Visit for a day, a week or the whole season! Offering camping, canoeing, kayaking, motor boats (9.9 hp maximum), fishing, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, bird watching and so much more!
Upper Thames River Conservtion Authority
Joining for a day or a week is encouraged at Fanshawe Conservation Area, which boasts a plethora of offerings just minutes away. Whether one enjoys camping, fishing, hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, campfires, outdoor cooking, or simply unwinding in the shade with a good book, Fanshawe Conservation Area provides the ideal setting.
In the City of London, there are currently 16 natural areas designated as "Environmentally Significant Areas" or ESAs. These areas encompass various habitats, such as upland forests, wetlands, and river corridors. Integral to London's proposed Natural Heritage System, these ESAs connect parks, valley lands, and other open spaces. Alongside the official ESAs, London harbors numerous other natural areas within its city limits.
Of the 16 ESAs, seven are publicly owned and managed by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) in collaboration with the City, while the others are situated on private lands.
- Kains Woods
- Kilally Meadows
- Meadowlily Woods
- Medway Valley Heritage Forest
- Sifton Bog
- Warbler Woods
- Westminster Ponds/Pond Mills Conservation Area
Brochures (pdf files, 8.5x14) for the ESAs are available on the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority website or are available free of charge from:
- Tourism London Welcome Centre (696 Wellington Rd. South, in Westminster Ponds ESA) and the Dundas Street Welcome Centre (267 Dundas Street at Wellington)
- City Planning Department, 6th floor, City Hall, 519-661-250 ext. 4980
- Upper Thames River Conservation Authority at 519-451-2800
If you have questions or concerns about management of London’s Environmentally Significant Areas, please contact the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (phone: 519-451-2800).
