A wetland is land that is seasonally or permanently covered by water where the water table is close to or at the surface level. The abundance of water causes the formation of hydric soils; hydrophytic and water tolerant plants dominate and favor these conditions.

Shore Ridges Conservation Area contains three of four classifications of wetlands defined under the "Manual of Implementation Guidelines for the Wetlands Policy Statement" Ministry of Natural Resources 1992.

The Conservation Authority staff composed a wetland evaluation to determine the significance of our wetland which was reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources. 

The evaluation showed that 25% of the wetland is a fen, 74% is swamp and 1% is marsh. Fish, wildlife, vegetation, recreation, size and location are all factors in determining Wetland significance.