About

Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve is on the south side of Pelee island and is part of the Stone Road Alvar complex, an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest.

A truly outstanding array of rare habitats and species is packed into this 43-hectare (105-acre) property containing oak-hickory woodland, oak savannah, red cedar savannah, old-field thicket and open alvar communities.

Salamander event, Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve

Plants and Animals

The complex is home to 56 provincially rare and 33 regionally rare plant species, including 4 species that can only be found on Pelee Island: American field pansy, Leavenworth’s sedge, narrow-leaved horse-gentian and downy wood mint. Alvars have their own unique flora adapted to the extreme heat, variations in moisture and rocky calcareous soil. The scattered oaks are predominantly chinquapins which, despite their stunted appearance, are often more than 100 years old.

Monarch Caterpillar

Visiting

Most of the open area is characterized by scattered shrubs and limestone outcrops. Here, visitors may find small elusive plants such as smaller skullcap, false pennyroyal and narrow-leaved vervain.

From late July to early September, all of the open areas are ablaze with the yellow of coneflowers, purple of nodding wild onions and white clusters of the whorled milkweed.

We do not charge a fee for entrance and there are no operating hours on any of our nature reserves. Properties are monitored by volunteer stewards. We rely on visitors to be safe, minimize their impact on nature and be respectful of others. For more information about visiting the properties, please read our Permitted Activities Policy.

We welcome donations to support this nature reserve and our system of 26 nature reserves.

Blackburnian warbler © Noah Cole

“On alvars, the high diversity of plants and animals are adapted to withstand these extreme conditions. The only known alvar locations in North America are in the Great Lakes basin.”

– Emma Horrigan, former Conservation Projects and Education Manager

Giant swallowtail butterfly and bergamot © Joanne Gui

Directions

Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve is located on Pelee Island which can be reached by ferry from Leamington or Kingsville from late March to early December. Book ahead if you plan to take your vehicle across.

On the island, take the Shore Road south to East-West Road. Follow this road east for four kilometres until you come to a densely wooded area on the south side of the road. Turn south onto Stone Road and continue just past the old schoolhouse on the right side. Here there is a narrow opening in the thickets, where a path has been established.

To help protect the rare, fragile species that are present, please walk on the gravel nature trail only.

View Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve in a larger map

Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve © Laura Lewis-Watts

Eastern gartersnake, Stone Road Alvar Nature Reserve © Erin Mallon