The Alton Grange hosts a very distinct habitat made possible by the confluence of Shaw’s Creek and the Credit River and is a key part of the Upper Credit River Watershed.
The Credit River Watershed contains some of the most diverse landscapes in southern Ontario. In this area, the Carolinian Forest zone meets the Deciduous Forest zone, both of which contain unique species not found in other zones.
Originally a farm, in the 1950’s the Grange family started the process of naturalizing the Alton Grange by planting confers. Overtime, confers such as white cedar, and deciduous forests including sugar maple and white ash have grown naturally. As a result, today the Alton Grange now hosts the rivers, the wetlands, forests, ponds, and a few open areas offer a place for a wide variety of wildlife.
The diversity of habitat and the 142 hectare size of the property provides “deep interior” habitat not found in the smaller woodlots or natural areas that have been encroached by human activity. When added to the other properties along the Credit river, the Alton Grange also acts as an important corridor for animal movement where animals can mover through the wooded river valley. The Grange an important brook trout fishery and provides habitat for diverse and significant floral and faunal species
Like all wetlands, the Grange has a flood plain that provides storage capacity of water and helps to smooth out the discharge of water to the Credit river acting as a natural buffer against both flooding and drought.