The Ottawa River used to drain melting glacial waters from central Manitoba, but gradually reduced its flow and changed its course to its present location.

A narrow-gauge railway was built to facilitate extraction, as well as a separate rail siding along the Montreal-Ottawa (M&O) line for shipping.

Periodic burns and presence of drainage ditches have also changed the natural conditions of the remaining bog.

[3][7][8] Conservation efforts began in 1981 when zoning changes were proposed to allow new peat harvesting development.

[7] Some of the rare plants in the bog are white fringed orchid, Atlantic sedge, and rhodora.