# Mary's Point > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mary's_Point > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mary's_Point.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary's_Point > Source revision: 1353544527 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Wetland in Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Mary's Point | alt_name = | iucn_category = | image = Erosion @ Mary’s Point, New Brunswick (26527412348).jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_size = | map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | map_width = | location = | nearest_city = | coordinates = {{coord|45|44|N|64|45|W|region:CA-NB|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = | area = {{convert|12|km2|sqmi}} | established = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = | url = | module = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_date = 24 May 1982 | designation1_number = 236{{Cite web|title=Mary's Point|website=[Ramsar](/source/Ramsar_Convention) Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/236|access-date=25 April 2018}}}} }} '''Mary's Point''' is a {{convert|12|km2|sqmi}} [wetland](/source/wetland) in [Albert County](/source/Albert_County%2C_New_Brunswick), [New Brunswick](/source/New_Brunswick), [Canada](/source/Canada). It is at the head of the [Bay of Fundy](/source/Bay_of_Fundy), just outside the small community of [Harvey](/source/Harvey%2C_Albert_County%2C_New_Brunswick) and approximately {{convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of [Moncton](/source/Moncton).{{Cite web |url=http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ramsar/marys.html |title=Mary's Point |publisher=[Environment Canada](/source/Environment_Canada) |access-date=2008-06-03 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525033148/http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ramsar/marys.html |archivedate=2008-05-25 |url-status=dead }} Designated a [Ramsar wetland of international importance](/source/List_of_Ramsar_wetlands_of_international_importance) on May 24, 1982, it is also part of the [Fundy biosphere reserve](/source/Fundy_(biosphere_reserve)) established in 2007,{{Cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org/mab/BRs/brs_ramsar.shtml |title=List of Biosphere Reserves which are wholly or partially Ramsar Wetlands |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=2008-06-06}} which also contains the [Shepody Bay](/source/Shepody_Bay) wetland. It was also the first Canadian site in the [Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve](/source/Western_Hemisphere_Shorebird_Reserve), as part of the Bay of Fundy Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve.{{Cite web|url=http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ramsar/minas.html |title=Southern Bight - Minas Basin |publisher=Environment Canada |access-date=2008-06-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061002094829/http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ramsar/minas.html |archivedate=October 2, 2006}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.petitcodiac.org/riverkeeper/english/The_Petitcodiac/natvalues.html |title=Bay of Fundy Tides, Mudflats and Estuaries |publisher=Petticodiac Riverkeeper |access-date=2008-06-06 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414180407/http://www.petitcodiac.org/riverkeeper/english/The_Petitcodiac/natvalues.html |archivedate=2008-04-14 |url-status=dead }} It is within the Shepody Bay [National Wildlife Area](/source/National_Wildlife_Area), which is administered by the [Canadian Wildlife Service](/source/Canadian_Wildlife_Service). Mary's Point is an important staging area for [shorebirds](/source/wader) migrating from the Canadian subarctic to South America during the fall, supporting up to two million [semipalmated sandpiper](/source/semipalmated_sandpiper)s annually, or nearly 75% of the global population of this species,{{Cite web |url = http://www.thehopewellrocks.ca/english/shorebirds.htm |title = Shorebirds of Fundy |publisher = Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site |access-date = 2008-06-06 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080918080738/http://www.thehopewellrocks.ca/English/shorebirds.htm |archivedate = 2008-09-18 }} as well as millions of birds of other species. Approximately {{convert|940|ha|acre|abbr=on}} of the intertidal mudflats are under jurisdiction to the province of New Brunswick. Another {{convert|107|ha|acre|abbr=on}} are owned by the [Government of Canada](/source/Government_of_Canada), including the "most critical sites used by the large roosting flocks of shorebirds during high tide". The remaining portion, covering most of the [salt marsh](/source/salt_marsh), is privately owned. The federal government has attempted to purchase the land, but has been spurned. ==Geography== This open [peninsula](/source/peninsula) ranges in elevation from {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} below sea level to {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level, protruding into Shepody Bay. It is characterized by extensive intertidal [mudflat](/source/mudflat)s, with gravel beaches bordering terrestrial habitats and shallow marine areas. In 1979, [Ducks Unlimited Canada](/source/Ducks_Unlimited) established a {{convert|20|ha|acre|abbr=on}} waterfowl impoundment adjacent to the salt marsh. ==Fauna== This site exhibits "the world's highest known density of the [crustacean](/source/crustacean)s ''[Corophium volutator](/source/Corophium_volutator)''",{{Cite web |url=http://www.ramsar.org/profile/profiles_canada.htm |title=The Annotated Ramsar List: Canada |work=The Annotated Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance |publisher=Ramsar Convention Bureau |access-date=2008-06-03 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503043608/http://www.ramsar.org/profile/profiles_canada.htm |archivedate=2008-05-03 |url-status=dead }} up to 60,000 per square metre during their reproductive cycle, which supports large populations of migratory shorebirds. During August, up to two million semipalmated sandpipers may use Mary's Point as a staging area, and as many as 200,000 may be present at any time during migration. These double their weight to {{convert|40|g|oz|abbr=on}} before continuing their migration by flying to the [North Atlantic](/source/Atlantic_Ocean), which winds carry them to the northern coast of South America in two to four days. Thousands of birds of other species also use Mary's Point as a staging area, including the [black-bellied plover](/source/grey_plover), [least sandpiper](/source/least_sandpiper), [white-rumped sandpiper](/source/white-rumped_sandpiper), [short-billed dowitcher](/source/short-billed_dowitcher), [semipalmated plover](/source/semipalmated_plover), [red knot](/source/red_knot), [sanderling](/source/sanderling) and [dunlin](/source/dunlin). Also, small populations of [American black duck](/source/American_black_duck), [ring-necked duck](/source/ring-necked_duck) and [blue-winged teal](/source/blue-winged_teal) breed at the impoundment established by Ducks Unlimited. ==History== {{See also|History of New Brunswick|List of historic places in Albert County, New Brunswick}} thumb|The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia was built of Mary's Point sandstone.Mary's Point was a sandstone [quarry](/source/quarry) which in the nineteenth century produced brownish-grey and brownish-red [dimension stone](/source/dimension_stone) (termed Mary's Point Grey and Mary's Point Red, respectively.) used throughout eastern North America as far away as Philadelphia and New York (the [Bethesda Terrace](/source/Bethesda_Terrace) in Central Park is an example using Mary's Point stone). The Mary's Point quarry yielded about 4,000 tons of stone annually, valued for its durability and workability. Geologically, the bedrock is a continuation of [Grindstone Island](/source/Grindstone_Island_(New_Brunswick)), situated nearby to the east in Shepody Bay.Martin, Gwen, ''For Love of Stone: Volume 1'', Province of new Brunswick, Department of Natural Resources and Energy, 1990{{rp|p 44–47}} An important associate of the quarry, at one time called the Albert Freestone Company, was [George Lang](/source/George_Lang_(builder)), a builder responsible for several notable Halifax structures using Mary's Point stone. The quarry was opened for the last time in 1987 to provide stone used in the restoration of the former Dominion Building in [Halifax](/source/Halifax_Regional_Municipality), now the [Art Gallery of Nova Scotia](/source/Art_Gallery_of_Nova_Scotia).[http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/meb/data/pubs/96egs01/96egs01_Appendix04.pdf Description of the quarry], Government of Nova Scotia In Halifax St. Mary's stone was also used on the [Welsford-Parker Monument](/source/Welsford-Parker_Monument) (1857), the [Halifax Court House](/source/Halifax_Court_House) (1858-63), and [The Halifax Club](/source/The_Halifax_Club) (1862).{{rp|p 72}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111007020055/http://www.gazette.gc.ca/archives/p2/2000/2000-04-12/pdf/g2-13408.pdf Canada Gazette], Vol. 134, No 8 (April 12, 2000) - Canada Wildlife Act - Regulations Amending the Wildlife Area Regulations {{Ramsar sites in Canada}} Category:Landforms of Albert County, New Brunswick Category:Ramsar sites in Canada Category:Protected areas of New Brunswick Category:Tourist attractions in Albert County, New Brunswick Category:Quarries in Canada Category:Communities in Albert County, New Brunswick Category:Bodies of water of New Brunswick Category:Wetlands of Canada --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mary's Point](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary's_Point) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary's_Point?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.