The Ignatius Old-Growth Forest Project land offers sanctuary for both people and animals, where native flora and fauna can flourish.
An integral part of our ecological restoration work is the inventorying of all plants and animals present. Not only can this information be used for education but is essential to the monitoring and measuring the success of the project.
In 2010, Dougan and Associates conducted an Ecological Land Classification (ELC) survey identifying the different ecological communities present as well as an inventory flora and Fauna. Fish and Benthic invertebrate studies were also conducted by Trout Unlimited and The Wellington Stewardship Council.
The ELC study identified a wide range of ecological communities and habitat. Although the relatively small size of each community is a limiting factor for the suitability for area sensitive species, the long-term goals of the project of restoring old-growth forest conditions will provide increased habitat over time.
So far 76 species of wildlife have been identified. These include 48 species of birds, 6 species of mammals, 3 species of frogs, 8 species of butterflies and 10 species of damsel and dragonflies. The inventory is constantly growing!
Significant Wildlife Species Observed in OGF Project Area
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Rank |
| Chelydra serpentina | Snapping Turtle | Special Concern provincially and nationally |
| Juglans cinerea | Butternut Tree | Endangered provincially and nationally; rare in Wellington County |
| Accipiter striatus | Sharp-shinned Hawk | Area sensitive |
| Ceryle alcyon | Belted Kingfisher | Regionally significant |
| Colapte sauratus | Northern Flicker | Regionally significant |
| Contopus virens | Eastern Wood-Pewee | Regionally significant |
| Dendroica pinus | Pine Warbler | Area sensitive |
| Dryocopus pileatus | Pileated Woodpecker | Area sensitive |
| Empidonax traillii | Willow Flycatcher | Regionally significant |
| Carex formosa | Handsome Sedge | Rare in Wellington County |
| Polygonatum biflorum | Hairy Solomon’s Seal | Rare (R1) in Wellington County ; S4 Provincially |
| Rudbeckia laciniata | Cut-leaved Coneflower | Significant plant for Wellington County* |
| Trillium cernuum | Nodding Trillium; Nodding Wake-Robin | Significant plant for Wellington County* |
| Triosteum aurantiacum | Scarlet-fruited Horse-gentian; Wild Coffee | Uncommon (R3) in Wellington County; Provincial S5 |
| Elymus riparius | Riverbank Wild Rye | Rare (R1) in Wellington County; Provincial S4 |
| Floerkea proserpinacoides | False Mermaid | Rare (R1) in Wellington County; Provincial S4 |
- R1 – most rare, or growing on 1 – 3 sites
- R2 – rare, or growing on 4 – 6 sites
- R3 – uncommon and found growing on 7 – 10 sites
The information source on the rarity status for plants in Wellington County and the City of Guelph is The City of Guelph’s Locally Significant Species List 2014, part of Guelph’s Natural Heritage Strategy.
For more information about the flora and fauna of the Ignatius Old-Growth Forest Project, please contact us.