Forest Floor
As an ecotone (transitional area) between the St. Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield, The Land Between is characterized by small lakes and wetlands between low relief exposed granite to the north and patches of mixed forest and limestone plain along the south: it is the region with the highest habitat diversity in Canada.
You may have a different habitat in your backyard than your neighbour: woodland where they have wetland, or vice versa. Living in The Land Between means living in the last wilderness landscape in Southern Ontario, and letting these wild spaces retain their individuality is important to the health of our larger environment. The impulse to ‘neaten up’ beyond the edge of the lawn, beyond the vegetable garden or stone wall, is actually disrupting an established ecosystem that depends on the presence and function of its many relationships.
Protecting woodland
Humans depend on forests for many aspects of our lives: social, ecological, economical. Forests provide clean air and water, offer habitat for our food, are a source of income and recreation; their mere presence supports our health and well being.
Most of Southern Ontario was once covered in magnificent native forests and woodlands, with pockets of wetlands, prairies and meadows (CVC, 2012). Indigenous communities established trails and settlements; Europeans settlers deforested much of the area for agriculture, roads and buildings, and products like shipbuilding, firewood and furniture. As human settlements have continued to grow and spread, forest health has suffered due to fragmentation and deforestation. Today, ensuring the quality and ecological integrity of those remaining woodlands is vital to forest health as well as our own (OMNR, 2011).
The living components of natural forests have two important phases: the growth (building) phase during which available elements assemble to form structures (plants and animals), and the decay (deconstruction) phase during which these structures are disassembled into elements available for rebuilding (Stevens, 1997). Forests have evolved to have ecological processes that depend on the presence of both of these phases.
Forests are made up of living organisms with finite life spans, after which they become part of the decaying portion of the ecosystem. Some of this organic matter decays quickly: leaf litter is a quick and rich source of nutrients for soils and decomposers, while ‘coarse woody debris’ (forest deadfall greater than 8-10cm in diameter, like logs, snags and stumps) decays over the long term. As coarse woody debris (CWD) decays, it performs vital functions for the ecosystem: storing and cycling nutrients, forming and retaining soil, conserving moisture and enhancing water infiltration, providing sites for litter accumulation and fungi growth, and acting as nursery sites for plants (Stevens, 1997).
Carbon storage available in living and dead wood is important on a global scale, as long-term storage delays carbon from adding to escalating atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Some rot-resistant tree species could take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose, releasing carbon much slower than wood that is burned or used in another short term manner (Sullivan, 2017).
Protecting habitat
Organic matter also provides critical habitat as it decays. As standing dead trees, or ‘snags,’ are attacked by insects or fungi, they attract woodpeckers who make cavities; at least 85 species of North American birds will use tree cavities for their nests. Bees, mice, squirrels, raccoons and even bears will later use abandoned cavities (Fargione, 2015).
Leaf litter provides vital shelter for ground burrowing insects, including many native at-risk bee species. Moths and butterflies also overwinter in forest debris, with some even camouflaging their cocoons as dead leaves. Disrupting or removing leaf litter from woodlands will negatively impact the nests; which will subsequently affect prey species throughout the food web.
Adopting conscientious forest management practices are essential to sustain our continued dependence on forests; this requires leaving ‘snags’ and CWD to fulfill their important ecological functions. The result may look messy, but benefits so many insects and animals that it is worth the visual sacrifice (Fargione, 2015).
Protecting soil
In its 2015 report, The Status of the World’s Soil Resources, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations found that soils are deteriorating on a global scale due to wind and water erosion, nutrient depletion, and declining soil biodiversity. Ontario's soils in particular are susceptible to decreasing organic matter, which, coupled with the prevalence of bare soil (especially over winter) puts soil at risk of erosion. Generally landscape in The Land Between has less than 15 cm of soil cover: making this an area very sensitive to changes in soil quantity and quality. One of the key ways to ensure soil health and stability in our area is through retention and protection from erosion.
In the woods, downed CWD does a great job of acting as a buffer from wind and water erosion, but what are more attractive options for our gardens and yards?
- Establishing a well-designed native garden will eventually have plants fill in over time that will no longer require mulching beyond naturally occurring organic matter. Plant roots efficiently work as a ‘living mulch:’ by allowing native plants to spread and fill bare areas of flower gardens, they will improve soil condition and water infiltration, while also providing more wildlife habitat and suppressing weeds (Sandoval, 2016).
- Mulch can be used in the spaces between transplants at planting, helping to suppress weed competition and protect roots from extreme temperatures. Many different types of materials can be used as mulch, depending on access: grass clippings, wood chips, or even wool!
- Recent studies have shown that sheep’s wool has properties that make it a great mulch: a significant nutritional benefit of 10-14% nitrogen content; high absorbency (up to 20-30x its weight in water) making it great for water retention and slow-release moisture; and barbed scales that add to a plant’s defenses against disease and pest invasions (Veroutsos, 2023). It’s a natural and renewable resource available from many local sheep farmers.
When it comes to recommendations for forest management, sometimes the most important thing is to just let it be! What may look messy or unkempt is part of naturally occurring processes that supply the forest with nutrients and structural support: nature doesn’t need to look neat.
This is one time where sitting back and doing nothing is actually very helpful for the environment! But if you absolutely must stay busy, consider what can be added rather than taken away. Soil retention, protection, and additions are critical for the success of all organisms within an ecosystem.
References
Stevens, V. (1997). The Ecological Role of Coarse Woody Debris: An Overview of the Ecological Importance of CWD in BC Forests. BC Ministry of Forests Research Program.
Credit Valley Conservation (CVC). (2012). Native Woodland Gardens: for homes. CVC Urban Outreach.
Fargione, M. J. (2015). ‘Messy’ woods serve critical purpose in forest management. Cory Institute of Ecosystem Studies.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). (2011). A land manager’s guide to conserving habitat for forest birds in southern Ontario. Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
Sandoval, D. (2016). A Living Mulch: Allowing plants to spread as nature intended. Good-Natured Landscapes.
Sullivan, A. (2017). Coarse Woody Debris – Why is it essential in our woodlots? Cape Breton Privateland Partnership.
Veroutsos, E. (2023). 5 Reasons to Use Wool in Your Garden. Backyard Boss.
Walliser, J. (2016) Spring Garden Clean-up Done Right. Savvy Gardening.