The area, along a major fall hawk and eagle migration route, is home to the endangered Bald Eagle. The marshes provide spawning, nursery and feeding habitats for many sport, forage and bait fish. The wetlands also help to diffuse pollution and absorb damaging wave action that erodes shorelines. Higher in the watershed, woodlots such as Sinclair's Bush support rare species of plants and wildlife. Many are typical of the Carolinian Life Zone and are found only in southwestern Ontario.
Recreational opportunities abound.
Sport fishing and waterfowl hunting are particularly popular. Adjacent Rondeau Provincial Park is a magnet to bird watchers and nature lovers. Camping, power boating, canoeing, sailing, water skiing and windsurfing add to its recreational value. These activities contribute to a strong local economy. Over the years, removal of woodlots and fence rows to increase agricultural production eliminated natural habitats and corridors for wildlife movement.