Map of Southern Ontario showing Bruce Peninsula in red.

The Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada lies between Georgian Bay and the main basin of Lake Huron. It extends roughly north-northwestwards from the rest of southern Ontario, pointing towards Manitoulin Island, with which it forms the widest strait, the Main Channel, joining Georgian Bay to the rest of Lake Huron. The peninsula is part of the ridge known as the Niagara Escarpment. Image File history File links BrucePeninsulaLocator. ... Image File history File links BrucePeninsulaLocator. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... Georgian Bay (French: baie Georgienne) is a large bay of Lake Huron, located in Ontario, Canada. ... Ipperwash Beach, Lake Huron. ... Manitoulin Island is the worlds largest freshwater lake island, with an area of 2,766 square kilometres (1068 square miles). ... Simplified diagram A strait is a narrow channel of water that connects two larger bodies of water, and thus lies between two land masses. ... A peninsula in Croatia A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered on three or more sides by water. ... Rattlesnake Point near Milton, Ontario. ...

From an administrative standpoint, the Bruce Peninsula (often referred to locally as just "The Bruce") is part of Bruce County, which is named for James Bruce or Lord Elgin, Governor General of the Province of Canada. The area is a popular tourist destination, and is located roughly 3 hours north of Toronto. Notable towns on the peninsula include Tobermory and Wiarton. Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. ... The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine (20 July 1811 – 20 November 1863) was a British colonial administrator and diplomat, best known as Governor General of the Province of Canada and Viceroy of India. ... The Governor General of the Province of Canada was the vice-regal post of pre-Confederation Canada. ... Tobermory is a small town lying at the north tip of the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. ... Wiarton is a town in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, on the shore of Colpoys Bay, an inlet off Georgian Bay. ...

The area offers camping, hiking, and fishing, making it attractive to naturalists. It has two national parks - the Bruce Peninsula National Park and the Fathom Five National Marine Park, more than half a dozen nature reserves, the Niagara Escarpment, the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory, and the Bruce Trail runs through the region to its northern terminus in Tobermory. Located at the tip of the Bruce peninsula (which almost cuts off Georgian Bay from Lake Huron), on the Niagara Escarpment of Ontario, Canada, Bruce Peninsula National Park offers many opportunities for hiking, camping, bird watching and many other outdoor activities. ... Located at the mouth of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada Fathom Five National Marine Park is a largely underwater national park that seeks to protect and display shipwrecks and lighthouses. ... The Bruce Trail is a hiking (and multi-use) trail in southern and central Ontario, Canada. ...

The Niagara Escarpment in the Bruce Peninsula National Park.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 484 KB) Summary The Escarpment at Bruce Peninsula National Park - Photo by Shari Chambers www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 484 KB) Summary The Escarpment at Bruce Peninsula National Park - Photo by Shari Chambers www. ...

Some Facts about the Bruce Peninsula

• The Bruce Peninsula is part of the Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve.
• The Bruce Peninsula has the largest remaining area of forest and natural habitat in Southern Ontario.
• The Bruce Peninsula is home to some of the oldest trees in eastern North America.
• The Bruce Peninsula is an important flyway for migrating birds.
• The peninsula contains one of the greatest concentrations of native orchid species in North America.

Pink Ladies Slipper Orchid in the Bruce Peninsula.

A biosphere reserve is an international conservation designation given by UNESCO under its Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB). ... Image File history File links Orchids. ... Image File history File links Orchids. ...

History

The Bruce Peninsula is a place of diverse natural beauty, from the 60-metre (200-foot) tall cliffs facing Georgian Bay, to the peaceful beaches on the shores of Lake Huron. It is here that the Niagara Escarpment starts its 700-kilometre (435-mile) jaunt from Tobermory to Queenston, on the Niagara Peninsula. The bedrock of the escarpment was formed millions of years ago during the Silurian Period. Through the following ages, ancient oceans eroded away the softer bases of shale, then huge glaciers carved their way through the escarpment leaving massive boulders, gravel and sand, creating a unique atmosphere. Much of the Bruce is now preserved under the United Nations as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Parks

There are 2 National Parks, 8 Ontario Parks and 4 Federation of Ontario Naturalists Parks located within the Bruce Peninsula.

Bruce Peninsula National Park [1] - In the heart of a World Biosphere Reserve, the 'Bruce' is a place of global significance. The massive, rugged cliffs of the park are inhabited by thousand year old cedar trees, overhanging the crystal clear waters of Georgian Bay. The park is comprised of an incredible array of habitats from rare alvars to dense forests and clean lakes. Together these form a greater ecosystem - the largest remaining chunk of natural habitat in southern Ontario.

Fathom Five National Marine Park [2] - The deep and sparkling waters at the mouth of Georgian Bay are home to Fathom Five - Canada's first National Marine Conservation Area. The park preserves a rich cultural legacy that includes 22 shipwrecks and several historic lightstations. Fathom Five’s freshwater ecosystem contains some of the most pristine waters of the Great Lakes. The rugged islands of the park are a reminder of the impressive lakebed topography found beneath the waves.

Ontario Parks [3] - include : Black Creek [4] Ira Lake [5] Johnstons Harbour [6] Little Cove [7] Cabot Head [8] Smoky Head [9] Lion's Head [10] Hope Bay Forest [11]

Federation of Ontario Naturalists [12] - Ontario Nature works to protect and restore the species, spaces and landscapes that represent the full diversity of nature in Ontario.

Lighthouses of the Bruce Peninsula

The Bruce Peninsula's shoreline has several lighthouses, necessary to provide guidance to the many ships that would pass by her shores. The Cove Island Lighthouse, located near Tobermory is one of the six famous "Imperial" lighthouses built in the 1850s by John Brown can be found in the North Bruce Peninsula.

Lion's Head Lighthouse in the Bruce Peninsula.

Cove Island Lighthouse was built in 1858 to mark the passage through the perilous strait between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. The stone lightkeeper's cottage adjacent to the tower was built at the same time. The Lighthouse stands 27 m (90 ft) above the water and is 24.4 m (80 ft) in height from its base. Cove Island Light is currently illuminated by a 500-watt electric light; the power cable is run underwater from Tobermory. It was originally fuelled by sperm whale oil using an Argand lamp, then by flatwick coal oil lamp, then replaced in the 1900s by vapour oil lamp. You can view the lighthouse from the Chicheemaun, or from a tour boat out of Tobermory. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (798x800, 118 KB) Summary Lions Head Lighthouse in the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (798x800, 118 KB) Summary Lions Head Lighthouse in the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. ... The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one joule per second. ... The Argand lamp was invented and patented in 1780 by Aimé Argand . ...

Built: 1855 – 1859
Construction: Conical, Limestone
Status: Active
Location: Cove Island, Ontario (just north of Tobermory, Ontario)
Latitude: 45º 19' 37" North - Longitude: 81º 44' 07" West
Height: 26 m (85 ft)
Access: by boat, located on the north side of Cove Island, approximately 11 km (7 mi) north-northwest of Tobermory harbour.

Wildlife

There are many varieties of wildlife on the Bruce Peninsula, such as the northern flying squirrel, black bear, chipmunk, fisher, long-eared bats, red squirrel, fox, massasauga rattlesnake, red-shouldered hawk, barred owl, hermit thrush, black-throated blue warbler, scarlet tanager and yellow-spotted salamander. Binomial name Glaucomys sabrinus (Shaw, 1801) The Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is one of two species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America (the other is the somewhat smaller Southern Flying Squirrel, ). Flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Species 23 species, see text Chipmunk is the common name for any small squirrel-like rodent species of the genus Tamias in the family Sciuridae. ... The massasauga rattlesnake is 50-70cm in length. ... Binomial name Buteo lineatus (Gmelin, 1788) The Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus, is a medium-sized hawk. ... Binomial name Strix varia Barton, 1799 The Barred Owl, Strix varia, is a large typical owl. ... Binomial name Catharus guttatus (Pallas, 1811) The Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus, is a medium-sized thrush. ... Binomial name Piranga olivacea (Gmelin,, 1789) The Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea, is a medium-sized songbird of the Tanager family, Thraupidae. ... Suborders Cryptobranchoidea Salamandroidea Sirenoidea Salamander is the common name applied to approximately 500 species of amphibians with slender bodies, short legs, and long tails. ...

The Bruce Peninsula is located on a major northern migration route, so many species of birds, such as the bald eagle, have their wintering grounds here. Most species do not like to fly over water; thus, they will follow the land up the Niagara Escarpment to Tobermory, then follow the islands through Manitoulin Island and beyond. Also, most birds travel at night, so it is a perfect opportunity during the day to spot them resting. The Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory has been monitoring migration patterns since 1998.

The highest concentration of nesting birds can be found in the Bruce in May and June each year. These include the blackthroated, parula, yellow-rumped, and the green warblers. They find their summer homes in the wooded areas along the Peninsula. The annual Huron Fringe Birding Festival in May celebrates the spring migration. Migrating hawks also follow the Niagara Escarpment. Hawks travel during the day, and can be seen up near Cabot Head in the open areas west of Dyers Bay, and up near Tobermory, in April. There are three groups of passerine birds, order Passeriformes, which are called warblers. ...

Wildflowers & Orchids

Some of the rarest flowers and ferns in Ontario can be found growing on the Bruce Peninsula:

Lakeside Daisy (hymenoxys acaulis var. glabra)

This is one Ontario's rarest plants. This showy member of the sun flower or daisy family grows at five sites on the Bruce Peninsula, in a destinctive and unusual habitat, alvar. Lakeside Daisy (or Rubberweed, as it is sometimes called) is a showy, spring blooming, perennial which arises from a short, thick taproot. It has dark green leaves and bright yellow flowers on stalks which reach a maximum height of about 40cm. In Ontario its habitat is alkaline, seasonally wet in spring and fall and moderately to extremely dry in summer.

Dwarf Lake Iris (iris lacustris)

The Dwarf Lake Iris only grows in very special sites, one being the northern shores of Lake Huron on the Bruce Peninsula. This wildflower is appreciated for its beauty, extreme rarity and for its genetic potential.The Dwarf Lake Iris thrives on the shorelines in the cool air that flows off the lake, enjoys moist, sandy or rocky soil with the right amount of sun penetrating to the forest floor. It has deep blue to purple blossoms enhanced by bright-yellow crests. Bloom period is late May and early June. Binomial name Iris lacustris Nutt. ... Binomial name Iris lacustris Nutt. ...

Northern Holly Fern (polypodium lonchitis)

An evergreen fern of the north, to be looked for on the cliffs of the Bruce Peninsula. The leaf stalk is densely scaly and gradually diminishing in size toward the tip. The roots are short, stout and very scaly. No other fern in the north country has both once-cut fronds and spiny edges. The Northern Holly Fern is found in rock crevices or at the base of boulders, mostly in boreal and subalpine coniferous forests.

Orchids

Globally, there are more than 30,000 orchid species. Canada is home to 77 of these species. Ontario has 61 varieties of orchids, and of these, 44 can be found in the Bruce Peninsula.

A selection of the most interesting orchids on the Bruce Peninsula:

Yellow Lady's Slipper — cypripedium parviflorum

• Common, native orchid, classified ‘secure'
• Blooms May to June
• Prefers drier soil than other Lady's slippers
• Easy to find along roadsides as Johnston Harbour Road
• Remarkable: produces the smallest seeds by any group of flowers!

Nodding Ladies' Tresses — spiranthes cernua

• Common, native orchid, classified ‘secure'
• Blooms late August and September, or until a heavy frost
• Prefers moist and sandy soil

Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid — Platanthera leucophaea

• Very uncommon orchid, grows only in Ontario, classified as ‘special concern' since 1986
• Blooms late June to early August
• Prefers wettest parts of fens
• To find at the fens at Singing Sands

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper — Cypripedium arietinum

• Quite common, native orchid, classified sensitive
• Blooms the last 10 days of May to mid. June
• Prefers woodland environment
• To find at Singing Sands

European Common Twayblade — Listera ovata

• Very unusual, not native orchid, grows only in Ontario, classified as ‘exotic'
• Blooms June and July
• Prefers wet soil, over dolomite area, cedar woodlands

Helleborine — Epipactis helleborine

• Relative usual, not native orchid, classified as exotic
• Blooms late July to August; rarely, into October
• Prefers swamps and stream edges, gravelly roadsides, sheltered sandy beaches, open woodlands
• To find at Singing Sands

Binomial name Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt. ... Binomial name Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt. ... Binomial name Cypripedium arietinum R.Br. ... Binomial name Cypripedium arietinum R.Br. ... Binomial name Listera ovata (L.) R.Br. ... Binomial name Listera ovata (L.) R.Br. ... Species See text Epipactis Zinn, 1757, or Helleborine is a genus of orchid comprised of approximately 63 terrestrial species. ...

Villages

The "Grotto" at the Bruce Peninsula National Park.

At the top of the Bruce Peninsula is Tobermory [13], the home of the ChiCheemaun and the National Parks. In the Center is Lion's Head [14], with its public Marina and sandy beach. At the base is Wiarton [15], home of the world famous Wiarton Willie and then there is the town with one of the best beaches in Canada, Sauble Beach [16]. At the South end of The Bruce, Highway 86 (speed 90 km/h), ending at Amberley, Ontario generally denotes Huron County (to the South) from Bruce County (to the North) Counties. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 702 KB) Summary The Grotto at the Bruce Peninsula National Park - Photo by Shari Chambers www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 702 KB) Summary The Grotto at the Bruce Peninsula National Park - Photo by Shari Chambers www. ... Amberley, Ontario, Canada is located at the corner of Highways 21 and 86, in Huron County, Ontario, Canada. ...

External links

• Guide to the Bruce Peninsula
• Official website of Bruce Peninsula Tourism
• The Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory
• Satellite view of the Bruce Peninsula
• Getaway to the Bruce Peninsula — Ontario's Four-Season Getaway