THE BIODIVERSITY TEAM
The Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club is looking to build on our past Biodiversity experience to increase our efforts to restore native plants and remove invasive species. This year and in years to come, we hope to invest more volunteer efforts into doing great things, such as:
- Tackling Invasive Species. In 2013, we began focusing on Garlic Mustard and European Buckthorn in the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail section. Now it seems clear that we need to tackle Wild Chervil as well as our usual invaders. Please let us know if you would like to be part of our Invasive Species knockdown crews! It is a great way to meet some wonderful people, enjoy the outdoors, and take out your tensions.
- Replanting Program. Recently, our Club has reinvigorated another aspect of our biodiversity program by resuming large-scale replanting. Replanting on Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC)-owned properties in the Beaver Valley slowed after the 1990s and our team is restarting this initiative by reintroducing native trees. Repopulating BTC lands with native trees will increase habitat, aid in soil restoration, provide wind control, in addition to all the myriad other benefits that native tree species provide. Planting parties are fun and rewarding — and usually followed by serious treats.
For more information or to join the Biodiversity Team, please fill in the form below.
Our Club’s Biodiversity Work
We are delighted to announce our plans for the 2026 season in both planting and invasive species removal!
Planting
In 2025, the Biodiversity Team held the Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club’s first major planting on Bruce Trail lands in many years. The Club’s next tree and shrub planting will be in the Fall of 2026. All are welcome– keep an eye on this space for further details.
Invasive Species Removal
The Club has been fighting the good fight against invasive species since 2012. In the spring, we concentrate on Garlic Mustard, a nasty little biennial that spreads like wildfire and poisons the soil against native species.1 If you are looking for a chance to soak up the beauty and the quiet of a local forest for a couple of hours while chatting with like-minded people, please fill in the form below to join in a “pull party” in May or June (though we can still pick garlic mustard at any time until the seed pods burst in autumn).
In the fall, specifically in September of 2026, we will be attacking some of the Valley’s crops of European Buckthorn. Anyone can easily learn how to spot buckthorn, and to remove smaller buckthorn seedlings and saplings For the bigger specimens, trained team members may use a specialized tool (i.e. “Extractigator® ” ) or a chainsaw. It’s quite the party! Watch this space for details.
For more information on the Biodiversity Team or to volunteer, please fill out the following form:
Now hear this: All Biodiversity work parties involve butter tarts or other treats!