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Botany Hotspots
This is a selection of places to search for botany treasures in the
South Peel Naturalists' Club area, and places of interest beyond.
Directions to locations are noted after each hotspot description. The site maps
are a courtesy of MapArt Publishing - Golden Horseshoe atlas, and were prepared
by
Mike Foell of the MapArt Cartographic Team and a member of our Club.
Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG)
(View Map )
The extensive holdings of the RBG offer a variety of garden
plants in a beautiful setting. However, for the naturalist looking
for native plants in woodland or marsh habitats, the RBG offers
numerous trails to explore. For information on trails and extensive
land holding, visit the Nature Center. Cootes Paradise trail
offers a wide variety of woodland plants, starting with Hepatica,
then trillium and violets in the spring and ending with asters
and goldenrods in the fall. The trail follows the water and
provides interesting wetland and marsh plants: skunk cabbage,
cattails and waterlillies.
DIRECTIONS: From the QEW take Hwy 403 west towards Hamilton. Exit at Hwy 6 north (exit 93) towards
Guelph. Turn right at the first lights (Plains Road) and follow the signs to the RBG Center.
Woodland Cemetery
(View Map )
Located on Spring Gardens Road near the Royal Botanical Gardens
Centre, Woodlands Cemetery offers a variety of shrubs, trees
and flowers. Although few native species can be seen, it nevertheless
offers an interesting variety of plants.
DIRECTIONS: From the QEW take Hwy 403 west towards Hamilton. Exit at Hwy 6 north
(exit 93) towards Guelph. Turn right at the first lights (Plains Road) and follow
it to Spring Garden Road located on the right.
LaSalle Park Marina
(View Map )
The marina offers birders an opportunity to view various waterfowl,
but those with an interest in botany should take the opportunity
to walk the woodland trails and waterside paths. Very large
trees, a variety of native plants and shrubs and interesting
fungi provide the botanist with unique experience.
DIRECTIONS: From the QEW - Niagara . Exit at Brant Street. Turn left on Brant to Plains Road.
Turn right on Plains to LaSalle Park Road. Turn left on LaSalle and follow it to the end, where
the parking lot for Burlington Sailing and Boating Club is the access point to LaSalle Park.
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Kerncliff Park
This property was originally the site of the Nelson Quarry which
ceased operations approximately 30 years ago.. The area is undergoing
a phased restoration and development plan by the City of Burlington.
It includes the stabilization of the quarry walls, creation
of boardwalks across the wetland environments, walkways through
the Carolinian Forest. The City has planted native plant gardens,
which are especially lovely in the summer with the rudbeckia
and butterfly weed flowering. During spring the Red-winged blackbirds
nest and rails have been seen in the marsh. Located on the Niagara
Escarpment, with magnificent views of the City and Lake Ontario,
the park has access to the Bruce Trail. A pavilion, washrooms and ample
parking provide services to visitors.
DIRECTIONS: From Brant and Dundas Streets drive west to Kerns
Road. Turn left or south on Kerns Road to Kerncliff Park located
on the left (east) just south of Dundas
Petro Canada Park
(View Map )
This small park is situated on the floodplain valley of Bronte
Creek (aka Twelve Mile Creek). A soccer playing field dominates
the area north of the parking lot but a variety of plants can
be found around the edges of the field and by walking the trails
to the north. A path also leads to and south along the edge
of the Creek.
DIRECTIONS: From the QEW take Bronte Rd. south, The park is on the left just passed Wyatt Street.
A word of caution, the entrance is a very narrow driveway (occasionally gated) and is easy to miss.
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Bronte Creek Provincial Park
(View Map )
Although managed as a recreational park, Bronte Creek Provincial
Park is arguably the best, extensive remaining example of natural
habitat in the district. Visits to its varied habitats during
the course of the year will yield many interesting and unusual
plants. Bronte Creek divides this park into two distinct sections.
West - half is a developed day-use park. Well maintained trails
give an opportunity to see woodland, open meadow and fence row
plant habitats. The edge of the valley provides a good look
out to the treed creek valley. East - Until recently the east
half remained in a naturalizing state. A portion of it has been
developed for overnight camping. Trails along the top of the
Creek valley and along an electric power cut provide a variety
of woodland and 'disturbed edge' plants. The impact of camping
has resulted in multiple patches of manicured lawn in the sites
but areas in between provide open or regenerating fields can
still prove interesting.
DIRECTIONS: For the west entrance, take Burloak Rd. north of the QEW to the park entrance which is on the
right. For the east entrance, take the QEW to Bronte Rd. north to Upper Middle Road, and turn left. This
is a dead end road. The campground has a day-use parking lot. User fees are in effect at the park.
Heritage Trail System
(View Map )
The ravines and valleys of Sixteen Mile Creek can be accessed
through the Heritage Trail system developed by the Town of Oakville.
A variety of woodland and 'disturbed area' plants provide an
interesting variety. Spring Beauties, Trilliums and Trout Lilies
(yellow and white) blend with other herbaceous plants. The highlight
however can be viewed in early June with clumps of Twin Leaf
and masses of pink/blue bells of the Mertensia.virginica, or
Virgina Cowslip, but are more commonly referred to as Virginia
Blubells. In conjunction with the City of Oakville, SPNC members
are cooperating to ensure that Garlic Mustard is does not crowd
out the bluebells. It is encouraging to see errant patches of
bluebell plants appearing in other areas in the valley.
DIRECTIONS: There are multiple access points to the trails. On the west side of the Creek, a small
parkette with parking off Skyvalley Crescent, Three blocks north Upper Middle Road on the extension
of Dorval Drive. On the east side, access is off Neyagawa Blvd, 100 metres north of Upper Middle Road.
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Rattray Marsh Conservation Area
(View Map )
Rattray Marsh is a very local, easily accessed area with a wide
variety of plant habitats - from marsh/water edge to hardwood
forest. Carolinian species, including sassafras and shagbark
hickory, grow side-by-side with northern Boreal plants such
as Beaked Hazel and Clintonia or Blue Bead Lily. An excellent
book - Rattray Marsh - Then and Now (ISBN 0-9693573-0-3) describes
the many natural treasures of the Marsh and the struggle to
preserve the Marsh. It details the various plant communities
and floristic affiliations and has extensive listings of interesting
and significant plant species. This book is available in most
branches of the Mississauga library system. Copies are occasionally
sold in area book stores or by calling 905 823-1572.
DIRECTIONS: Rattray Marsh is located on Lake Ontario east of Southdown Road in Clarkson. Rattray can
be accessed from the surrounding neighborhood at a number of spots including Green Glades School off
Meadowwood Road. The foot of Bexhill Road is another entrance to the Marsh or go to Jack Darling Park
and walk west along the shore of Lake Ontario.
University of Toronto at Mississauga
(Formerly Erindale College)
(View Map )
Trails linking Saw-mill Valley Creek and the Credit River extend
the natural areas on the campus to include a surprising variety
of habitats at all seasons. The most direct access is to walk
north from the North Building parking lot which leads to the
principal's residence with its groomed lawn and flower beds
an then east toward the wooded trails that wander above the
Credit River.
DIRECTIONS: The campus is located west of Mississauga Road north of Dundas St. Woodland trails along
the upper west bank of the Credit River may also be accessed from the east side of the Credit River
through Erindale Park with parking off of Dundas Street.
Creditview Wetland
(View Map )
After a ten year campaign the wetland is now owned and protected
by the City of Mississauga. You cannot actually visit the Creditview
Wetland as fencing protects this fragile and unique bog habitat
from pedestrian and canine traffic.
DIRECTIONS: Access is from a small parkette off Willowvale Gardens east of
Creditview Road and west of Fallingbrook Drive north of Eglinton Avenue.
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| Ontario Beyond the SPNC Area
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A useful book is A Nature Guide to Ontario (Federation of Ontario
Naturalists - 1997) (ISBN 0-8020-2755-5, or 69\802-2 for paperback
edition). This book showcases more than 600 of the best sites
in Ontario and provides a geological history and habitat commentary
as well as listing of significant fauna species.
Bruce Peninsula - During an end of May weekend in the Bruce Peninsula, SPNC members explore a wide variety of habitats
including marsh, fen, woodland, lakeshore, alvar, limestone rock cliffs and outcrops. Known for its orchids, May
is a little early to view most of this species except Yellow Lady Slipper which can be seen growing along
roadsides like dandelions. Indian Paintbrush, Lakeside Daisy (Rubberweed or Manitoulin Gold), dwarf iris,
Gaywings and Birdseye Primrose in profusion make up for limited orchid species at this time of year. Mid July
provides Grass Pinks and Rose Pagonia in fen areas, while in late September these areas are blue with
Fringed Gentian.
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