Not all wetlands are the same. Depending on the hydrology and vegetation, wetlands can be classified into four different types: marshes, swamps, fens and bogs.
Fens are peat-forming wetlands that receive their water and nutrients from sources other than precipitation. They are acidic ecosystems that are covered with grasses, sedges, rushes and wildflowers.
Swamps are wetlands dominated by woody shrubs or trees. Historically, swamps have been portrayed as mosquito-infested wastelands. As a result, thousands of hectares of swampland have been drained. The reality is that swamps serve vital roles in flood protection and removal of harmful nutrients from the environment.
Marshes are quite different from other wetlands in that they are frequently inundated with water from the surface or ground. The result is a nutrient-rich environment abundant with plants and animals. Marshes often form along rivers and streams in poorly drained depressions.
Bogs are wetlands common to northern Ontario. They are characterized by spongy peat deposits, acidic waters and a thick carpet of sphagnum moss. They are fed almost entirely by precipitation and are therefore low in nutrients. Specialized carnivorous plants such as Sundew and Pitcher plants ingest insects to make up for the lack of nutrients they get from the soil.
If you walk North along the trail from the cache you will seem some different wetlands.
This cache was placed under direct supervision of park staff. Please use the provided trails and visit this geocache only during park hours.