OFGAC Fall Forum 2004

Dealing with invasive species at Windsor Park

Gary Lum, member of the Environment Committee of Ottawa South

I was invited to talk to you about a park that is extremely dear to my heart - Windsor park. Windsor park is bordered on the west side by a corridor-shaped park called Linda Thom Park, on the east by Brighton Park and a green corridor that extends to Brighton Park. The Rideau River gently flows along the southern border of all these parks.

The setting is majestic: it is as close to a country setting as you can have without leaving the city. The parks are adorned with a variety of trees which are indigenous to this region. A good selection of different conifers beautifies the parks year round and there are numerous species of deciduous trees. The trees are predominantly in a mature stage of development.

Among the deciduous trees, there are many Manitoba Maples - some are very mature, others are somewhere between shoots, saplings and mature. The Manitoba Maples outnumber the indigenous trees by a very significant ratio.

How many in the audience are familiar with the characteristics of the Manitoba Maple??? Can I have a show of hands? I am going to survey the audience to hear which characteristics you can identify which will help us profile this tree....

My experience with Manitoba Maples has highlighted these features:

• It is common along water courses
• It is adaptable to a variety of conditions….it will grow virtually anywhere (i.e., asphalt)
• Likes to grow (weasel its way) near a host tree/bushes…. (it seems to grow profusely at the base of conifers and deciduous trees.)
• Although it enjoys a host it will and can grow independently in a variety of settings.
• It appears to have an invasive personality (predator)
• It grows extremely quickly... it can grow in excess of a metre within a growing season…especially along the river
• It seems to blend in with the host species or surrounding trees so they are not apparent at a quick glance.
• It can overtake the host species within several growing seasons or if growing in an open space overwhelm other trees and bushes within several growing seasons.
• They can and do destroy very valuable species over a period of several growing seasons

The Manitoba Maple left unmanaged can and will impose a state of seige on an area. Its growth is prolific. It has prolific seed production. Shoot and sucker growth are problems. Once started they possess an overwhelming accummaltive growth factor… they can produce a literal jungle in a few years.

There are some benefits to the environment: they do help keep city air in check, they do provide shelter to birds they do provide shade, they do provide a cooling effect.

There are disadvantages: the sheer number of trees along our walking paths and the overgrowth in our parks do present our community with a safety and security hazard. Walking in our parks in the early morning or evening is a security issue for many residents (i.e., Ardeth Woods disaster). Our experience in our parks demonstarted that the overgrowth created an ideal environment for people outside of our community to engage in illegal activity.

Once started the Manitoba Maple is very difficult to eliminate. To eliminate them requires several seasons of continuous cutting. Removing manitoba maples is an extremely labour intensive and costly operation.

How we are attempting to manage our urban forests? City lacks resources of every conceivable kind. Parks are a low priority in greater scheme of all other community needs.

Our community needs to step up to the plate and work in partnership with the city to manage our public resources. Here's what we're doing:

• We formed a community group: developed a vision and a strategic plan.
• Shared the plan through public meetings
• Affiliated with the Environment Committee of Ottawa South, and recognized by the Ottawa South Community Assocation
• Meetings with the city
• Public consultations
• Public education

We welcome input. We're organizing a Manitoba Maple work day on 30 October 2004, starting at 9 a.m. at Windsor Park. Planning a planting program. Keeping our parks healthy and safe.

Thank you!