General – only large northern fern with a three part form on a tall stalk (all other large ferns have single fronds rising from the rootstalk); fronds arising singly from a deeply subterranean, much-branched rhizome; commonly found in large patches; up to 1 m high. Bracken Fern Leaves – single, horizontally growing; broad, triangle-shaped; leaflets … Read more
General – large-sized, averaging 22 – 36 m (72 – 118 ft) high, evergreen conifer. Crown full, spreading, generally irregularly shaped. Branchlets slender, gray-green to orange-brown in color. Trunk shows little taper and is generally branchless for over 1/2 its height. Trunk bark on young trees, thin, smooth and gray-green in color. Later becoming thick, … Read more
Distinguishing Features – One of the smallest frog species in Northwestern Ontario. Overall colouration, varies from gray to varied shades of brown. Some may appear rust red or orange. As with many other frogs, shade of color is affected by temperature. A characteristic dark X intersects the back. Random dark dashes often mark the body. … Read more
Distinguishing Features – The Siberian musk deer is a small member of the deer family; it weighs 7 – 17 kg (15 – 38 lb). The male has canine teeth which grow to a length of 8 cm (3″) and project well below the lips. Habitat The Siberian musk deer prefers forest and brushland at … Read more
To understand silviculture, one must first understand silvics. Silvics involves understanding how trees grow, reproduce, and respond to environmental changes. Some tree species thrive in shade – sugar maple, red maple, hemlock and basswood are good examples. These species can live, grow, and reproduce in shade and semishade conditions. Many tree species prefer or require … Read more
Distinguishing Features – Small. Overall colouration, reddy brown or green and have small black dots scattered about; undersides, yellow or yellow-orange with small black dots. Skin, rough. Four toes on the front feet and five on the back. Size 6.3 – 10 cm (2.5 – 4 in) Habitat Found in southern regions of Northwestern Ontario, … Read more
Distinguishing Features – The brown bear (sometimes called a grizzly in North America) is a large animal, usually dark brown in color, though it can vary from a light creamy shade through to black. The long guard hairs over the shoulders and back are often tipped with white which, from a distance, gives a grizzled … Read more
Forest fires are dangerous, and we should all take special precautions year-round to make sure fires are not carelessly ignited. Forest fires threaten people needlessly, kill wildlife and destroy forests that provide a livelihood and recreation for millions of people around the world. Grass fires are a major concern for firefighters in early spring; they … Read more