Cedarcroft

In the 2023-2024 annual report, our club president, Don Taves, described Cedarcroft as “our precious nature reserve and a focus for many Nature London outings for both young and old”.

This brief history was adapted from the Spring 2024 issue of The Cardinal.

Nature London is an 11-hectare nature reserve outside of London that provides its members the opportunity to experience nature in a more rural setting. The property is nestled beside the Thames River, which brings a variety of wildlife inside its boundaries, such as White-tailed Deer, Coyote, Red Fox, Raccoon, Opossum, and Wild Turkey. There is a pond on the property that attracts frogs and insects. There are birds that call Cedarcroft home or pass through during migration.

The property was purchased in 1964 by Fred and Janet Bates, who later built a cabin and worked to restore the natural beauty of the property. In 1982, Nature London, then known as the McIlwraith Field Naturalists (MFN), which had a long-term goal of owning land, purchased the property from Fred Bates, a former club president. On May 29, 1983, Cedarcroft was officially opened with 100 people in attendance, including the Honourable Robert Eaton, MPP Middlesex, who helped to plant a Tulip tree to mark the occasion. In 1986, seven additional hectares of the surrounding land were purchased to expand the reserve.

Members may access directions here.