Learn about the special nature of Prince Edward County that makes it so important to biodiversity.

Many Species at Risk thrive here because of the relative health of our aquatic and terrestrial habitats. PEC’s geography at the intersection of northern and southern ecozones and its location in Lake Ontario combine to provide refuge for migrating birds, bats and butterflies. The limestone bedrock with minimal soil cover provides a habitat for endangered plants such as the Four Leaved Milkweed. Other Species at Risk that occur here are fish such as the Endangered Eastern Sand Darter, reptiles such as the Endangered Spiny Softshell Turtle and birds such as the Endangered Red-headed Woodpecker. Oak-hickory forests, sand dunes and alvars add to the complement of unusual species and communities in the County. 

Sheila McKay Kuja grew up in Scarborough. Following undergraduate and graduate work at University of Toronto, she worked for the Natural Heritage Information Centre in North York and moved to the County as a full-time resident in 2011. Sheila became a member of PECFN joining the Executive, just in time to help with the fight against Wind Turbine development at Ostrander Point Crown Land Block. She volunteered at Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory and organized the PECFN Chimney Swift surveys. In 2014 she began coordinating the annual PEC BioBlitzes and is planning this year’s blitz at Green Point Escarpment Forests.