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Peatland Restoration at the Wainfleet Bog
Interesting Facts
- Although highly disturbed due to 80 years of peat mining, many rare species are still present at Wainfleet including a small population of the threatened Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake which hibernates in the peatland in old burrows of small mammals.
- The succession process has been very slow in large areas of mined peat. One of the first plant colonizers of the bare peat is the non-native European birch, which is not wanted here! Its early growth appears to be helped along by the native cotton grasses. Drought conditions or prolonged flooding of the peat surface have proven to be the most effective ways to control the spread of this invasive birch species.
Researcher:
Mark Browning
Email:
Phone:
705-755-1217
Project Objectives:
We hope to determine the physical and biological factors that control how plant communities develop on the mined peatlands at Wainfleet. We will look at various factors, including:
- Hydrology (the study of how water moves through the landscape)
- Frost heaving
- Micro-topography (the small-scale study of the landscape)
- Presence of the invasive European birch
Also, we’ll be looking for ways to alter these factors to help re-establish the bog ecosystem. These techniques include:
- Peat dams
- Hummock/hollow construction
- Mulching
- Cutting of European birch
- Planting and seeding with native bog species
Combined results from the work of several collaborators on this project were published in the Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Ontario Proceedings in 2005. Also, data analysis and report writing is on-going and the next publications should be ready in 2008/09.
Collaborators and Participants:
- Niagara Peninsula Conservation
- OMNR Vineland
- Brock University
- Trent University
Funding Partners:
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Last Modified: April 28, 2008