Trail that did not make the Book - #1

One of the challenges about writing a trails book that is selective, rather than comprehensive, is that choices must be made between many worthwhile trails. Many factors, including location, length, type of experience, and even ownership, need to be considered. Not everything - not even everything good - can be included in the limited space available in a print publication.

The "National Capital Region and Beyond" boasts a wide and ever expanding variety of trails. They range from short nature walks in community parks to lengthy former railway corridors that extend deep into sparsely settled near-wilderness. They also offer many different experiences: urban or suburban, pastoral or sylvan, riverine or land-locked, level or hilly. Indeed, the area is only missing oceans and true mountains to provide nearly every type of experience. (well, maybe also jungles and deserts)

One of the trails that did not make the book is the Ferguson Forest Centre (FCC) in Kemptville, just south of the City of Ottawa. The Ferguson Forest Centre is a non-profit tree nursery "growing high quality ecologically suitable trees and shrubs from known seed sources that are sold to people and organizations to help sustain our supply of forest products and improve the environment." The FCC is adjacent to more than 300 hectares of Crown Land, where the Friends of the FCC are developing and rebuilding a network of walking, skiing, and snowshoeing routes along its many trails and forest roads.

At the time of the writing of Hiking Trails of Ottawa, the system was not in suitable condition to include it in the publication. However, some routes, such as the Management Trail, which a 2.3 kilometre self-guided walking trail designed to further understanding of forestry in Eastern Ontario, are available.

The Management Trail takes you through a variety of both natural and planted forest types common to this part of eastern Ontario, and along the way you will find a number of information stops designed to introduce you to a variety of forest management techniques. The Management Trail connects to other trails along its way, although most of these are neither well signed or adequately maintained.

But those who like exploring, confident that if they become misdirected they can easily find their way to a nearby road or the Rideau River, will probably enjoy the roughness of the other paths. I was on these trails on four separate occasions, and they very nearly made it into the book. They were, in fact, a last minute scratch, being replaced by the newly opened [July 2009] Manitou Mountain trail system.

If you would like learn more about the FFC and its trails, visit their Website: Ferguson Forest Centre.