Overview

Margaret McWhinnie Nature Sanctuary is a 20-acre property that provides terrestrial wildlife habitat and is part of the provincially significant Galt Moraine. The property provides important groundwater recharge, discharge and storage functions, resulting in water quality and quantity related benefits. The Galt Moraine is part of a larger system, the Paris Galt Moraine, that stretches approximately 560 km north to south west from Caledon to Norfolk County.

History

The Margaret McWhinnie Nature Sanctuary was acquired in 2021 thanks to a generous donation of land from David Brewer. The property was formerly known as Crieff Woods Nature Sanctuary.

Ecology and Highlights

The Margaret McWhinnie Nature Sanctuary is a primarily coniferous forest dominated by pines and cedars. The rolling hills and rocky terrain are typical of the moraine that dominates the area. David Brewer has recorded the following nesting birds on the property: Eastern Towhee, Pine Warbler, Clay colored Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Screech and Great Horned Owls, and Cooper’s Hawk. Smooth greensnakes (designated as a Specially Protected Reptile under the Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act) have also been sighted in the rock piles on the property.