The Otonabee Wetland Nature Area is a long, thin strip of landscape that starts east of Otonabee College with a grove of trees and develops south into a wetland, reaching down to the north side of Pioneer Road. In August 2019 this wetland was identified as Provincially Significant by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. View the full report here (PDF).
Maps
A) Satellite Imagery
1. Create in ArcGIS Pro (click to view full size). The red outline east of East Bank Drive and north of Pioneer Road delineates the nature area boundary. This Nature Area includes a water course and small wetland area that flows southwest from the farm fields to the north and east.
2. Via Google Maps (shows latest satellite image available via Google Maps; will not show boundary)
Location and Use
The Otonabee Wetland Nature Area is located east of East Bank Drive and the Archaeology Centre Wetland Nature Area, a long, thin stretch of land reaching down to Pioneer Road, east of the Archaeological Centre and Mackenzie House.
Trails, Access, and Points of Interest
There are no trails in this Nature Area, although it is easily accessible from off the east side of East Bank Drive, as well as to the east of the lawn around Mackenzie House.
Physical Description
This area is essentially a long, narrow loland bounded by flat to rolling uplands to the east and west. It is bordered by agricultural fields to the north and east, although this will soon change with the development of the Cleantech Commons (see Environmental Concerns, below). A portion of East Bank Drive, just south of Otonabee College, runs right alongside this Nature Area.
Ecosystems and Species
This Nature Area has a deciduous hedgerow at the north end, consisting mainly of Aspen and Ash tree species. As one moves south the ecosystems morph into marsh meadow, then thicket swamp with Willow species.
Environmental Concerns
This Nature Area borders on several areas of development and actively managed areas.
As mentioned previously, the north end borders on East Bank Drive, and so is exposed to traffic, snow clearing (with its salt and sand use), and any construction that might be conducted. However the valley below is some distance downrange, which might somewhat mitigate some of the impacts.
The area also borders on actively cut lawn around Mackenzie House.
Further, snow is often piled on the lawn to the east of Mackenzie House parking lot, and during melt events and in spring some of the salt and sand from this pile may make its way into the Nature Area.
A new planned development, the Cleantech Commons, is planned, that will border the west side of the Otonabee Wetland Nature Area (in fact the Nature Area's borders appear to be *slightly* changed by this planned work (view the plan as described on the 2013 Trent Lands Plan). In addition to construction impacts (there are strict measures that should be put in place to protect wetlands from construction), there could be long-term changes in water regime and flow, as well as impacts from any long-term grounds management once established.
Nature Area History
This Natural Area was designated back in 1994. Around 2010 or East Bank Drive was extended to be a loop rood, with construction taking place right beside that Nature Area.
More Updates to Come!
Come back to view our progress as we work to post maps and physical descriptions of all the Trent University Nature Areas.