Cartwright Nature Sanctuary

Description History Ecological Significance Management and Access

Location: Pleasant View Area of Dundas, between the Niagara Escarpment and Cootes Paradise Marsh.

Date of Acquisition: 2004

Area: 46 acres (18.6 hectares)

Conservation Partner: Conservation Halton

Description

The Cartwright Nature Sanctuary consists of a central plateau area on the lower slopes of the Niagara Escarpment almost entirely surrounded by stream valleys. The northern part of the sanctuary features a well established forest community dominated by Red Oak and Shagbark and Sweet Pignut Hickories. Gray Dogwood thickets and groves of young Black Walnut and Red Ash dominate former pasture lands in the central area. The valleys host a wide diversity of communities from thickets to meadow marshes and forested slopes.

The Cartwright Nature Sanctuary is part of a wildlife corridor that provides diverse habitat for many species including White-tailed Deer, Coyote and Wild Turkey. The sanctuary is also an important groundwater discharge area, with five streams originating on site. The Bruce W. Duncan Memorial Trail provides a 1 km loop through portions of the sanctuary, offering views of downtown Hamilton, just four kilometers to the south and of the Niagara Escarpment to the northwest. Despite its proximity to the city, the sanctuary gives visitors a sense of solitude and connection with nature.

History

Aerial view of Cartwright Nature Sanctuary

The Cartwright Nature Sanctuary was protected in December 2004 through an innovative conservation partnership between Conservation Halton and the HNC, enabled by the Cartwright family's willingness to take back a mortgage for half of the purchase price. Neither the HNC nor Conservation Halton could afford to acquire the lands alone, so we agreed to contribute equally to the purchase cost and to share responsibility for paying off a three year mortgage taken back by the owners. Conservation Halton holds title to the lands while the HNC holds a permanent conservation easement and has an option to purchase should Conservation Halton ever wish to sell its interest. We also share management responsibilities and are working together to develop a management plan for the sanctuary.

The partners worked together to conduct an environmental audit and prepare a baseline documentation report and preliminary biophysical inventory of the property prior to the acquisition of being completed. In 2005 the HNC undertook further inventory work and breeding bird surveys and developed a pedestrian trail loop linking with the Royal Botanical Garden's Berry Tract, located north of the sanctuary. A major bridge and 90 metres of boardwalk were completed in 2006, with funding support from the Knowles Bequest Board, the Hamilton-Wentworth Stewardship Council, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (CFWIP). In 2007 work began on controlling invasive species in the sanctuary.

Thanks to contributions from the EJLB Foundation, the Hamilton Community Foundation, the HIVA Environmental Fund, the Ontario Land Trust Alliance and over 200 HNC members and supporters we were able to celebrate paying off the mortgage in September 2007.

Photo: Glenn Barrett

Ecological Significance

The Cartwright Nature Sanctuary forms a key part of one of the primary ecological corridors linking the Niagara Escarpment and Cootes Paradise marsh. The 46 acre parcel is part of a designated Environmentally Significant Area and a regionally significant Life Science Area of Natural and Scientific interest. Together with adjacent conservation lands, a core natural area of 150 acres (60 hectares) is now protected.

A large colony of American Columbo, (Frasera caroliniesis), a wildflower in the Gentian family that is listed by COSEWIC as an Endangered Species, is located in the sanctuary; one of less than a dozen known occurrences in Canada. Pignut Hickory and other rare and uncommon species are also present.

The Cartwright Nature Sanctuary includes diverse habitats and serves as an important ground water discharge area with 5 of the 8 streams that cross the property having their source waters in the sanctuary.

Management and Access

The HNC Sanctuary Land Trust Committee coordinates ongoing day to day management and monitoring of the sanctuary, while Conservation Halton security staff provide enforcement as needed on a 24/7 basis. Since 2004, over 135 volunteers have contributed 3,200 hours to work in the sanctuary and fundraising and planning efforts to protect it. The HNC has made a special effort to engage the local neighbourhood in stewarding the sanctuary and several neighbourhood residents are now actively involved.

The Bruce W. Duncan Memorial Trail was officially opened on September 29, 2007 (Photo: Alan Ernest)

Efforts to control Garlic Mustard, European Buckthorn and other invasive species are ongoing. The HNC and Conservation Halton are working together to prepare a management plan for the sanctuary, which we hope to complete in 2008.

The Bruce W. Duncan Memorial Trail is open to the public for pedestrian use only. Motorized vehicles, bicycles and horses are not permitted, nor is hunting, fishing or the removal of any natural materials from the site. Dogs are permitted only if on leash and all users must stay on the marked trail. Access to the Bruce W. Duncan Memorial Trail is via the Thornapple Trail located in the Royal Botanical Garden's Berry Tract, with a trail head on Patterson Road. The closest formal parking area is at the Borer's Falls Conservation Area on York Road just west of Valley Road. From this parking area one can follow a blue blazed Bruce Trail side trail and then the main Bruce Trail across Valley Road and to Patterson Road - a distance of about 2 km. The Thornapple Trail starts just south of Patterson Road about 200 feet east of where the Bruce Trail crosses the road.