Heritage Tree Travellers Discover Ontario's Majestic Living History

By Gradon Nicholls

My wife Danielle and I discovered the Heritage Tree program entirely by accident. It was early in the pandemic, and we decided we needed to get out of the house to avoid going crazy. As everything was closed, we settled on taking hikes and exploring the areas around Ottawa, where we lived at the time. On one such walk, we happened upon a massive Bur Oak in Williamstown. As we would later learn, the tree is estimated to be about 270 years old and is located on the premises of the Sir John Johnson Manor House. This property links back to a mill site built in the 1700s. Later, the village of Williamstown grew around the mill.

Attached to the tree we saw a tiny plaque indicating its Heritage Tree status. After googling the program, we found a map of around 100 such trees on the Forests Ontario website. A lightbulb went off at that moment: if we can find interesting trees by exploring historical places, perhaps we can find historical places by looking for interesting trees. The next chance we got, we went to see the next closest tree: the Royal Oak of Arnprior. Prince Edward--later King Edward VII, planted the tree in 1860 (alas, soon after we learned that this oak experienced significant decline and had become a hazard, requiring its removal). Afterward we enjoyed the sights of Arnprior—including hiking through Gillies Grove, home of the tallest tree in Ontario, a 47-metre tall White Pine, which reaches higher than a 13-storey building.

As Danielle and I found more and more trees, we realised that tree hunting is not just a dorky hobby, but a great way to discover the nature and history of our province. We spent our 2021 fall vacation searching for trees and exploring the surrounding areas. Danielle enjoyed posing beside each tree. Our first stop was London, where we said hello to a 250+ year old White Oak in the Westminster Ponds Conservation Area. The area contains trails which wind through a beautiful forest and marshy areas, and the tree was one of the most incredible we have seen in terms of its height and shape.

Next, we travelled to downtown London to find a 150-year-old Sycamore on the premises of the Eldon House. The tree itself is not overly distinct, but after finding it, we went inside the house, a well-preserved look into life in 1800s Canada, including furniture and decorations owned by the original family.

On that same road trip, we found our favourite tree of all: the Red Maple of Port Sydney. Located in a little nook called Indian Landing, this spectacular tree hangs over the Muskoka River. Its beautiful colour during the autumn, and the roar of water flowing over Port Sydney Falls, makes it incredibly scenic, and we never would have seen it if not for our tree excursions. If you are ever in the Muskoka region, it is well worth seeing.

We also created our own map with photos of the trees we visited. We would like to thank Forests Ontario, a key partner in the Heritage Tree program, for all the work they do in making Ontario a greener and better place. We look forward to finding more trees, and hope that this article encourages more people to discover and appreciate Ontario and its trees.

The Heritage Tree Program allows individuals or communities to apply for heritage tree recognition for culturally significant trees. Recognition under the Heritage Tree program by itself does not offer protections, however in some occasions these trees are granted special protections at a local level. Furthermore, the program brings awareness to some of Ontario’s most interesting trees. Anyone can nominate a tree for heritage designation.