Protected Property

Located on the west side of Lake of Bays, the 107-acre Marianne Girling Nature Reserve adjoins Westermain Woods to the north. The Nature Reserve includes part of Dreamhaven Lake, a significant wetland that drains into Lake of Bays, along with mature forests and a cold-water stream.

Ecological inventories have documented 249 species on the property, including nine species at risk.

A Connected Landscape

Together, the Marianne Girling Nature Reserve and adjoining Westermain Woods form a connected landscape of more than 450 acres of protected land. The forests, wetlands and waterways of the Nature Reserve provide important habitat for a rich diversity of plants and wildlife.

Dreamhaven Lake and its surrounding wetlands are part of the Lake of Bays watershed. Protecting this landscape helps maintain biodiversity and the ecological health of the watershed.

Marianne Girling’s Legacy

The Nature Reserve was made possible through a generous bequest Marianne Girling left to the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation in 2019.

Her gift provided the opportunity to protect this special property and established a Stewardship Endowment Fund to help care for it into the future. Through her generosity, an important part of the natural landscape of Lake of Bays will remain protected for generations to come.

Caring for the Reserve

Permanent protection is only the beginning. Through ongoing monitoring and stewardship, the Foundation will care for the Nature Reserve and protect its ecological values over the long term.