Point Pelee National Park is located in Essex County, southwestern Ontario, Canada. It extends into Lake Erie. The French word "pelée" means "bald." The park includes a peninsula of land, mostly covered with marshes and woodlands, that narrows to a point as it reaches into Lake Erie. Middle Island, which is also part of the park, was added in 2000. It lies just north of the Canada–United States border in Lake Erie. Point Pelee is the southernmost point of mainland Canada. It sits on a base of sand, silt, and gravel that extends into Lake Erie. The land is about seven kilometers long and 4.5 kilometers wide at its northern end. Established in 1918, Point Pelee was Canada’s first national park created to protect nature. It was named a Ramsar site on May 27, 1987.
History
Aboriginal people lived on Point Pelee for thousands of years before European settlers arrived, with evidence of their presence dating back at least 6,000 years. The largest ancient site found at Point Pelee is believed to have been used between AD 700 and 900.
The area was named "Pointe-Pelée" by Fathers Dollier and Galinée in 1670. In the late 1700s, British naval forces cut down white pine trees in the region for shipbuilding. In 1790, Deputy Indian Agent Alexander McKee signed a treaty with Aboriginal communities that transferred a large area of land, including Point Pelee, to the Crown. The Caldwell First Nation Chippewa people, who lived on Point Pelee, did not sign the treaty. However, the Crown did not know this, and their land was transferred without their agreement. As a result, the Caldwell First Nation was forced to leave their land. Point Pelee remains unceded Aboriginal land, a fact officially recognized by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
Before the park was created, the Great Lakes Ornithological Club studied bird migration in the area. Percy A. Taverner, Canada’s first Dominion Ornithologist, and Jack Miner both supported making Point Pelee a national park. In 1918, the park was established due to efforts by birdwatchers and hunters. Commercial fishing continued in the park until 1969. Point Pelee was the only Canadian national park that allowed hunting until duck hunting was stopped in 1989. French explorers named the area "Pointe-Pelée," which means "bald point" because the eastern side had no trees and was rocky.
In 2006, Point Pelee became Canada’s first national park designated as a dark-sky preserve. In March 2006, strong winds caused waves that removed the sandy tip of the point, leaving only a flat area. By October 2007, the water level in Lake Erie dropped, revealing the point again, which extended at least one kilometer into the water and was at least 7 meters wide with a curved shape. Since then, the sandy tip has changed each year, sometimes growing, shrinking, or even separating temporarily.
Geography
Located in the western parts of the St. Lawrence Lowlands, the park is a sandbar shape that extends 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) into Lake Erie and is up to 70 meters (230 feet) thick. With an area of only 1,564 hectares (3,860 acres), it is Canada's smallest national park. Most of the park (about 1,113 hectares (2,750 acres), or 70% of the park) is covered by marshes with cattails and ponds, while forested areas make up about 21% of the park. This sandbar was formed by till plains, which were created during the last ice age when the Wisconsonian ice advanced and retreated over a submerged limestone ridge. As the glacier melted and moved north, water filled the Lake Erie basin. The movement of sediments changed the coastline, forming the current shape of Point Pelee. Over time, a thin but rich soil developed. The park's mineral soils were mapped as Eastport sand, which drains quickly and has little development in its layers. Marshes began forming about 3,200 years ago, as shown by carbon dating. This was also when sand started to build up, creating the barriers seen today. The marsh has a closed drainage system because it is separated by two barriers on its east and west sides, which usually stop water from freely moving. However, when lake levels rise, the marsh water levels change with the lake. The triangular shape at the southern tip of Point Pelee is caused by the meeting of these two barriers (this tip is the southernmost point of the Canadian mainland). Middle Island, located south of the Point Pelee peninsula, covers about 18.5 hectares (46 acres) and is the southernmost point in Canada. Most of Middle Island is covered by forests.
Because of its southern location and the warming effect of Lake Erie, the park's climate is slightly warmer than the rest of Canada. Many Carolinian animal species, which are rare in Canada, live here. Examples include the fox snake and the five-lined skink. The park is at the meeting point of two major bird migration routes, and between 347 and 360 different bird species have been recorded there. More than 100 species breed in the park, including 102 waterfowl and shorebird species. Dominic Couzen's Top 100 Birding Sites of the World lists Point Pelee as number 66. Coyotes also live in the park. Many Carolinian plant species, which are rare in Canada, grow within the park. Point Pelee has six habitats: beach, cedar, savanna, dry forest, wet forest, and freshwater marsh. The park has more than 750 native plant species, of which 8 are rare, endangered, or threatened in Canada. Near Point Pelee is Middle Island, which is protected as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) because of its unique and rare plants and animals. Middle Island is home to species typical of the Carolinian ecozone, and nine of these species are at risk. The variety of plants in the marsh is highest near the edges of marsh ponds and in areas where land and marsh meet. Four main types of plant communities dominate the marsh.
Climate
Point Pelee has a climate with warm, humid summers and cold winters. This climate is influenced by Lake Erie, which affects temperatures. The area is in a region where weather changes because cold air from the north and warm air from the south meet. Lake Erie makes winters and falls slightly warmer than inland areas because water warms and cools more slowly than land. However, in spring, the land warms faster than the lake, so temperatures are cooler than inland areas.
In winter, the average temperature in January is −3.9 °C (25.0 °F). Because of Lake Erie, winter temperatures are warmer than inland areas at the same latitude. The lake releases heat stored during the year, keeping temperatures above −20 °C (−4.0 °F) most of the time. Only about 1.9 days per year have temperatures at or below −20 °C (−4.0 °F). Most days stay below freezing, but sometimes there are short periods of milder weather. The park gets 98.9 centimetres (38.9 inches) of snow each year, with measurable snow on 30.6 days. Snow is not constant, as the park is not in the snowbelt region.
Summers are warm and humid, with July being the warmest month at an average of 22.4 °C (72.3 °F), one of the highest in Ontario. Lake Erie helps cool the hot air that comes from the Gulf of Mexico, making temperatures above 30 °C (86.0 °F) rare. These high temperatures occur only 4 to 8 days each year.
Human impact
Looking at the area around the park, it is separated from other natural places because in Essex County, less than 6% of the original forests and 3% of the wetlands remain in their natural state. Most of the land (97%) has changed and is now used for farming, factories, or cities. The park is also located near the large city area of Windsor-Detroit.
Birdwatching
The park is the southernmost point in mainland Canada. It has the same latitude as Rome, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain. It is part of a path that birds and butterflies use to travel over Lake Erie through Point Pelee and the Lake Erie islands. More than 360 bird species have been seen in the park. The best time for bird migration is in spring, especially in May, when birds rest after flying across the lake.
Many birdwatchers from North America and other countries visit the park in May. They often stay in the nearby town of Leamington. One reason people visit is to see many different types of birds passing through during migration. Another reason is to see birds that live farther north before they continue their journey. The park is known as one of the best places for birdwatchers, especially for watching small birds called passerines.
Occurrences
On 29 March 2017, a fire burned over 125 hectares (310 acres) of marsh habitat at Point Pelee National Park. The fire lasted 15 hours and stopped naturally when rain fell the next day.
Point Pelee National Park was shown on a postage stamp worth $5, released in 1983, as part of a series celebrating national parks. In 2018, the park appeared on another stamp with a $1.20 value. This stamp was released on 15 January 2018, the same year as the park's 100th anniversary. It is part of a set of nine stamps that show beautiful views from different places in Canada.
Images
- Viewpoint at Point Pelee facing north, 2007
- Viewpoint at Point Pelee facing south, 2007
- Scene of Point Pelee facing south, April 2008
- Scene of Point Pelee facing southwest, January 2015
- Scene of Point Pelee facing southeast, January 2018
- View of Pelee facing south, January 2018
- Boardwalk crossing a marsh area within the park
- Boardwalk during August
- Boardwalk during January
- A shuttle vehicle used at Point Pelee