Ontario's Heritage Resources
Archaeological resources can be found throughout the City of Thunder Bay and its outlying areas. It is illegal under provincial statute to collect these resources without a licence to do so. Because these items have little or no monetary value, there should be little incentive to acquire them.
Artifacts may be exposed through erosion and other processes. If you find an archaeological artifact, contact the Thunder Bay Historical Museum, the Lakehead University Anthropology Department, or the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation at 1825 East Arthur Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 5N7, telephone (807) 475-1551.
ANSIs
Ontario has a rich and varied natural heritage including a wide range of landscapes and natural features. As part of their protection mandate, the Ministry of Natural Resources has in place the Areas of Natural Scientific Interest program (commonly referred to as ANSIs) to encourage protection of these features, which range from the southern Arctic tundra at Hudson Bay to the northern limits of the lush Carolina woodlands along Lake Erie and from the St. Lawrence lowlands to Lake of the Woods.
ANSIs are defined as lands and waters containing important natural landscapes or features that are important for natural heritage protection, appreciation, scientific study or education.
ANSIs are located on private and public lands and are broken down into two categories:
EARTH SCIENCE areas include the finest examples of rock and fossil location and landforms. LIFE SCIENCE areas contain representative and unique landscape segments that support natural communities and their native plants and animals.
An example of such an ANSI would be an earth science feature of geological importance situated east of the Terry Fox Memorial on Highway 11/17. This formation is made up of a Logan diabase sill that caps a cliff exposure of black shale (Rove Formation) underlain by the Upper Limestone member which is a fining upward sequence of beach rock.
Because of the location and sensitivity of some of these sites, additional information may be obtained from local District Offices of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
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MAP LEGEND
Classes Of Provincial Parks
Provincial parks in the Thunder Bay area fall into one of five classes:
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Natural environment parks incorporate outstanding recreational landscapes with representative natural features and historical resources to provide high quality recreational and educational experiences. |
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Nature reserves are areas selected to represent the distinctive natural habitats and landforms of the province. They are protected for educational purposes and as gene pools for research to benefit present and future generations. |
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Recreation parks support a wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities for large numbers of people in attractive surroundings. |
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Waterway parks incorporate outstanding recreational water routes with representative natural features and historical resources to provide high-quality recreational and educational experiences. |
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Wilderness parks are substantial areas where the forces of nature function freely and where visitors travel by non-mechanized means and experience expansive solitude, challenge and personal integration with nature. |
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Conservation Reserves protect natural heritage values and prohibit industrial uses while allowing traditional recreational activities to continue. | |
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Snowmobile Trails |
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Boat Launch with Overnight Docking Facilities |
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Recreational Trails | |
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