On a chilly morning in early October 2024, volunteers participated in a special project to aid in the conservation of Bruce Trail lands. Under the direction of Restoration Project Specialist Lyndsey Wilkerson, a Seed Orchard was created on the Todd Bardes Side Trail, north of Limehouse. “A Seed Orchard uses selected plants for harvesting seeds that can be used for future restoration projects along the Bruce Trail,” says Lyndsey, who works at the Bruce Trail Conservancy. The Todd Bardes meadow is a unique seasonal wetland area where 187 plants, representing 10 specific species, were planted. Seeds can be collected annually and used to support wetland restoration areas in the Iroquoia, Toronto, and Caledon sections of the Bruce Trail.

Members of the Toronto Biodiversity team, Mark Potruff and Connie Sorros helped with the planting, along with supporters from the BTC’s corporate volunteering program. On April 26, 2025, Janet Patterson will be leading a biodiversity hike to the Seed Orchard, along with other hikes planned before the Club’s Annual Meeting in Georgetown. The ten species, each with different colours and characteristics, are: Joe-pye weed, Blue lobelia, Cardinal flower, Nannyberry, Common elderberry, Dense blazing star, White turtlehead, Common sneezewood, Swamp milkweed, and Blue vervain.

Now 62 species and 1,588 plants
with 2.5K of seeds collected…

Lyndsey initiated and spearheaded the project two years ago, piloting the program in the Iroquoia section. With its success, there are now 62 species and 1,588 plants, with 2.5kg of seeds collected in 2024 in six different Club sections of the Bruce Trail. Plants for each section’s Seed Orchard are chosen for local soil and growing conditions. Plants are also locally sourced and for example, in the Iroquoia section, they must be suited for the hot and dry area of the McNally property. In Caledon, the Seed Orchard is on an old baseball field and suitable plants are selected for its unique soil conditions.

In the Toronto section, seeds from other sections like Caledon and Iroquoia may be transported to support new plant growth in the new Duff Pit property. In the Silver Creek area, the Todd Bardes wet meadow plant seeds, once transplanted, will provide natural water filtration and will help to mitigate downstream flooding, says Lyndsey. In areas where Buckthorn or Garlic Mustard has been removed, volunteers can immediately replace the area with seeds that will out-compete the bush or plant.

Plants come in different shapes and sizes and seeds are harvested at different times. It is expected that some seeds will be carried away by birds, and 10% of the seeds are left on the plants for natural regeneration. Seeds are collected in different ways as well – some are picked (berries), and some require a bag, or bucket, to shake and collect the seeds. When the seeds are transplanted, you need 60 seeds per square feet to be effective, says Lyndsey.

Across the Clubs, it will be biodiversity or conservation team members who will be responsible for collecting the seeds and transplanting them, under Lyndsey’s supervision. Volunteers spend on average 2-3 hours per month checking on the Seed Orchard, making sure it is weeded properly, among other duties. Each of the species have signs that describe the plant with instructions on how to remove seeds.

“I am very grateful for the support of the BTC in allowing this program to launch and grow and to the many volunteers in the Clubs that have embraced this new venture,” says Lyndsey.