RICHMOND NATURE PARK STUDY – FINDINGS AND NEXT STEPS

The ecosystem mapping component employed desktop and field reviews as well as drone flights to identify distinct ecological communities, areas of interest, e.g., those determined to warrant further study and/or interventions, and habitat suitability for wildlife species of concern. Project Findings The Study’s findings were comprehensive and informative. It was determined that water losses are occurring, both through evaporation and the ground layer, and that a significant lowering of the peat aquifer level is occurring during summer months. While it is anticipated that the increasing presence of invasive plant species and effects of climate change will exacerbate the overall drying of the site, areas of intact Sphagnum mosses and other bog indicator species provide opportunities for restoration. In terms of water quality, the central portion of the site indicated water chemistry reminiscent of a typical bog environment, while the perimeter reflected non-bog/transitional conditions. While no rare plants were identified, several bog indicator species, including Sphagnum mosses, bog rosemary, western bog laurel, labrador tea, and cloudberry, were present. Fifteen invasive species were identified, with two of the most impactful being highbush blueberry and European birch. Highbush blueberry is a horticultural escapee that forms dense thickets with the capacity to obstruct light from reaching the ground and species of mosses and herbaceous plants. European birch is a fast-growing deciduous tree that opportunistically invades wetlands such as bogs. This species forms extensive root networks that can have a disproportionate impact on bog ecosystems through its effective uptake of water and nutrients, contributing to drying of the bog through high rates of evapotranspiration. The wildlife community at the Nature Park was determined to be largely unchanged since the 2008 Lulu Island Bog study. Most species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and dragonflies reported in 2008 were confirmed to still be present, with much of the data obtained through recorded eBird and iNaturalist observations. Newly detected at-risk species include peregrine falcon, purple martin, black-crowned night-heron, and blue dasher dragonfly. The ecosystem mapping component of the Study revealed that ecological communities are transitioning from open, shrub-dominated bogs to conifer forest. Eight areas of interest were identified and mapped, including an area where invasive plant management and bog restoration measures are being actively conducted, areas with well-preserved bog ecosystem features, and an area affected by fire in 2021.

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