The Raisin Region Conservation Authority will welcome visitors back to the Cooper Marsh Visitors Centre in South Glengarry, Ontario, starting May 1, 2026. This reopening marks the beginning of the seasonal operations for the 673-acre wetland, which serves as a major destination for outdoor education and recreation on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.
The centre acts as an interpretive hub where visitors can access educational exhibits, including taxidermy collections and microscopes. Guests can also utilize a lending library that offers binoculars and field guides to help explore the marsh, which provides habitat for nearly 200 bird species, 30 fish species, and 8 amphibian species. Starting in June, the public can join weekend guided walks led by nature interpreter Annabelle Beaudry.
The marsh was established in the 1980s through a partnership between Ducks Unlimited Canada and the conservation authority, transforming what was once unsuitable cropland into a significant wetland. Named in honour of former municipal councillor and authority chair William Cooper Sr., the site remains a protected legacy. The area is part of over 2,000 acres of land managed by the authority to support watershed health and local habitat.
Educational outreach at the site continues through a partnership with the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences. Together, the organizations host school programs and summer camps designed to teach students about the local ecosystem. The site recently benefited from the multi-year Cooper Marsh Biodiversity Project, which received support from the Government of Canada and Ontario Power Generation to improve habitat and monitoring.
The reopening of the visitors centre is part of a broader seasonal launch for regional amenities overseen by the conservation authority. Residents can also look forward to the opening of the Gray’s Creek marina on May 4, which is entering its 47th season, followed by the opening of the Charlottenburgh Park campground and beach on May 15. These locations, along with Cooper Marsh, saw a combined total of approximately 200,000 visitors in 2025.
