(An updated version of this map is under construction.)

The Conservancy's area of interest covers six municipalities centered around Lake Couchiching and the City of Orillia. This includes the watersheds of the Sturgeon, Coldwater, North and Matchedash Rivers, the Hawkstone, Bluff and St. John's Creeks and parts of the lower Head, Black and Severn watersheds. This region encompasses the ecological transition along the southern edge of the Canadian Shield and is highly diverse in its ecology.

Agnew Conservation Easement
The donation of the Agnew Conservation Easement was finalized in August 2004. It restricts future uses on rural property owned by Sandy Agnew, an active member of the Conservancy. The easement applies to a major part of the Agnew property, but excludes the area around his house and gardens.

The property comprises 16 hectares of wet meadow, forest, upland meadow and mixed swamp. There is no public access to the property and no sign on the property.

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Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve
In 2007, Ms. Hope Smith donated 113 acres on the south side of Boyd's Creek, just north of the village of Washago to the Conservancy. This precious tract of green space is now know as the Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve, in memory of her grandfather, one of the early settlers in this area.

The Reserve is located in the core of The Land Between and showcases the diverse habitats found in the transition zone along the southern edge of the Canadian Shield.
This property provides vital habitat for species in danger of disappearing. Species such as the Blanding's turtle, milk snake, eastern hognose snake, and the five-lined skink, Ontario's only lizard are found in this region.

Visitors are welcome to walk the newly created trails or canoe Boyd's Creek.

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Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve II
The second part of the Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve was secured in 2008, and it is currently owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, and managed by the Couchiching Conservancy. This property, along with the southern portion, protects 90.4 hectares (223.4 acres) along Boyd's Creek, east of Washago.
Although the property was a working forest until 2008, it contains significant weland communities as well as moist deciduous forests and open rock barrens.

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Carthew Bay Nature Reserve
In 2002, John and Betty McCulloch donated a 22-acre property near Eight-Mile Point on Lake Simcoe to The Conservancy. Part of this reserve is provincially-significant wetland, with an active beaver pond that supports great blue herons, green herons, and other wildlife. Other parts have mature hardwood forest, early successional forest, and meadow.

The Carthew Bay Nature Reserve is a good example of what Margo Sheppard, the McCulloch's daughter, describes as "the small and special places" that are so important to their surrounding communities. Dr. McCulloch had owned this land since 1974, planting trees on it, using it as a refuge and a place to reflect on nature's wonders. The decision of the McCulloch family to entrust it to The Couchiching Conservancy means that it will remain forever in its natural state, as a place of quiet refuge for wildlife and people for generations to come.

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East Coulson Reserve
Set within the forested hills of the Oro Moraine, the 82-acre East Coulson Swamp and Nature Reserve protects vital upland forest and wetland habitats, as well as headwaters of the Coldwater River. This property was donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 2002 by author Margaret Atwood, and The Couchiching Conservancy signed a stewardship agreement in 2003.

At the heart of the Reserve, a Provincially-significant wetland supports a diversity of amphibians, and gradually releases cool groundwater into the stream below. The forests provide interior habitat for such birds as scarlet tanagers, wood thrushes, and black-throated green warblers, and red-shouldered hawks, a threatened species, are regular nesters in the area.

In 2003, a 17-acre adjacent property, which links the Reserve to an Orillia Fish and Game Club property next door, was purchased by NCC with assistance from The Couchiching Conservancy, the County of Simcoe, Township of Oro-Medonte, the Orillia Fish and Game Club, and other partners. A County forest immediately to the north, and ongoing stewardship work with nearby landowners, helps to protect a large block of forest habitat around this Reserve.

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Elliott Woods
One of the Oro Moraine properties surveyed by Conservancy ecologists belonged to Don Elliott and his brother. Several years later, Don and his wife Heather decided to donate this 7 hectare section of forest to the Conservancy for safekeeping in perpetuity.

This property is a fine example of well-managed upland hardwoods, set within a landscape dominated by forest, including a Simcoe County forest tract immediately to the north. The mature hardwood forest found in Elliott Woods shelters interior forest birds, including scarlet tanager, wood thrush, and black-throated blue warbler.

Unfortunately, only a few days after the property dedication ceremony in October 2006, Don Elliott passed away. All who visit and enjoy Elliott Woods will remember his generosity.

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Fawcett Natural Area
Located south of the Severn River and west of Highway 11 in Severn Township, the Fawcett property is a 93-acre wetland donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in 1991 by Catherine E. Ferry and Harold A. Fawcett in memory of their parents, Robert and Emily Fawcett. The property is managed by the Conservancy through a custodial agreement signed in 1995 with the NCC.

This property sits on the edge of the Precambrian Shield and has numerous exposed granite outcrops. There is a beautiful view of the wetland from the rock outcropping stretching toward wooded uplands at the south and west ends. This spot provides good wildlife viewing opportunities. A variety of wetland species are found here, including uncommon species such as sundew. Both north and south ends of the property are treed mostly with red maple.

One of the most interesting environments is seen next to the Fawcett property where the lime-rich waters from Lake Simcoe flow onto the shield rocks, making the water appear aqua-marine. The construction of the Trent-Severn Waterway has had a significant impact on the surrounding landscape, the roadway at the north having been built by blasted rock from the waterway.

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Grant Wetland
In 1995, Charles Grant approached the Conservancy with the idea of donating two parcels of land owned by his family. Twenty acres between Maple Drive and Bay Street in Orillia, next to the Trans Canada Trail, were transferred to the Conservancy in 1996 for long-term land protection and was named the Grant Wetland. To support this endeavour, the Conservancy embarked on a highly visible and successful fundraising campaign to generate funds for surveying and perpetual protection of the property.

The Grant Wetland is of significant natural heritage value, particularly in its urban context. Five streams converge and run through the property as part of the watershed. Grassland areas mixed with green ash, red-oiser dogwood and willow can be found on the boundaries, while the interior changes to wetland with dense cattail growth. Near the eastern boundary, next to residential properties on Maple Drive, majestic oak, butternut, and black walnut trees still stand as planted by the original owner, Hugh Grant, years ago.

This diverse property offers a variety of opportunities for nature appreciation, education and scientific study of a protected wetland, conveniently located in an urban area with a population of 29,000.

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Grant's Woods
Our most recent donation is a 52-acre parcel of upland woods located on Division Road in Severn Township, just west of Orillia. William Grant, the long-time owner of this property, decided to gift it to The Conservancy in memory of his brother Jack, who died earlier this year. The Grant property also includes a house; The Conservancy board will be considering several options in deciding whether to refurbish the house or sever and sell it.

But it is the woodlands on this property that are its true value. Except for the removal of a few dead trees for firewood, this upland forest has not been touched for over a century. The result today is a fine old-growth stand with towering hard maple, white ash, red oak, white pine, and hemlock. The soils here are deep moist sands, ideal conditions to produce tall, straight, healthy trees. They also produce water - lots of small cool streams in shallow ravines, which collect together to form one of the headwaters of the North River.

Grant's Woods is large enough and undisturbed enough to have a good complement of upland forest wildlife, with scarlet tanagers, black-throated green warblers and wood pewees calling from the canopy. Indigo buntings occur along the woodland edges. In the shade of the forest, Christmas fern and spring wildflowers are abundant.

Our heartfelt thanks goes to Mr. Grant for his generosity in entrusting this exceptional property to The Conservancy.

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Helen M. Butler Reserve
Set back from the Severn River near Sparrow Lake, this property of over 30 acres was bequested to the Conservancy by Ross E. Butler in 2001. The Ross family are long-standing members of the Severn River/Sparrow Lake community. Permanently protecting this land was a long-held dream for her husband, according to Doreen.

This property is a scenic rolling landscape that typifies the gneissic rocklands of the southern Canadian Shield. Pine and oak dominate the rocky outcrops, and a healthy beaver colony inhabits the reserve. The isolated nature of the area and proximity of areas of Crown land ensure that the native flora and fauna will prosper here.

This reserve will also permanently protect a rare and threatened species - the Massassauga Rattlesnake. Formerly enjoying a wide range in Ontario, this species is now largely restricted to Georgian Bay and parts of the Severn River. It has suffered severe population declines over the last century, partly because of human fear of what is, in actuality, a rather docile and unaggressive snake.

The Severn River Corridor is internationally known for its assemblage of rare plants known as Atlantic Coastal Plain species as well as for several plants more commonly found in Western and Arctic Canada. Though not yet documented, we are sure to locate some of these on the property.

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Jennett Woods
Rhonda Cowen donated this 9 hectare property near the village of Waverley to the Conservancy in 2006 in memory of her parents.

Jennett Woods contains a variety of landform types including a red and white pine plantation, a small wetland feeding in to Hogg Creek, and a natural forest of poplars and old white pines. The forest shelters birds and other wildlife that prefer conifers such as finches and an occasional visiting black-backed woodpecker.

This property is open for walkers.

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Konda Easement
The Konda Easement was originally donated to The Courchiching Conservancy in 1998 as an unrestricted bequest of 48 acres from Roy Clark. Mr. Clark was an environmental supporter and wanted the Conservancy to use the proceeds from his estate to acquire and protect rare habitats.

The property was severed into three parcels consisting of two 2-acre lots (one with a house and out-buildings) which were sold in 1999, and the remaining 44 acres. The acreage was sold in 2000 with an extensive conservation easement in favour of the Conservancy.

Situated in southern Muskoka, near the village of Severn, the Konda Easement is an upland mixture of mature pine, maple, beech, and birch on an incised valley with associated wetland. It is a habitat for beaver, otter, fox, rabbits, and other small creatures. In addition, kingfishers, great blue herons, and many other species call this special location home.

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Little Bluestem Alvar
The Little Bluestem Alvar, 265 hectares (654 acres), was acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada in September, 2009. This property will be merged with the Prairie Smoke Property to create the 538 hectare (1330 acre) Prairie Smoke Nature Reserve which will be managed by The Couchiching Conservancy.

This property contains large landscapes of alvar grasslands containing species such as little bluestem for which the property gets its name. The protection of this property will also conserve the habitat of grassland birds, this bird guild is seeming the most rapid and consistent decline of all bird groups in North America, mainly resulting from loss of habitat.

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McDarker Wetland
This 52-acre wetland-dominated property has both marsh and treed bog features and is prone to spring flooding. Tree species include maple, birch, hemlock, black spruce, cedar, and a wide variety of evergreen ground cover. The acidic soils support some rare orchids. Many marsh plants also find home here, as do the resident moose family and the visiting black bear and fox. Beaver and muskrat keep the water in check, allowing the springs to flow through the open areas on their way to Grass Lake and, then, into the Trent-Severn Waterway. Bird life is also varied and includes ovenbirds, blue jays, chickadees, warblers, and crossbills.

This South Sparrow Lake property was donated to The Couchiching Conservancy in 1999 by Amy and Dave Darker.

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McIsaac Wetland
Basil McIsaac donated the McIsaac Wetland on behalf of his brothers and sisters in 1998 in loving memory of their parents, Donald and Eva McIsaac. The 83 acre property is located south of the Monck Road in Ramara Township.

This wetland is an excellent example of a mature wooded swamp with the ground covered by water most of the year. Because of the delicate nature of this type of wetland, public access is not permitted and Conservancy team members limit their access to a few visits each year. Site inspections must be geared to water levels as there are several deep holes that are not apparent during high water conditions.

The McIsaac Wetland is part of the much larger Mud Lake wetland that covers an extensive area from just north of Uptergrove through to Mud Lake and Lake St. John. Such wetlands act as giant sponges, gradually releasing snow-melt and rainwater to streams and lakes, and providing important habitat for many birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

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Prairie Smoke Alvar
Karen Popp, a long-time resident of Dalrymple, had always felt that her ranch was special, a feeling that was confirmed by field researchers working for the Conservancy in the mid-1990's. Beyond the hayfields along the road, an access trail leads through bands of hardwood and conifer forests to emerge on good-quality grassland alvar with a rich mix of specialized plants and wildlife.

In 2005, Karen approached The Couchiching Conservancy and negotiated a part-donation part-purchase agreement for the 274 hectare property, which became known as Prairie Smoke. Nature Conservancy of Canada holds title to this property, and it is managed by a partnership with the Couchiching Conservancy and the Carden Field Naturalists. The hayfields near the entrance on the property are being managed to support grassland breeding birds such as bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks.

The property is open for non-motorized recreational activities year-round.

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Prospect Marsh Nature Reserve
This 200 acre wetland porperty was donated to the Conservancy in 2008 by long-time supporter, Judy Probst. This extraordinary act of generosity was inspired by her desire to remember the love of nature shared by her late parents, Ralph and Min McCleary.

Prospect Marsh, located southwest of Kirkfield, is part of the Butternut Creek Provincially Significant Wetland. It boasts such rare species as Blanding's turtles and least bitterns, along with many species of waterfowl and butterflies. Turtles and frogs also use the wetland area throughout the year but are most noticeable in the spring.

Prospect Marsh is already a popular destination for birders in spring and early summer. A small walking trail will lead visitors to the ponds for wildlife viewing.

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Roehl Reserve
In 1995, Bill and Dave Darker donated this 71-acre property in memory of their Roehl grandparents, early settlers of the north end of Sparrow Lake. This scenic site is bisected by Deadman's Creek which flows into Deep Bay, a part of the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW). The TSW has been identified as one of Canada's more floristically diverse areas with high number of rare plants.

The land varies from high pre-cambrian shield outcroppings to the low marshy wetlands surrounding the creek. A variety of habitats provide homes for Massassauga rattlesnakes, turtles, muskrat, beaver, deer, and the usual smaller animals such as fox and rabbits. There is a variety of wetland and upland flora and the upland area is treed with maple, birch, pine, cedar, tamarack, and spruce. Bird life is abundant and includes migrating waterfowl and a small great blue heron rookery.

This major donation was the first accepted by the Conservancy and remains a beautiful and ecologically important property. Very little managment is required to maintain its natural state, but Conservancy and Rotary Club volunteers created an osprey nesting platform in 2001.

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Scout Valley Environmental Heritage Park Conservation Easement
The City of Orillia donated this conservation easement to the Couchiching Conservancy in 2007. Encompassing 228 acres, Scout Valley is located just west of Orillia along Old Barrie Road. A trail system that winds through the park’s natural landscape of forest and streams, makes it a popular destination for passive recreation.

Scout Valley was once the location of two grist mills in the mid-1800s and then in the 1930s and 40s was used as a hiking and camping site for local Boy Scout groups. The property contains a variety of habitats including several areas of mature hardwoods (beech, hard maple), cedar and hemlock stands, as well as a creek flowing into Lake Simcoe. The property is also important as habitat for a variety of animals including interior forest songbirds.

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Severn Woodlands Nature Reserve
This 600 acres of natural woodland and wetland was donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 1996 by Robert and Ruth Warling, and has been managed on their behalf by The Couchiching Conservancy since 1999.

Located in Severn Township (old Matchedash Township) in northern Simcoe County, this property is very diverse. Its habitats range from old fields and pine plantations to oak, maple and pine upland forests and open wetlands. The Conservancy intends to protect this property as a nature reserve. Although a management plan has not been finalized, there are few issues except some ATV use and the management of a derelict barn and unauthorized hunting shack.

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The Church Woods
The most notable historic site in the village of Shanty Bay is St.Thomas Anglican Church, built in the early 1800s from wood cut in nearby forests. Immediately behind this structure is The Church Woods, a 10 hectare stand that has been in the O'Brien family since 1832. In 2006, the descendants of this family decided to sell the woods, and offered it at a reduced price to the Shanty Bay neighbours. A group of neighbours enlisted the Conservancy to assist, and led a community fundraising drive to collect nearly $600,000. The Township of Oro-Medonte provided a supporting grant, and the O'Brien family generously donated the remainder of the land value.

Most of the property is densely wooded in old-growth hardwoods which provide a haven for a variety of birds and other wildlife including the red-headed woodpecker, a species at risk in Ontario.

The historical association of the Woods with St.Thomas Church provides an interesting intersection of cultural and natural history.

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The Katherine McGuiag MacDonald Nature Sanctuary
The MacDonald Sanctuary was donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 1998 by the MacDonald family. The property is dedicated to the memory of the donor's grandmother and the pleasant times the family spent there enjoying nature. This 100-acre property lies in the former Carden Township (now City of Kawartha Lakes), which is now well-known for its rare alvar habitats and wetland complexes supporting a diversity of rare flora and fauna. The family was contacted and made aware of the significance of the area by The Couchiching Conservancy during its Carden Alvar Habitat Project in the mid-1990's. The Couchiching Conservancy manages the property on behalf of the Nature Conservancy through one of its Volunteer Property Management Teams.

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Turnbull Easement
In 1999, Neil and Crolyn Turnbull decided to protect their 400-acre alvar property with a conservation easement agreement with the Conservancy. This ensures that this significant property is under active conservation for the future, while remaining in private ownership.

Located between Concession 2 and 3 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (formerly the Carden Township in Victoria County), the Turnbull Easement has a flat limestone terrain typical of alvar, a globally threatened habitat. Alvars, found only in Sweden and around the Great Lakes, host a variety of rare plants on very thin soils. The central area of the Turnbull easement is a grassland alvar with sedges and wildflowers, while a significant wetland, the Cranberry Marsh, is found in the northeast corner of the property.

The Carden Alvair Plain was identified as a priority in the Conservancy's Natural Heritage Action Plan in 1994.

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Tushingham Property
Consisting of 45 acres, the Tushingham property is owned by the Ontario Heritage Foundation and has been managed on their behalf by the Couchiching Conservancy since 1999. It is a fine example of upland hardwood forest, with a full complement of associated woodland plant species.

There is a small cabin on the site that overlooks a ravine in an historic area of First Nations settlement. Extensive examination of this property was carried out by the Royal Ontario Museum, resulting in a large collection of artifacts and mapping of village palisades. The site is located near Moonstone and is a beautiful mixture of hardwood forest and terraced springs that has created a multi-textured landscape on the edge of an ancient shoreline.

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Waterthrush Woods
An 86-acre wetland containing about one kilometre of the Head River has been donated to The Couchiching Conservancy as a nature reserve. The property, to be known as Waterthrush Woods, was gifted by Mrs. Gladys Leslie of Toronto.

This wetland is an excellent example of mature Silver Maple swamp, with pockets of Bur Oak on granite ridges.  In the spring, it is full of songbirds, especially Northern Waterthrush, a kind of warbler whose ringing calls are a constant companion here.

Waterthrush Woods, which is located immediately north of Young Lake, protects the outlet tributary from that lake, as well as the lower section of the Cranberry River which joins the Head River within the reserve.  It is accessible only by canoe.  The Conservancy will maintain the property as a nature reserve, but canoeists are welcome to explore along its waterways.