Sandy Island

Status: Open

This property is open for the public to enjoy and appreciate. Before visiting, please review the GBLT Visitor Guidelines for maintaining the environmental integrity of the property.


Size:
 425 acres (172 hectares)
Location: Sans Souci
Year Acquired: 2008

Stewards:

George Martincek – Lead Steward
Ned Coates
Don Buchanan
Maureen Buchanan
Brian Rohde
Linda Heron
Mike Joy

Property Info

Sandy Island is one of the most ecologically significant privately owned islands in Georgian Bay, providing the only representation of biophysical unit VIIa-5 (weakly broken bare bedrock plain – lacustrine sand).

Sandy’s unusual geographical characteristics provide habitat for a number of vegetation communities and species with southern affinities. This includes Red Oak – Beech forests virtually unknown elsewhere on Georgian Bay, and an unusual and dense understory of Canada Yew. Other rare species and community types found on Sandy include the Eastern Foxsnake, Spotted Turtle, Massasauga Rattlesnake, Stiff Yellow Flax, Virginia Chain Fern Open Bog and Winterberry Organic Thicket Swamp.

The island has been identified as a provincially significant wetland and has been designated a provincially significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).

The Georgian Bay community will benefit greatly by the acquisition and protection of this huge and beautiful island.

Stories

My name is Don Buchanan. My wife Maureen and I, and about ten others are presently volunteering as stewards for the Sandy Island property. I’m sure that each of us has her/his own reasons for taking part in this project. I know that all of us see Sandy Island as a very special place.

– Don Buchanan