{"id":7560,"date":"2026-06-25T11:35:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T09:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/missiontomarsh.org\/wetland\/wye-marsh-national-wildlife-area\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T11:31:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T09:31:05","slug":"wye-marsh-national-wildlife-area","status":"publish","type":"wetland","link":"https:\/\/missiontomarsh.org\/en\/wetland\/wye-marsh-national-wildlife-area\/","title":{"rendered":"Wye Marsh National Wildlife Area"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-7560","wetland","type-wetland","status-publish","hentry","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":{"wetland_country":"Canada","wetland_state":"","wetland_latitude":44.73049625564815,"wetland_longitude":-79.8379112833339,"wetland_pois_geojson":"","wetland_hero_image":7592,"wetland_hero_image_copyright":"Mission to Marsh","wetland_type":"A complex mosaic of wetlands on a glacial substrate (Georgian Bay \/ Great Lakes region). The Wye Valley depression was formed during the last Ice Age. The Wye River flows through the area and maintains the water level. The area consists primarily of cattail marshes, with areas of lowland bog and a section of raised bog.   ","wetland_usp":"The birthplace of the Canadian trumpeter swan recovery effort\u2014trumpeter swans have been breeding here again since 1993, 200 years after they were last recorded in Ontario.","wetland_size":"Total: 1,214 ha (3,000 acres), of which: Provincial WMA 920 ha, National Wildlife Area 47 ha, Wildlife Center approx. 60 ha","wetland_status":"Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW), National Wildlife Area (NWA) since 1978, Important Bird Area (IBA), designated by BirdLife Canada; Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)","wetland_landscape":"Extensive cattail swamps with open water areas and channels. Lowland and upland bogs, wet meadows, cedar swamps, mixed hardwood forest, oak-hickory forest, and old fields in succession. The Wye River meanders through the area and connects the sub-areas.  ","wetland_authorities":"Province of Ontario (Wye Marsh WMA, 920 ha), Environment Canada (Wye Marsh NWA, 47 ha), Friends of Wye Marsh (FWM, a nonprofit nongovernmental organization), establishment of the educational facility by the Canadian Wildlife Service","wetland_infrastructure":"25\u201330 km of well-maintained trails for hiking (summer), cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing (winter). Floating and fixed boardwalks lead across the water. Waterways and (canoe) canals run through the entire marsh.  ","wetland_accessibility":"Many trails are specifically designed to be wheelchair- and stroller-friendly, and several boardwalk sections are accessible to people with disabilities.","wetland_dogs":"","wetland_public_transport":"","wetland_road_conditions":"Well-maintained trails and boardwalks. Groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The trails are well-marked. Sturdy footwear is recommended; when it rains, some sections can be muddy and wet.   ","wetland_parking":"The parking lot is located right next to the main entrance.","wetland_parking_name_1":"Wye Marsh Wildlife Center Parking Lot","wetland_parking_name_2":"","wetland_parking_name_3":"","wetland_parking_address_1":"","wetland_parking_address_2":"","wetland_parking_address_3":"","wetland_parking_latitude_1":44.7305492981757,"wetland_parking_latitude_2":"","wetland_parking_latitude_3":"","wetland_parking_longitude_1":-79.83723007360976,"wetland_parking_longitude_2":"","wetland_parking_longitude_3":"","wetland_parking_price_1":"","wetland_parking_price_2":"","wetland_parking_price_3":"","wetland_description":"Located on the southeastern shore of Georgian Bay, nestled within the historic landscape of the Wye Valley, lies one of the most significant wetlands in the Canadian province of Ontario. Wye Marsh is not a natural raised bog in the European sense, but rather a complex mosaic of wetlands consisting of cattail swamps, fens, and a cranberry bog\u2014and it is also the setting for one of the country\u2019s most impressive conservation stories. For about 200 years, the trumpeter swan had not bred in Ontario; the last sighting before its reintroduction dates back to 1884. Today, it once again winters and breeds at Wye Marsh in numbers that no one would have dared to dream of in the 1980s. Anyone who steps onto the boardwalk over the water\u2014where, just a few meters away, a trumpeter swan is leading its cygnets\u2014experiences nature conservation not as an abstract promise, but as a visible, living reality.    ","wetland_highlights":"The highlight of every visit is the floating boardwalk, which runs directly over the open marsh waters and, in calm weather, reflects the sky and the reed beds twice\u2014once above and once in the water. From the Waterfowl Monitoring Station and the observation tower, you can spot whooper swans, little bitterns, black-headed gulls, and painted turtles. Those who want to do more than just look can take a guided canoe or kayak tour through the marsh canals\u2014a completely different experience from the view from above. In winter, the trails become cross-country ski trails and snowshoe trails\u2014Wye Marsh is open year-round.   ","wetland_seasons":"<strong>Early summer (May\u2013June):<\/strong> Breeding season for the trumpeter swan, little bittern, and black tern\n\n<strong>Summer:<\/strong> for canoeing and kayaking trips on the canals\n\n<strong>Fall:<\/strong> The best time to watch migratory birds on their way south\n\n<strong>Winter:<\/strong> Groomed trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Enjoy the silence and spot the overwintering waterfowl. ","wetland_history_1_original_condition":"A natural wetland system in the glacially formed Wye Valley. The Wye River has shaped the water cycle since the last Ice Age, and archaeological finds confirm the historical presence of the trumpeter swan in the Wye Valley. ","wetland_history_2_land_use_history_begin":"European settlement led to deforestation and drainage. Deforestation caused the marsh's headwaters to dry up, and soil erosion along the Wye River carried sediment into Wye Lake. ","wetland_history_3_industrial_degradation":"Land reclamation and forestry in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The trumpeter swan was driven out of all of eastern Canada by hunting and habitat loss; the last recorded sighting in Ontario before its reintroduction was in 1884.   ","wetland_history_4_visible_degradation_traces":"Sediment deposition in Wye Lake resulting from historical erosion is still visible today. Parts of the original headwater stream system have been altered. The loss of the trumpeter swan itself was the clearest sign of the destruction.  ","wetland_history_5_turning_point_protection":"1969: The Wildlife Center was founded by the Canadian Wildlife Service. 1978: Designated a National Wildlife Area. 1985: Operations were taken over by Friends of Wye Marsh.  ","wetland_history_6_measure_rewetting":"Monitoring water quality and water levels. Active population monitoring of 14 endangered species. ","wetland_history_7_measure_scrub_clearing":"","wetland_history_8_recovery_status":"Remarkable success in the core discipline\u2014trumpeter swan rehabilitation. The total population in Ontario exceeds 1,000 birds and is no longer dependent on breeding programs. The 14 protected species remain an ongoing challenge.  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