Overview

Pine Hill Nature Sanctuary is a 9.22-acre property located in the Dundas Valley. It is composed of mixed upland forest on a steep south-facing slope, with a section of Ancaster Creek winding through the property thirty metres below. The forest and riparian vegetation shade the waterway and anchor the soil in place, helping to preserve the health of the coldwater creek and the species that rely on it. These intertwined ecosystems provide vital habitat for common and unique wildlife species, and the permanent protection of this property has further strengthened the ecological corridor between Dundas Valley and Cootes Paradise. This environmentally significant property falls within the Dundas Valley Environmentally Significant Area (ESA), Ancaster Creek Valley Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI), Dundas Valley and Dundas Marsh Important Bird Area (IBA), Niagara Escarpment Planning Area and Dundas Valley to Cootes Paradise Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), as well as the McMaster Research and Conservation Corridor.

History

Pine Hill Nature Sanctuary was created in 2024 thanks to the generosity of private donors who donated the property through the federal Ecological Gifts program.