SOUTH DRUMLIN NATURE AREA (SDNA)
Introduction:
The South Drumlin Nature Area covers an area of 14 ha, is Adjacent to the Nassau Mills Road,
and extends close to the western edge of the Trent Canal (Figure SDNA-1). There are a number of
informal trails leading to the drumlin from Nassau Mills Road, from the Rotary Greenway Trail and
from the canal edge.
Topography and Soils:
The primary topographic feature of this nature area is a 600 m long, distinctively-shaped drumlin,
rising some 15 to 20 m from the canal. The stoss (north) slope and sides are steep, and the
lee (south) slope is gently inclining. A narrow band of flat land separates the drumlin and Trent
Canal. The west side of the drumlin is also bordered by flat terrain. A gentle slope extends south
from the drumlin to the Thompson Creek lowland. Soils belong to the Emily Series and are
characterized by being medium textured, moderately stony and are imperfectly drained.
Hydrology:
While this Nature Area has no streams, it is well drained, except for a few small, ephemeral pools
on the stoss slope.
Vegetation:
The vegetation types are illustrated in Figure SDNA-2. The SDNA supports a mixture of wooded
and partially wooded habitats. A large area is covered by deciduous forest, dominated by sugar
maple and white ash, while in more disturbed areas there are openings with patches of tree, sapling,
and shrub cover. Of particular interest are mature black cherry trees and large sumacs.
Wildlife:
The mixture of open and wooded habitat attracts a variety of bird species. Woodland-dwelling
birds, such as pileated woodpeckers, inhabit this area as well as adjacent woods in the Canal
Nature Area. The shoreline adjacent to the woodland provides good habitat for amphibians,
birds, mammals and aquatic insects. Ospreys and belted kingfishers perch in the trees and feed
along the canal edge. Mink forage along the shoreline.
Historical Features:
Cedar rail and barbed wire fencing and the degraded herbaceous flora in the woodland suggest
livestock grazing in the past.
A number of cottage sites, abandoned in the early 1970s, are situated near the base of the slope
adjacent to the canal (McLean 1998). Associated with these sites is a can and bottle dump and
scattered metal debris on the mid-to lower parts of the adjacent drumlin slope. There is also an
abandoned bottle dump in the northeastern portion of this Nature Area.
Significant Features:
This drumlin is a distinctive landmark with a closed canopy forest of high aesthetic value, having
a particularly attractive display of fall colours. On the top of the drumlin the gentle slope and
lack of under-story allow for easy walking through most of the forest.
Land Use:
Teaching and Research
Forestry Management and Plant Ecology classes use SDNA for field studies. A control plot as
part of the EMAN Project program has been set up in the woodland on top of the drumlin.
Recreational Use
The SDNA contains a network of informal trails which are heavily used for walking and cycling.
The main trail traverses the top of the drumlin in a north-south direction. There are numerous
access trails ascending the drumlin and a trail along the canal edge. Significant viewpoints to
the northwest occur along the top of the drumlin. Walking trails through the mature hardwoods
down to the canal could be constructed since there is the potential for travel along the canal to
continue into the city.
Adjacent Land Use:
The SDNA is flanked on the east side by Trent Severn Waterway lands along the Trent Canal. Old
field uplands occur to the south and west of the SDNA and the Rotary Greenway Trail passes
close to its western edge.
Ecological Integrity
There is concern that:
• while invasive European Buckthorn is a minor component of the deciduous forest, it is quite
common in the less mature wooded and open communities.
• coring of mature trees has occurred and some large American beech trees have been damaged
because bore holes were not sealed after cores were removed. Unsealed coring holes
harbor insects and fungi that may be detrimental to the tree.
Figure SDNA-1: Contour Map of the South Drumlin Nature Area, Symons Campus, Trent University,
Peterborough, Ontario.
Figure SDNA-2: Vegetation Types in the South Drumlin Nature Area, Symons Campus, Trent
University, Peterborough, Ontario.
Figure SDNA-3: Vegetation Communities in the South Drumlin Nature Area, Symons Campus, Trent
University, Peterborough, Ontario.