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Alfred Bog

Alfred Bog
Alfred Bog 1.jpg
Map showing the location of Alfred Bog
Map showing the location of Alfred Bog
Alfred Bog
Location within Southern Ontario
Location Eastern Ontario, Canada
Nearest town Alfred, Ontario
Coordinates 45°29′30″N 74°50′30″W / 45.49167°N 74.84167°W / 45.49167; -74.84167Coordinates: 45°29′30″N 74°50′30″W / 45.49167°N 74.84167°W / 45.49167; -74.84167
Area 10,200 acres (41 km2)
Governing body Ontario Parks

The Alfred Bog is a domed peat bog in Eastern Ontario, Canada, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Alfred and 70 kilometres (43 mi) east of Ottawa. The bog is considered the largest high-quality bog in Southern Ontario, and was designated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as a "Class 1 Wetland" and an "Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI)" in 1984. It is home to rare animal species and a healthy moose population.

The wetland, primarily consisting of bog as well as some marsh and swamp, is 10,200 acres (4,100 ha) in size of which 90% is protected as a nature preserve. The bog is accessible by a 273-metre (896 ft) long boardwalk.

The bog formed at the confluence of an ancient channel of the Ottawa River and South Nation River after the retreat of the Champlain Sea. The Ottawa River used to drain melting glacial waters from central Manitoba, but gradually reduced its flow and changed its course to its present location. Two large bogs, Mer Bleue at the west end and Alfred Bog at the east end, formed in the former southern channel.

In the early 19th century, the Alfred Bog covered about 26,000 acres (11,000 ha), more than twice its present size, extending right to the town of Alfred. In 1806, it was described as "a thick spruce and cedar swamp with large areas of marsh". Human development of agriculture and peat extraction since then greatly reduced the bog. In the early 20th century, the Canadian government encouraged commercial peat extraction since peat could serve as an alternative fuel source to coal. A narrow-gauge railway was built to facilitate extraction, as well as a separate rail siding along the Montreal-Ottawa (M&O) line for shipping. By 1945, the bog was already reduced to 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres). As a result of the peat removal, the bog is generally between 1 and 2 metres (3 ft 3 in and 6 ft 7 in) higher than the surrounding farmland. Periodic burns and presence of drainage ditches have also changed the natural conditions of the remaining bog.


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