Site Visits and Activities

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
DAY TRIPS

Behind the Hedges Garden Tour at the Central Experimental Farm and Arboretum

Date of Trip: Sunday, September 21

Despite a difficult climate, Ottawa is home to a number of beautiful, historic and unique gardens. This tour will include the Central Experimental Farm and the Dominion Arboretum where you will learn about such Canadian horticultural achievements as Marquis wheat and Isabella Preston lilacs. We will also visit the oldest walled garden in Eastern Ontario, an heirloom seed business, the greenhouses and gardens of Rideau Hall; (home to Canada’s governor general), and several privately owned gardens whose owners are delighted to explain their use of plant material and answer questions about gardening in Canada.

The Arboretum, which is located in the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, has a wide range of well-established trees and shrubs, some dating back to 1889, the year that the Arboretum was established. The Arboretum covers about 26 hectares of rolling land between Prince of Wales Drive and the Rideau Canal and contains various soil types and moisture levels.

Many of the trees and shrubs planted in 1889 are now among the largest specimens of their species in Canada. In 1889, little was known about the hardiness of exotic plants in the Ottawa area, so most of the trees were obtained from the famous nurseries of Spaeth in Germany, Louis Freres in France, Ellwanger and Barry in Rochester, NY, and the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plains, MA. Some of the plants from the Arnold Arboretum were from explorers in China, including Drs. E.Wilson and J. Rock.

Group Size: minimum 7, maximum 14
Cost: $90 CDN; $65 US (includes box lunch)
Travel Time: 30 minutes from Château Laurier
Date of Trip: September 21
Begin: Château Laurier Lobby @ 9:30 a.m.
End: Château Laurier Lobby @ 3:00 p.m.

Issue Areas:

• Organics
• Agriculture
• Biodiversity
• Gardens
• Heirloom Plants

Canoeing on the Canadian Heritage Rideau River

Date of Trip: Sunday, September 21

During your four-hour canoeing experience, you will learn about the history and heritage of the canoe in Canada as you paddle down a section of the 202 kilometer (125 mile) Canadian Heritage Rideau River. Over the course of the trip, you will travel though various lock stations and experience the Rideau Canal in all its beauty. Experienced staff will provide commentary and interpretation throughout the journey, which ends back at the Rideau Outdoor Centre and the Rideau Bird Sanctuary. No experience is necessary to enjoy this canoeing adventure. Your trip includes a box lunch and all required equipment. This tour also incorporates time for you to stroll through historic Merrickville, and enjoy Canada’s prettiest village.

Group Size: minimum 7, maximum 14
Cost: $45 CDN; $30 US
Travel time: 50 minutes
Date of Trip: September 21
Begin: Château Laurier Lobby @ 8:30 a.m.
End: Château Laurier Lobby @ 3:30 p.m.

Sustainable Forest Tour and FSC Workshop

Date of Trip: Sunday, September 21

“Forests and other natural features symbolize Canada. From the earliest times, the inhabitants of this land have relied heavily on the forest. Covering nearly half the Canadian landscape, some 418 million hectares, forests are integral to our environment, our economy, our culture and our history. They are instrumental in the realization of our aspirations as a society and as a nation.” (National Forest Strategy 1998-2003)

Ottawa is not only the capital of Canada, but has a long association with the forests in and around the city. By the mid-nineteenth century, Ottawa was established as a major lumber town, with the largest concentration of milling operations anywhere in the world. Forestry is still an important economic activity, and today the region is becoming a leader in sustainable forest practices.

You are invited on this three-stop tour of the Ottawa region to witness sustainable forest operations, meet local woodlot owners and understand the workings and importance of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

The first stop, Fortune Farms in Almonte, is a working 115-acre forest which is part of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest certification project. Fortune Farms is operated by former Model Forest President and Certification Working Group member Ray Fortune along with his wife Ruth. Stop two is the Docking Woodlot in Hopetown. This is a 215-acre woodlot located in the heart of Lanark County. There was a commercial forest operation conducted here this past winter and it was here that the SmartWood audit team measured the work that the EOMF had done to receive its FSC certification. This site demonstrates sound forest management activities with non-timber values considered. The final stop is Wheelers Sugar Bush, Pancake House & Maple Museum, where you will enjoy a pancake and maple syrup lunch. Wheelers Sugar Bush is now one of the largest maple syrup producers in Eastern Ontario, with 12,000 taps. Over 180 kilometers of pipeline is used to collect the sap. The Maple Museum is home to one of the world’s most extensive Maple collections, and has more than 2000 square feet of exhibit space as well as outdoor interactive historical displays. Nestled in the center of the 730-acre forest, the 13,500 square foot log building is a mixture of old and new. The locals are charming, the food is delicious and this trip will provide a first-hand learning experience on the critical issues facing ecolabeling and forest certification.

Group Size: minimum 14, maximum 21
Cost: $40 CDN; $30 US
Travel time: 90 minutes
Date of Trip: September 21
Begin: Château Laurier Lobby @ 8:30 a.m.
End: Château Laurier Lobby @ 4:00 p.m.