The symbolic landscape of the Oak Ridges Moraine: Its influence on conservation in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Over the past several centuries, the landscape of the Oak Ridges Interlobate Moraine has emerged as the product of a continuous dialogue between its "objective" definition and the "subjective" cultural baggage that people have brought to its perception and use. The Oak Ridges Moraine is one of the most significant physiographic units in south - central Ontario. About 160 kilometers long and up to 13 kilometers wide, this 300 meter high ridge forms the headwaters for many of the watersheds flowing towards Lake Ontario in the south or towards Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay, Lake Scugog, and the Kawartha Lakes in the north. The purpose of this paper is to offer both an historical interpretation of the Oak Ridges Moraine and a commentary on its role in the evolution of the Ontario conservation movement.