The Oak Ridges Moraine is visible out my back window.  Everyday I am treated to one of the spectacular views featured above.  Our temperate climate offers us four distinct seasons each with its own glowing features.  Early spring for us heralds the disappearing snow although it can hang on like this past year until early April!  By late spring we are usually ready to take off our first cut of hay for our resident equines.  Sometimes it is hard to wait for that week long dry period needed for good horse hay.

Summers are fabulous.  The bird life around our 100 acres is spectacular.  Blue jays, barn swallows, goldfinches, various woodpeckers and blackbirds are constant visitors at our bird feeders and woodlands.  I am still waiting for cardinals to grace my property.  I’ve seen them in the city but for some reason they have not yet graced us with their presence.

Recreational activities are endless.  My youngest son’s latest adventure has been to attempt dog sledding with our two good-natured muts Rosco and Tuck.  A treat is required to get them going but in the end boy and dogs have lots of fun.  Snow shoeing in the winter, horse back riding, hiking through the forest and ATV rides all year round ensure there is never dull moment.

Activities on the Oak Ridges Moraine

Twelve Facts to Know about the Oak Ridges Moraine

1. The Oak Ridges Moraine spans about 160 kilometers from the Niagara Escarpment to the headwaters of the Trent River.
2. It passes through some of the most densely populated areas of Ontario.
3. It is  remnant of the last ice age having formed about 12.000 years ago by advancing and retreating glaciers.
4. Gravel, sand and rocks deposited by glacial movement collect rainwater and snow melt which is slowly filtered and transferred to 65 rivers and streams emptying into Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe.
5. The Oak Ridges Moraine provides the most continuous forest-cover in the greater Toronto area.
6. This forest cover provides habitat and migration routes for a large number of mammal and bird species.
7. Common animals found in the Moraine include:
8. Water features found in and around the Moraine include:
9. 30% of the Moraine is forested, it has 130 wetlands and centuries-old woodlots.
10. Most wetlands in the Moraine are classified as swamps which contain trees and shrubs in standing water.
11. The Moraine contains unique and globally-threatened ecosystems including ‘tall-grass prairie’ and ‘oak-pine savanna.
12. It provides clean, safe drinking water to about 250,000 people including private and municipal wells.

Map Outlining the Boundaries of the Oak Ridges Moraine

Check out these cool activities for kids teaching about the actions of glaciers

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Do you live within the Oak Ridges Moraine?  Share your experiences!