Bickford Oak Woods and a Rare Tree

Just today, there was an article in the local paper about Bickford Oak Woods (BOW) between here and Sarnia.  It was named as one of the country's most critical places for nature by Canada's Key Biodiversity Areas program which was launched last fall.

BOW is the largest protected Carolinian clay plain forest in Canada.  It has many rare plant and wildlife species. Some species include Pin Oak, Shumard Oak, Swamp Cottonwood, and button bush thicket. It is unique in that it is on heavy clay, while other parks or reserves are on sandy soils.

Buttonwood swamp

I have not been in the woods for several years (there is no designated trail!), but just after it was secured I made several visits over the years.

Our local naturalist's club (SFN) has had several field trips there.  We have also made special trips in to put of nesting boxes, or do maintenance for Wood Duck and Prothonotary Warbler.

Some of the field trips in winter when the swamp was frozen, were to clean out and do maintenance on Wood Duck boxes.  Surprises we have found within include Eastern Screech-Owl sleeping in the boxes, and one time, the remains of flying squirrel!  The remains were a cache for an owl.

The most significant tree species found in BOW is the Swamp Cottonwood (Populus heterophylla).  It was discovered during an inventory survey in November 2002 by Gerry Waldron, John Ambrose and Lindsay Rodger.  It is the only known location for this species in Canada!

The Swamp Cottonwood, a more southern species, was known in Michigan and Ohio but was suspected to be somewhere in Ontario.

One winter, a few of us sought out the Swamp Cottonwood after doing some wood duck box maintenance.  Here, we are standing beside a large tree, with smaller ones surrounding it.

Tom Chatteron, Larry Cornelis, Anton Van Eerd, Blake Mann (Photo by Heather Anne Campbell)

BOW was heavily logged over the years, so there are not many very large trees.  It was acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada around the year 2000, and eventually designated as a Conservation Reserve.  The ownership was transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources (a branch of Ontario Parks) in June 2002.  Hunting and other recreational activities are allowed in a conservation reserve, unlike a nature reserve.

During the breeding season for birds, it is difficult to access due to its thick and swampy nature.  Mosquitoes can be terrible!  The Cerulean Warbler is known to nest there, and Prothonotary Warbler has been recorded.

There is (or was) a Great Blue herony.

Winter is one of the best times to explore when the ground is frozen.  However with climate change, it is rarely frozen long enough to check out the swamps and wood duck boxes.  Many SFN trips have been cancelled in the past due to this fact!