Marcy's Woods

Marcy's Woods – A Natural Learning Site

Marcy's Woods is an intact Carolinian sandhill forest lying at the Eastern end of Lake Erie on the Point Abino peninsula. The Carolinian ecosystem in Canada is limited to a small area in Southern Ontario where the moderating influence of Lake Erie permits species characteristic of the Southern United States (Tennesee, Kentucky, North and South Carolina). At Marcy's Woods you can see tulip trees, hop trees, hackberry trees, spice bush and an outstanding array of spring wildflowers. You might also find such species as opposum, gray fox, southern flying squirrel, hognose snake, Fowler's toad, the Prometheus silk moth and both the giant and spice bush swallowtail butterflies. Point Abino has been visited by numerous experts and is considered one of the best remaining Carolinian sites in Canada. Saving Marcy's Woods from commercial interests is key to protecting a remnant of Canada's and in particular Fort Erie's natural heritage.

A dead tree is an important part of a forest ecology system. Here a dead tree has been repeatedly 'drilled' perhaps by Pileated Woodpeckers, Flickers, Hairy Woodpeckers or Downey Woopeckers in search of food. Not only does the dead tree supply the woodpeckers with food, but the nesting site for these birds. An abandoned woodpecker's hole will be used for nesting by other species.

Marcy's Woods is a unique and rare resource that is part of the natural heritage of all Canadians

On the north shore of Lake Erie lies an expanse of beach front property that had been owned by the Marcy family for more than 70 years. A portion of these 88 hectares (285 acres) of property falls within the Point Abino Peninsula Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). The Point Abino area has been studied by scientists and naturalists alike for more than a century. It has been described as very significant, containing nationally, provincially and regionally rare species of plants and animals.

Dr. Marcy like Bert Miller was a man ahead of his time. Marcy's Woods consists of a majestic woodlot, wetlands teeming with life, a meadow community that is any butterfly's dream and on of the last untouched stretches of Lake Erie shoreline. For many years the Marcy's welcomed visitors to their woods. Each spring would find local school children taking part in hikes for the purpose of educating them about the natural environment. The late Dr. George Marcy and his wife Elizabeth had a vision for their home. They wanted it preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Marcy's Woods is now under the care of a local developer who purchased it on Thursday July 24, 2003.

Take a walk in Marcy's Woods. Click Here.