Photo Glen Spurrell
The old ash tree at the end of Distillery Street keeps guard. But for how much longer? Fare thee well!
The Distillery Street entrance to Medd’s Mountain Park is still blocked off; but you can walk beside the fencing and enter the park.
As well, you can enter the park via the boardwalk from the Old Millbrook School. I really encourage you to walk along this boardwalk, especially at this time of year. Joe-Pye-Weed, goldenrod and the first hints of fall leaf colour on the dogwoods make it very attractive. But do wander down to the Distillery Street entrance because I want you to witness the ending of the life of a venerable tree.
A lone, very old ash has stood guard in this location for a very long time. What it has seen in its life I can only imagine. Now its life is nearing its end. I feared the work on the dam and the pond, with the soil compacted by heavy equipment, would be hard on this tree. But I am even more fearful that what is robbing this tree of life is the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer. Other trees in the area have already died, including a couple on Cavan Street (one has already been removed). I have no proof that the cause is this beetle but many of the signs are there.
Emerald Ash Borer
courtesy Ottawa Citizen
The Emerald Ash borer is a species of wood-boring beetle native to East Asia. Somehow it made its way to North America, probably in the 1990s and was first detected in Canada in Windsor in 2002. Since then millions of these beautiful and economically valuable trees have been killed. This green beetle is only the length of your finger nail and much thinner, but it flies in swarms, moving from tree to tree, feeding on the leaves and laying eggs in the bark. The eggs hatch and the larvae bore into the wood. It is the tunnels of the larvae in the wood that block water and nutrients from travelling up the trunk. Infected trees die in 2-5 years. Natural Resources Canada reports that up to 99% of ash trees will die within 10 years of the beetle arriving in an area. According to Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program: If you see Emerald Ash Borer or signs of infestation, call the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at 1-800-667-1940 or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at 1-800-442-2342.
Our native ashes are important trees (the similarly named Mountain Ash is not a member of the same family and is not threatened by this beetle). The wood of ashes is used for many products including the handles of tools, hockey sticks, the frames of snowshoes, and for flooring. The trees themselves are beautiful and the seeds are an important food for many birds and small mammals. The fall colour in our area will be very different without ashes. This fall when the woods and forests first show signs of changing colour look for beautiful purples and rust colours. Ash trees are one of the first to change colour and to lose their leaves.
But enough of bad news; in other news, my garden is alive with Monarch butterflies as they visit blossoms; there were 9 caterpillars on my stand of Butterflyweed; and I’ve spotted several of the attractive jade-coloured chrysalises. One coolish day recently, the air in my backyard was heavy with the fragrance of phlox as I enjoyed the colour and grace of butterflies as they fluttered here and there. The sunny wild areas are radiant with the colours of asters, Joe-Pye-Weed and goldenrod. Also the calls of various birds and frogs are in the air as in spring. This is a surprising phenomenon how many creatures utter their mating calls in early fall–as if the angle of the sun is tricking them into thinking it is once again spring.
There are many things to see and experience, both good and bad. Get out! Bear witness! And enjoy!
GET OUT! by Glen Spurrell
