Butternut Creek Nature Reserve is set for a distinctive reforestation initiative in the spring of 2024. The project, part of the Million Trees program and administered by South Nation Conservation Authority, will plant 1000 trees on a fallow hayfield within the reserve.
But, unlike many tree planting projects, this re-wilding initiative will create a more natural forest ecosystem that will support greater biodiversity in the long term. The planting strategy involves incorporating eight different species of trees—white pine, red pine, tamarack, jack pine, hackberry, red oak, white oak, and poplar. This diverse mix aims to create a balanced and resilient forest habitat.
Jeanie Warnock, founder of Butternut Creek Nature Reserve, emphasized the unique approach, stating, “We’re trying to plant a forest that at least partly matches this area’s original tree cover. By integrating these species into the existing forest of maple, basswood, ironwood, and walnut, our rewilding will enhance natural growth with human assistance. Once they’re established, the mixture of conifers will also provide winter shelter and food for birds like winter finches.”
This reforestation effort aligns with the broader re-wilding initiatives at Butternut Creek Nature Reserve. The project aims not only to attract a variety of animal and bird species but also to provide essential shelter, food, and habitat for the wildlife drawn to the reserve’s new wetlands project.
For more information about Butternut Creek Nature Reserve and its conservation
initiatives, please visit https://butternutcreek.ca or contact jeanie@butternutcreek.ca.