Parks and Forest Tracts

Park washrooms may vary based on location and season. For further information call 705-324-9411 extension 1301 or e-mail the Parks and Recreation Division.

All Kawartha Lakes Parks adhere to By-law 2006-174 to regulate, protect, and govern public parks to ensure an equally enjoyable park experience for all users.

The following items and activities are prohibited in our Parks:

• Possession and consumption of liquor
• Firearms and weapons
• Fireworks
• Hunting
• Dumping of waste, fill, or snow
• Littering
• Camping
• Disorderly conduct
• Loud music

Open fires and fire pits are not permitted in Municipal Parks unless authorized by a rental permit

Only staff maintenance vehicles are allowed in Municipal Parks, except on designated roadways

Pets must be kept on a leash at all times and patrons are required to clean up after their pet

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking within a 20-meter radius of any municipality owned:

• Playground
• Splash pad

• Sporting field, surface or associated spectator area

To report a tobacco related concern or obtain additional information pertaining to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, please contact the Haliburton, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and speak with a tobacco control officer by calling 1-866-888-4577.

Somerville Tract is located in Norland and is comprised 3,420 hectares of mixed forest property. The Forest Tract contains three trail loops covering a variety of terrain including pine plantations, wetlands, hardwoods and rock outcrops.

Address:  4420 Monck Road, Kinmount

Permitted Activities:

The following activities are permitted at the Somerville Forest Tract:

• Walking and hiking
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
• Orienteering and geocaching
• Nature appreciation and study
• Horseback riding
• Dog walking - Pets must be under control or on leash
• Off-Road Cycling

Restricted Activities:

The following activities are not permitted at the Somerville Forest Tract:

• Camping
• Motorized vehicles (ATV’s, Dirt Bikes, 4x4s etc.)
• Hunting
• Forest harvesting
• Off-leash dog walking
• Littering or illegal dumping
• Open fires
• Consumption of alcohol
• Target practice / patterning or sighting of firearms
• Paintball
• Cutting, pruning, digging or gathering of trees, shrubs, ground cover or firewood
• Construction of unauthorized structures, trails, permanent tree stands
• Digging or the use of a metal detectors

For further information e-mail the Parks and Recreation Division or call 705-324-9411 extension 1176.

Permitted Activities:

The following activities are permitted at the Manvers Forest Tract:

• Walking and hiking
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
• Orienteering and geocaching
• Nature appreciation and study
• Horseback riding
• Dog walking - Pets must be under control or on leash
• Off-Road Cycling

Restricted Activities:

The following activities are not permitted at the Emily Forest Tract:

• Camping
• Motorized vehicles (ATV’s, Dirt Bikes, 4x4s etc.)
• Hunting
• Forest harvesting
• Off-leash dog walking
• Littering or illegal dumping
• Open fires
• Consumption of alcohol
• Target practice / patterning or sighting of firearms
• Paintball
• Cutting, pruning, digging or gathering of trees, shrubs, ground cover or firewood
• Construction of unauthorized structures, trails, permanent tree stands
• Digging or the use of a metal detectors

For further information e-mail the Parks and Recreation Division or call 705-324-9411 extension 1176.

Permitted Activities:

The following activities are permitted at the Laxton Forest Tract:

• Walking and hiking
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
• Orienteering and geocaching
• Nature appreciation and study
• Horseback riding
• Dog walking - Pets must be under control or on leash
• Off-Road Cycling

Restricted Activities:

The following activities are not permitted at the Emily Forest Tract:

• Camping
• Motorized vehicles (ATV’s, Dirt Bikes, 4x4s etc.)
• Hunting
• Forest harvesting
• Off-leash dog walking
• Littering or illegal dumping
• Open fires
• Consumption of alcohol
• Target practice / patterning or sighting of firearms
• Paintball
• Cutting, pruning, digging or gathering of trees, shrubs, ground cover or firewood
• Construction of unauthorized structures, trails, permanent tree stands
• Digging or the use of a metal detectors

For further information e-mail the Parks and Recreation Division or call 705-324-9411 extension 1176.

Emily Tract is comprised of 99.2 hectares of mixed forest property. This Tract includes two trail loops that wind through the property providing visitors the opportunity to explore unique glacial land features including moraines and eskers.

Emily Tract contains two trail loops: Loop 1 is gently rolling and heavily forested and Loop 2 crosses a wooden bridge, is hillier and is also heavily forested.

Address:  832 Peace Road, Omemee

Permitted Activities:

The following activities are permitted at the Emily Forest Tract:

• Walking and hiking
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
• Orienteering and geocaching
• Nature appreciation and study
• Horseback riding
• Dog walking - Pets must be under control or on leash
• Off-Road Cycling

Restricted Activities:

The following activities are not permitted at the Emily Forest Tract:

• Camping
• Motorized vehicles (ATV’s, Dirt Bikes, 4x4s etc.)
• Hunting
• Forest harvesting
• Off-leash dog walking
• Littering or illegal dumping
• Open fires
• Consumption of alcohol
• Target practice / patterning or sighting of firearms
• Paintball
• Cutting, pruning, digging or gathering of trees, shrubs, ground cover or firewood
• Construction of unauthorized structures, trails, permanent tree stands
• Digging or the use of a metal detectors

For further information e-mail the Parks and Recreation Division or call 705-324-9411 extension 1176.

Our 2024 Somerville Forest Tract Red Pine Harvesting is currently underway and will continue through December 2024.

The selective harvesting is taking place along Victoria Rail Trail's North Corridor between Pinery Road and parts of the Somerville Forest Tract's - Ganaraska, Maconachie, Marsh, Boiler and Somerville Trails.

We encourage residents to seek additional information if they still have questions or want to know more about this process. There are many resources online regarding plantation harvesting. To learn more view the Conifer Plantation Management put out by the Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) that is easy to understand and a helpful starting point to better understand the importance of plantation harvesting.

The Emerald Ash Borer has been detected and confirmed in Memorial Park, Oakwood and near Balsam Lake. We work closely with Fleming College and participated in a street tree inventory program for Lindsay. The inventory results showed that our urban street tree canopy contains approximately 4% ash species. This inventory provides us with valuable data to determine future needs.

We follow a set of best practices to prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer:

• The ash trees in Lindsay Parks have been inventoried;
• City staff have participated in Emerald Ash Borer awareness and training;
• Emerald Ash Borer monitoring traps are in place around the City;
• Arborists monitor ash trees throughout the City and remove pests;
• We have identified parks and green space that contains predominately ash species and are working toward plans for inter-planting and replacement planting in preparation for the loss of these ash species;
• Replacement planting does not include the ash species.

The Lymantria dispar dispar or Ldd moth is an invasive species that is native to Europe. It was first detected in Ontario in 1969. This defoliator feeds on a variety of hardwood specifies but prefers oak, birch and aspen. During severe outbreaks, softwoods such as eastern white pine, balsam fir, and Colorado blue spruce may be affected.

Healthy trees can withstand repeated years of defoliation before branch and twig dieback start to occur.

The MNRF does not manage Ldd moths on private land. Landowners can find reputable insect control service providers with experience in controlling Ldd moth populations by checking their local listings.

For more information, visit the Ontario website.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What do Ldd moths do to forests?

Answer: Larvae (caterpillars) feed on new foliage. They may also defoliate understory shrubs and plants. Hardwood trees can produce a second crop of leaves during the growing season enabling them to continue to grow. Defoliation stresses trees making them more susceptible to damage from secondary pests, drought, and poor growing conditions.

Are Ldd moths a common occurrence every year in Kawartha Lakes? are some years better than others or is this something that strictly happens every few years or so?

Answer: Lymantria dispar dispar are always present however, every 7 to 10 years populations can spike.

Are there certain areas in Kawartha Lakes that have been harder hit than others?

Answer: When compared to neighbouring municipalities Kawartha Lakes has experienced lower to moderate infestation numbers. However, some areas in the southern portion of the municipality around Pontypool have experienced higher Ldd populations with significant defoliation occurring in forest stands and woodlots.

What has the municipality done this season to tackle these invasive insects?

Answer: Public awareness by way of resident outreach. Local nurseries are working with concerned residents and directing them to the Ontario website.

What are some control methods for Ldd moths?

Answer: Landowners can find reputable insect control service providers with experience in controlling Ldd moth populations by checking their local listings. 

In spring, after eggs have hatched, placing burlap bands around the tree stem gives the traveling larvae a place to congregate during warm days from which they can be physically removed and killed.

Also in spring, just after larvae have emerged, registered insecticides can be applied to help protect trees from defoliation.

In fall and winter, physical removal and discarding of egg masses is also effective.

Related Resources:

• Invasive Species Centre website
• Invading Species Awareness Program