Dryden Tract

Location

A short drive southwest of Cambridge, Dryden Tract is located at 1785 Alps Rd., in the Township of North Dumfries (View a Google Map).  

Background

Part of the Alps Woods Forest and situated on the Galt Paris Moraine, the Dryden Tract is a landscape of deciduous forests, hills and valleys. 

The property is 34 hectares with approximately 3.5 kilometres of trails. There is a parking lot at the main entrance.

Dryden Tract is designated by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo as an Environmentally Significant Policy Area (ESPA); ESPA 53 - Alps Woods is described as a kame moraine.

It is at the northern limit of the Carolinian forest zone, which influences the type of plant and animal species that are found here. Carolinian forest bird species have been known to breed at this location, many of which are rare in southern Ontario (refer to notable species below).    

Birds

• More than 130 species have been observed here.
• A variety of forest bird species can be found throughout the property. From late May to early July, many male forest birds can be found singing through the morning hours.  
• Notable species observations include Acadian flycatcher, cerulean warbler, hooded warbler, scarlet tanager, olive-sided flycatcher, yellow-billed and black-billed cuckoos, yellow-throated vireo and barred owl.