We recently took a hike on a trail which is part of the Kawartha Land Trust holdings. The 147 acres along the shore of Stony Lake was donated to the trust, and encompasses one of the largest undeveloped stretches of shoreline. In May, 2022, the area experienced a line of severe thunderstorms, known as a derecho. Unfortunately, the area was hit hard, with hundreds of trees on the property being blown down. Numerous volunteers managed to clear the trails, and the public is once again allowed to walk through the property.
Although at the time, it was devastating to see what Mother Nature had done to the forest, we realized as we visited this month, it also provided a natural canvas for all types of fungi to take hold. The woods appeared to be covered in a natural tapestry, with so many types of fungi we couldn’t begin to identify them all.
Here are some of the pictures from our visit – and if you are ever in the area, it is certainly worth taking the time to enjoy the beauty here. (Fall is probably the best time to view the fungi, but anytime is a good time to connect with nature on this preserved forest.)
William Stanley
These photos depict some of the damage caused by the storm.
A few oddities we encountered – the tree which has grown to encompass the stone, and the natural staircase the fungi has built up the tree trunk.
Here is the lake from the half-way point of the trail.
And finally, the fungi which was EVERYWHERE!
