Cooper Marsh Conservation Area temporarily closed for restoration work; select trails at Gray's Creek also closed; Charlottenburg Park remains open
Work part of Raisin Region Conservation Authority's forest management and habitat enhancement efforts
The Raisin Region Conservation Authority has announced the temporary closure of the Cooper Marsh Conservation Area in South Glengarry, along with the closure of select trails at the Gray’s Creek Conservation Area.
The Cooper Marsh work began on November 20 and is expected to run through mid-January 2024. The RRCA explains that the temporary shuttering of the conservation area to visitors is “due to habitat enhancement work that is part of a larger project ongoing since last fall thanks to funding secured by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). Select trails have remained open during the maintenance, but the Marsh now requires complete temporary closure as machinery must use the main parking lot as a staging area.” Additional work is expected to be completed in the spring or summer of 2024. Cooper Marsh was also closed on November 16 and 17 for a culvert repair.
Regarding the habitat restoration project, Lisa Van De Ligt, RRCA’s communications and stewardship team lead, explains, “The RRCA and DUC have been partners in conservation for over 30 years to manage and maintain the earthen dykes at Cooper Marsh. These structures are responsible for maintaining the wetland conditions ideal for wildlife habitat at the Marsh.”
Cooper Marsh recently expanded its protected area, as the RRCA and DUC announced the purchase of 10.4 acres of valuable connective land in the St. Lawrence River watershed.”
The conservation authority’s announcement explains that “the property was acquired from private landowners and purchased with the financial support of the Canada Nature Fund, a Government of Canada’s Department of Environment and Climate Change program in partnership with Conservation Ontario. International contributors included Ducks Unlimited Inc., the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants administered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as state agencies through the Fall Flights Initiative.”
Gray’s Creek
At Gray’s Creek, trails east of the roadway through the park are currently closed for forest management practices, but trails to the west of the road are now open.
The work is being done to “improve forest health and public safety by selectively removing hazardous and dead or dying trees along the trails.”
Visitors are reminded to respect all signage and safety barricades, with trails that are open clearly marked.
Charlottenburg Park remains open
The trails at Charlottenburg Park are open and can be enjoyed throughout the fall and winter. Camping and other services are closed for the season, scheduled to reopen in May 2024.
There is no cost to access the trails at Charlottenburg Park. Visitors are reminded that motorized vehicles are prohibited.
For anyone unfamiliar, “The park features a diverse environment with many types of ecosystems including white pine and spruce plantations, a mixed hardwood forest, Class 2 Provincially Significant wetlands, Lake St. Francis and its tributaries, meadows and a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) managed forest area.”
Across the watershed, “the RRCA currently conserves and maintains 1,853 acres of environmentally significant land to preserve ecologically sensitive habitat, increase tree cover, maintain green infrastructure for flooding resilience, and to provide recreation and eco-tourism opportunities,” adds Van De Ligt.
For more information, check out the RRCA website.
Calendar
Looking ahead, here are some important dates on the RRCA calendar:
Feb. 3 - World Wetlands Day at Cooper Marsh
April 13 - Annual Raisin River Canoe Race (tentative date)
April 29 - Marina reopens at Gray's Creek
May 17 - Charlottenburgh Park reopens