The Pinhey Sand Dunes comprise 4 different dune sites in Nepean, Ontario, Canada. Together these dune sites make up a fraction of the original dune system formed 8,000 – 8,600 years ago.
Dune Site 1
Dune Site 1 is OFFICIALLY CLOSED as of 2022 due to the May 2022 Canadian derecho storm which caused severe damage including downing trees. With the help of the National Capital Commission, we hope to get this site safe for the public and back open soon.
As the name suggests Dune Site 1 was the first site that Biodiversity Conservancy International chose to restore and reclaim in 2011 with the NCC. Since then the site has been transformed from a densely planted wooded area back to its natural dune state. This site and Dune Site 2 are the largest in the Pinhey Sand Dune system each estimated to be over 500 m2 !
Additionally, Dune Site 1 is home to a large pure population of Ghost Tiger Beetles, a vulnerable species in Canada.
Dune Site 1 is shown in YELLOW on the map above.
Dune Site 2
Dune Site 2 is the base of the Pinhey Sand Dunes restoration project and is where we start and end every field day.
This site is also home to the Sanctuary for Butterflies and Pollinators and therefore home to butterflies, bees, beetles, and other insects. Additionally, Dune Site 2 is home to many beautiful flowering plants including 5 milkweed species!
Similarly to Dune Site 1, this site was restored to its original dune state from densely planted woodland and is one of the largest we manage.
Dune site 2 is shown in ORANGE on the map above.
Dune Site 3
Dune Site 3 is the easiest to access because it is directly adjacent to the NCC Greenbelt Parking Lot P15. With its picnic tables and proximity to trails, it is a popular lunch spot. Caterpillars are often seen at this site earlier in the summer and butterflies and moths later in the season.
This site was planted woodland and is actively being restored to its original dune state. Additionally, McGill students are conducting an experiment at this site in the summer of 2024 on lupins, a flowering plant crucial to some butterfly species’ survival and a beneficial plant to the dunes.
Dune Site 3 is shown in RED on the map above.
Dune Site 4
This site is the most recent addition to the Pinhey Sand Dune system. In 2019 Hydro Ottawa cleared a significantly forested area to maintain the lines and requested BCI to restore and maintain it in its natural state. This allows them access to do work and the dune environment to return. Consequently, the site has 2 separate sections which we hope to connect as restoration continues.
This site’s restoration is ongoing and with the help of our donors and volunteers, we hope to transform this site back into its ancient dune self.
Dune site 4 is shown in PURPLE on the map above.