The Crowe River Swamp Conservation Reserve is located about 30 kilometres south of Bancroft, and 13 kilometres east of Apsley, in Chandos Township, in the County of Peterborough (Inset, Figure 1). The Conservation Reserve consists entirely of Crown land, but is not one continuous area. It comprises three separate blocks: 1) Lot 22 Concession 3; 2) lot 30 concession 4 and the west half of the east half of lot 30 concession 3 and, 3) lots 31and 32 concession 3 (Figure 1). These three blocks are totally surrounded by private lands.

Considered a provincially significant wetland, no other deciduous swamp complex in ecological Site District SE-11 is known of this size and relatively undisturbed state. Extensive White Elm, Silver Maple and Green Ash stands form on wet, normally flooded swamp and levee forests along the Crowe River, mixing with large White Cedar stands and areas of open bog further back from the river. Black Spruce­ Cedar is a common association in the main body of the swamp (outside the reserve on private land), with small islands of mixed forest on drier uplands throughout.

The isolated 40 hectare parcel (lot 22 concession 3) is similar to the main part of the Conservation Reserve: low relief, treed swamps and bogs and upland mixed deciduous forests.

Because the Limerick tills of this area have higher contents of basic materials, the vegetation includes species that reflects this higher pH (Merchant 2001).

Condition:

A municipal road crosses the southwest corner of the Conservation Reserve. Otherwise, the three Crown land blocks of the Conservation Reserve are “landlocked” by private lands, are readily accessible only along the Crowe River by canoe, and are relatively undisturbed.

Diversity:

A detailed inventory has not been carried out for these sites. It is anticipated that these swamps have a rich herb and moss layer, and high levels of hardwood shrubs.

Ecological considerations:

The large swamp complex includes private lands around the Conservation Reserve blocks. It has been protected from economic development because of its wetlands nature. However, permanent modifications to the water levels of the Crowe River could negatively impact the swamp complex.

Special features:

The Silver Maple-Green Ash swamp is the primary feature of the Conservation Reserve.

Significance:

The Crowe River Swamp Conservation Reserve is a part of a provincially significant deciduous swamp complex.