Minesing Wetlands

Minesing Wetlands, previously known as Minesing Swamp, is a Ramsar boreal wetland in central Ontario, Canada stretching from the western periphery of Barrie to Georgian Bay. It was identified and classified through the International Biological Program. It is "the largest and best example of fen bog in southern Ontario", one of the "most diverse undisturbed wetland tracts in Canada" and is a provincially significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest. The term minesing is of Ojibwe origin and means "island", referring to an island located within Lake Edenvale, which encompassed the present-day wetlands and surrounding areas.

The swamp’s hydrology "provides for an interconnected network of swamps, fens, bogs and marshes". It acts as a reservoir that absorbs floodwater during spring thaw, from which a slow and steady flow is released throughout the summer into the Nottawasaga River system. This also prevents spring flooding of Wasaga Beach.

Approximately 39 square kilometres (15 sq mi) of the 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi) is owned or managed by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. The remainder is owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Simcoe County, and private landowners. It straddles the three townships of Clearview, Essa and Springwater.

Springwater, Ontario

Springwater is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in Simcoe County near Barrie. It is the County seat of Simcoe.

Springwater was formed in 1994 through the amalgamation of Flos and Vespra Townships, together with the Village of Elmvale and a portion of the former Township of Medonte.

Communities

Anten Mills is centred on the intersection of Horseshoe Valley Road West (formally County Road 22) and Wilson Drive (formally the 7th Concession of Vespra), 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northwest of Barrie. The community derived its name from a well known mill operating in the area in the late 1800s. The first syllables of this firm's name, Anderson & Tennant, after its owners Charles Anderson and a Mr. Tennant, were merged to create the word Anten. Most of the workforce living in Anten Mills are employed in nearby Barrie. The area surrounding Anten Mills is predominantly either farm or crown land; however, golf courses, ski resorts and hiking trails also dot the landscape. A further 25 km northwest of Anten Mills is Wasaga Beach, a popular summer tourist attraction. Country music star Jason McCoy grew up in Anten Mills.