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Ecological Reserve
Nine hectares of natural forest were set aside in 1947 and designated as a management-free area, without cutting or removal of trees, trail construction, etc. (This area is located west of the Conservation Centre along the north side of the main orange trail).
Unmanaged forests have a natural forest structure and function different from that of a managed forest, as follows:
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Managed Forest |
Ecological Reserve |
Understorey Vegetation
(low growing)
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Less due to trampling
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More
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| Woody Debris
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Less and smaller in size
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More and larger in size
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Wildlife
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Mostly species found in younger forests
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Species commonly associated with old-growth forests
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| Snags
(standing dead trees)
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Less
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More
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| Gap Shape and Size |
regular |
Irregular |
Many animals prefer unmanaged forests because of the provision of many areas for nesting and to avoid their natural predators. The ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) is a perfect example of just such an animal. The ovenbird takes advantage of the snags and downed woody debris of old growth, unmanaged forests to find food, lay its eggs, and avoid predators. The addition of roads and pathways to a managed forest can have devastating effects on natural forest activities.
Many animals use the forest floor as a migration route, but if they must cross an open area such as a road, they become very vulnerable to predation, and some animals won’t even take the chance. Many of our native amphibians use the forest floor to travel to their breeding ponds. If a roadway falls within their path, many will not cross and therefore do not reach their final destination. Without access to a pond, these amphibians will not have the chance to reproduce.
Plant species may also be affected by animals’ aversion to traverse trails. Many of the seed carrying insects, such as ants, are deterred by these paths. The result is a limited dispersal of certain local plant species, such as the white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). This means, white trillium populations tend to stay on one side of a trail (depending on width and use of trail).
- Information provided by Christopher Cloutier, Research Assistant, McGill University; Jim Fyles, Forest Ecologist, McGill University and Christina Idziak, Curator, Morgan Arboretum
Vegetation found in the ecological reserve
(reference: Guillaume Larocque, PhD candidate, McGill University)
LATIN NAME |
COMMON NAME |
Tree Layer |
Acer pensylvanicum |
Striped maple |
Acer rubrum |
Red maple |
Acer saccharinum |
Silver maple |
Acer saccharum |
Sugar maple |
Betula lutea |
Yellow birch |
Betula papyrifera |
White birch |
Carpinus caroliniana |
Musclewood |
Carya cordiformis |
Bitternut hickory |
Carya ovata |
Shagbark hickory |
Fagus grandifolia |
American beech |
Fraxinus americana/ Fraxinus pennsylvanica |
White ash or Red ash |
Ostrya virginiana |
Ironwood |
Populus deltoids |
Eastern cottonwood |
Populus grandidentata |
Largetooth aspen |
Tilia Americana |
Basswood |
Tsuga Canadensis |
Eastern hemlock |
Quercus rubra |
Red oak |
Understorey Layer |
Herbaceous |
Aralia nudicaulis |
Wild sarsaparilla |
Arisaema triphyllum |
Jack-in-the-pulpit |
Asteraceae spp. |
Aster species |
Caulophyllum thalictroides |
Blue cohosh |
Clematis virginiana |
Virgin’s bower |
Clintonia borealis |
Blue bead lily |
Dicentra canadensis |
Squirrel-corn |
Epifagus virginica |
Beech-drop |
Erythronium americanum |
Trout-lily |
Fragaria vesca |
Woodland strawberry |
Galium sp. |
Bedstraw species |
Impatiens sp. |
Touch-me-not species |
Maianthemum canadense |
Canada mayflower |
Medeola virginiana |
Indian cucumber-root |
Panax trifolius |
Dwarf ginseng |
Polygonatum pubescens |
Hairy Solomon’s seal |
Prenanthes sp. |
Rattlesnake-root species |
Ranunculus abortivus |
Small-flowered crowfoot |
Smilacina racemosa |
Three-leaved false solomon’s seal |
Streptopus roseus |
Rose twisted stalk |
Taraxacum officinales |
Common dandelion |
Toxicodendron radicans |
Common poison-ivy |
Trientalis borealis |
Starflower |
Trillium erectum |
Purple trillium |
Trillium grandiflorum |
Big white trillium |
Viola sp. |
Violet species |
Graminoides |
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Carex spp. |
Sedge species |
Poaceae spp. |
Grass species |
Ferns and allies |
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Adiantum pedatum |
Northern maidenhair fern |
Athyrium felix-femina |
Lady fern |
Dryopteris spp. |
Wood fern species |
Lycopodium dendroidium |
Prickly prince’s pine |
Lycopodium lucidulum |
Shining clubmoss |
Lycopodium obscurum |
Ground-pine |
Onoclea sensibilis |
Sensitive fern |
Thelypteris noveboracensis |
New York fern |
Woody plants |
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Acer pensylvanicum |
Striped maple |
Acer rubrum |
Red maple |
Acer saccharum |
Sugar maple |
Acer spicatum |
Mountain maple |
Betula lutea |
Yellow birch |
Betula papyrifera |
White birch |
Carpinus caroliniana |
Musclewood |
Carya sp. |
Hickory species |
Fagus grandifolia |
American beech |
Fraxinus sp. |
Ash species |
Ostrya virginiana |
Ironwood |
Populus grandidentata |
Largetooth aspen |
Prunus virginiana |
Choke cherry |
Quercus rubra |
Red oak |
Rhamnus cathartica |
Common buckthorn |
Rhamnus frangula |
Glossy buckthorn |
Tilia americana |
Basswood |
Tsuga canadensis |
Eastern hemlock |
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