This site has given the GCA many surprises. RVs, boats, tractors, household appliances and other objects that were the property of previous owners have been found hiding on the property. Challenges have arisen as to how to move bigger objects and how to properly dispose of them. Fortunately the GCA staff and volunteers are always up to the challenge. The woody debris seen here will be sorted and either removed (if non-biodegradable) or buried to increase the volume of woody debris in the soil.

You have found your first clue! I grow and grow and grow until my branches reach the clouds, actually I can grow up to 60 m tall! Can you guess what I am? Keep looking for more clues!

The early settlers who lived on this land cleared it for agriculture. The remnants of fencing, chicken coops, and vegetable gardens are found across the site. Most of the cleared land was grazed for decades. Eventually the small-scale agriculture was abandoned and the site naturally revegetated, leaving behind compacted soils and a mix of native and exotic plant species. Until late 2020, when the last surviving member passed away, a herd of semi-feral sheep roamed the property and helped prevent young trees from becoming established in the cleared areas.

Taken January 2020, this aerial drone photograph shows standing water collecting on the compacted old pasture you see before you. A curving ditch is visible in the centre of the photo. Ditches like this one are draining water off of the site, lowering the water table and allowing weedy agronomic grasses to continue to dominate the site. Piles of debris are found across the watershed.