ERS 346 Outing #2
Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Time: 09:30-10:30h
Duration: 1h
Location: Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon, ON
Weather: 6 degrees Celsius; clear skies
Habitat/Vegetation Type: badlands surrounded by mixed deciduous forests
The surrounding forest of the badlands was heavily degraded with an overabundance of common buckthorn along the trails. The soil was heavily compacted, typical of the badlands, but the understory appeared to provide a decent growing substrate. The adjacent forest stand seemed relatively young, being no more than 10m tall. The leaves were changing colours and beginning to fall, and the buckthorn still held many of their berries. Closer to the parking lot, there were planted red oak and rudbeckia. Some sumac were also present. There were no observable sources of water. Some other observed vegetation include maples, cedars, wild strawberry, goldenrod and aster going to seed, wild carrot, and some apple trees from a former orchard. In the badlands themselves, there was 0% canopy cover with sparse patches of vegetation. The soil was barren, and a fence surrounded the area to prevent visitors from walking in the area, which would also act as a barrier to wildlife movement. It is also adjacent to a major road, though traffic flow through is unknown.
In the immediate vicinity of the site, a single chipmunk was spotted along the trails. Closer to the badlands, some unidentified birds were moving through some nearby bush, possibly American robins. For the most part, the area was silent with barely audile bird calls in the distance. A handful of crows could be heard. Of note, 10min away from the Badlands some blue jays were spotted, indicating some level of biodiversity in the wider region.
Given the time of year, it is possible most wildlife had migrated to areas with a higher abundance of food. While there is vegetation growth, it is predominately non-native invasive species. If the range is broadened there are more forested areas with more mature trees, but the suitability for habitat of those sites could not be determined without a visit. Many of the leaves were beginning to fall with the asters and goldenrod going to see. The thick understory would not be suitable for larger mammals, giving wildlife like the chipmunk a distinct advantage. The early time of day may have also been a factor, as it was still cool. It is unlikely there are any amphibians in the area given how dry the soil is, though reptiles may be present but in hiding.
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