Size: 600-acres

Status: Open to the Public, no trails

Protected: 1996

Donors: Robert & Ruth Warling

Partnership: protected with Nature Conservancy of Canada

Robert and Ruth Warling donated this 243 hectare mosaic of natural woodlands and wetlands to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 1996. Since 1999, The Couchiching Conservancy has managed these lands located on the Shield country of northern Severn Township.

Unique features:

  • habitats range from old fields and pine plantations to upland forests and open wetlands
  • extensive areas of Red and White Oak forests on shallow soils
  • several areas of floating-leaved aquatic wetlands dominated by Fragrant White Waterlily and Yellow Bullhead Waterlily
  • Coombs Lake is an extensive shallow wetland located within the property with emergent species such as Cattails, Pickerelweed and Wild Calla

Best time to visit: spring and summer or by ski or snowshoe in the winter

Location

From Orillia, follow highway 12 West to Coldwater and Upper Big Chute Road (County Road 17); turn right on Laughlin Falls road and follow to dead end. There is no property identification sign.