Our Goals:

• To further public awareness, education, and understanding of the historical, archaeological, biological and geological resources of Wasaga Beach.
• To support research projects related to the park's natural and historical resources.
• To develop and make high quality, park specific items and publications available to the public.
• To operate a retail outlet where educational publications, maps, mementos and other items related to Nancy Island and Wasaga Beach Provincial Park are available.
• To generate funds through memberships, donations, bequests and other gifts, as well as through special events and activities.
• To ensure that Wasaga Beach Provincial Park's natural and historical legacy will remain for future generations.

 

Noteworthy News & Notices:

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War of 1812 Feast

Friday May 4th, 2012 at the Wasaga Beach RecPlex.

6:00pm reception and 6:30pm dinner.

Bicentennial Dinner in honour of the H.M.S. Nancy, sunk August 14, 1814 in the Battle of the Nottawasaga during the War of 1812. 

Proceeds to support Nancy Island Historic Site. Ticket Price $50.00 ($25 tax receipt)

Entertainment by Scott Thomas, dinner catered by TK's, Super Silent Auction & Cash Bar.

Period attire welcomed, but not required.

Contact the Park Office 429-2516 for tickets or Rob Potter President, 705-445-1514 rpotter18@sympatico.ca.

Prescribed Burn of Savannah Habitat at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park

• Between April 1 and May 30, 2012, Ontario Parks will be conducting a prescribed burn in the Blueberry Trails section of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. Two small blocks, totalling 13 ha, will be deliberately set ablaze as a "prescribed burn" to help restore Red Oak Woodland and Savannah habitats (see map on reverse side).

• A Prescribed Burn is a carefully planned and deliberate application of fire to a pre-determined area to allow for a controlled and safe fire to emulate a natural fire. The burn will be carried out by MNR/Ontario Parks staff that are trained and experienced in prescribed burning. Burning is only conducted under weather and moisture conditions that will ensure that the expected results are achieved, and that the burn can be conducted safely and effectively.

• The prescribed burn is intended to enhance and restore native Red Oak Woodland communities within the park. This ecosystem was originally represented by a fairly open forest or woodland of large, wide-crowned Red Oak trees with grasses and woodland plants and shrubs such as Slender Wheat-grass, Indian Grass, Little Bluestem, Butterflyweed, New Jersey Tea, Wild Bergamot, Blueberry and Bracken Fern. The deliberate planting of Red Pine and many years of fire suppression have degraded these communities which can be seen by a more closed canopy, the invasion of White Pine in the understory and fewer woodland plants.

• Fire would have been a natural part of this vegetation community and evidence of past fires can be seen in the form of burned out stumps and fire scarring on trees. Oak trees are resistant to the low intensity fires of a prescribed burn, but the fire is able to kill off the other species of trees and shrubs that are filling in the understory. Periodic fire prepares the ecosystem for natural regeneration, retards the growth of undesirable woody vegetation, and will encourage the restoration of oak woodland in the park. MNR fire crews have successfully completed prescribed burns in similar ecosystems in Turkey Point, The Pinery, Peter's Woods and Rondeau provincial parks and even Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve which is located within the city of Windsor.

• The prescribed burn at Wasaga Beach will be completed in one day, of approximately 10 hours. For public safety reasons, park visitors will not be allowed access to the burn area during the burning operation. The burn will only be conducted under wind conditions that will ensure smoke is pushed away from the Blueberry Trail subdivision, immediately to the west of the Blueberry Plains area of the park. Some minor amounts of residual smoke may be seen on the day after the burn while Ontario Parks staff continue to monitor and extinguish any remaining embers.

• Signs indicating that the prescribed burn is in progress will be placed along Blueberry Trail and other roads as appropriate on the actual burn day.

• For more information on the burn, please contact Laurel Finney, Ontario Parks at laurel.finney@ontario.ca or 705-429-2516. Reporters are welcome to observe the burning operation conducted by MNR fire personnel but will need to pre-arrange with above contact.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

The Friends of Nancy Island and Wasaga Beach Park are seeking volunteers to support our efforts to make the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 an exciting and memorable event.

Volunteers can choose from five new committees established to meet the needs of these upcoming celebrations.  They are Finance, Retail (including the Treasurer Chest store), Special Events, Public Relations and Landscaping and Facility Upgrades.

For further information contact Friends president Rob Potter at rpotter18@sympatico.ca.