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Five Points Forest

Five Points ForestFive Points Forest was donated to the Thames Talbot Land Trust in 2009 by Al and Lilianne Driedger, who wanted to protect the natural features of the land in perpetuity.

The 29-ha (73-acre) property lies on a gently rolling moraine just south of the south branch of the Thames River between Putnam and Ingersoll, adjacent to other woodland patches.

Five Points Forest consists of mixed coniferous-deciduous upland forest and forest swamp.

Its low-lying areas were farmed until the 1940s and 1950s and then abandoned. These areas have reforested naturally but also include some older coniferous plantings including White Pine, Scotch Pine and Larch.

White Cedar is prevalent in the wetter areas. Upland areas contain mature White Ash, Red Oak, Sugar Maple, American Beech, Bitternut Hickory and Black Walnut. This area of Five Points Forest was never cleared, and its vegetation cover is well documented in Ontario Heritage Trust (OHT) and Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) reports.

The wetland contains several rare plants and there is a good understory of native plants on the property.

Five Points Forest lies within the Reynolds Creek sub-watershed of the Upper Thames River and forms part of three provincially-designated natural areas called the Five Points Woods and the Five Points Wetland Complex. Immediately to the west of the property is a 14-ha (35-acre) part of the wetland complex donated in 1990 to the OHT by E&E (McLaughlin) Aggregates Ltd and managed by UTRCA.

Download the Five Points Forest Trail Guide [PDF].

Public access is from 4975 Robinson Road.