After six years as the leader of the Biodiversity Committee, Lynn McFerran is stepping down. She and the team have left their mark with many significant accomplishments. In their search for a new chairperson, Lynn is confident they will find a passionate biodiversity leader to build on past initiatives. (If this is you, contact the Club at info@torontobrucetrailclub.org)
The Brampton resident joined the team as leader in the fall of 2019, adding new people and meeting monthly to put together plans for projects such as tree plantings, invasive species mitigation and organizing nature hikes. One of the major objectives of the 10-member team was to create more ecological awareness of the Bruce Trail. Under her tenure her team created several hikes that were focused on geology, tree and wildflower identification. They also brought in an Indigenous teacher who spoke about ancient lore. One of the issues the team wants to address is educating the public not to forage for puff-ball mushrooms, and other species such as leeks and fiddleheads.
Over time, Lynn and the team have worked more closely with biologists at the Bruce Trail Conservancy, cooperating in such areas as Buckthorn pulls in Speyside, or planting disease resistant elms in the Todd Bardes meadow. Recently the BTC teamed up with biodiversity members to create a Seed Orchard that will harvest seeds to be planted elsewhere on the Bruce Trail. The team is also sharing their knowledge with other Bruce Trail Clubs, as the Toronto group has been among the first to start a Biodiversity Committee.
Other awareness projects introduced include showing Club members how to use the iNaturalist app, to identify species along the trail and to report their findings as a “citizen scientist” to the app. During Invasive Species Month in February, Lynn has always written a story for E-Notes. She and her team are always promoting biodiversity at the Club’s annual meeting in April as well as for Bruce Trail Day, held each October. (This year, at the Toronto Brickworks, Janet Patterson is giving a 10-minute talk about biodiversity.) She has also talked to people stopping by at the Bruce Trail booth at the Toronto outdoors show and the annual flower show in Toronto.
The team has also added bird boxes, milkweed plants and water stations for Monarch butterflies and boot brush stations to reduce the spread of invasive species.
Lynn was approached by Limehouse Public School recently to help with their environmental curriculum, and she has been talking to them about planting a native garden and doing some hiking with the children.
Looking back, one of the team’s greatest accomplishments in education has been in the creation of two badges. One is in support of the biodiversity team’s projects, and the other is for identification of flora and fauna. The Toronto Section is blessed with a variety of geology with dense forests, meadows, wetlands and rocky areas, she says, allowing for a multitude of plants and trees to grow. For example, in a small 750 metre area, the team found 13 different species of ferns.
Lynn is not leaving the team but is looking for fresh leaders and other team members to bolster the work of the Committee. Thanks, Lynn, for your team’s efforts to support ecology projects on the Bruce Trail!
Lynn has had great support from the team members who come out on work parties and educational hikes to share their knowledge with our membership in the Toronto club.