Ontario Old Growth   Bruce Kersner   Nov 13, 2002 17:09 PST  Old Growth search now being conducted in Ontario Although it borders on western New York, the Niagara Peninsula of Southern Ontario has never been surveyed by the western NY team. That has now changed, since the Naturalist Club of Fort Erie (Ontario) has enlisted Bruce Kershner to search for old growth. So far, 14 old growth sites have been found in the three Ontario towns that border New York and the Niagara River. They include many new precedent-setting categories never encountered in New York or the Northeast U.S. Here are some examples: 1)      Marcy's Woods: 65+ acres of the world's only documented old growth Black Maple forest. Adding to their uniqueness is that they grow on the north shore of Lake Erie. The site has one of the highest concentrations of rare and endangered flora and fauna of any place in Ontario. Tragically, an intense struggle is underway to prevent the property from being sold to a developer who owns Planet Hollywood and Casino Niagara. 2)      Gray Family Forest: Five acres of the only reported old growth Shumard Oak forest! Nearly five feet in diameter. The Shumard Oak is normally a southern tree. Tree-guides have never recorded it in Canada, yet here it is—and old growth, to boot! Other unusual species in this unique grove are old growth sassafras and pawpaw. 3)      Brock's Monument Forest: located overlooking the mouth of the Niagara Gorge, the 200 foot tall Brock's Monument towers over the landscape. The wisteria monument memorializes a major War of 1812 battle that occurred here. It is also where Ontario's national trail —the 430-mile Bruce Trail—begins. We were surprised, therefore, to find the forest along the Bruce Trail was a mix of secondary old growth and original old growth. It is surprising that all of the forest wasn't cleared by soldiers during the war. What is most surprising is that ancient scarlet oak are dominant in parts of this 12-acre forest.   With diameters of 40 inches, large scarlet oaks are rarely seen because they normally grow in scrubby sand barrens. Even more unusual is that scarlet oak does not "officially" grow in Canada, according to botany books. For now, this is the only old growth scarlet oak forest in Canada or the Northeast U.S. 4)      Paradise Grove: Part of the provincial park that lines the Niagara River, the Paradise Grove was found to contain huge white, black and red oaks over its 25 acres of old growth. As thick as five feet, the oaks are often spreading branched. We at first thought they were all secondary old growth, having re-grown after the War of 1812. But ring counts revealed ages of 200 to 275 years. Our conclusion now is that the oaks are open grown because they grew in a savanna, probably established in an earlier millennium when the climate was drier. Savanna wildflowers were found growing near the trees, confirming our conclusion. 5)      Backus Woods: Located only a few miles north of Lake Erie, Backus Woods is part of a large provincial park. Research has confirmed at least 100 acres of old growth, including black gums, accurately aged at 550 years! Old growth sugar maple, red and white oak, tuliptree, beech, and white ash also populate this lowland flat forest. A rare tree species from the south is pumpkin ash. David Yarrow Turtle EyeLand Sanctuary 44 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061 518-477-6100; fax 477-1346 www.championtrees.org www.championtrees.org/NYOGFA/ www.championtrees.org/yarrow/   Home