10 hectare wood lots in Ottawa

What is a healthy forest?  Can there be such a thing as a healthy forest within an urbanized area?  What would a forest need to support certain "forest species"?  Certain species seek out "interior forest" - a denser part of a wooded area that is buffered by other trees which support the interior core.  This core is more stable and healthy as it is not affected as much by edge species (both faunal and floral) and thus can provide the type of habitat that "interior species" are looking for.  Landscapes ecologist speculate that an ecological buffer such as this needs to be at least 100 metres.  In reading the Ontario Nature fact sheet on fragmentation, they state that using this 100 metres as a guideline that a circular forest needs to be at least 8 hectares to have one hectare of interior forest.  And in some other articles I have read, the minimum stated for a healthy forest (that has some dense interior "forest" that would attract forest species of birds) would be 10 hectares*. But most articles and studies state that this is a very difficult measure to determine and many feel that 10 hectares is too small to provide any such habitat for birds or other interior forest species.

This Forest Fragmentation Study lists certain birds that are more affected by the size and some that are less sensitive to the size:   "Area sensitive birds identified in this study included the Ovenbird, Acadian Flycatcher, Kentucky Warbler, and Red-Shouldered Hawk.  The least area sensitive species were mostly species that were not truly interior birds such as the Carolina Wren and Great Crested Flycatcher."

So does Ottawa have any wood lots of approximately that size (remembering that this is a MINIMUM size)?  And what types of birds can be found in these area and around the city in general?

First of all, Ottawa does have two wood lots that are around that size, but unfortunately neither of them are protected, conservation land.  Here are the two woods:

- Pleasant Park Woods (pictured above)

- Rothwell Heights - Bathgate Forest (on NRC Campus)

Some forest species that I have been on the look out for are the Red-Eyed Vireo, Brown Creeper, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pine Warbler, Ovenbird and the Nuthatches.  OBBC has had volunteers survey the city for birds for the past 5 years and through both Point Counts (some along Bathgate Drive) and Census Plot (Pleasant Park being one of them) forest species birds have been confirmed in these areas.  The map below confirms abundance (not individual observations):

Presently the NRC is doing a large construction project on their property.  The good news is that they are trying to protect as much of the forest as possible.  Details are available on the Government of Canada website:

"PCL has already started to work on site preparation by removing trees to make way for the construction of the new facility. Many of the trees found on this lot are of the ash species and have been confirmed to be infested by the emerald ash borer, a major threat to Canada's environment and forest resources. As the movement of infested tree material is highly regulated, PCL will take all precautionary measures to dispose of the trees as per Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations . It should be noted that 90 percent of the maple grove located in the northeast corner of the site will be preserved, as well as 55 to 60 percent of the existing woodlot.

Once construction is completed, there is a reforestation plan in place that will include planting more than 1000 new trees, primarily near the western edge of the site, along Bathgate Drive.
Final landscaping should be expected to be complete by November 2014.

The new facility will include walkways in the reforested area along Bathgate Drive extending up to the National Research Council (NRC) campus and the extension of the existing sidewalk along the east side of Bathgate Drive."

This summer get out and enjoy these gems that provide habitat for some endangered and rare species (especially in urban areas!).

Pleasant Park Woods Image from Ottawa Velo Outaouais

P.S. Should we be planting more native trees as per Diana Beresford-Kroeger?

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* Cornell Lab Of Ornithology - Improving Habitat for Forest Thrushes (pg 8)

MTO Turtle Crossing - Nesting

***THIS IS AN ARTICLE FROM THE MTO WEBSITE - LINK BELOW***

Turtle Crossing and Barriers

The turtle crossing uses an elliptical culvert.

Anti-glare mesh/screen is used as a turtle barrier/fence to restrict turtle movement onto the roadway.

An artificial turtle nesting habitat made of fine crushed stone, sand, and gravel.

In fall 2009, turtle protection measures were installed north of the Village of Caledon, as part of the Highway 10 widening project. To mitigate turtle mortality and promote environmental sustainability through the protection and conservation of wildlife, MTO, in consultation with the Ministry of Natural Resources, designed and implemented an under-road wildlife crossing, a barrier system, and artificial nesting habitat.

Turtle Crossing: Similar to a pipe culvert design for fish crossings (below), the turtle crossing uses an elliptical culvert. The top ends of the culvert have been cut to maximize the amount of light in the culvert, helping to attract wildlife through the culvert. A mesh screen is attached around the area of the culvert opening to prevent turtles from climbing onto the roadway.

Turtle Barrier/Fence: Studies have shown that turtles can climb fences. Anti-glare mesh/screen is used as a turtle barrier/fence to restrict turtle movement onto the roadway. The turtle fence is affixed directly onto the highway fence, and funnels/directs the turtles to the culvert installed underneath the highway. At the North Credit River Bridge, a total of 1028 m of turtle fence was installed. Though the fence is 1 m high, it features a 200 mm 90 degree bend on top that will prevent turtles from climbing and accessing the right-of-way.

Turtle Nesting Habitat: In addition to mitigating the loss of turtles on the highway, MTO and MNR have developed an artificial turtle nesting habitat made of fine crushed stone, sand, and gravel. The habitat was constructed at the ends of the turtle crossing to provide an area for turtle egg laying. This habitat attracts turtles to the crossing due to it's exposure to the sun.

To evaluate the turtle crossing system, a monitoring program will begin in the spring of 2011. Monitoring will continue for the next two years.

For more information on Turtle Crossings, please contact: Luis Orantes, Environmental Planner, Planning & Environment Office, Central Region at (416) 235-3852 or luis.orantes@ontario.ca

 Original article found here: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/transtek/roadtalk/rt16-4/index.shtml


P.S. Check out my latest "urban wild" nature blog: Wild. Here. (2016 update)

Value Of Urban Trees

The Urban Forest Stewardship Network is an online resource for organizations, community groups and individuals working on urban forest initiatives across Ontario. It is a platform for sharing experiences and resources, and for capacity building.

The Urban Forest Stewardship Network was initiated by LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests) in an effort to bring together community based urban forest groups from across the province.

One of their projects is to TAG URBAN TREES to show their value to those who benefit from them.  These tags can be placed on street treets and trees in parks or even on your own front lawn to display the benefits in Air Pollution Control, Water Recycling, Oxygen Generation, etc.

Rivers can help reduce the Urban Heat Island effect

Full Article Found Here: Waterways Forward Blog - an EU Interreg IVC programme project

Here's the beginning and the results from the article:

"The Urban Heat Island effect describes the relatively higher temperatures found in urban areas compared with rural surroundings, and is the result of several different factors. Building materials that absorb heat, the loss of moisture in the air due to reduced vegetation and paving over soil, as well as sources of heat, such as traffic, can all contribute to the Urban Heat Island.

 

In this study, researchers recorded temperature and humidity between April and August at 12 sites located at different distances from a small river running through the city of Sheffield, UK. Sites were located in areas of different ‘urban form’; either in an open square, an open street, a closed street or completely enclosed by buildings. To quantify the effect of the river on temperatures, these measurements were compared with another site, which was distant from the river but similar in all other properties except that of altitude, which was accounted for in the analysis.

 

The researchers conclude that rivers do have cooling effects and that future policies to uncover underground rivers could be of value in urban environments where high temperatures can have a negative effect on health and wellbeing. However, they stress that urban form surrounding the river corridor is more important than the simple presence or absence of a river and that cooling effects can be greatly enhanced by careful consideration of urban design."

 

Source:

1. Hathway, E. A. and Sharples, S. (2012). The interaction of rivers and urban form in mitigating the urban heat island effect: a UK case study. Building and Environment. 58: 14-22. DOI 10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.06.013.
2. Saraiva M.G, Ramos I.L, Vaz L, Bernardo F, Condessa B. TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY IN REHABILITATING URBAN RIVER LANDSCAPES. CROSSING ECOLOGY WITH SOCIAL CONCERNS, 4th ECRR Conference on River Restoration

Neighborhood Tree Project (Toronto)

Love this example of a Neighborhood Tree Project in Toronto where a neighborhood association (Harbour Village Residents), academia (U of Toronto), the municipality and charitable organizations worked together to increase the street tree canopy and raise awareness and understanding of the need for more urban trees:

"U of T Forestry grad students (were hired) to go door to door signing up local residents for a free front yard tree to be provided by the City of Toronto.

With tiny front yards in most of the 1600 single family homes, it was often tough to persuade residents of the value of front yard trees. But the Forestry grad students were good educators and approximately 100 residents submitted the City’s front yard tree application and obtained trees.
 
To overcome the biggest challenge, the City’s Urban Forestry department (was convinced) to create a new brochure, explaining that trees were not to blame for broken sewer pipes or cracked foundations."

The work here also included a tree inventory (of 5000 trees) and efforts for funding backyard tree planting also!

More info found here: 6 Years of Tree Projects