Haliburton Forest
Encyclopedia
The Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve Ltd. (Haliburton Forest) is a privately owned forest, comprising 300 km² (70,000 acres) in the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario
, Canada
about 270 km northeast of Toronto
, and just south of and abutting Algonquin Provincial Park
.
Haliburton Forest is a "multi-use forest", with attractions such as the Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre, the world's longest Canopy Walk as well as the world's only freshwater tour submarine. Haliburton Forest operates recreation, tourism and education programs year-round. The company claims to operate progressive, sustainable resource management practices on its lands. Its forestry operations were the first to be certified by the international Forest Stewardship Council
in Canada. Haliburton Forest supports an array of high profile, ecosystem based research projects, primarily conducted by the University of Toronto
's Faculty of Forestry.
were first surveyed during the winters of 1862/63. In 1885, 10 of these townships (basically the present municipality of Dysart et al, Ontario
) were sold to the London-based Canadian Land and Emigration Company
under the leadership of Thomas Chandler Haliburton
.
The company planned on subdividing its extensive holdings into 100 acre (0.404686 km²) lots and selling them to British emigrants as farmland. Those plans crumbled as soon as it became obvious that the lands in question, with the exception of small parcels, were unsuitable for agriculture. The company went into receivership and was renamed the "Canadian Land and Immigration Company", with headquarters in Toronto.
From 1870 to 1910, large lumber companies acquired cutting rights and cleared most of the white pine
stands.
By the 1930s, up to 80000 acres (323.7 km²) remained in the hands of the Algonquin Corporation who continued harvesting timber until they were acquired by Hay and Co., a veneer milling company based in Woodstock, Ontario
, in 1946. Between 1946 and 1971, more than 150000000 board feet (353,960.6 m³) of lumber had been sawn and several million more board feet of veneer left northern Haliburton for the mother mill in Woodstock. Most of this timber was cut on the land that today makes up Haliburton Forest.
By 1960, two detailed forest inventories suggested that the harvestable volume of timber was rapidly declining on Hay and Co. lands, which had been taken over in the meantime by Weldwood of Canada. The decline through harvesting methods and volumes during the past was deemed detrimental to future production and the land was put up for sale.
In 1962, German Baron von Fuerstenberg acquired the Weldwood property and renamed his holding Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd. Previously, the lakeshores of Redstone and Kennisis Lakes had been sold off to a development company. The timber rights remained with the Weldwood mill until 1967 before being turned over to the new company. A few years later, in 1970, the sawmill at Kennisis Lake
closed down.
The traditional activities on which Haliburton Forest has always depended and which have prevented development from destroying this wilderness treasure are still underway. Logging is conducted on an extensive scale and in a way that actually improves the quality of the forest, a major reversal of past practices. Rather than taking the best wood, the company's foresters mark and take out the low quality and mature trees. The result is a very high quality, healthy forest for the future.
and lake trout
. Four lakes (Stocking Lake, Dutton, No Name Lake, Wildcat Lake) are known to be naturally reproducing Brook Trout lakes – a rarity.
There are also several bass
fisheries within the forest. Among them Kelly and Johnson Lake are easily accessible, while Gadwall and especially Powderhorn pose a bit of a challenge to access.
In 1996, Patricia Wyman, a new employee at the facility, was killed by four of its wolves.
(FSC). The certifying agency at that time was Boston, MD based Smartwood/Rainforest Alliance
.
come due for harvesting every season, some measuring up to thirty inches in diameter. Each tree is individually selected, carefully felled and skidded by horse before being transported to the nearby Haliburton Forest Mill. Using state of the art saws, each board is squared for timbers or sawn into boards for planking.
. Professional guides provide introduction to the basics of dogsledding to ensure a safe and enjoyable dogsledding excursion.
to the weekend after Thanksgiving
.
The Observatory:
Situated on a small rise near the entrance point into Haliburton Forest, the observatory
offers an unobstructed view of the night skies. The plain, 1½ story observatory building suits the wilderness setting. Once the roof rolls off, it reveals its true identity as a home for telescopes and other astronomy equipment. The ground floor is set up for presentations.
The Telescopes:
Two 10" and one 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are mounted to facilitate viewing of the skies. Self-tracking and equipped with computerised functions accessing a 64,000 object database, these state of the art systems make sky observations easy, pleasant and effective.
An elevated platform overlooks the working mill, providing a view of an active sawmilling process.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
about 270 km northeast of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and just south of and abutting Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Additions since its creation have increased...
.
Haliburton Forest is a "multi-use forest", with attractions such as the Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre, the world's longest Canopy Walk as well as the world's only freshwater tour submarine. Haliburton Forest operates recreation, tourism and education programs year-round. The company claims to operate progressive, sustainable resource management practices on its lands. Its forestry operations were the first to be certified by the international Forest Stewardship Council
Forest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established in 1993 to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Its main tools for achieving this are standard setting, independent certification and labeling of forest products...
in Canada. Haliburton Forest supports an array of high profile, ecosystem based research projects, primarily conducted by the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
's Faculty of Forestry.
History
The northern townships of Peterborough County in the British North-American Province of Upper CanadaUpper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
were first surveyed during the winters of 1862/63. In 1885, 10 of these townships (basically the present municipality of Dysart et al, Ontario
Dysart et al, Ontario
The United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde is a municipality in Haliburton County in Central Ontario, Canada...
) were sold to the London-based Canadian Land and Emigration Company
Canadian Land and Emigration Company
In 1859, the Crown Lands Department in Province of Canada advertised a block of land for sale in Haliburton County. The purpose for the sale of the land was to promote rapid settlement of the newly created townships in the district through private enterprise...
under the leadership of Thomas Chandler Haliburton
Thomas Chandler Haliburton
Thomas Chandler Haliburton was the first international best-selling author from Canada. He was also significant in the history of Nova Scotia.-Life:...
.
The company planned on subdividing its extensive holdings into 100 acre (0.404686 km²) lots and selling them to British emigrants as farmland. Those plans crumbled as soon as it became obvious that the lands in question, with the exception of small parcels, were unsuitable for agriculture. The company went into receivership and was renamed the "Canadian Land and Immigration Company", with headquarters in Toronto.
From 1870 to 1910, large lumber companies acquired cutting rights and cleared most of the white pine
White Pine
-Trees:* Trees in the pine subgenus Pinus subgenus Strobus** Eastern White Pine , one of these species, native to northeastern North America...
stands.
By the 1930s, up to 80000 acres (323.7 km²) remained in the hands of the Algonquin Corporation who continued harvesting timber until they were acquired by Hay and Co., a veneer milling company based in Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock is a city and the county seat of Oxford County in Southern Ontario, Canada. Woodstock is located 128 km southwest of Toronto, north of Highway 401 along the historic Thames River...
, in 1946. Between 1946 and 1971, more than 150000000 board feet (353,960.6 m³) of lumber had been sawn and several million more board feet of veneer left northern Haliburton for the mother mill in Woodstock. Most of this timber was cut on the land that today makes up Haliburton Forest.
By 1960, two detailed forest inventories suggested that the harvestable volume of timber was rapidly declining on Hay and Co. lands, which had been taken over in the meantime by Weldwood of Canada. The decline through harvesting methods and volumes during the past was deemed detrimental to future production and the land was put up for sale.
In 1962, German Baron von Fuerstenberg acquired the Weldwood property and renamed his holding Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd. Previously, the lakeshores of Redstone and Kennisis Lakes had been sold off to a development company. The timber rights remained with the Weldwood mill until 1967 before being turned over to the new company. A few years later, in 1970, the sawmill at Kennisis Lake
Kennisis Lake
Kennisis Lake is the largest lake in the Haliburton Highlands with a surface area of over 1,640 ha in the area of Ontario just south west of Algonquin Provincial Park. From end to end, the lake is approximately 23 kilometres long...
closed down.
The traditional activities on which Haliburton Forest has always depended and which have prevented development from destroying this wilderness treasure are still underway. Logging is conducted on an extensive scale and in a way that actually improves the quality of the forest, a major reversal of past practices. Rather than taking the best wood, the company's foresters mark and take out the low quality and mature trees. The result is a very high quality, healthy forest for the future.
Fishing
Several of the lakes within the park are home to native brook troutBrook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
and lake trout
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
. Four lakes (Stocking Lake, Dutton, No Name Lake, Wildcat Lake) are known to be naturally reproducing Brook Trout lakes – a rarity.
There are also several bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
fisheries within the forest. Among them Kelly and Johnson Lake are easily accessible, while Gadwall and especially Powderhorn pose a bit of a challenge to access.
Wolf Centre
The Wolf Centre opened in 1996 and is currently home to a pack of five Timber Wolves (Canis lupus). Within the 61,000 m² enclosure (one of the largest in the world), they roam freely, living as 'natural' a life as possible. Fed on a random schedule (approximately once a week), they can often be found hanging out near the viewing area. As this is close to both the highest point in the enclosure and the water source, they are often nearby.In 1996, Patricia Wyman, a new employee at the facility, was killed by four of its wolves.
Conservation & forestry
The privately-owned Haliburton Forest claims to strike a balance between short-term requirements of a successful, operational business and long-term needs of sustainable resource use and conservation. Over the past four decades, its 70000 acres (283.3 km²) have been transformed from a depleted forestry holding to a thriving, multi-use operation which contributes economically and environmentally to the long-term stability of the surrounding rural community. By being economically successful, Haliburton Forest provides employment as well as environmental benefits to owners, staff and the public at large. Haliburton Forest was the first forest in Canada certified as a "sustainable forest" under the stringent guidelines of the international Forest Stewardship CouncilForest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established in 1993 to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Its main tools for achieving this are standard setting, independent certification and labeling of forest products...
(FSC). The certifying agency at that time was Boston, MD based Smartwood/Rainforest Alliance
Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a non-governmental organization with the published aims of working to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. It is based in New York City, and has offices throughout the...
.
EcoLog Homes
EcoLog Homes is a builder and supplier of log home kits. The logs they harvest come from the 70000 acres (283.3 km²) privately owned Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve Ltd. Specific quantities of mature hemlockTsuga
Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. The common name hemlock is derived from a perceived similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison hemlock....
come due for harvesting every season, some measuring up to thirty inches in diameter. Each tree is individually selected, carefully felled and skidded by horse before being transported to the nearby Haliburton Forest Mill. Using state of the art saws, each board is squared for timbers or sawn into boards for planking.
Canopy Tour -- A Walk in the Clouds
This experience includes: a guided van tour through the private lands of Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve Ltd., passing through forests and along lakes and streams; a 0.5 km walk along the scenic Pelaw River; a short, guided voyageur-canoe ride across a wilderness lake to the final destination—Canopy Boardwalk.Snowmobiling
With 60000 acres (242.8 km²) of forest wilderness, 50 lakes, and numerous ponds and creeks, Haliburton Forest is the only wholly privately owned snowmobiling operation in the world. The core of the 300 km trail system is double tracked and up to 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. Scenic single tracked trails access some of the remote areas within the property. Half a dozen shelter cabins equipped with stoves and firewood line the trail system.Dogsledding
Introductory, half and full-day dogsledding tours are available at Haliburton Forest along groomed winter trails with over 130 Siberian HuskiesSiberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in north-eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family...
. Professional guides provide introduction to the basics of dogsledding to ensure a safe and enjoyable dogsledding excursion.
Mountain Biking
Bikers have a choice of access roads, forest trails, or a route that covers some of the toughest terrain in the Province. The cycling season runs from Victoria DayVictoria Day
Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. The date is also, simultaneously, that on which the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday is recognized...
to the weekend after Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
.
Astronomy
Due to its location three hours north of the lights of the Golden Horseshoe, Haliburton Forest is part of the Algonquin Dome, offering truly dark, light free viewing of the skies. This location allows astronomers to observe individual stars, galaxies and deep sky objects not normally observed in light polluted locations.The Observatory:
Situated on a small rise near the entrance point into Haliburton Forest, the observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
offers an unobstructed view of the night skies. The plain, 1½ story observatory building suits the wilderness setting. Once the roof rolls off, it reveals its true identity as a home for telescopes and other astronomy equipment. The ground floor is set up for presentations.
The Telescopes:
Two 10" and one 12" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes are mounted to facilitate viewing of the skies. Self-tracking and equipped with computerised functions accessing a 64,000 object database, these state of the art systems make sky observations easy, pleasant and effective.
Sawmill Tours
After fifty years of preparation, the new Haliburton Forest sawmill opened to the public in 2010.An elevated platform overlooks the working mill, providing a view of an active sawmilling process.