Layers of Natural History: A Picton Nature Walk

The chapters in Picton’s story begin to unfold when you explore Prince Edward County’s ecological connections. On this walking tour with local ecologist Ewa, you’ll discover how ancient limestone formations, glaciers, and waterways have shaped this charming town over millions of years.

The tour starts in Queen Elizabeth Park where you’ll see panoramic views of Picton Bay from the limestone cliff that forms the town’s geological backbone. You’ll learn how a massive fault line created the perfect valley for the bay, and how the water you see below becomes the town’s drinking water. You’ll make your way past Shire Hall (the town hall) and down Bridge Street to the heart of old Picton, where two villages merged into a town at Marsh Creek.

You’ll venture around Picton Harbour, where marshlands once teemed with wildlife before this was developed into a historically bustling port. As you follow Marsh Creek upstream, you’ll find out how this resilient waterway persists despite centuries of human alterations. You’ll continue through Marsh Creek Park and Delhi Park before ending the tour at the serene and historical Glenwood Cemetery.

On this 75-minute Picton walking tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• Examine the ancient limestone layers formed 400 million years ago when the entire area lay beneath a shallow sea
• Discover how massive glaciers sculpted Prince Edward County’s landscape, creating the thin soils that now produce award-winning wines
• Stand where Indigenous peoples once paddled canoes and portaged along what eventually became Picton’s Main Street
• Learn the ecological differences between marshes and swamps while observing native plant and wildlife habitats
• Spot local wildlife including turtles, fish, and birds that have made remarkable comebacks from near-extinction
• Hear Delhi Park’s hidden history as a former dump site, transformed into a quiet recreational space today
• Find out about Glenwood Cemetery’s innovative approach to green burials, where bodies return to nature

By the end of this nature walk, you’ll have gained a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of Picton’s landscape, from its limestone foundation to the resilient waterways that continue to shape this beautiful Prince Edward County community.

References:
Albrecht, G. A.. 2019. Earth Emotions: New Words for a New World. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
ERA Architects Inc. Issued MARCH 30, 2012, Revised May 14, 2012. PICTON HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT STUDY PICTON, ONTARIO. 10 St. Mary Street, Suite 801 Toronto, Ontario.
French, O. 2013. Wind, water, barley & wine: the nature of Prince Edward County. Wallbridge House Publishing. Belleville. 160 pp.
McFall, G. I. H. 1993. Géographie physique et Quaternaire, vol. 47, n° 3, p. 303-312. STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS AND NEOTECTONICS OF PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, SOUTHERN ONTARIO. Ministry of Consume r and Commercial Relations, Shipp Centre Wes t Tower, 330 0 Bloor Street West, Etobicoke, Ontario M8X 2X4.
Quinte Conservation. 2023. Watershed Report Card.