Introduction

2007 Update

Introduction

This site consists of ravine slope and a narrow strip of terrace below it between Fox Drive and “Toboggan Hill” near the mouth of Whitemud Creek. Springs seeping out of the escarpment here are rich in the mineral calcium and support vegetation that is typically lime-loving. The slope, a former ski hill, is/was, however, heavily infested with Caragana bushes that grow thick enough to choke out the native vegetation.

Hence when ENG signed a Partners-in-Parks agreement with the City of Edmonton in August 2004 our first job was to cut down Caragana bushes and pull up their seedlings. Last year the City herbicided the stumps and we left the slope alone. Meanwhile, in the fall of 2005 a City crew accidentally graded the wet terrace portion and dumped gravel on it for a trail. When, following our protests, the City removed much of the gravel last spring this provided us with an opportunity to attempt some restoration. We transplanted some native grasses, particularly tufted hair grass and Nuttall’s salt meadow grass, and some other species, from a natural saline wetland that was being converted into a constructed wetland in the City’s northeast. We also grew seedlings of these species from wild-collected seed and transplanted them. On the terrace we also maintain a mulch bed that we are slowly transplanting with willow and dogwood cuttings.

This site is excellent for plant biodiversity, including orchids, and indeed the whole escarpment in this part of Whitemud Ravine contains springs rich in calcium and iron and forms interesting tufa deposits.

This year it may be time to attack the Caragana again, and we will likely do more weeding and transplanting, with the hope that one day we can oust the final Caragana bush and re-christen the slope “Shooting Star Hill.”

Easy access off Fox Drive.

Fall 2007 Update

So, the season has wrapped up. John Helder, Principal of Horticulture with
the City, has just informed me that City crews have removed the bags of
weeds that we had accumulated, and is putting up fencing at the top of the
hill to protect the area during the winter (i.e., stop people skateboarding
down the hill and breaking off the branches of the shrubs in the mulch bed
at the bottom!).

Next year I hope to have a blitz on the Caragana on the adjacent slope
alongside Fox Drive (hopefully using some youthful labour such as Junior
Forest Wardens) early in the season, which will take some organizing. The
regular work sessions will mainly consist of weeding, and transplanting of
the residual seedlings left over from this season -- there will be no need
to grow any more Deschampsia seedlings next year. If we are successful in
raising some other seedlings, such as fringed gentian and Kalm's lobelia
(the latter at least used to grow there) we will transplant those as well.
We will also need to monitor the Caragana on the main hill itself, and
remove any seedlings that are growing.

Incidentally, the University biology department is interested in doing a
study to compare the effects of mowing and non-mowing on small mammal
behaviour and survival in urban parks, and I have suggested that Caragana
Hill might be a candidate study site. Apparently the research team involved
is still trying to perfect its methodology, but if the study goes ahead we
may have to be extra careful where we do our restoration!

Leader: Patsy Cotterill: 481-1525; nutmeg@planet.eon.net.