Size: 3,000-acres
Status: Open to the Public, with trails.
Protected: 2003, 2014
Donors: members and donors
Background
As of spring of 2014, Cameron Ranch became part of the Carden Alvar Provincial Park.
Cameron Ranch was purchased by a coalition of conservation organizations, including The Couchiching Conservancy, in April 2003. The title to the property was held by The Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Ownership of this 1,214 hectare site, characterized as “Ontario’s Serengeti” because of its extensive grasslands, was transferred to Ontario Parks in 2014. The Couchiching Conservancy's members and donors contributed $204,000 to assist with this exceptional purchase.
We continue to assist Ontario Parks with its management.
Landscape and Species:
- One of the largest intact natural properties on the Carden limestone plain;
- Supports at least five types of globally-rare alvar communities;
- Abundance of alvar dependent plants including northern dropseed, tufted hairgrass, early buttercup, alse pennyroyal and prairie smoke;
- Located within an Important Bird Area, because of its significance for grassland and shrub land birds
Visit this Nature Reserve:
Address & Parking: From Orillia, follow Hwy 12 east through Atherly and continue to the intersection of Simcoe County Road 46. Follow #46 eastwards and it will become City of Kawartha Lakes Road #6; follow #6 through Lake Dalrymple area. About 5 km past village of Lake Dalrymple you will see a parking lot and sign for Cameron Ranch Alvar on your left. A walking trail starts from this parking lot.
Trails: 3km
Trail Type: Out and Back
Estimated time to complete: minutes
Description: Mostly easy walking, boardwalks across wet areas. Interpretive panels on grassland birds and grazing. Wooded wetland and wet meadows support abundant frog song in AprilMay; listen for Chorus Frogs, Wood Frogs. Good populations of Brown Thrasher, Northern Flicker, Upland Sandpiper and other typical Carden birds. Many alvar plants along the trail: Fragrant Sumac, Tufted Hairgrass, Early Buttercup.
What3words: ///attitudes.rewrap.insulated
Best time to visit: May and June for flowers, but anytime of the year. Be prepared for seasonal conditions and biting insects.