Dutton Dunwich

The Dutton Dunwich Conservation Area is a .92 hectare property acquired in 1993 by the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority.  This area is used for fishing and canoe access to the Thames River. The conservation area is open for day use from 8 a.m. to sunset year-round, free of charge.  Dutton Dunwich Conservation Area is located on the floodplain of the Thames River which is a Canadian Heritage River. This area is a fishing hot spot during Pickerel season.

The Thames River’s rich cultural heritage and diverse recreational opportunities formed the basis for its designation to the Canadian Heritage Rivers System in 2000. The designation includes the 273 km river and its entire watershed, which drains 5285 km2 of land, making it the second largest watershed in southwestern Ontario.

The cultural heritage of this river includes ongoing occupancy by First Nations for over 11,000 years, with a multitude of archaeological sites located along the waterway. The Thames also has a rich history of European exploration and settlement that dates back to the 17th century, encompassing the fur trade, British exploration and early settlement, military battles, and intensive agricultural and urban settlement.

Visit Pearce Williams Summer Camp and Retreat Facility. Situated in rural Elgin County this facility offers summer overnight camps for children and adult retreats throughout the year. Explore the facilities, the grounds, the nature and walk the 6km of trails in this beautiful setting.

This Centennial Project of the Dutton Dunwich Horticultural Society incorporated an area saturated with buttermilk from the old Strathcona Creamery and land donated by West Elgin Mutual Insurance.

The arboretum contains some very significant species. These include Persimmon; Magnolias, (Sweetbay, Umbrella, Cucumber, Kobus); Black Gum; Fringe-tree; American Chestnut; Yellowwood; Sycamore; Yellow and Ohio Buckeye; Pawpaw; Sassafras; Redbud; Flowering Dogwood; Blue and White Ash; Kentucky Coffee-tree; Sweet Gum; Osage Orange; Hoptree; Bur, Black, Riparian and Sawtooth Oak; Ginkgo; American Hazelnut; Hackberry; American Elm; Butternut; Tulip-tree; and Black Cherry. There are approximately 50 different species of trees with identification stands beside them.

Located behind the Dunwich United Church.

In 1997, a Guelph landscape architect, Brad Peterson, was hired to develop a landscaping plan to, in part, “naturalize” the backyard. The yard consisted mostly of a rectangle with a vegetable garden, a few fruit trees, large silver maple and a motley collection of Manitoba maples and walnut trees. Mr. Peterson developed a plan that involved creating a Carolinian forest area, pond, reduced vegetable garden, a wetland and a sauna. Most the the walnuts and Manitoba maples were removed.  Areas were planted with native species such as shagbark hickory, blue birches, elderberries, tulip and redbud. The 10 year plan ultimately became a sixteen year plan as the last component to be built was the building to house the sauna and garden shed. Other features were added over time, such as a pawpaw grove and numerous dogwoods (they self seeded). The pond was created out of the foundation of an old cold storage shed. 

Picture caption: Betsy Apel and Belle Smith (sisters) sit on the running board of Belle’s Packard in the 1920s. Belle created a garage at the back of the house out of a former bedroom and added a lean-to so that her car would fit. The house itself was built in 1853 on a one acre lot, which was typical of the time. It gave enough room for a vegetable garden, chickens, a few fruit trees and possibly a cow.

34469 Fingal Line is the main entrance, 34764 Scotch Line is the entrance to the tallgrass prairie and viewing stand and 35000 Scotch Line is the entrance to the South Woodlot Trail/hunting areas

The Fingal Wildlife Management Area (FWMA) exists on an old World War II air force training base. Some of the habitat restoration activities included the removal of the military infrastructure, development of a series of ponds, planting of trees and shrubs, establishment of hedgerows, food and cover plots and brush piles. Today, the area is complete with interpretive hiking trails, a viewing station and hunting during the fall from controlled access points in the south parking lot.

In 1983 the Aldborough Township council appointed the West Elgin Nature Club to manage this closed landfill site. Many trees have been planted in the area near the road as memorials or by those interested in the natural habitat.  These trees have sign posts identifying the tree plus the person’s name.

Options for trail walks through the forest include a .4 km, .9 km or .8 km route which are accessible for hiking and birding. Some mature Carolinian forest trees labelled are tulip, silver maple and big tooth aspen. Undergrowth includes much spicebush.

A picnic table is located near the entrance.

Part of the Trans-Canada Trail system, there are picnic tables with shade in this area, with garbage receptacles near by.  The history of Highway 3 dates back to 1920, when the Department of Public Highways (DPHO) assumed ownership of a series of existing roads which passed through the Counties of Essex, Kent, Elgin, Oxford, Norfolk, Haldimand & Welland (Niagara).  When Highway 3 was first assumed, almost the entire length of the highway was either earth, sand, clay, or gravel surfaced. Only a handful of sections were paved with a macadam surface. Accordingly, many sections of Highway 3 were impassable in wet weather during the 1920s. Fortunately, paving work progressed very rapidly on this highway. 

Southwold Earthworks was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1923. It is designated because it is a rare and well-preserved example of an Aboriginal fortified village completely surrounded by earthworks, built by the Attiwandaron (Neutral Iroquois) between about A.D. 1450 and 1550.

Picture Caption Dog (Saluki) at Southwold Earthworks, 1986. This ancient site, dating back prior to 1500 is the only example of a double palisaded village in southern Ontario. The dog is sitting on one of the mounds in front of the largest American beech tree on the site.

Named for Mary Patterson Storey, who received her land grant in 1809.  A wetland is an area that is saturated with water long enough for the soil to become waterlogged. They support a variety of water-loving and water-tolerant plants and animals.  Here at John E. Pearce Provincial Park, our wetland is a marsh. Marshes are periodically or permanently flooded with water. Typical plant species include cattails and water lilies. Be on the lookout for turtles and herons. 

Named for WW2 Veteran and nature enthusiast, Lorne Spicer.  We suggest you start the red or blue trail by parking at Backus-Page House Museum.  John E. Pearce Provincial Park has been a protected area since 1957.  It is located in the Carolinian forest zone of southwestern Ontario, covers 67.9 hectares on the north shore of Lake Erie in Elgin County.

https://www.ontarioparks.com/p...