Breckenridge / Ghost Hill Farm

Breckenridge, Quebec

The property is located west of the city of Gatineau, north of the Ottawa River and west of Highway 148, along chemin Smith Léonard, in the municipality of Breckenridge, Quebec. In 2004 Bird Protection Quebec received approximately 268 acres of land, part of the Ghost Hill Farm property, donated by Diane and Alan Aldred, in return for a tax receipt. BPQ, at the time, was one of the very few organisations that could accept land as a gift in return for a tax receipt. BPQ now holds a 50% share in the property as joint owners with Nature Conservancy Canada-Quebec. NCC-Quebec is working on conserving the Breckenridge Creek watershed area which supports species of biological importance. It is an important wildlife corridor connecting the Ottawa River and Gatineau Park.

The preserve includes many different habitats, including shorelines, marshland, various woodlands, cow pasture, limestone cliffs, and a beaver pond visible from the highway. The land contains a mix of pastureland and riparian areas with lots of hawthorns, attractive to Loggerhead Shrike. In addition, the entire Ghost Hill Farm site protects Ottawa River shoreline with wetlands. The property has a 30 metre high limestone escarpment with dense stands of white cedar, a large, mature, hardwood forest, a 5-acre beaver pond, Breckenridge Creek and its estuary as well as two small wetlands surrounding artesian springs.

The sanctuary is an eBird hotspot. To see the complete list of species which have been reported, go to https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3145508

Access to this property is currently very limited. There are presently no maintained trails on the land. It is used, in sections, for cattle grazing by local farmers. The Breckenridge Creek runs through the property and surrounding wetlands make crossing the property prohibitive. Nature Conservancy Canada-Quebec is managing the property. Permission to access the property must be obtained from NCC-Quebec in Montreal.

A breeding bird survey has been conducted.

Several conservation projects are being led by Nature Conservancy of Canada that include restoration of Golden-winged Warbler habitat, addition of a herpetofauna fence along the adjacent road, and restoration of Chorus Frog habitat.