The Findlay Creek boardwalk has just reopened after being closed as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. So I took the opportunity to go there, to pursue my goal of visiting all of the conservation areas in Eastern Ontario.
The Findlay Creek Conservation Area is located in the community of Findlay Creek, a residential area south of Ottawa. The 100-acre area protects part of the Leitrim Wetland, an area of natural and scientific interest recognized to be of provincial significance.
The Leitrim Wetland contains marshes, cedar swamps and calcareous fen- a rarity in the Ottawa area. It is home to nearly a hundred species of birds and a variety of plants specific to wetlands.
Like the conservation areas I visited in previous weeks, that of Findlay Creek is also managed by the South Nation Conservation, in partnership with the city of Ottawa, as well as local real estate developers, all of whom are looking to protect and enhance the place in harmony with the residential development of the sector. Findlay Creek flows into the Castor River, which in turn flows into the South Nation River, so it is therefore part of the watershed of this long river that passes very close to my home.
The 400-metre boardwalk was built there in 2011 and leads to an observation platform overlooking the stream. It’s not as photogenic as Mer Bleue, another well-known Ottawa wetland that also has a long boardwalk, but it’s always good to discover a protected green space in an urban neighborhood.
And with that, I’m almost done visiting all the conservation areas managed by the South Nation Conservation!