Ellice Swamp is the largest woodlot in Perth County (856 hectares or 2115 acres). The swamp is found between Stratford and Milverton and is at the watershed divide between Thames River and the Grand River watersheds.
The swamp is drained by two river systems both named Black Creek, one of which flows north to the Nith and the other southwest through Sebringville to join the North Branch of the Thames. The area is largely owned by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.
The Ellice Swamp is also called Ellice Huckleberry Swamp. But the huckleberry is seems to have been eliminated. The centre of the Swamp is covered with sphagnum moss and leatherleaf underlain with peat. Few remnants of the original bog vegetation exist as drainage has altered this ecosystem. Woody vegetation has invaded the now drier soils at the expense of wet bog species.
The swamp is rich in diversity. Poplar, black ash and silver maple are common and shrub species such as dogwood, willow, spiraea, chokeberry and some blueberry in the understory. Due to the Swamp’s size, dense vegetation and wet, unstable soils, species of fauna intolerant of human activities find protection here. Bird species are abundant and some, such as the Golden-winged Warbler, are found nowhere else in the Perth County.
During the early 1950s, experimental tree planting projects were carried out on Conservation Authority-owned land in Ellice Township, and large areas of the Swamp were planted in coniferous species. Other disturbances which threaten the area include the construction of drains through the swamp, snowmobile trails, gravel roads and railway tracks which cut into the site.
Ellice Swamp is an important natural water storage/ recharge area, helping to maintain stream flow and water table levels throughout the year. Moreover, the loss of natural areas, especially in southwestern Ontario, makes this relatively large site a significant natural area.
The Friends of Ellice and Gads Hill Swamps are working with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) to create opportunities for users of these natural areas and to ensure the preservation of traditional uses.
Anyone interested in hunting opportunities at Ellice and Gads Hill Swamps should become a member of the Friends of Ellice and Gads Hill Swamps. Once you are a member, there is no fee to register to hunt in the swamps. It is mandatory to register or pay for a hunting permit with the UTRCA to be eligible to hunt at either of these areas.