2009 Activities Report University of Toronto Mississauga Naturalization Program

2009 Activities Report – University of Toronto Mississauga Naturalization Program

Introduction

The purpose of this document is to:  Describe the 2009 accomplishments of the University of Toronto Mississauga Naturalization Steering Committee;  Outline new initiatives taken on through the larger program; and  Identify 2010 work program priorities for University of Toronto Mississauga, Evergreen, and the other project partners for future naturalization and restoration projects at University of Toronto Mississauga.

Background

In early 2003, University of Toronto Mississauga, Evergreen and EcoSource formed a partnership to undertake naturalization and education projects at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus. The goal of the initiative was to facilitate implementation of the environment and natural heritage aspects of the University of Toronto Mississauga Master Plan.

A steering committee made up of University of Toronto Mississauga stakeholders and representatives of Evergreen, Credit Valley Conservation and the City of Mississauga was formed to manage the program.

The following objectives were identified:

 To implement naturalization projects with an experimental component and with general student participation;  To investigate and suggest new opportunities associated with the green theme of the University of Toronto Mississauga Master Plan (e.g. suggest green roofs be considered for new buildings now being planned, storm water pond naturalization);  To interface with other aspects of campus planning (e.g. the landscape architectural plans for the new south entrance);  To help develop grounds management practices that improve effectiveness and/or save resources;  To integrate our efforts with the University of Toronto Mississauga curriculum and the campus life; and 1  To communicate about our efforts with Mississauga and neighboring communities.

2009 Highlights Some of the highlights from 2009 include:

 Seven successful planting events were held: 208 volunteers planted 700 trees and shrubs, at events held in the spring, summer and fall of 2009. This translates into wildlife habitat being enhanced in eight areas of the University of Toronto Mississauga campus. Volunteers included University of Toronto Mississauga students and staff, and community and corporate volunteer groups. Groups include: The UTM Staff Experience Team, the Green Team, Campus Roots, Peel Environmental Youth Alliance, Associated Youth Services of Peel, Volunteering Peel, For Your Telecare Health Services, Starbucks, Altima Dental, and GEOS. To raise awareness of the events, information was posted on the Evergreen website, and flyers were created and distributed.  Educational workshops, nature walks, trail activities and stewardship events held: 28 people from University of Toronto Mississauga and the general community participated in workshops, nature walks and stewardship events offered on campus. The event included a capacity-building workshop- No Plot is too Small, monitoring and maintenance of naturalized areas, litter clean ups, and nature walks.  Species at Risk Project: The Species at Risk Project continued in 2009 with Evergreen and UTM staff, supported by a biology student from Dr. Havalka’s first year biology class. The team identified two different Jefferson Salamander individuals over the course of the monitoring season. During the fall meeting of the UTM Naturalization Steering Committee, it was determined that the project as is, will not be continued next year. Members agreed that the protocols are only effective at determining presence or absence, not at obtaining a detailed census. The committee agreed that census monitoring could happen every few years and that the site could continue to be monitored for signs of disturbance and trail use.  Old Field Project: Dr. Hevalka’s Bio205 class participated in stewardship events in the spring and fall, cutting invasive Tartarian Honeysuckle from the Old Field. 405 students participated in the spring, and 245 in the fall. The Old Field site was a destination along all UTM Nature trail tours, and at two of these tours, a seeding activity was included at the Old Field site.  A second burn is planned for the spring of 2010. A funding application is in process from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

2010 Work Plan Priorities

Priorities for 2010 are:  Events will focus on stewardship and include smaller interplantings during stewardship events.  Further outreach to segments of University of Toronto Mississauga community: find, inform and engage the many constituencies on campus;  Fundraise for 2010 Old Field Burn. (Application underway from TD Friends of the Environment) In-kind resources will also be tracked;

2  Implement next phase of Old Field Management plan involving the removal of invasive species and native species planting of two zones;  Implement a second prescribed burn for April of 2010  Deliver nature walks and educational programming at planting and stewardship events;  Deliver grant-seeking and volunteer management workshops to the campus population and the community at large  Deliver a Species at Risk presentation to Dr. Hevalka’s class  Plan and implement a number of stewardship events, where volunteer groups are engaged in the maintenance of planted areas and existing habitats. Volunteers mulch at existing plantings and remove invasive, exotic species; and  Undertake more outreach to the communities adjacent to University of Toronto Mississauga.

2009 Steering Committee Members

Nick Collins (Co-Chair, UTM Biology Professor) Kim McNeilly (Co-Chair, Evergreen) Kris Horvath (University of Toronto Mississauga Grounds) Diane Ross (University of Toronto Mississauga Grounds) Aubrey Iwaniw (University of Toronto Mississauga Sustainability Coordinator) Jessika Corkum-Gorrill (City of Mississauga) Hanna Otta (University of Toronto Mississauga, Biology Technician) Dave Clancy (University of Toronto Mississauga Recreation and Athletics) Monika Havelka (University of Toronto Mississauga Biology Professor) Dave Beation (Credit Valley Conservation) James Boutelier (UTMSU, Ministry of the Environment) Maria Pilar Galvez (UTM Student Union) Tooba Shakeel (UTM Student Group, Campus Roots) Brian Branfireum (UTM Geography Professor) Linda Kohn (UTM Biology Professor)

3 Summary of 2009 University of Toronto Mississauga Planting Events

Sit # of Date Event Type Species # of Trees & Shrubs Participants e Volunteers Ol d Dr Hevalka’s Bio 6 March Stewardship na 450 Na Fie 205 class ld UTM staff, students, 31 March na Workshop na 28 Na Mississauga Community Planting, nature Alternate Leaf Dogwood, 30 April 13 walk, Nannyberry, Staghorn Sumac, 62 150 PEYA stewardship Choke Cherry Alternate-Leaf Dogwood, GEOS, AYSP, AC Planting, Nannyberry, Staghorn Sumac, Altima Dental, 2-May slo 59 150 stewardship Choke Cherry, Gray Dogwood, Red Starbucks pe Osier Dogwood Staghorn Sumac, Choke Cherry, Staff Experience 13-May 5 Planting 16 100 Gray Dogwood Team 3-June 20 Stewardship na 25 Na AYSP AYSP, 8-Jul 7 Stewardship na 25 Na Volunteering Peel For Your Telecare 6-Aug 12 Stewardship Na 23 Na Health Services Choke Cherry, Gray Dogwood, Red Green Team, 30-Sept 15 Planting Osier Dogwood, Serviceberry, 13 50 Campus Roots Sandbar Willow Choke Cherry, Alternate-Leaf Dogwood, Gray Dogwood, Staff Experience 1-Oct 5 Planting Nannyberry, Ninebark, Smooth 21 100 Team, Student Rose, Highbush Cranberry, White Residents, Birch Choke Cherry, Gray Dogwood, Ninebark, Smooth Rose, Staghorn 3-Oct 4 Planting 25 120 Public Sumac, Red Osier Dogwood, Nannyberry Choke Cherry, Gray Dogwood, Ninebark, Smooth Rose, Staghorn Environment 7-Oct 4 Planting 12 30 Sumac, Red Osier Dogwood, Week participants Nannyberry Ol d Dr. Hevalka’s Bio 2, 4, 6 Nov stewardship na 243 na Fie 205 class ld Totals 1004 700