Arnprior’s Gillies Grove Nature Reserve — home to Ontario’s tallest tree — closed for cleanup

Last weekend’s derecho storm didn’t only wreak havoc on Ottawa’s streets and suburbs, but on surrounding parks and green spaces, as well.

One such place dealing with a big clean-up is Gillies Grove Nature Reserve in Arnprior.

The park, Megan Quinn of Nature Conservancy of Canada, says, is closed until further notice — until it is deemed safe for walkers and hikers to go back.

“It’s a hidden gem in this part of Ontario and it’s a really special property — it actually contains some of the last remaining old-growth forests in Eastern Ontario, so we’re talking about trees, some of which are over 150 years old,” Quinn explained on The Sam Laprade Show on Friday, May 27. “It’s a really critical habitat and, of course, a place people really love to visit and enjoy for nature walks, as well.”

Gillies Grove is also home to Ontario’s tallest tree: a 47 m eastern white pine, estimated to be over 150 years old. That’s taller than a 13-storey building.

So when the storm touched down, Quinn says she was concerned.

“I’m pleased to report that we only have minor damage there,” Quinn said. “Even so, It’s really important that people stay away from Gillies Grove and some of these other nature areas until those trails can be safely cleared and reopened.”

Luckily, the historic tree, Quinn reports, hasn’t sustained major damage.

But when Quinn visited the Arnprior site earlier in the week, she found about half a dozen large trees had fallen across the trails.

“What’s important, and I think what some people might not realize, is it’s not just the trees that have fallen down — there are still broken branches and a canopy that could fall and be quite a hazard if those don’t get assessed.”

Arborists across the city have been working around the clock to clean up the green space areas so that they can be visited and enjoyed again.

With Gillies Grove, specifically, crews will be going in this weekend to start the cleanup of the area.

Listen to the full interview with Megan Quinn of the Nature Conservancy of Canada on The Sam Laprade Show on Friday, May 27 below: