White Bear Forest
Encyclopedia
The White Bear Forest is an old growth forest
, located in Temagami, Ontario
, Canada
. The forest
is named after Chief White Bear, who was the last chief
of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai
before European
s appeared in the region. In some parts of the White Bear Forest trees commonly reach 200 to 300 years in age, while the oldest tree accurately aged in White Bear Forest was a red pine that was 400 years old in 1999. The White Bear Forest contains one of Canada's oldest portage
s, dating back some 3,000 years. Today, more than of trails access the White Bear Forest. A trail guide is available online at http://ancientforest.org/whitebear.html.
The Caribou Mountain
contains a renovated fire lookout tower
that visitors can climb for a small fee.
and Rabbit Lake
. A log dam
was constructed at the narrows connecting Cassels Lake and Rabbit Lake to float logs from the surrounding area out to the Ottawa River
. The water level in numerous lakes in the Temagami area was increased numerous feet. The Gillies' Bros. logging
company then cut the trees from the flooded forest area leaving behind the snag
s and stump
s seen in the water. The area which we now call the White Bear Forest escaped the first wave of logging partly because the mill owner enjoyed the view of this forest, which was situated directly across the lake from the mill site. In 1992, the White Bear Forest was once again spared from logging because of local opposition, and is now promoted by the town of Temagami as a tourist attraction. In June 1996, the White Bear Forest was declared a Conservation Area by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Old Ranger Trail was formerly used by fire rangers to get from Caribou Lake Portage to the fire tower on top of Caribou Mountain. They would haul their canoes through the trail and pull themselves up Caribou Mountain using an old water hose. Remnants of this hose can still be found around Caribou Mountain. The trail is about long.
Another trail adjacent to the fire tower is the White Bear Trail. It is long, comming out on the Ontario Hydro line in the east and adjoining the Old Ranger Trail in the west.
Red Fox Trail is about long, crossing the Ontario Hydro line at two locations. At Pleasant Lake, the Red Fox Trail immediately goes into the old growth forest. The Red Fox Trail comes out at two locations; one at the Beaver Pond and the other at the end of the Caribou Trail at Pinque Lake.
To the west and southwest is the long Caribou Trail. It has at least three entrences; the Trans Canada Pipeline on O'Connor Drive, the Red Fox Trail and across from Finlayson Point on Highway 11. The trail extends along the shores of both Caribou Lake
and Pingue Lake.
Peregrine Trail extends along the shores of Cassels Lake and through the heart of the White Bear Forest. It is about long and comes out at three locations; Cassels Lake, Pecours Bay of Snake Island Lake
and the Red Fox Trail.
Otter Trail is in length, extending largely along Cassels Lake and Pecours Bay of Snake Island Lake.
Beaver Trail loops through the heart of the White Bear Forest. In contrast to most other White Bear Forest trails, the Beaver Trail contains rocky terrain and steep cliffs. Its two southern ends come out on the Peregrine Trail whereas its northern end comes out on the Otter Trail.
Old growth forest
An old-growth forest is a forest that has attained great age , and thereby exhibits unique ecological features. An old growth forest has also usually reached a climax community...
, located in Temagami, Ontario
Temagami, Ontario
Temagami, formerly spelt as Timagami, is a region and a municipality in northeastern Ontario, Canada, in the District of Nipissing with Lake Temagami at its heart....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
is named after Chief White Bear, who was the last chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai
Teme-Augama Anishnabai
The Teme-Augama Anishnabai is the Aboriginal community of the Temagami First Nation. The TAA have trapped and hunted animals in the Temagami region of Canada for over 5,000 years...
before European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s appeared in the region. In some parts of the White Bear Forest trees commonly reach 200 to 300 years in age, while the oldest tree accurately aged in White Bear Forest was a red pine that was 400 years old in 1999. The White Bear Forest contains one of Canada's oldest portage
Portage
Portage or portaging refers to the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land to avoid river obstacles, or between two bodies of water. A place where this carrying occurs is also called a portage; a person doing the carrying is called a porter.The English word portage is derived from the...
s, dating back some 3,000 years. Today, more than of trails access the White Bear Forest. A trail guide is available online at http://ancientforest.org/whitebear.html.
The Caribou Mountain
Caribou Mountain
Caribou Mountain is a large hill, located 1.5 kilometres to the east of the town centre of Temagami, Ontario, Canada. When driving north through the town, turn right just before Temagami Train Station and follow the road and signs. It contains a high fire tower that visitors can climb for a small...
contains a renovated fire lookout tower
Fire lookout tower
A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a "fire lookout" whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness...
that visitors can climb for a small fee.
History
In 1928, the Gillies Bros. logging company logged about 500 square kilometres (193.1 sq mi) of the White Bear Forest surrounding Cassels LakeCassels Lake
Cassels Lake is a lake located within the Municipality of Temagami, in the Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada...
and Rabbit Lake
Rabbit Lake (Ontario)
Rabbit Lake is a lake in the Temagami region of Northeastern Ontario, Canada, and lies within the townships of Askin, Riddell, and Eldridge. The lake is the largest and southern most in a chain of lakes including Cassels Lake, Snake Island Lake, and Obashkong Lake...
. A log dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
was constructed at the narrows connecting Cassels Lake and Rabbit Lake to float logs from the surrounding area out to the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
. The water level in numerous lakes in the Temagami area was increased numerous feet. The Gillies' Bros. logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
company then cut the trees from the flooded forest area leaving behind the snag
Snag
In forest ecology, a snag refers to a standing, partly or completely dead tree, often missing a top or most of the smaller branches. In freshwater ecology it refers to trees, branches, and other pieces of naturally occurring wood found sunken in rivers and streams; it is also known as coarse woody...
s and stump
Stump
In its most general sense, stump is an English word. It may refer to:*Tree stump, the rooted remains of a felled tree*Stump, the remains of a limb after amputation...
s seen in the water. The area which we now call the White Bear Forest escaped the first wave of logging partly because the mill owner enjoyed the view of this forest, which was situated directly across the lake from the mill site. In 1992, the White Bear Forest was once again spared from logging because of local opposition, and is now promoted by the town of Temagami as a tourist attraction. In June 1996, the White Bear Forest was declared a Conservation Area by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Trails
The trails of the White Bear Forest offer hikers, canoeists and adventurers the opportunity to travel through a portion of Ontario's forest that has changed little over time. The majority of the trails are located in an area that has never been logged or mined. The trails vary, from a leisurely one hour hike, to all day or weekend trips. Many species of birds and wildlife can be observed in their natural surroundings. There is at least seven named trails in the White Bear Forest.Old Ranger Trail was formerly used by fire rangers to get from Caribou Lake Portage to the fire tower on top of Caribou Mountain. They would haul their canoes through the trail and pull themselves up Caribou Mountain using an old water hose. Remnants of this hose can still be found around Caribou Mountain. The trail is about long.
Another trail adjacent to the fire tower is the White Bear Trail. It is long, comming out on the Ontario Hydro line in the east and adjoining the Old Ranger Trail in the west.
Red Fox Trail is about long, crossing the Ontario Hydro line at two locations. At Pleasant Lake, the Red Fox Trail immediately goes into the old growth forest. The Red Fox Trail comes out at two locations; one at the Beaver Pond and the other at the end of the Caribou Trail at Pinque Lake.
To the west and southwest is the long Caribou Trail. It has at least three entrences; the Trans Canada Pipeline on O'Connor Drive, the Red Fox Trail and across from Finlayson Point on Highway 11. The trail extends along the shores of both Caribou Lake
Caribou Lake (Temagami)
Caribou Lake is a lake in the Ottawa River drainage basin in Strathy Township of Temagami, Nipissing District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada...
and Pingue Lake.
Peregrine Trail extends along the shores of Cassels Lake and through the heart of the White Bear Forest. It is about long and comes out at three locations; Cassels Lake, Pecours Bay of Snake Island Lake
Snake Island Lake
Snake Island Lake is a lake in the Ottawa River drainage basin in Strathy Township, Municipality of Temagami, Nipissing District of Northeastern Ontario, Canada....
and the Red Fox Trail.
Otter Trail is in length, extending largely along Cassels Lake and Pecours Bay of Snake Island Lake.
Beaver Trail loops through the heart of the White Bear Forest. In contrast to most other White Bear Forest trails, the Beaver Trail contains rocky terrain and steep cliffs. Its two southern ends come out on the Peregrine Trail whereas its northern end comes out on the Otter Trail.