The Victoria Coastal Plain is divided into three sub-Units:
(a) Aspy River
(b) Ingonish River
(c) St. Anns Bay

Geology and Landscape Development

Aspy River (sub-Unit 552a)
The Aspy Valley lies south of the escarpment of the Aspy Fault. From the bars across the harbour south to Sunrise, the valley is underlain by Windsor strata which form a broad level lowland (see Figure 5). Where gypsum underlies the surface, karst topography with sinkholes has formed. South of Sunrise, the Aspy Valley contains Horton strata which form hills below the escarpment.

Ingonish River (sub-Unit 552b)
At Ingonish, Windsor strata lie directly on top of basement rocks with no Horton strata present. They form a narrow lowland on the north side of Ingonish Bay.

St. Anns Bay (sub-Unit 552c)
The coastal margin from Cape Smokey to Indian Brook consists of a narrow band of Windsor and related strata. On the west side of St. Anns Bay are resistant Horton strata. At the southern end of St. Anns Harbour, a strip of Windsor strata lies between the plateau to the west and the parallel upland block to the east known as Kellys Mountain.

The extent of coastal erosion is indicated by the location of the Carboniferous deposits, which once covered a much wider area on the coastline.

Freshwater and Coastal Aquatic Environments

Aspy River (sub-Unit 552a)
The North, Middle, and South Aspy rivers flow parallel to each other, draining into Aspy Bay. A tertiary watershed boundary separates the North Aspy channel from the other two. Tidal marshes and barachois ponds occur in the backwaters.

Ingonish River (sub-Unit 552b) and St. Anns Bay (sub-Unit 552c)
Numerous parallel tertiary watersheds

King's Point, Ingonish Click to enlarge

drain first-order streams from river valleys in District 220 into North and South Bay Ingonish in sub-Unit 552b, and into St. Anns Bay in sub-Unit 552c. There are large tidal marshes at the back of Ingonish Harbour in Unit 552, and scattered barachois ponds in sub-Unit 552c. Freshwater Lake, located behind a barrier in sub-Unit 552b, has a neutral pH.

Soils
This Unit is notable for its outwash deposits, on which gravelly sandy loams of the Hebert series have developed. On upland slopes, the soils are derived principally from granite and are mapped as well-drained Gibraltar and imperfectly drained Bayswater sandy loams. Along St. Anns Bay, Thom soils are also found on the slopes. The Aspy River has cut terraces in alluvial deposits. These successive terraces present an ideal opportunity for measuring the time and intensity of soil development processes.

Plants
On the floodplains, willow, aspen, Sugar Maple, and Yellow Birch are found. On better-drained gravels, White Birch and beech occur. On granitic slopes, White Spruce is common, with scattered Yellow Birch and Sugar Maple. Along the coast, winter ice scour restricts marine algae.

Animals
Scattered eagle-breeding habitat occurs in this Unit. A moderate-sized heron colony exists in Aspy Bay, which is also visited by a wide variety of waterfowl from spring through fall, though not in large numbers. Barachois ponds occur behind barrier beaches and support a diverse acquatic fauna.

Cultural Environment
The fisheries (lobster, mackerel, and others) have been the

Wreck Cove Hydro Project, Cape Breton Highlands Click to enlarge

economic focus of communities in much of this area, along with some subsistence farming. Gypsum was once mined at Dingwall in sub-Unit 552a. Harnessing water power from the Cape Breton high-lands, the Wreck Cove hydro station supplies electricity to the province. A wind-turbine electric plant also operates at Wreck Cove. The scenery of the Cabot Trail and the hiking trails of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park attract tourism and encourage the use of this land for recreation.

Sites of Special Interest

• Dingwall - gypsum and karst topography

Provincial Parks and Park Reserves

• Cabots Landing
• Ingonish
• Birch Plain
• Breton Cove
• Plaster

Proposed Parks and Protected Areas System includes Natural Landscapes 73 and 76.

Scenic Viewpoints

• Sub-Unit 522a: White Point Road (south side of Aspy Bay)
• Sub-Unit 522b: Ingonish Bay (views from Keltic Lodge golf course)

Associated Topics T2.4 The Carboniferous Basin T3.4Terrestrial Glacial Deposits and Landscape Features T6.2 Oceanic Environments T6.3 Coastal Acquatic Environments T7.1 Modifying Forces T7.3 Coastal Landforms T10.9 Algae T11.4 Birds of Prey T11.7 Seabirds and Birds of Marine Habitats T12.8 Fresh Water and Resources T12.11Animals and Resources T12.12Recreational Resources

Associated Habitats H2.1 Rocky Shore H2.2 Boulder/Cobble Shore H5.3 Cliff and Bank H6.1 Hardwood Forest (Sugar Maple, Elm Association) Associated Offshore Unit 915 Sydney Bight