Friends of the Sanctuary is an incorporated non-profit charitable organization. This group of dedicated individuals support the development of educational, resource management, recreational and interpretive programs at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary near Ingleside, Ontario, Canada. The Friends Association runs a variety of programs and events during the off season (late fall, winter, early spring) which allows the Sanctuary to operate year-round.

You too can be a "Friend of the Sanctuary"

By becoming a Friend of the Sanctuary, you can help build public education, participate with special events, and help with trail maintenance and wildlife management programs.

Membership Fees

Click here for a printable Membership Form

If you would like to be a member of the Friends of the Sanctuary, or receive more information, please contact:

The Friends of the Sanctuary
P.O. Box 156
Ingleside, Ontario
Canada
K0C 1M0

More about the Sanctuary and the Friends

The Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary covers 9,000 hectares of managed wooded uplands, goose pasture, crop land, waterways, and marshlands along the shore of Lake St. Lawrence, which is part of the St. Lawrence River system in Eastern Ontario. The main public entrance to the Sanctuary is located a few kilometers west of Ingleside, Ontario and 14 kilometers east of Morrisburg, Ontario on Hwy. 2.
At the dawn of time, the area that is now the Sanctuary was covered with huge sheets of ice. When the glaciers melted away, seawater flooded in to form the Champlain Sea. Eventually the sea drained out into the St. Lawrence River to the east giving way to a forest type of vegetation and leaving the land much as we see it now. With the settlement in the 1800s, the land was cleared for crops and pasture.
The construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the late 1950s caused the water table to rise creating marshlands and swamps providing a larger area for waterfowl habitat.
An eight kilometer long trail system is at the heart of the Sanctuary. Some of the trails wind through wetlands, which are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. Wetlands are especially important to nesting waterfowl. While walking down the board walks you can observe artificial nesting structures (wood duck boxes) placed to enhance waterfowl nesting during April and early May.
By maintaining  appropriate breeding grounds and a migratory station for a variety of waterfowl, people can enjoy seeing wildlife in their natural habitat. The Sanctuary Interpretive Centre features interesting displays and a selection of fine nature related gift items. The centre has been constructed taking into consideration the importance of conservation and sensitivity to the environment. Adults and children will both enjoy climbing the viewing tower for a "birds eye view" of the Sanctuary.
Officially opened in 1961, the Sanctuary is operated jointly by the Crown's St. Lawrence Parks Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources. The whole region around the Sanctuary was drastically changed with the construction of the Seaway Hydro Power Project back in the late 1950's. The Hydro Project destroyed and uprooted whole villages, landscapes, foliage, wildlife, and  human lives. It seemed that respect for the environment and the natural state of the riverbanks, breeding habitats, and established feeding areas was non-existent. To conserve a section of this region for future generations was a main reason why the St. Lawrence Parks Commission was given authority over the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary.
The St. Lawrence River/Great Lakes Basin is one of the most populated and industrial areas in Canada. Within this area the Sanctuary has been attempting to create an awareness of the natural environment and habitat that surrounds us and why every plant and animal is an integral part of our planet. The Sanctuary's attempt to educate never ends, whatever the time of day or season of year, because people are continually visiting it. This makes every program or event, in its own way, vitally important.
Although the Friends of the Sanctuary and the Crown have a cooperating agreement, it is important to state that an evident and distinct separation is always maintained between the two. The Friends of the Sanctuary is a separate and distinct association onto itself. Association members are diverse in their experiences, education, employment, and interests. Members of the Friends volunteer their time, labour, and abilities to organize and help support the development of educational, resource management, recreational, and interpretive programs at the Sanctuary.
Changing government funding has made it necessary for a larger amount of public participation in special places like the Sanctuary. As the times have begun to change, our association's participation has increased to help more and more with plans and purchases for events and enhancements in the Sanctuary. Recently, the Friends have become aware that help is needed to maintain the place activities and keep the Sanctuary attractive to the visiting public. It is through activities at the Sanctuary that we hope the visiting public will become more informed and supportive of environmental and nature related issues and more skilled in the proper use of nature areas, such as the Sanctuary.
Access to all trails whether in summer or winter is of no cost to visitors. There are no restrictions to the time of day that you may enjoy the Sanctuary. Come at dusk to watch grazing deer or come in the wee early morning hours to bird watch; it doesn't matter. The Sanctuary is there for all to enjoy. The Friends of the Sanctuary work to keep it that way. Working to conserve and preserve today, for tommorrow.