Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) regrettably announces that all buildings within TRCA parks and educational facilities are closed, effective immediately, to proactively protect visitors from the potential risk of contracting COVID-19. TRCA’s trails will remain open, but will not be maintained until further notice; please use discretion, as you are entering at your own risk.
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Altona Forest is a 53 hectare TRCA property located in the City of Pickering, Durham Region. The Forest provides essential habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals native to Southern Ontario including: songbirds, foxes, coyotes, hawks and rare amphibians. Due to its ecological importance, Altona Forest has been designated as an Environmentally Significant Area.
About the Forest
Altona Forest straddles the Carolinian and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest regions. The Forest is home to a number of flora and fauna species, including:
- 130+ types of wild flowers
- 100+ bird species
- 14+ mammal and 10+ herpetile species
- 35 distinct vegetation communities
The southwestern section of the forest contains the J. Murray Speirs Ecological Reserve, a natural reserve donated to Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) by renowned naturalist and educator Dr. J. Murray Speirs.
