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Happy Valley Forest

Areas of Natural and Scientific InterestForests of OntarioKing, OntarioOak Ridges MoraineProtected areas of the Regional Municipality of York
 GFeldmanNR2 Scientific Snapshot (37133850554)
GFeldmanNR2 Scientific Snapshot (37133850554)

Happy Valley Forest is a 6.48 square kilometre provincially significant ecological area, classified as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. It consists of an upland forest on steeply rolling topography, various wooded swamps, and minor wetland areas (wet meadows, thickets and cattail swamps). A few small kettle ponds are also present. Located on Ordovician bedrock over the Oak Ridges Moraine, the forest attains elevations between 122 and 152 m, increasing westward. The majority of the area is composed of overburden of ice-contract stratified drift of sand, gravel and silt of varying origin (kame, outwash or collapse). Soil types in the forests are predominantly pontytool sandy loam; Brighton sandy loam, King clay loam (southern and western steep areas), and bottomland (along stream banks) are present in small areas. The upland forest is dominated by sugar maple in most areas, and sugar maple and American beech in others, though species such as paper birch, white ash, eastern hemlock, black cherry and red oak are found throughout. The eastern portion is instead dominated by red maple and red oak, interspersed by American beech, paper birch, eastern hemlock and largetooth aspen. In the valleys of this forest can be found largetooth aspen with white birch, red maple and occasional beech, red oak and trembling aspen. Moreover, several kettle depressions and small kettle ponds are present in the area. Supporting over 100 bird species, and numerous other wildlife species, the Happy Valley Forest is recognized for its size and the presence of various rare species. Native and rare species include: Acadian flycatcher (endangered) Hooded warbler (threatened) Jefferson salamander Cerulean warblerThe red-shouldered hawk was a vulnerable species, but as a result of conservation efforts, was reclassified in 2006 and is no longer at risk. Note that the status of the species listed above is for Canada only. None of these species is currently facing global extinction. The forest is also home to the northern flying squirrel and the southern flying squirrel, which depend on trees with holes for nesting and food storage. The southern flying squirrel is at the northern extent of its range in Happy Valley Forest.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Happy Valley Forest (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Happy Valley Forest
NCC trail, King

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Wikipedia: Happy Valley ForestContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 43.9639 ° E -79.6208 °
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NCC trail

NCC trail
L7B 0C8 King
Ontario, Canada
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 GFeldmanNR2 Scientific Snapshot (37133850554)
GFeldmanNR2 Scientific Snapshot (37133850554)
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King Creek, Ontario

King Creek was the one time name for the East Humber River and a former community on Mill Road in the Township of King. Originally settled by Christopher Stokes in 1834 and known as Stoke's Hollow, later King Creek, the community grew around his grist mill and later included a flour mill, general store, shoe shop and in 1866 a Post Office. In July 1937, a plan of subdivision was registered for Humber Trails as a summer residential district nestled in the valley around King Creek west of Mill Road. After Hurricane Hazel, in the fall of 1954, the Toronto Regional Park Authority expropriated the land creating the Humber Trails Conservation area. One street named Elmpine Trails, on the south side of the King Creek, was not expropriated as the homes were on high ground with no chance of a flood damaging the houses. Several properties on Mill Road were also not expropriated for the same reason. For approximately fifteen years the Humber Trails Conservation Area was a manicured park. However a decision was made to allow the park to become a nature preserve. Today there are few signs that streets and homes and later, a manicured park had existed in the valley, except for a few walking paths and a King Creek post office structure that was assimilated into the buildings of a private residence and working farm located on either side of Mill Road. King Township, Ontario, Canada. The area is located immediately east of Nobleton. To the east is King City.