1 | Lower Mainland Nature Viewing Region | ||
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2 | Metro Vancouver Area | ||
3 | Serpentine Wildlife Area (Surrey) | ||
4 | |||
5 | Slough & Tower: photo by Bill Kinkaid | Marsh: photo by Bill Kinkaid | |
6 | A managed system of estuarine marshes, formerly river oxbows now mostly impounded by dykes. | ||
7 | White Rock & Surrey Naturalists | ||
8 | Friends of Semiahmoo Bay | ||
9 | Photo Gallery | ||
10 | Geographical Description | Fraser Lowlands | |
11 | Area/ Trail Length | 105 hectares | |
12 | Seasons to Visit | Year round. | |
13 | Habitat | Fresh and salt water marshes, fields and hedgerows. It is commonly known as “Serpentine Fen” although this is not a correct characterization as the waters of the Serpentine are acidic. | |
14 | Viewing Highlights | A significant wintering and breeding area for waterfowl, raptors and other marsh birds. Three viewing towers. | |
15 | Other Features | ||
16 | Main Access | Parking at the end of 44th Avenue west off King George Boulevard. Bus 321 runs along King George Highway. | |
17 | Secondary Accesses | There is a small parking area on the west side of King George immediately south of the bridge over the Serpentine River. | |
18 | Cautions | ||
19 | Jurisdiction | City of Surrey, Ducks Unlimited | |
20 | Regulations | No camping or fires. Dogs on leash. | |
21 | Facilities | Picnic tables and shelter at the parking area on 44th; no toilets. No other facilities nearby. | |
22 | Other Recreational Activities | ||
23 | Other Connections | None. | |
24 | History | Most of the Serpentine River and Mud Bay area was dyked for agriculture in the late 1800s. The Ministry of Transportation acquired the land in 1961 for highway development, but passed on the unneeded land to the Fish and Wildlife Branch in 1966. Ducks Unlimited and other agencies maintained and modified the land for waterfowl habitat. It was declared a Wildlife Management area in 1999. | |
25 | FMI | ||
26 | Publications | A Nature Guide to Boundary Bay, by Anne Murray. Published by Nature Guides BC, 2006. Tracing Our Past - A Heritage Guide to Boundary Bay, by Anne Murray. Published by Nature Guides BC, 2008. | |
27 | Links | Surrey Recreation | |
28 | Serpentine WMA | ||
29 | White Rock & Surrey Naturalists | ||
30 | Friends of Semiahmoo Bay |