This fall a few dedicated trail builders, Charlie Atkinson, Jeanette Cave, Jack Cave, Jim Swalwell, Laurence Christie and Wayne Seaman relocated part of the Hockley Heights Side Trail onto the Town of Mono's land called the Shelly Anderson Tract. Thanks to their effort approximately 700m of road walking along 15 th Sideroad west of 5 th Line East has been eliminated and rerouted through rolling hills of mixed coniferous and deciduous forest with a few stunning views of the Hockley Valley. The Anderson Tract is being actively managed under a Forest Management Plan, with periodic harvesting taking place.

This Tract, purchased in 1955, is one of several blocks of forest owned by the Town of Mono. It was named after local resident Shelly Anderson in recognition of the tremendous contribution he made to reforestation in Mono during his long life. Much of the conifer forest was planted by local school children during the 1950s and 1960s, as part of the school planting program started by Shelly Anderson in 1949, and was an annual event in Mono until the late 1960s. The trees were planted in an effort to halt erosion of the sandy Mono soil, land cleared of trees by early settlers. The primary reason for involving school children was to get trees planted in large numbers but an even more valuable objective was to encourage the children to learn about trees, to love, to foster and protect them.

The first planting on this site was on April 27, 1956. The Anderson Tract was the largest undertaking of all the sites for the school children. The teachers arranged for transportation and sent home invitations for parents to attend which many did. The youngsters worked in pairs and over the years planted about 60,000 trees here. In 1962, there was a special outdoor program for the children including the planting of a ceremonial maple tree and that year concluded the planting on this site.

Trail improvements like this takes the help of a few key people within the Town of Mono.
2 such people are Wayne Reid, Director of Public Works and Kim Perryman, Director of Recreation. Without their involvement and cooperation trail improvements would be impossible to bring about and we are truly thankful to have their support. Ms. Perryman is the person in the Town of Mono who is first contacted with a new trail idea. She then recommends the idea to the Mono Trails Committee who decide whether or not the idea is a good one. If they believe it is then it presented to Council. If approved, the route must be established with Bruce Trail representatives and Mr. Reid also a member of the Forests Committee. Infact, Mr. Reid was one of school children who, years earlier, planted the trees with Shelly Anderson.

This spring, get out your walking stick, make a lunch and check out our newest vantage point of the Hockley Valley. Better yet, snowshoe through the tract one lovely winter day and when you're there, think of all the tiny hands that worked so hard to reforest this site.