With summer over, it was a perfect time for our biodiversity and land stewardship folks to return to our forests and fields. From Sept. 2 to 21, there were four organized work parties. Land Stewardship Director Rose-Mary Mitter planned the events, with assistance from Lynn McFerran, our Biodiversity Director. On Labour Day a crew was active at Speyside Woods where a boot brush station was installed at the trailhead of the 17th Sideroad Side Trail. The next weekend crews ventured to the Hammer Property (between 5th and 6th Line) to remove an unsanctioned wetland trail afterwards helping to clear, helping to clear out a new side trail that will be opening soon.
On September 15 on the Springle property (north of Limehouse), volunteers checked on the growth of the American Chestnut and (disease resistant) Elm trees. These trees were planted several years ago and Rose-Mary reports the majority of the trees are doing well, some growing as high as 4 feet. They also removed some unnecessary fencing and cleaned up 2 boot brush stations. Teams also identified some evasive species that will be removed next year. The worst culprit is the Multiflora Rose,a plant with white flowers, (native roses are pink) nasty thorns, and cane stalks that grows to 10ft, says Rose-Mary. Other species they are flagging are Tartarian Honeysuckle, Dog-Strangling Vine and Buckthorn.
Another invasive species is the Scots Pine on the Duff Pit (Silver Creek) property (adjacent to the Highway7 and Trafalgar Road split at Silver Creek. The following weekend, a number of cedars were planted along the property boundary near the trail to help prevent trespass. After that 100s of second growth Scots pine were removed, with more work planned there this fall. hey monitored and tagged Scots Pine growth for removal next year, as well as cleared a path for a new side trail on the property. They also monitored and tagged Scots Pine growth for removal next year.
Planting a new seed garden is a new project that will be undertaken by the BTC with help from Toronto club and BDT volunteers near the Todd Bardes Side Trail.
And Rose-Mary tips her hat to the work of John McCuaig and his Scouts who were out recently installing and making repairs and cleaning out the bird boxes for next year in the Limehouse and Silver Creek areas of the trail.