Aylmer Wildlife Management Area

Location

• Exit the 401 at interchange 203 (Elgin Rd, South)
• Turn left (go east) off of Elgin Rd. onto College Line
• Turn right (go south) off of College Line onto Hacienda Rd
• The 911 address is 10594 Hacienda Rd.

Aylmer Wildlife Management Area (AWMA) is a 338 acre Crown land property situated on a former War World II Royal Canadian Air Force Base in the Township of Malahide. It was transferred to the Ontario government in the 1960’s. Like Fingal and Calton Swamp Wildlife Management Areas, this property is part of a network of provincial wildlife areas established by the Ministry of Natural Resources in the 1970’s across southern Ontario. 

Through habitat restoration efforts by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Elgin Stewardship Council, AWMA is now comprised of distinct habitats that help to make this a natural area with conifer/wildlife shrub hedgerows, old fields/meadows, shrub thickets and croplands. Inside the 80 acre fenced sanctuary, there is the tallgrass prairie field, goose pasture and 50 acres of wetland ponds.

The ponds and sloughs are designated as provincially significant wetlands and are best known for attracting waterfowl during the spring and fall migrations. This includes the tundra swans, which visitors from across North America and around the the world come and see each spring. 

The management objective for this site is to provide the public with wildlife-based day use recreational opportunities that include; hunting, hiking, research, environmental education, nature appreciation and viewing, particularly for waterfowl and shorebirds. AWMA also has 125 acres in cash crop production which provide additional resting space and a food source for migrating waterfowl.

There are four viewing stands next to the sanctuary; three are off the main parking lot and one is at the back of the property, along the south access road. One of the front viewing stations is wheelchair accessible. The AWMA also provides waterfowl hunting opportunities from two blinds along the north boundary fronting College Line. Access to the site for hunting is controlled through the parking lots where the rules for using the blinds are posted.

Since 1997, when the Elgin County Stewardship Council entered into a partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to co-manage the property, a number of projects have been completed as follows:

• Expanding the wetland habitat areas and establishing an associated warm season grass area as high density nesting cover through a partnership with Ducks Unlimited
• Maintaining the spring and fall waterfowl feeding and interpretive programs
• Adding interpretive signage to help visitors learn about property and wildlife that depend on it for their habitat
• Investing in local partnerships, including Aylmer Rotary Club and East Elgin Secondary School to assist with the delivery of wildlife programs
• Developing a partnership with the Township of Malahide fire department to help with prescribed burning of the Tallgrass prairie habitat
• Building of two new viewing stands and reconstruction of a third one to increase the quality and quantity of wildlife viewing opportunities
• Managing existing shoreline vegetation to enhance wildlife viewing opportunities for the public
• Developing a management plan for the site

For more information on the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area, please contact;

Stewardship Coordinator for Elgin County
615 John St N.
Aylmer, Ontario
N5H 2S8

Phone: 519-773-4739
Email: mark.emery@ontario.ca