J. J. Collett Natural Area

I'm not sure that I would know that the J. J. Collett Natural Area even existed if I hadn't worked on a project there in June of 1974. I had just graduated from NAIT in Biological Sciences and I was employed as part of a team doing a biological assessment of the site. This Natural Area is located a couple of miles south of Morningside, Alberta.

I had only visited this Natural Area a couple of times since June of 1974 but on April 19, 2009 I had the opportunity to stop at the JJCNA and do a walk there. Unlike the maintained walking trails of the Urban Parks of Edmonton the trails in the JJCNA have minimal development. Apart from one or two wooden plank walkways you will find yourself walking on a well worn dirt path, for the most part. In the treed areas I took particular delight in walking on a carpet of leaf litter or moss or other vegetation. I could imagine myself on a fall walk there and scuffing my feet through the fallen dry leaves.

Whether it was just the day, or perhaps this Natural Area is always as peaceful and quiet as it was on this particular day. I no sooner commenced my walk and I heard the familiar, spring sound, of a nearby Rough Grouse drumming. I should add though that this area is still with in ear shot of the traffic on the QE II highway and there was a small aircraft droning over head for several minutes. So the quiet of the place is not a quiet that remoteness provides but it is a peaceful place nonetheless. I started my walk on trail 4. I no sooner started in and I met a couple on their way back to the parking area. The only other people that I saw on my walk were two ladies near the end of my walk.

It was a calm spring day and I observed a number of small light colored moths flying. I could also hear a Flicker tapping out it's territorial tap on a dead tree. Two swans flying over head served to add to the quiet and reverance that this place seemed to evoke from me. I hiked north up trail 4, then onto trail 7. I bush whacked my way east along the north boundary fence and got back onto trail 4 that way. There is still snow in the trees and the low areas are wet. Most of the puddles had a skim of ice on them and there was still frost on the ground in the sheltered areas when I started my walk. I left trail 4 and walked up trail 8 and back. then returned to the parking area on trail 4 and trail 1.

As far as I could determine there is just one outhouse provided. There are a few park benches also.

As I mentioned I spent June 0f 1974 working in this Natural Area. But On this visit I could not remember much of the land scape. I do recall sandy soils. Also the area seemed much more dry now than it was then.

This is a pleasant place to visit and evoked a certain quiet and reverance form me. This is a most pleasant place to visit.