Dutton Dunwich

The Dutton Dunwich Conservation Area was acquired in 1993 by the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority. Located on the floodplain of the Thames River, the area is a fishing hot spot during pickerel season. It provides an ideal spot to launch your canoe or kayak on the Thames River. Look for the Hackberry heritage tree, too, marked with a plaque.

Visit the Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility, where campers gain life skills, develop self-esteem and explore nature. Situated in rural Elgin County, this facility offers summer overnight camps for children as well as adult retreats throughout the year. Explore the facilities and the grounds, and walk the trails in this beautiful, rustic setting.

Located behind the Dunwich United Church, the Buttermilk Bog is a centennial project of the Dutton Dunwich Horticultural Society. The area, saturated with buttermilk from the old Strathcona Creamery, has been turned into an enchanting arboretum with approximately 50 different species of trees, including magnolias, American chestnut, sycamore, pawpaw, sassafras, flowering dogwood, sawtooth oak, butternut, gingko and black cherry.

Walking through the woods in the autumn is a special treat. Come to Hunter’s Woods and explore mature forest containing mostly hardwood trees, some of which are labelled for easy identification. This property is deeply loved by the family and the community, containing a cabin still in use today. Note: Private property only available during Doors Open Dutton Dunwich 2023.

Come and explore this unique garden! In 1997, Guelph landscape architect, Brad Peterson, was hired to develop a landscaping plan to help naturalize this backyard. Over 16 years, he turned this site into a Carolinian forest area, a pond, vegetable garden, wetland and sauna. Areas were planted with native species, such as shagbark hickory, blue birches, elderberries, tulip and redbud.

The Fingal Wildlife Management Area was established on a former Second World War air force training base. Some of the habitat restoration activities include the development of a series of ponds, and the planting of trees, shrubs and hedgerows. Today, there are interpretive hiking trails, a viewing station and controlled hunting during the fall.

In 1983, the Aldborough Township council appointed the West Elgin Nature Club to manage this closed landfill site. Many trees have since been planted as memorials or by those interested in the site’s natural habitat.  Several short trail walks are offered and are ideal for birding. Look for the silver maple, big tooth aspen and spicebush undergrowth.

During your Doors Open journey, pause here and learn more about the history of Highway 3, which dates back to 1920. When the highway was first assumed, much of it was so poorly surfaced that many sections of the highway were impassable in wet weather. Today, this stretch of road has become part of the Trans Canada Trail system.

Southwold Earthworks was designated a National Historic Site in 1923. It is designated because it is a rare and well-preserved example of an Aboriginal fortified village that is surrounded by earthworks, built by the Attiwandaron (Neutral Iroquois) between 1450 and 1550. This ancient site is the only example of a double-palisaded village in Southern Ontario. Download the brochure below (coming soon).

John E. Pearce Provincial Park has been a protected area since 1957. Located in the Carolinian forest zone of Southwestern Ontario, it covers 67.9 hectares (168 acres). Named for Mary Patterson Storey, who received her land grant in 1809, this wetland supports many water-loving and water-tolerant plants and animals – including cattails, water lilies, turtles and herons. Download the brochure below (coming soon).

John E. Pearce Provincial Park has been a protected area since 1957. Located in the Carolinian forest zone of Southwestern Ontario, it covers 67.9 hectares (168 acres). The Spicer Trail is named for nature enthusiast and Second World War veteran, Lorne Spicer. Park at the Backus-Page House Museum to take either the red or blue trail. Download the brochure below.