Glen Major West (Conc. 6 – aggregrate pit)

COORDINATES:
Terrain:
Difficulty:

Glen Major West (Conc. 6 – aggregrate pit)

The Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods property complex is more than 1,500 hectares (3,705 acres) of land located on the Oak Ridges Moraine in the headwaters of the Duffins Creek watershed.  The complex includes the Glen Major Resource Tract, the Wilder Woods Tract, and the Aggregate Trail (former Timbers Brothers Gravel Pit).  The boundaries stretch from Brock Road and Lakeridge Road in the east and west, to Goodwood Road and Regional Road #5 in the north and south.  Public parking is available along Concessions 6 and 7.

Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods is owned by Toronto and Region Conservation, which manages the property in partnership with the Glen Major Walker Woods Stewardship Committee, consisting of local community members.  The majority of the property is located in the Township of Uxbridge with the southern boundary extending into the City of Pickering.  The site contains 47-km of trails and is open to hikers, cross-country skiers, horseback riders and cyclists.

Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods is located within the southern portion of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence floristic region, which is comprised of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests.  A gravel pit once operated on the Glen Major site and is currently being restored.  The remainder of the property complex was previously used for agriculture and contains a variety of habitat including forests, meadows, and wetlands.  Old farm roads and farm building foundations are still evident.  The property complex is surrounded by agricultural land, aggregate pits and rural residential estates.

The Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods property complex is an area rich in biodiversity and incredible vistas.  The site provides the largest contiguous land holding of Toronto and Region Conservation and is characterized by its large forest complexes and rolling topography, typical of the Oak Ridges Moraine.  Containing Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, such as the Uxbridge Forest Kames, the site provides one of the healthiest and most diverse sites in  Toronto and Region Conservation’s jurisdiction.  There are also numerous Environmentally Significant Areas on the Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods property.  From the upland hardwood forests to the conifer swamps and prairie-like communities, the site contains habitat for 120 different vegetation communities, 573 vascular plant species and 107 different fauna species, including White-tailed Deer, Porcupine, Coyote and Red-shouldered Hawk.

Meeting Place/Parking:
Meet at parking lot on east side of Uxbridge Conc 6, 0.6 km north of Uxbridge Town Line or 5.5 km south of Durham Road 21.