Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area



 


 


 


 

GENERAL INFORMATION


Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area is a naturalized site of a former clay and limestone quarry. Today, the site is home to large quarry ponds, woodlots and meadows full of local wildlife. This site is an especially popular birding area and even offers the chance to see fossils from the shallow warm sea that covered this area 450-300 million years ago. It is connected to the Station Road Naturalization Site by a 6.75km stretch of the all-purpose recreation Gord Harry Trail.

Where there was once only a bland commercial quarry is now the site of thriving biodiversity. The quarries and clay pits have been naturalized for the native species of fish, birds, waterfowl, turtles, snakes and plants. The Wainfleet Wetlands is also home to woodlots and meadows and attracts rock-loving plant species. This site attracts over 50 species of birds, including yellow warblers, great blue herons, egrets, gulls, terns and sandpipers. Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area is an award winner for efforts to increase wetlands development and habitat cover for improved diversity.

The naturalization process of this site began after the clay and limestone quarry closed and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority purchased the land in 1978. The quarry was in use from the late 19th century until the 1960s. Naturalization typically follows three main ideas after removing barriers to repopulation and growth: what to restore, will it be similar to its native state, and community involvement. The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority focused on increasing the wetland development and habitat cover in the area. This approach created an ideal wildlife habitat and attracted a diverse array of local flora and fauna as can be seen today. The Wainfleet community and its visitors use the Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation area as a nature escape and a rest stop on the Gord Harry Trail which runs east-west through the Township of Wainfleet and along the Lake Erie shoreline.

Wainfleet Wetlands does not offer any of its own trails or facilities, but it is a wonderful spot to enjoy the sun reflecting off of the water and become immersed in the natural habitat of Wainfleet. The exposed limestone quarry walls offer glimpses of the Paleozoic Sea in the form of fossils. It is a perfect stop for a rest on a trip along the Gord Harry Trail or a family outing to visit the fossilized former residents of the Wainfleet area.

Please remember: do not remove any fossils from this site.


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