A sliver of forest in a suburban jungle

When I moved to London Warbler Woods it was a large wooded area on the southwest edge of the city. When a suburban development was proposed for the area, a massive movement to save the trees was started. Although it failed to save all the trees, or even the majority of the forest, the development was stopped before all sign of the wood disappeared.

Some years later the land on the other side of the woods was developed. Today Warbler Woods is but a sliver of forested land situated between two big subdivisions. The remaining land gives one a window into the look of the area before sewers, streets, sidewalks and homes filled valleys and flattened hills.

It may be small but it still lays claim to accolades for being a remaining wilderness area in the middle of an urban area. One spring when I stopped by with my granddaughters to hike into the woods on a Trillium hunt, some hikers warned us to stay together. They had spotted a small pack of coyotes in the forest. Not surprising as deer and rabbits frequent the area.

With covid-19, the area is more popular than ever. Hiking in the woods is one area where one can go maskless and this is oh-so-important to some folk.