educational purposes only. The rest of the area can be used by anyone. Some of its main uses are hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, bird watching, horseback riding and camping. It is a class 1 wetland and is an area of natural scientific interest (ansi).

Eutrophication

Eutrophication is a necessary prerequisite for life. Right now, Port Perry cannot grow beyond seven thousand people. For Port Perry to grow now, the town plans needs to decrease the amount of phosphates and nitrates that are put into the Nonquon river. The Nonquon flows in to Lake Scugog. Right now the lake is at the maximum level of phosphates and nitrates. Any more of either and the microbiotic life will grow out of control. The problem is that the microbiotic organisms will eat up all the nutritiants and kill all other life in the lake, such as weeds, amphibians, reptiles, fish. Swimming in the lake with the high level could be harmful; there would be a greater chance of a bacterial infection. To decrease the level of phosphates going in to the Nonquon the town is going to build an aerobic sewage treatment plant. Right now they have six sewage lagoons.

The sewage lagoons break up the human waste by using aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The aerobic bacterium breaks up the sewage in the middle and upper parts of the lagoon, where there is oxygen. The anaerobic bacterium breaks up the sewage in the lower part of the lagoon, where there is no oxygen.

Extinct, Endangered and At Risk Species Of Durham Region

In the Durham region three species of animals and birds have gone extinct. The mammals that are extinct are the Eastern Elk, and the Eastern Cougar and the bird is the Passenger Pigeon. There are many species that are at risk, such as the Southern Flying Squirrel. Many species of birds are at risk such as the Least Bittern Red-shouldered Hawk, Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Short-eared Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, Prairie Warbler and the Cerulean Warbler. This area used to have a native species of butterflies, The West Virginia White, but now they are less common. Some endangered species are Henslow's Sparrow and the Peregrine Falcon.

Eastern Cougar

Some local species population’s are decreasing are the Black Bear and the Timber Wolf. One species seems to be on the rise and that is the coyote. The timber wolf needs forested land; while the coyotes live in open fields. So as the timber wolf population decreases, the coyote population increased. The decline of the timber wolf is a result of the loss of habitat and hunting. Farmers cut down the forest and planted crops.

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