The Frontenac Arch Biosphere is one of Ontario’s best kept secrets. So what exactly is the Frontenac Arch Biosphere?
Well, it is a geographic region that surrounds Kingston and the Thousand Island in Eastern Ontario. The cultural and ecological riches of the biosphere are so diverse they were key among reasons for the designation in Canada of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, by UNESCO. It forms one of the great crossroads of the continent. The Arch connects the Canadian Shield boreal forest to the forests of the Adirondack and Appalachian Mountains. The Frontenac Arch Biosphere is the very centre of an intersection, where five forest regions merge, creating a tremendous wildlife diversity.
Discoveries of copper knives from the far north, shells from the southern coasts, stone for projectile points from further east and west, and pottery types from several regions tell that story. In historic times, this was a land of Canadian ‘firsts’—first glassworks, first iron works in Upper Canada, oldest railway tunnel, oldest daily newspaper, oldest stone grist mill in Ontario—and so much more, with so much of the built heritage still on the landscape for the world to see.
The biosphere is an amazing region and we suggest you discover more for yourselves by visiting the FAB Experiences pages and planning your visit. Unfortunately, although falsely promised, there are no signs saying “Welcome to ………..” So the secret continues. The potential here is so diverse that it presents a FABulous tourist opportunity.
