TFN is pleased to announce that we’re starting a new project at our Jim Baillie Nature Reserve (JBNR): an initiative to help protect Ontario’s endangered butternut trees. JBNR is considered a high quality undisturbed swamp forest with a diverse flora and many regionally rare species – including, according to surveys conducted by TFN members over the decades, butternuts. Our project aims to continue providing refuge to our existing butternuts while also introducing new, genetically-certified stock to the reserve.
With the threat of butternut canker expected to kill off 97% of the butternut trees found in Ontario, TFN takes the protection of this wonderful species with all due seriousness. We hope that out butternut protection project will allow us to more effectively protect our existing trees, and to expand and diversify the population there. With volunteer effort, and a little bit of luck, TFN hopes we can help to encourage genetic diversity and contribute to future propagation of canker-immune butternuts.
TFN’s JBNR Stewardship Team will spearhead this initiative by helping to map and monitor our existing butternuts, planting new stock, managing invasive species, installing tree guards, and other similar tasks. All TFN Members are invited to join the JBNR Stewardship Team: just email stewardship@torontofieldnaturalists.org for more information or to sign up. No prior specialized knowledge is needed to participate in our butternut project – materials, training, mentorship, and more are all provided!