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Plan checklist

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The Walewski Property

56 Harris Street, Mirror Lake

Planting plan created by Muskoka Watershed Council

Survey Date: 06/15/2020

Funded by •

Schedule A:

Plants & Property

Land Characteristics

This planting plan is designed based on the land characteristics identified during the day of the site visit. Plants are chosen according to the soil and light conditions on your property. The number of plants chosen for each planting compartment takes into account the square metre area of the space, as well as the amount of current vegetation cover. Your property is part of ecoZone: 5a

Land Characteristics by Compartment

Plant Selection Summary

The following shrubs and trees are chosen for their suitability and survivability given the current soil and light conditions in each compartment on your property, as well as preferable features.

Plant Information

The following table summarizes key information about each plant selected for your property.

	Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet Height: 1-2m The Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet is an erect, deciduous shrub, which grows in the shape of a mound. This species develops numerous branches and branchlets, giving it a sparse appearance. Leaves produced are simple and narrow with sharply toothed borders growing alternately along the branches. These bright, light green leaves appear crowded, as they grow close together on the stocks and branches. During the fall, leaves turn a yellow-red or yellow-orange colour. Small white to light pink flower clusters appear in the spring growing in a dense, narrow pyramid at the terminal ends of the branches. During late summer to early fall, these flowers produce smooth, papery seed pods.
	White Spruce Height: 20m The White Spruce is a hardy, coniferous tree species that grows up to 20 m in height. This species has a relatively uniform form with bark that is loose, scaly, and grayish brown. The needles are about 2 cm long and blueish green in color. The cones are 5-7 cm long, cigar-shaped, and have smooth margin scales. The bark of White Spruce is smooth and light grey when young, turning dark grey and scaly upon maturation. This tree species is very adaptable and can grow in most soil types, moisture levels, and sunlight exposures. This tree is important for providing food and shelter to wildlife species including deer, porcupines, birds, and small rodents. White spruce is a long lived tree species, and usually lives 250-350 years old. However, individuals have been seen that have lived up to 1000 years old.
	White Pine Height: 30m The White Pine is Ontario's provincial tree. This species is the largest northeastern conifer with soft and light needles. The needles are bundled into groups of 5 and are spirally spread around the twigs. White Pine bark is smooth and grey-green when young, becoming dark grey and deeply furrowed upon maturation. This tree produces yellow-green seed cones which are long, cylindrical, and covered in 50-80 scales. Unfortunately, this species is susceptible to White Pine Blister Rust and attacks by the White Pine Weevil. White Pine is a hardy tree which can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, from sphagnum bogs to dry sandy and rocky ridges.
	Witch Hazel Height: 4-9m The Witch Hazel is a deciduous understory shrub, with a broad and rounded crown. This species can sometimes take on the form of a tree. Witch Hazel is most recognizable for its 2 cm long, spidery, bright yellow flowers, which bloom during late fall. Leaves produced are alternate, simple, 6-15 cm in length, and obovately shaped. These leaves are dark green on top with paler undersides and turn yellow during the autumn. Witch Hazel leaves produce hairs on their principal veins, are asymmetrical at their base, scalloped, and sometimes coarsely toothed. In addition, the leaves contain 5-7 straight, parallel, ascending veins per side. The twigs are slender, zigzagged, tawny, and smooth when mature. Witch Hazel fruiting bodies are short, thick, light brown capsules that become woody upon maturation. This species is typically multi-stemmed with two or more trunks, which are crooked and 10-15 cm in diameter.
	Sweet Gale Height: 1-2m Sweet Gale is a medium-sized shrub which grows into a thick bush about 1-2 m tall. This species produces 1-8 cm long, oblong-lanceolate leaves which are finely toothed at the tip and are spirally arranged. When bruised, these leaves give off a pleasant aroma. Male and female catkins are produced on separate plants. The seeds are dispersed from the female plants via water, as they float on two corky bracts. Sweet Gale grows best in moist or wet conditions, acidic soil, and full to partial sun exposure. It is naturally found in bogs, swamps, marshes, and along wet shorelines. This shrub species has nitrogen fixing bacteria in its root nodules, allowing it to convert nitrogen into a usable form. Thus, Sweet Gale can be used on nutrient poor, acidic sites, which may be difficult to plant on for other species. Additionally, being able to convert nitrogen and add nutrients to the soil can be beneficial for other plants in the area. This shrub also provides a good food source for bird species that eat the seeds including Grouse, Chickadees, and Bluebirds. Mammal species like Beavers and White-Tailed Deer also browse on the twigs and leaves of this plant.
	Ninebark Height: 2-3m The Common Ninebark is a very hardy, large, deciduous shrub naturally occurring within riparian zones. This species is often planted as an ornamental shrub for its exfoliating bark which reveals reddish-light brown inner bark. This shrub is multi-stemmed with numerous horizontal and ascending branches creating a full, round shape. The Common Ninebark produces dull green, ovate to round shaped leaves with three to five lobes per leaf. During the fall the leaves turn brilliant yellow or dark purple. Between May and June, showy, bell-shaped flowers bloom in clusters on the terminal ends of the branches. During the summer, these flowers give way to small green or green-yellow berries which turn a bright red upon ripening.
	Red Osier Dogwood Height: 1.5-4m The Red Osier Dogwood is a medium-sized, deciduous shrub native throughout Northern and Western North America. This species is multi-stemmed with numerous erect and ascending bright red branches that create a loose and spreading form. Leaves produced are simple, two-toned with a dark green upper side and light green underside. They are arranged opposite each other along the branches. During the fall, the foliage turns a brilliant red to dark purple. Clusters of small, creamy white flowers form on the terminal ends of the branches between June and July. The Red Osier Dogwood produces blueish-white fruiting bodies during late summer, which may persist throughout the winter. This shrub's berries provide an important winter food source for numerous species, from large deer to small wintering birds.
	Black Spruce Height: 20-30 m The Black Spruce varies in size depending on soil conditions. On poorly drained sites, the trees are typically grow smaller and slower, up to 20m high and 30cm in trunk diameter. However, on well-drained upland sites, these trees can grow up to 30 m high and 60 cm in trunk diameter. The branches of the Black Spruce are comparatively shorter than other spruce species, and lower branches can appear extremely weighted and droopy. The crown of the tree is often very dense, and oddly shaped with many cones. The needles are short, single, and straight with blunt points, ranging from 8-15 mm in length. They are a dull grayish-green colour with lines of white spots on the under surface of the needle. Seed cones are broadly ovoid and egg shaped, 2-3 cm in length, and have a dark purplish-brown colour. The scales are brittle and tight fitting with an irregularly toothed margin. The cones mature around September and can remain on the tree for up to 30 years, gradually releasing seeds in normal conditions, while quickly releasing seeds following traumatic events, like forest fires. Open cones are almost spherical, brittle and toothed. The bark is reddish or grayish brown in colour when young, becoming darker, and boasting more prominent scales with age. The Black Spruce can grow well on a many different sites, with variable soil moisture, soil types and sunlight exposure, although it does prefer full sun to partial sun. Since Black Spruce is so adaptable, it can usually tolerate poor growing conditions and could be considered in difficult or disturbed sites.
	Ostrich Fern Height: 1.5 m The Ostrich Fern is a coarse, erect to arching perennial fern, that can grow up to 1.5 m in height. The stems are clustered and arching while the leaves are ostrich-plume shaped, widest near top, and very gradually narrowed to the base. The size of the leaves grow up to 1.5 m long and 12-40 cm wide, with around 40 pairs of leaflets or pinnae. The leaflets are long, narrow-pointed, and ascending. The leaves are fertile, with spore clusters on the undersides of sub-leaflets.
	Eastern White Cedar Height: 15m Eastern White Cedar is a small evergreen tree which can usually live up to 300 years, although some individuals reaching 700 years old have been found. White Cedar produces unique green, opposite, scale-like leaves, which can take a fan-shaped form. The bark is also distinguishable as it is reddish-brown, stringy and flaky, making it easy to peel off into long strips. White Cedars are also prone to heart-rot, leaving many trees with hollow centres. However, dried cedar bark is decay resistant making it a great option for use as fence posts or cedar-strip canoes. In addition, this species was historically used by indigenous people to prevent scurvy, earning the name 'tree of life'.
	Bush Honeysuckle Height: 1m The Bush Honeysuckle is a small, hardy, deciduous shrub that rarely grows taller than 1 m in height. The leaves are simple, oppositely arranged, ovate shaped, and have finely toothed margins. During the spring and summer, the leaves are dark green in colour, then in the fall they take on a variety of colours ranging from a deep purple to light yellow. The flowers are small, showy, yellow to orange colored, trumpet shaped, appear in clusters on the tips of branches, and bloom between June and July. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, including hummingbirds and butterflies. The roots of the Bush Honeysuckle are fibrous, giving it the ability to form thickets and making it an ideal shrub to plant for erosion control.
	Swamp Milkweed Height: 1 m Swamp Milkweed is a beautiful wildflower species that typically grows about 1 m tall. The leaves are light green coloured, narrow, lance shaped, and oppositely arranged. The flowers are showy, fragrant, bright pink, appear in clusters on flowering stems, and bloom between July and August. The flowers give way to large, long and narrow, brown seed pods, which produce an abundance of seeds with tufts of long, white hairs. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. As with all Milkweeds, the stem exudes a milky sap when broken, however the sap of the Swamp Milkweed is less milky than other species. This sap is critical for caterpillars of the endangered Monarch Butterfly to deter predators.
	Blue Vervain Height: 1.5 m Blue Vervain is a perennial wildflower species that grows about 1.5 m in height. It has a slender, upright form with reddish-green coloured, rough-haired stems. Its leaves are oppositely arranged, lance-shaped, and on short petioles with large serrations along the edge. Occasionally, there are two lobes present at the base of the leaves. The flowers are showy, blueish purple coloured, have five petals, appear on dense spikes at the top of flowering stems, and bloom between July and September. The flowers bloom first at the bottom of the spike, travelling upwards and blooming in bands. This plant spreads well and can form small colonies. The flowers are beneficial to pollinator species, like bees and butterflies. The seeds are also beneficial to wildlife species, like birds and small mammals.

Compartment A

Naturalization Area

Deer issues

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal
• Soil Type: sandy
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: partial sun, shade

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

6

White Spruce

3

White Pine

1

Witch Hazel

1

Sweet Gale

1

Ninebark

1

Red Osier Dogwood

2

Black Spruce

3

Ostrich Fern

6

Compartment B

Naturalization Area

Deer issues

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal
• Soil Type: sandy, loamy
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: shade

Ninebark

1

Red Osier Dogwood

3

Black Spruce

6

Eastern White Cedar

1

Compartment C

Naturalization Area

Deer issues

• pH: acidic
• Depth: potted
• Moisture: normal
• Soil Type: sandy, loamy
• Plant Height: any
• Light conditions: shade

Narrow Leaved Meadowsweet

4

White Spruce

1

White Pine

2

Witch Hazel

1

Red Osier Dogwood

3

Eastern White Cedar

2

Bush Honeysuckle

3

Swamp Milkweed

2

Blue Vervain

1

Schedule B

Financial Summary

Project by: Muskoka Watershed Council

Shoreline Re-Naturalization Starter Kit includes: free site visit, customized re-naturalization planting plan for your shoreline property, native plants including free bare root (small) and potted (large) plants and wildflowers, coconut fibre pads to deter grass from growing around new plantings, tree guards for all deciduous trees, mulch for your wildflowers, Plant Care Guide with instructions on how to take care of your new plants, Habitat Creation Guide and a Wildflower Garden Guide.

Our planting plans are created onsite with you and provide detailed information and plans to re-naturalize your shoreline property. We take photos of areas for planting and overlay native plants that are well suited to your property based on site conditions such as soil type and sunlight availability.

We will work with you to create a plan that works for you including options for low growing plants in areas where views are important.

Schedule C

Project Agreement

Stewardship Agreement

Please indicate your agreement to this proposed plan by signing the following Stewardship Agreement and submitting it, along with your financial contribution, to:

Muskoka Watershed Council
70 Pine Street Bracebridge, Ontario P1L 1N3

Plant Availability

Please note that plant species may need to be changed based on plant stock availability at the time of ordering.

Project Completion

Upon receiving your signed stewardship agreement and financial contribution, a date will be booked to complete the project. Watersheds Canada will supply all plants, materials, and planting labour. If there are particular dates that you would prefer, we will do our best to accommodate your requests.

About this program

About Muskoka Watershed Council

MWC is a volunteer-based non-profit organization with the mandate to champion watershed health. MWC is comprised of representatives from a wide range of stakeholders and has been providing a coordinated and science-based voice on issues affecting the environmental quality of our watersheds since 2001.

This program was created by Watersheds Canada

We believe that every person has the right to access clean and healthy lakes and rivers in Canada. At Watersheds Canada, we work to keep these precious places naturally clean and healthy for people and wildlife to continue using for years to come. We love working with others to meet the needs of local communities, whether you’re a concerned citizen, a landowner, a lake association looking for help, or a coalition of groups interested in activating your local community.