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The Black Oak Savannah-High Park

Created By: Amanda Majkut, Shaheen Moxley, Olga Rashkevych and Jessica Rinebold

References

Dangers to the Savannah

City of Toronto Perscribed burn. (2013). Retrieved

July 29, 2013, fromCity of Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/trees/Prescribed_Burn.htm

High Park Nature. (2013, July 22). Retrieved July 29,

2013, from High Park Nature Walking Tours: http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/wiki.ph n=Explore.WalkingTours

Inside Toronto Prescribed Burn. (2013). Retrieved

July 30, 2013, from Inside Toronto :http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/2517122-prescribed-burn-set-for-high-park-in-april/

Enger, E. D., & Smith, B. F. (2013). Environmental

Science: a study of interrelationships, 13th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Lovett, S. (2013, June 13). High Park Stewards Black

Oak Restoration. Retrieved July 29,2013, from High Park Nature: http://www.highparknature.org/wiki/uploads/RestoreAndResearch HP_Restoration_handout.pdf

Toronto Parks and Recreation. (2002). High Park

Woodland Management Plan. Retrieved July 29, 2013, from High Park Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/trees/pdfs/HighParkMgmtPlan.pdf

Park Management Practices

The History

  • Suppression of natural fire caused a decrease in regeneration of the Oak trees
  • Planing of non-native species
  • Mowing prevents natural regeneration of vegetation

High Park in the Making

  • 12,000 years ago melting glaciers formed Lake Iroquois (a larger form of the present Lake Ontario)
  • Sands were deposited on the bottom of the lake which formed the Iroquois Sand Plain
  • Glacial rivers began to flow caused by warming temperatures creating ravines
  • The well drained sandy soils became a prime location for the Black Oak Savannah to thrive

Harmful Practices

  • Recreational facilities such as hiking trails and man-made turf grass has reduced the size of the Savannah
  • Use of pesticides is harmful to the ecosystem
  • Construction of roads cut the park off from Lake Ontario disturbing natural linkages between the ponds and creeks to the Lake

High Park becomes Public

Life within the Savannah

  • John G. Howard purchased the land in 1836 and named it High Park as it was the highest point in the Toronto area
  • In 1873 the Howards deeded the property to the city for public use under two conditions
  • The Howards received annual pensions
  • The park must be left in its natural state as much as possible

The Oaks

  • The Oaks in the Savannah are unique in that they do not form a closed canopy like a traditional Savannah
  • The dry nutrient deficient soil makes a perfect canvas for the Black Oaks
  • The Oaks are deep rooted for maximum moisture intake
  • The Black Oaks are protected by thick bark which prevents damage during natural disaster such as fire

Restoring the Savannah

Controlled Burn

Planting Native Vegetation

Plants and Animals

  • The island-like nature of the Savannah limits natural regeneration
  • Collections of seeds from native plants are planted in the park's greenhouses and later planted in the park
  • Plantings focus on increasing the size of existing natural areas
  • Plant selection is based on historical inventories
  • Seeds are obtained locally when available
  • The Savannah is a fire-dependent ecosystem. It includes plants that flourish after a controlled burn.
  • Designed by the City of Toronto Urban Forestry
  • Low burning, closely monitored fire
  • Healthy trees will be protected while fire burns through twigs, leaves and grass
  • The controlled burn will encourage abundant growth among the park's vegetation species

Plants

Animals

There are a variety of shrubs found within the Savannah including the New Jersey Tea, Black Huckleberry, Wild Lupine and the Purple-flowering Raspberry.

There are a variety of animals that live within the Savannah.

  • Mammals: Little Brown Bat, Red Fox, Eastern Chipmunk and the White Tailed Deer
  • Birds: Barred Owl, Great Blue Heron, Purple Martins and the Caspian Tern
  • Reptiles: Snapping Turtle, Garter Snake, American Toad and Salamanders
  • Insects: Cicada, Halloween Pennant, European Red Ants and the Monarch Butterfly

Post Burn Scene

Minimizing Trail Damage

Invasive Species Control

  • The parks trails allow people to access different areas comfortably
  • Trails attract high impact activities such as mountain biking and hiking
  • The trampling of the native vegetation increases opportunities for invasive plants and soil erosion
  • The city plans to reestablish a designated nature trail system
  • A well designed trail system avoids sensitive terrain where rare plants and species are found
  • Encouraging park users to stay on the trail and be respectful of the natural environment
  • Invasive plants are species that aggressively colonize natural areas
  • High Park is especially vulnerable due to the highly urbanized landscape such as roads and trails
  • Planting of native species around the edges of native areas lessens the spread of invasive plants
  • Regularly monitor the prevalence of invasive plants
  • Using insects that are natural predators help reduce the amount of invasive plants
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