Vegetation

The Appalachian Corridor territory crosses over two bioclimatic zones: those of the Sugar Maple-Basswood Forest Type and of the Sugar Maple -Yellow Birch Forest Type.

The forest cover of the lower slopes is dominated by Sugar Maple, White Ash, Basswood, Beech, Red Maple, Yellow Birch, Black Cherry, Ironwood and Butternut. Hemlock and White Pine are present only locally.

At altitudes greater than 400 meters, several species are no longer found, and only the maples, Yellow Birch and American Beech persist. These species, mostly deciduous hardwoods, are replaced at about 700 meters by White Birch and Balsam Fir, and at more than 800 meters, the forest assumes a more boreal character, dominated by Balsam Fir and Red Spruce. The presence of Gray Birch and Red Spruce in young forests regenerating on abandoned agricultural lands is characteristic of this region.

A number of exceptional forest ecosystems have been reported in ACA’s territory. They include old growth forests, which means they have remained undisturbed by human activity, refuge forests that harbor threatened species of animals or plants and rare forests, which present a set of specific ecological conditions.

Wetlands are described as areas where the soil remains saturated or flooded for long enough periods to foster the growth of plants adapted to these specific conditions. They are found along the shores of rivers, brooks and several lakes as well as in the lowlands.

Flora

There are over 750 species of plants on Appalachian Corridor territory, but despite its great diversity, the flora in the region is still relatively unknown. Some sectors of the mountains, being virtually inaccessible, have not yet been explored.

Some of the Appalachian species which have been identified include the Acuminate Aster, Narrow-leaved Athyrium, Red Trillium, Painted Trillium, Hobblebush, Canada Columbine, Hay-scented Fern, Braun’s Holly Fern, American White Hellebore, Robbin’s Ragwort, Coolwort, White Snakeroot, Marsh Pennywort, Northern White Violet and Round-leaved Violet. (For a complete list of vascular plant species, contact info@apcor.ca)

The flora in certain areas is especially interesting. Several unusual discoveries have been made in small ravines, such as the delicate fern known as Slender Cliff-Brake, Maidenhair Spleenwort, Virginia Saxifrage and Bluebell. The rare outcroppings of serpentine revealed the presence of Rand’s Goldenrod, a species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in Quebec, just as the several peaty habitats shelter, among others, the Massachusetts Fern and the Closed Gentian.

More than twenty plants already designated as threatened or vulnerable, or which are likely to be so designated, have been identified in the region. These include Ginseng and Common White Heart-leaved Aster, species that are among those considered endangered in Canada. Wild Leek, a vulnerable species protected from collection under the Loi sur les espèces menacées et vulnérables du Québec, grows abundantly in the region.

It is interesting to note that certain species that are frequently found in the Quebec portion of the Appalachian Corridor are identified on the list of rare plants in certain American states like Vermont.

Wildlife

As in most parts of the Eastern Townships, the Appalachian Corridor territory harbours a great number of White-tailed Deer. Moose, Black Bear, Beaver, Red Fox, Eastern Coyote, Raccoon, Porcupine, Fisher, River Otter and Snowshoe Hare are also on the list of mammals frequently encountered in the region. Five species of mammals likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable have been reported: Bobcat, Southern Bog Lemming, Woodland Vole, Smoky Shrew, and Eastern Pipistrelle. The Eastern Cougar, a rare species, has been unofficially sighted on many occasions over the past thirty years.

Due to its vast unfragmented forest areas, the Sutton Mountains region plays a key role in maintaining viable populations of interior forest bird species such as the Pileated Woodpecker, Winter Wren, American Redstart, Barred Owl and many other birds of prey. See our Diurnal Birds of Prey Information Sheet in PDF Format. The presence of nesting birds likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable has been confirmed. These include the Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Eastern Towhee, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Wild Turkey. The presence of Bicknell’s Thrush, another rare nesting bird on the list of endangered species in Canada, was recently discovered in the coniferous forest on the highest peak..

The Appalachian region is also known for its abundance of reptile and amphibian species. There are about twenty of these in the region, including four that are likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable. These are the Wood Turtle, the Pickerel Frog and two species of lungless salamanders associated with pristine mountain streams: the Spring Salamander and the Northern Dusky Salamander.

Protecting species: ACA's mission

Large, undisturbed areas are essential to the protection of the natural communities. However, areas of considerable acreage having true protection status are rare in southern Quebec. Appalachian Corridor aims to preserve the vast unfragmented forest massifs in the region that allow numerous species to complete their life cycle, such as the Black Bear, the Bobcat and the Barred Owl. Furthermore, the spawning of salmonids such as the Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout, as well as the survival of lungless salamanders, depend on cool, clear streams running down from the mountains. Wetlands also contribute to the biological diversity of the Appalachian Corridor. Waterfowl, aquatic birds and numerous species of reptiles and amphibians are concentrated in these areas.