The Land

We've always had our own lands. When an old man was dying he would call his son and say: This land was mine but now it's yours.
— Cree elder

Land of richness and remoteness

Washow Lodge is your opportunity to experience our Homeland as we have for generations: sheltered from the world by vast stretches of forest, rivers and wetlands. The lodge is set amongst abundant natural attractions and sweeping landscapes. Nearby Hannah Bay, fed by the Harricanaw, Kesagami and Mississacabi rivers — is a naturalist's paradise.

Our traditional Homeland is in the James Bay Lowlands, vast wetlands that slope gently towards the shores of James and Hudson bays. Nowhere is the region's natural richness more evident than in this beautiful and remote destination.

This land tells its story through us

For thousands of years, the Moose Cree First Nation have lived on this land. To visit here is to be immersed in our culture. We look forward to guiding guests of Washow Lodge through the story of our Homeland.

A naturalist's paradise

This region has globally significant ecological characteristics. It's part of the larger Hudson Bay Lowlands, the third largest wetland area in the world (at 324,000 square kilometres). It's comprised of Boreal forest, sub-Arctic, Great Plains and Arctic Ocean ecosystems. It's where abundant freshwater river systems meet with ocean bays.

Beluga whales summer at the mouths of the Moose and Harricanaw Rivers. Other mammals include bearded and ringed seals, walrus, pine marten, black bear, moose and caribou. More than 160 species of migratory birds travel through every spring and fall, including various species of geese. Hawks and eagles are abundant year round. The bays and rivers have pickerel, pike, trout, sturgeon, and whitefish.

Vast wetlands, ocean bays and diverse plant life

VAST WETLANDS: More than 85 per cent of the area consists of wetlands: fens, bogs, marshes, swamps and ponds. Islands of black spruce and lichen grow on peat mounds. Pure tamarack stands are dotted in open fens. Low ridges alternate with long narrow lakes. The wetlands and pools provide breeding sites for a wealth of animal life.

OCEAN BAYS: Ontario's only marine saltwater habitat is found along the James Bay and Hudson Bay coasts. The slope of land is so shallow that mudflats are exposed for 1 to 5 kilometres at low tide. These mudflats and tidal marshes are used by thousands of migrating waterfowl each spring and fall.

PLANT LIFE: The area's 400 species of plants include exotics like the Calypso orchid as well as asters, fireweed and numerous others. The region is dissected by a number of major river systems. Balsam poplar, balsam fir, white spruce and white birch grow along the river banks and on islands.