Bronson Forest Provincial Recreation Site
Map showing the location of Bronson Forest Provincial Recreation Site
Map showing the location of Bronson Forest Provincial Recreation Site
Location of Bronson Forest Recreation Site within Saskatchewan
Map showing the location of Bronson Forest Provincial Recreation Site
Map showing the location of Bronson Forest Provincial Recreation Site
Bronson Forest Recreation Site (Canada)
LocationSaskatchewan
Nearest cityLoon Lake
Coordinates53°55′35″N 109°34′37″W / 53.9263°N 109.5769°W / 53.9263; -109.5769
Area15,240 ha (37,700 acres)

Bronson Forest Recreation Site[1] is a provincial recreation area in the west-central region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The park covers 15,240 ha (37,700 acres) of the Bronson Forest in the Rural Municipality of Loon Lake No. 561. It encompasses the headwaters of the Monnery River and straddles the divide between the North Saskatchewan River and Beaver River. There are campgrounds, hiking trails, and multiple lakes accessible for recreation and fishing. Access to the park and its amenities is from Highway 21.

The Bronson Forest is in the boreal forest transition zone and is made up of trembling aspen, willow, balsam poplar, white spruce, jack pine, paper birch, and black spruce trees. The landscape consists of rolling hills, lakes, muskeg, and meadows. The forest is known for its wild ponies. Other animals found there include moose, wolves, white-tailed deer, Canada lynx, black bears, beaver, river otters, coyotes, snowshoe hares, and cottontail rabbits.[2]

Recreation and amenities

The main facilities and amenities are located at Peck Lake and Little Fishing Lake. Little Fishing Lake has a campground, sandy beach, fishing, and boating.[3] The community of Little Fishing Lake is beside the campground on the western shore. Peck Lake has a campground, sandy beach, cabins and cottages, and lake access for boating and fishing.[4]

There are several other accessible lakes in the park. Most of the lakes, including the aforementioned Peck and Little Fishing, are well stocked. Some of these other lakes include Round,[5] Worthington, Ministikwan, Galletly,[6] Moonshine, Halfmoon (Spirit), Monnery, Bronson, Cache, Bear, and Spitser.[7][8] Fish found in the lakes include northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, lake whitefish, white sucker, burbot, splake, and rainbow trout.[9] Worthington Lake is a bifurcation lake with its northern outflow going into Ministikwan Lake and the Beaver River drainage basin via Ministikwan Creek and Makwa River and its southern outflow going into the North Saskatchewan River basin via Galletly and Peck Lakes and Monnery River. The northern end of the park runs along the southern and eastern shores of Ministikwan Lake. Johnson's Outfitters and Ministikwan Lodge are located along Ministikwan's eastern shore.[10]

Wild Ponies of the Bronson Forest

The wild ponies are feral horses that live in the Bronson Forest in the meadows near Bronson Lake, which is west of the recreation site. In the 1990s, there were over 125 horses and by the early 2010s, that number had fallen to 35. Predation from wolves, poaching, and harsh winters have strained the population. Colts have a survival rate of only about 24%. Battles for leadership of the herd have caused smaller groups to split off from what used to be an inseparable herd; further increasing the risk of population decline from predation. It is the only known herd of feral horses in Saskatchewan and, in 2009, the Saskatchewan government passed legislation to protect the horses. At about 12 to 14 hands and lightly built, they are smaller than typical local domestic horses.[11][12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bronson Forest Recreation Site". Canadian Geographical Names Database. Government of Canada. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "Ecoregions of Saskatchewan". usask. University of Saskatchewan. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Little Fishing Lake Campground". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Peck Lake Campground". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Round Lake(Bronson Forest) Fishing Map". GPS Nautical Charts. Bist LLC. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Galletly Lake Fishing Map". GPS Nautical Charts. Bist LLC. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Bronson Forest Recreation Site – Peck Lake". BRMB. Mussio Ventures Ltd. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bronson Forest Recreation Site". CampingLife Canada. CampingLife Canada. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bronson Forest Recreation Site". Tourism Saskatchewan. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Bronson Forest Recreation Site" (PDF). Tourism Saskatchewan. Saskatcehwan Parks. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  11. ↑ Burski, Miranda. "Wild horses of Bronson Forest". The Western Producer. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  12. ↑ Langsner, Jan (16 August 2010). "The Wild Horses of Bronson Forest". Canadian Cowboy Country Magazine. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
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