The City of Wrenford is pleased to announce the completion of the natural area restoration project at Benchlands Lookout Park. Work finished on September 15, 2025, removing invasive buckthorn and restoring over two hectares of native shrubs and wildflowers along the eastern slope. The project also improved the existing trail grade and installed new interpretive signage about local wetland ecology.
The restoration supports the City's Natural Areas Management Plan, which aims to protect and restore ecological function across the park system over the next decade. Crews worked closely with Tamsin Valley Conservation Authority staff to ensure that all soil disturbance stayed within approved boundaries and that the Tamsin River Trail System was not impacted.
Residents are asked to keep dogs on a six-metre leash in this section of the park to protect the newly planted seedlings. Please stay on the marked trails and report any damage to the new fencing or signage to the Parks & Trails team. The restored area connects directly to the Tamsin River Trail System and offers quiet access to the ravine below the falls.
"Returning this area to its natural state helps protect the Tamsin River watershed while giving residents a peaceful place to walk and enjoy the falls," said Ward 6 Councillor Helen Marchetti. "It is rewarding to see a space that was once choked with invasive plants become a thriving habitat for local birds and pollinators."
The City thanks the volunteers who helped with the initial plantings in the spring and the local schools that participated in the tree planting program. For more information on park ecology and trail etiquette, visit the Parks & Trails section of the website.