Draft:Osprey Marsh

• Comment: See previous comments. Also, consider moving to Wikivoyage. ARandomName123 (talk)^{Ping me!} 23:14, 18 August 2023 (UTC)

• Comment: Does it possess Ramsar site status? Could not locate any mention or reference to it. RPSkokie (talk) 12:44, 27 June 2023 (UTC)

• Comment: No sources for subject KylieTastic (talk) 22:30, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

• Comment: This reads like a travel guidebook entry. AngusW🐶🐶F (bark • sniff) 02:43, 7 January 2023 (UTC)

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The Osprey Marsh is a wetland ecosystem located in Lisgar, Mississauga in the state of Ontario, Canada. It is renowned for it's biodiversity and serves as a sanctuary for a diverse range of flora and fauna. It is bordered by Osprey Boulevard and Ninth Line.

This is a close-up of an osprey bird, mainly found in Sweden, Russia and Finland. They are also found in Canada.

History

For the early settlers of the area, the Osprey Marsh was as known as "The Catholic Swamp." As pioneers, primarily Irish, arrived in the area now known as Ninth Line and Britannia, they set out to farm the surrounding areas, or Osprey Marsh. However, the marsh provided a formidable challenge for these settlers: the low-lying marshes, with the soil saturated of water, and extensive wetlands, rendered the area for agriculture. This posed a significant threat for and society trying to establish itself here. The waterlogged terrain made it illogical for them to institute any perpetual settlement in the area or cultivate any crops. The settlers, however, started to seek other means of survival, such as hunting, fishing and gathering plants. They also saw the marsh's importance as a natural buffer against floods.

Developments

The Osprey Marsh serves as multiple purposes aimed at flood reduction, storm control, and water control for sewage systems. The man-made ponds play a key role in ecologically balancing the marsh. However, it is the commitment of the local residents in the area to conserve this marsh is what truly safeguards it from human impact. Recognizing the importance of this marsh, they have participated in regular cleanups. This helps to prevent loss of organism life in the habitat. By removing man-made debris, the residents ensure the thriving of the marsh continues. Various projects have taken place to enhance the Osprey Marsh for visitors. One such recent project involved the addition of strategically placed benches along footpaths, providing visitors a place to watch the nature. To further enhance the educational aspect, plaques with information about the marsh wildlife have been installed. These plaques offer info about the history about this marsh. To address the issue of littering, additional garbage cans have been strategically and conveniently placed so that visitors can throw out waste responsibly, lessening the potential impact on the habitat. All stakeholders related to Osprey Marsh have one key goal: to preserve this marsh for future generations. These stakeholders work for the strive of this environment, activating a sense of responsibility in the local residents.

Wildlife

Osprey Marsh is an ecosystem characterized by it's dense vegetation, including tall reeds, cattails, and floating water lilies. The marsh is also known for it's aerial inhabitants, such as the Osprey Bird, of which it is named after. The ospreys, which are birds of prey, create nests on tall trees or specialized platforms near the water to improve their quality of hunting, usually by diving to catch fish. The marsh is also home to egrets, ducks, herons, songbirds, and geese. Below the waters, frogs can be found camouflaging among reeds and turtles relaxing on sunlit logs. The marsh also supports mammals, such as muskrats, beavers and minks, who construct their home along the edges of water. The marsh is also home to insects, such as dragonflies, butterflies and damselflies.

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  This is the Blue Heron, or Egretta.
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  The Osprey Bird, which is the namesake of the marsh.
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  An image of a beaver, the national animal of Canada, found in the Osprey Marsh.
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  An image of the migratory bird, the Canadian Goose.
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  An image of the evergreen species pine tree, or Pinus sylvestris.

Tourism

The Osprey Marsh attracts visitors seeking for a place abundant with nature, and offers a range of activities. These activities comprise of field trips, picnics, and wildlife viewing. The marsh provides knowledge through it's informative plaques, which summarizes over the organisms living within it's borders. At the end of the natural dirt-path trail, visitors will find a lookout where they can sit and read the informative plaques, or watch the marine life in their aquatic habitat. The availability of educational programs from nearby schools, such as Osprey Woods Public School, Trelawny Public School, and John Fraser Secondary increase the awareness of this marsh. Guides are also readily available to help the visitors.

See Also

• Wildlife conservation
• Wetland
• Wetland conservation
• Marsh

References

1. https://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trail/osprey-marsh-loop-trail

2. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/ontario/osprey-marsh-loop-trail