This used to be a very dark, narrow and rocky trail that was home to habitat and plant species that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Stony Swamp. During our hot dry summer last year a carless person caused a massive forest fire that consumed over 100 acres. I knew they had created a firebreak to prevent the fire from spreading but I didn’t know they used this trail corridor until I set out this morning to look for some plant species I had seen along this trail in the past. The area where the plants grew (this photo) has been plowed over and is completely unrecognizable compared to how it was before the fire last year. The largest colony of orchids (that I am aware of) in Stony Swamp is also gone. I spent some time exploring off the trail in this area in the past and also again today and failed to find any evidence of the plants I was trying to find. I know most of these plants grow elsewhere in Stony Swamp, but the remoteness of this area saved them from being picked like they tend to be in the more popular, well used parts of Stony Swamp and offered opportunity to seek them out close to home instead of having to go to Gatineau Park, Marlborough Forest, etc.