In October 2008, as part of the City of Toronto’s Urban Forestry program, part of ‘the wild area’ (the area behind the park sign) was cleared of weed trees such as Siberian Elm and Manitoba Maple. The following July(!), dozens of native saplings were staked and planted. Since that time they have grown slowly and more than a few have fallen by the wayside of hard frosts and summer droughts. Here is a 6-image panorama of a large group of the trees now in their fifth growing season in this location. The trees seem to be Carolinian Forest native varieties of poplar, maple, oak, cedar and spruce.

Click on the image for a closer look.

One day, this area will be transformed into a wooded area and hopefully be a source of native seeds that will plant themselves and spread (assuming that garlic mustard doesn’t take over completely).

Interestingly, today, someone asked if the grass around the trees would be cut this year (as it has in the past) as apparently the absence of dog-strangling vine, lawn-like finish and screening from the rest of the park provided a private off-leash zone for a few people and their dogs!