2.1.2 Matchedash Bay–Gray Marsh
The Matchedash Bay and Gray Marsh wetland complex
(44°45’ N, 79°40’ W; hereafter
Matchedash) is located in central Ontario near the southeastern end of
Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay, spanning the boundary of the Georgian Bay and
Lake Simcoe-Rideau Ecoregions at the interface of the Mixedwood Plains
and Ontario Shield Ecozones (Crins et al., 2009). Similar to the Pelee
wetland, the Matchedash wetland is approximately 1100 ha in surface area
(including large open water areas) and is designated as both a
Provincially Significant Wetland in Ontario (MNRF, 2015) and a RAMSAR
Wetland of International Significance by UNESCO (Wilson and Cheskey,
2001). Matchedash is primarily Crown Land (much of it designated and
protected as a Provincial Wildlife Area), but there are several parcels
owned and managed by Ducks Unlimited Canada under the Eastern Habitat
Joint Venture project (Ducks Unlimited, 2011). Licensed trapping is
permitted and occurs throughout the wetland.
Both wetlands consist of approximately 700 ha of robust emergent marsh
vegetation (MNRF, 2015) which is considered to be suitable muskrat
habitat (Bellrose and Brown, 1941; Clark, 1994; Proulx and Gilbert,
1983). Cattails (Typha spp.) are by far the dominant plant
species at both sites, comprising 89% of the marsh vegetation at Pelee
(Markle et al., 2018) and representing the most common wetland cover
type at Matchedash (Gartner Lee Limited, 1990). The invasive European
common reed (Phragmites australis ssp. australis ) is also present
in each marsh (~ 6.5% of the marsh vegetation at Pelee;
unknown coverage at Matchedash), along with relatively low coverage by
narrow-leaved emergents, forb marsh and graminoid meadow marsh community
types (Markle et al., 2018; Gartner Lee Limited, 1990; Sadowski pers.
obs.).