Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
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Hiking and Conservation in Niagara. The Niagara Bruce Trail Club is an organization dedicated to the preservation of nature and conservation of the environment, particularly of the Niagara Escarpment. Its primary activity is hiking and the maintenance of the southern-most 83km of the 911 km long Bruce Trail, and the associated side trails.
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
4M ago
As a way to mark the Seventh Anniversary of the Landscape of Nations Memorial, an official and authoritative Landscape of Nations Facebook page has been launched by those who were actively involved in the early motivational, historical, conceptual, and artistic origins of this magnificent public artwork. Richard Merritt, Rick Hill, Raymond Skye, and Tim Johnson ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
5M ago
We are pleased to announce that a group of NBTC volunteers planted a seed orchard! You may wonder, how is it different from a cherry or peach orchard? Instead of harvesting fruit, seeds are harvested. These seeds are used for scattering in the areas where we pull out invasive species. More particularly, a seed ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
7M ago
Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is Old World in origin. It is thought to have been introduced from Europe in the late 1800’s, after settler deforestation, for use in windbreaks, erosion control, and stream bank stabilization. Planted in many locations across Canada, it can now be found from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, including throughout southern Ontario.  ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
7M ago
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is indigenous to Western Europe and can be found from England to Italy. Its introduction to North America dates from the 1800s, when it was brought by settlers to use for food and medicinal purposes. Since then, Garlic Mustard has spread throughout Southern Ontario and now presents a significant threat to ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
7M ago
As long as there is abundant greenery along the trail, why does it matter that it is introduced, non native plant matter? Native plants (including shrubs and trees) have coexisted for centuries providing the resources for a diverse ecosystem. A circle of life provides the resources for each plant and animal in balance. When non-native ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
7M ago
Niagara's Most Unwanted #4: Japanese Stiltgrass Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is regulated as a pest in Canada and a newcomer to our country as an invasive species. Native to southeastern Asia, it arrived in North America in the 1900s when used as packing material. Since then, Japanese Stiltgrass has proliferated across large swaths of the United ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
1y ago
Update from the NBTC Biodiversity Committee: DID YOU KNOW? Dog-strangling vine is an invasive perennial herbaceous plant in the milkweed family (Asclepiadaceae). It is spreading rapidly and causing damage to ecosystems in southern Ontario. Dog-strangling vine invasions can harm biodiversity in a number of ways. It forms dense stands that overwhelm and crowd out native ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
1y ago
The day is fine, or not, and as we trudge toward our destination the woods and fields provide a welcome backdrop. Yet how aware are we of what plant matter is in the natural areas that we pass. Many of us are becoming more adept at recognizing massive stands of vegetative interlopers along the side ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
2y ago
Non-native Honeysuckles Non-native honeysuckles were imported as early as the 18th century to serve as garden ornamentals, stabilize soils, and provide wildlife habitat. Unfortunately, these species have naturalized and spread well beyond their original plantings to fields, pastures, and forests, where they cause problems for native flora and fauna. These invasive honeysuckles enjoy a ..read more
Niagara Bruce Trail Club Blog
2y ago
Once rare in our area, we now celebrate regular sightings of the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), thanks in part to our NBTC volunteer's efforts. Back in April 1984, rapidly declining populations (by as much as 90% in areas), led The Committee on the Status of Endangered Species in Canada (COSEWIC) to designate this bird a species ..read more