Warwick Forest Trail

Fire Pond

This small pond was dug in the early 1950’s, when many of the trees were planted in the Warwick Forest. Now the pond provides habitat to a variety of species, including raccoons, skunks, frogs and turtles. As you pass by, look for animal tracks along the edge of the pond.

Managing Succession in Conifer Plantations:

On this demonstration site, five different forestry treatments were used to demonstrate the best way to regenerate high quality hardwood trees. The five treatments involved were: 1) clearcutting the pine and leaving the tree saplings; 2) harvesting 50% of the pine and cutting the tree saplings at ground level; 3) clearcutting all the pine and tree saplings; 4) harvesting 50% of the pine and leaving the tree saplings untouched, and 5) leaving one area untouched.

Natural Succession

A sand and gravel pit is a hostile environment for any plant, especially for trees. Over time this harsh environment slowly begins to change and become a more welcoming environment for a wide variety of plants. This process of change is known as “Natural Succession”. Restoration of this site has recently been undertaken. The edges of the pit have been landscaped and the area seeded with tall grass species. As time passes the grass community will slowly convert to trees and shrubs. Early succession plants are known as “pioneer species”; they are the first to grow in an area after a disturbance and are hardy plants that can withstand periods of drought.

Parking

Providing Wildlife

Leaving or creating wildlife habitat features within a plantation, encourages wildlife species that otherwise might not use this forest. Cavity trees, standing dead trees known as snags, and seasonally wet areas provide good wildlife habitat. Keep an eye out for other wildlife features such as brush piles; a collection of rocks, logs, large and small branches that are used by wildlife to take cover from predators. Forest managers can also provide temporary wildlife habitat by seeding skid trails (paths used to haul logs out to the road) and log landings from a variety of plants that provide a natural source of food for wildlife.

Red Pine Management

This stand was harvested in 1997. Harvest operations, known as thinning, remove approximately one-third of low quality trees. This provides better growing conditions for the remaining trees. The next harvest operation, in 2015, removed 50% of the red pine, allowing more sunlight to reach the forest floor encouraging growth of new seedlings and saplings. Most of the young trees are hardwoods – can you spot green ash, white elm, red maple, and bitternut hickory?

The Old Homestead

This area was the homestead for one of the original farms in the area. Prior to European settlement, North Stormont Township was covered with forests and wetlands. Much of the forest was harvested to support a variety of industries, including shipbuilding. Eventually the land was cleared for agriculture, but was abandoned in the 1930’s due to shallow soils and poor drainage. Abandoned agricultural fields can be restored to forest using careful management. Keep a look out for whitetailed deer and wild turkey that thrive in areas where farmland, wetland and forest are interspersed. As you continue west along the trail (unmaintained road allowance) you will notice an old fencerow constructed from stones collected while clearing land by the early settlers.

Wetland Viewing Area

Keep your eyes and ears open at this stop. Wetlands are home to a greater variety of wildlife than any other habitat in Ontario. From insects to deer and moose, wetlands are important spawning grounds for fish and provide nesting and shelter areas for waterfowl and larger animals. Wetlands are grouped into four categories: marsh, swamp, fen and bog. This area is a swamp, a treed wetland.

White Pine Plantation

In this area, white pine has been under-planted beneath the larger hybrid poplar. The shade provided by the poplars slows the growth of the pine, making them less attractive to pests such as the white pine weevil. The result is a white pine tree with little or no weevil damage. The lower branches of the white pine are pruned to prevent a fungus known as the white pine blister rust from infecting the tree. These management techniques produce high quality white pine.

White Spruce Management

Forest management, can increase the biodiversity of a forested area by creating opportunities for wildlife, enhancing tree growth, while providing economic and social benefits to the community. At this stop, the white spruce stand is managed to improve the growth rate of the spruce and increase the tree species diversity. White spruce plantations are typically thinned when the stand reaches 40-45 years old. Thinning every 15-20 years promotes the growth and improves the quality of remaining spruce, while encouraging the establishment of native hardwood and conifer regeneration.