W.J.B. Greenwood

W.J.B. Greenwood Provincial Park is a 465-hectare recreational park established in 1985 on the southern shores of Bay Lake, a reservoir on the Montreal River, within the Municipality of Latchford approximately 130 kilometres north of North Bay. The park was named in honor of Ben Greenwood, who served as Ontario's first Chief of Parks from 1954 to 1960, recognizing his pioneering contributions to Ontario's provincial parks system. Located in the internationally recognized Temagami ecotourism and outdoor recreation region, the park sits within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest and Boreal Forest transition zone, part of the Saint Lawrence River drainage basin. The area features significant geological features including volcanic dikes from the Early Precambrian period and metamorphic hybrid minerals created by intense pressures deep within the Earth's crust. The park lies within n'Daki Menan, the ancestral homeland of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai (the deepwater people), who have inhabited the Temagami area for over 6,000 years and maintain cultural and spiritual connections to this landscape.

The park's transitional forest location supports diverse wildlife characteristic of both southern deciduous and northern boreal ecosystems. Black bears, moose, white-tailed deer, and wolves inhabit the surrounding forests, while smaller mammals including red foxes, fishers, martens, and snowshoe hares are common. The Montreal River system and Bay Lake provide important habitat for beaver, muskrat, and river otter. Birdlife is abundant with common loons nesting on the lake, bald eagles and osprey hunting fish from tall pines, and great blue herons stalking the shallows. The boreal forest components support birds including gray jays, boreal chickadees, black-backed woodpeckers, and various warbler species during breeding season. Bay Lake and the Montreal River support populations of walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake trout, and yellow perch, making the area popular for fishing. The reservoir environment created by damming the Montreal River has altered natural flow regimes but continues to provide productive fish habitat. Painted turtles and snapping turtles are found in warmer, shallow areas, while the forests host several amphibian species including wood frogs, spring peepers, and various salamanders.

Vegetation reflects the transitional zone between Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest and Boreal Forest biomes, creating high plant diversity. The forest canopy features a mix of eastern white pine, red pine, jack pine, white spruce, and balsam fir from the boreal elements, along with yellow birch, sugar maple, red maple, and trembling aspen representing more southern species. The understory includes striped maple, mountain maple, beaked hazelnut, and blueberry shrubs in acidic soils. Exposed Canadian Shield bedrock supports communities of lichens and mosses adapted to shallow soils and periodic drought conditions. Lowland areas and the lake shoreline host wetland communities including black ash swamps, cedar swamps, and marshy zones with cattails, sedges, and bulrush. The park's relatively undisturbed character includes mature forest stands with large old-growth pines that provide critical wildlife habitat and represent forest conditions increasingly rare in southern portions of the boreal zone. Wild berry species including blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are abundant in open areas and forest clearings, providing important food sources for wildlife and traditionally harvested by Indigenous peoples.

W.J.B. Greenwood Provincial Park showcases fascinating Early Precambrian geological features dating back over 2 billion years. The bedrock consists of metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Canadian Shield, including granite, gneiss, and greenstone formations that record ancient volcanic and tectonic activity. Particularly notable are volcanic dikes that cut through older rock formations, representing magma that intruded into fractures in the Earth's crust during ancient volcanic episodes. The park also contains metamorphic hybrid minerals formed under intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth's crust during mountain-building events, displaying the complex geological history of the Shield. The landscape was heavily modified by glacial activity during the Wisconsin glaciation, with ice sheets scouring the bedrock and leaving glacial striations, polished surfaces, and deposits of till as they retreated approximately 10,000-11,000 years ago. Bay Lake occupies a depression partially created by glacial erosion and subsequently modified by human engineering, as it is now a reservoir on the Montreal River created by damming for hydroelectric power generation. The exposed bedrock along the shoreline provides excellent opportunities to observe Shield geology including the distinctive pink granites and darker greenstone formations characteristic of the region.

The region experiences a humid continental climate with pronounced seasonal variations typical of Northern Ontario. Winters are cold and snowy with January temperatures averaging -15°C to -20°C and frequent periods below -25°C, while summer temperatures reach comfortable 20-25°C in July and August with occasional warm spells above 30°C. Annual precipitation totals approximately 900-1000 mm, fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with winter snowfall accumulating to 250-300 cm. The growing season is relatively short, lasting approximately 120-140 frost-free days from late May to early September. Bay Lake's status as a reservoir means water temperatures can be influenced by water management operations, though surface waters generally warm to swimmable temperatures of 18-22°C by mid-summer. Spring arrives later in this northern region, with ice-out on the lake typically occurring in late April or early May. Fall colors are spectacular from mid-September through early October as the mixed deciduous forests display brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. Weather can change rapidly, particularly during transitional seasons, and summer thunderstorms can develop quickly, creating dangerous conditions for boaters with lightning, high winds, and rough water.

The Temagami region has been inhabited by the Teme-Augama Anishnabai for over 6,000 years, with W.J.B. Greenwood Provincial Park located within n'Daki Menan, their ancestral homeland. The name Temagami derives from an Algonquian word meaning 'deep water,' reflecting the area's characteristic deep lakes and rivers. The Teme-Augama Anishnabai maintained seasonal camps, travel routes, and sacred sites throughout the region, living sustainably from hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering. European contact intensified during the fur trade era when French and British traders established posts in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Montreal River served as an important canoe route connecting different waterways in the trading network. The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought logging operations that targeted the region's magnificent white and red pine forests, with rivers used to drive logs to sawmills. The Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway reached the area in the early 1900s, opening the region to settlement and resource extraction including mining and continued forestry. Damming of the Montreal River for hydroelectric power created the reservoir now known as Bay Lake, fundamentally altering the natural river system but providing renewable energy. Tourism and outdoor recreation have become increasingly important to the regional economy, with Temagami's reputation for wilderness canoeing, fishing, and natural beauty attracting visitors from around the world.

W.J.B. Greenwood Provincial Park was regulated as a provincial park in 1985, with an interim management statement approved in 1986 that directed minimal development until recreational demand increased or more detailed planning could be undertaken. The park was named to honor William James Buell Greenwood, known as Ben Greenwood, who served as Ontario's first Chief of Parks from 1954 to 1960 and was instrumental in establishing Ontario's modern provincial parks system. The naming recognized his vision and leadership during a foundational period when many of Ontario's most important parks were created and the framework for park classification and management was established. The park's recreational classification was chosen to provide outdoor recreation opportunities while protecting representative examples of the Temagami region's transitional forest ecosystems and significant geological features. The decision to maintain limited development reflected both the park's small size and the recognition that the Temagami region already offered extensive wilderness recreation opportunities in larger protected areas. The park's location on Bay Lake, a reservoir rather than a natural lake, influenced management decisions regarding appropriate uses and development levels. Over the decades since establishment, the park has served primarily as a local and regional recreation site for day use and water-based activities, maintaining relatively low visitation compared to larger, more developed provincial parks in the region.

The primary attractions center on water-based recreation including swimming, fishing, and canoeing on Bay Lake. The southern shore location provides access to the lake with informal trails leading from parking areas to the water's edge. Swimming is popular during summer months when Bay Lake's waters warm sufficiently, though there are no designated swimming beaches, lifeguards, or safety equipment. Fishing for walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and lake trout attracts anglers year-round, with ice fishing popular during winter months. The reservoir environment creates varied depth and structure that concentrates fish populations. Canoeing and kayaking allow exploration of Bay Lake's shoreline and connection to the broader Montreal River system, with opportunities for extended trips through the Temagami waterway network. The geological features including Precambrian volcanic dikes and metamorphic minerals attract geology enthusiasts, with exposed bedrock along the shore providing accessible viewing opportunities. Nature study and birdwatching are rewarding activities, particularly during spring migration and summer breeding seasons. The park's location within the broader Temagami region provides access to world-class wilderness canoeing, with hundreds of kilometers of routes through interconnected lakes and rivers, though these opportunities extend beyond the park's small boundaries.

The park provides road access via Highway 11 and Finlayson Park Road, located at 24 Finlayson Park Road in Temagami, approximately 130 kilometres north of North Bay. Basic facilities include parking areas and informal trails to the water, but the park has minimal development as directed by the 1986 interim management statement. There are no campgrounds, no visitor center, no staff on site, and no services. Visitors must be self-sufficient and follow Leave No Trace principles. Day use is the primary pattern, with visitors coming for swimming, fishing, or launching boats for trips on Bay Lake or the Montreal River system. The nearest full services including food, lodging, camping supplies, and equipment rentals are available in the nearby community of Temagami, which serves as a hub for outdoor recreation in the region. The town of Latchford, within whose municipality the park is located, also offers some services. Cell phone coverage may be limited or unreliable in some areas. Visitors should bring all necessary safety equipment for water activities, treat water before drinking, and be prepared for changing weather conditions. The park is accessible year-round, with ice fishing and winter activities popular among local users, though road conditions and extreme cold can make winter access challenging.

The park protects representative examples of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest and Boreal Forest transition zone, an ecologically significant region where southern and northern species intermingle. The mature forests including old-growth pines provide important wildlife habitat and serve as seed sources for forest regeneration. Protection of the shoreline helps maintain water quality in Bay Lake and the Montreal River system by preventing erosion and filtering runoff. However, as Bay Lake is a reservoir created by damming, the park's aquatic ecosystems are fundamentally altered from their natural state, with water level fluctuations and flow regimes controlled by hydroelectric operations rather than natural processes. Climate change threatens the region through warming temperatures that may shift forest composition as southern species expand northward while boreal species face habitat loss at the southern edge of their range. Increased frequency of extreme weather events including droughts, floods, and severe storms could stress forest ecosystems and alter lake conditions. The park faces challenges common to small protected areas including edge effects, limited habitat connectivity, and vulnerability to external pressures including development, pollution, and resource extraction in surrounding areas. The park's location within n'Daki Menan, the ancestral homeland of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai, requires respectful management that acknowledges Indigenous rights, cultural values, and traditional knowledge. Visitor education emphasizes Leave No Trace practices, fire safety particularly given the flammable nature of pine forests, and awareness of the park's geological and cultural significance. The park contributes to broader conservation efforts in the Temagami region, which includes extensive protected areas and has become internationally recognized for balancing conservation with sustainable outdoor recreation and ecotourism.