Medway Valley Heritage Forest: A Jewel within the Urban Landscape

The Medway Valley Heritage Forest Environmentally Significant Area (ESA) is a remnant patch of the once vast Eastern Deciduous Forest Biome that covered much of southern Ontario and the eastern United States.  Medway Creek runs through the valley and eventually flows into the north fork of the Thames River.  Most of the ESA is owned by the City of London, Ontario; some of it is privately owned.  

The roots of a sugar maple holding up the bank of Medway Creek. This tree won the Amazing Tree Quest in 2009.

The photos were taken from June 2011 to January 2014.  The focus is the biodiversity in and around a wetland located in the section of the ESA that is south of Fanshawe Park Road.  This wetland is supplied by groundwater that discharges to the surface; it drains into Medway Creek.  Most of the images were taken within the ESA; a few were taken on private property within 20 meters of the ESA boundary.  All species pictured are native species and are naturally occurring in the ESA, as far as is known (images copyright NM Zitani and RG Thorn)