Mer Bleue Conservation Area. 26/09/95; Ontario; 3,447 ha; 45°18'N 075°45'W. Provincial Wetland, Area of Scientific Interest. Fifty per cent of Mer Bleue is a raised boreal peat dome - Sphagnum bog, a system typically occurring further north. Hydrological features are unusual with saline groundwater sources and six meter thick peat deposits. The borders of the bog form a typical environment, much of which has been transformed into pond and marsh by Castor canadensis. Three vegetation types are present: black spruce forest, low-lying bog vegetation (includes numerous species of orchids) and heath type. Due to the undisturbed and unique habitat numerous significant or rare fauna are found here, including 22 species of mammal. A small area inside the site is occupied by the Geomagnetic Laboratory. Land uses include recreation, research and agriculture. The site's area was extended by 243 ha in May 2001. Ramsar site no. 755. Most recent RIS information: 2001.