Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre

About

Oak Hammock Marsh is one of North America’s birding hotspots and a great destination for people of all ages. This 36km2 Wildlife Management Area features a restored prairie marsh, aspen-oak bluff, waterfowl lure crops, artesian springs, some of Manitoba’s last remaining patches of tall-grass prairie and 30 kilometers of trails for you to explore.

This wetland is home to 25 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, numerous amphibians, reptiles, and fish, and countless invertebrates. During migration season, the number of waterfowl using the marsh during migration can exceed 100,000 daily!

Services

This beautiful location offers the perfect setting for the award-winning Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre’s many engaging and educational programs. Open year-round, the Interpretive Centre welcomes school groups and tourists for a variety of guided programs. The Interpretive Centre also features a theatre, a scenic café, a gift shop, meeting rooms, rooftop observation deck, and interactive exhibits.

History

The name “Oak Hammock” dates back to the early 1870’s. Settlers from Lower Fort Garry and St. Andrews used to gather for community picnics on an oak-covered knoll bordering “The Bog”. Its owner – Adam MacDonald – called the heavily treed knoll “Oak Hammock” and the name was eventually adopted for the whole area.

A less romantic theory is that the name is simply derived from “Oak Hummock” – a term that is sometimes used to describe a raised stand of trees. Whatever the origin of the name, the area became known as Oak Hammock. The name became official with the opening of the Oak Hammock post office, which was used until the early 1900’s.

In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the Provincial Government acquired 3,450 hectares of land from local landowners with financial help from the federal government’s FRED program (Fund for Rural Economic Development). In 1972, with the assistance of Ducks Unlimited Canada, Manitoba Conservation began constructing 22 kilometers of earth dykes to restore a small portion of the original marsh. Construction was completed in the spring of 1973, and the restored marsh and surrounding upland areas were officially designated as Oak Hammock Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The WMA is 3,581 hectares or approximately 3600 hectares (36 square kilometers or 8,896 acres or 14 square miles) in size. It is operated by Manitoba Conservation.

Construction on the Conservation Centre began in 1991. Much of the work was done in winter, reducing efforts during the spring and fall migration periods. At a cost of $11 million, the building was designed to blend in with the landscape as much as possible, using local limestone on the face of the building. The entire area was landscaped with native grasses, shrubs, trees and flowers to provide a more natural and productive setting for wildlife and people. Construction was completed in the fall of 1992. The Conservation Centre hosts Ducks Unlimited Canada and Manitoba Conservation offices, as well as the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre. The official opening for the Centre took place on May 1, 1993, twenty years after the original restoration of the Marsh.