Protecting Natural Areas in the Sydenham

In 1984, the Carolinian Canada Coalition identified the 387-hectare Sydenham River Corridor as one of 38 critical natural areas in Canada’s Carolinian Life Zone in need of urgent protection. The corridor is considered the stretch of the East Sydenham River from Courtright Line to Nauvoo Line. It is one of the most beautiful, natural sections of the Sydenham and is a refuge for many plants and animals including species at risk.

The corridor includes property owned by the Municipality of Southwest Middlesex, the SCRCA, Ontario Nature, and several private landowners. Conservation of this unique habitat and its biodiversity depends on the good stewardship of the public owners and local families.

What is Canada’s Carolinian Life Zone? Carolinian Canada, officially known as Ecoregion 7E, is found in southern Ontario with the northernmost edge stretching from approximately Grand Bend to Toronto. The region has the warmest average annual temperatures and longest frost-free season in Ontario. The life zone supports the greatest levels of biodiversity in the province with ecosystems found nowhere else in Canada.

Ontario Nature’s Sydenham Nature Reserve

The most recent portion of this corridor to be protected is the 69-hectare Sydenham Nature Reserve that was established by Ontario Nature in 2016. This nature reserve includes a 2km stretch of the East Sydenham River and is one of the largest forested areas remaining on the Sydenham. Local environmental groups, Lambton Wildlife and the Sydenham Field Naturalists, were instrumental in helping to secure this property and continue to assist with its stewardship.