by Chris Earley

Sheesh, this was a tough one, even just doing it with words with the letter "x" in them! So, can you figure all of the contain-an-x names of these Arboretum inhabitants? Consider this a late X-mas present... The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Sean Fox

This edition of The Arboretum newsletter not only leads us into a new year, but also a new decade and the culmination of The Arboretum's first 50 years of growth. Yes, indeed, from 1970-2020, we have much growth to celebrate, and you'll certainly hear more from us about upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations throughout 2020.

But, first, there is so much to look back upon in 2019, and I'd like to take this moment to recap a busy and momentous year at The Arboretum.

I can’t begin without first mentioning our outgoing Director, Shelley Hunt. As many of you already know, Shelley stepped down from her role at the end of 2019 to move to the forests of Haliburton after 7 incredible years steering our activities at The Arboretum. It goes without saying that Shelley made a huge impact on our campus, the Guelph community and our borders far beyond. When you see things like our renovated boardwalk in Wild Goose Woods and our internship program, you can begin to recognize just a few pieces of the large legacy that Shelley has left with us. Shelley also made a big mark on all of our staff and volunteers, and we will greatly miss her leadership and support. We're fortunate that Shelley will still be checking-in with us from time-to-time to help instruct workshops or volunteer with projects, which makes the departure a little easier, though we will no doubt miss her presence on a daily basis. Please look ahead in this newsletter for some words from Shelley, herself, and please join us in wishing all good things to Shelley for her road ahead.

2019 also brought a flurry of other activity to The Arboretum, and for regular visitors you were bound to see changes happening around almost every corner.

Chris added a number of new biodiversity sheets and nature booklets to our ever-growing number of selections, with patrons across the province gobbling them up and filling their minds with the wonders of our local plants and wildlife. He manages to fit this in along with all of the course instruction and workshops that all of our visitors so thoroughly enjoy. Sally, Kitty and Jenny were as busy as the insects they were observing as they themselves welcomed school groups, led noon hour walks and Wednesday evening programming throughout the year. Aron kept busy coordinating a steady stream of research requests with projects covering a fascinating array of disciplines being peppered throughout our 165 hectares, all while working through DNA samples of endangered red mulberry trees for a plant conservation initiative in partnership with several provincial and national agencies. Dawn Ann worked tirelessly to keep our facilities and grounds bookings on track, while also navigating updates to the interior of the Arboretum Centre (be sure to see the renovations to the lobby and auditorium if you haven't already). This stream of revenue is so critical in allowing us to also continue maintaining our gardens and collections, so thank you, Dawn Ann, for always keeping our buildings so occupied with visitors. Barb is our steady presence at the Arboretum Centre always keeping things humming along, coordinating our volunteer program, marketing our activities and compiling things such as this very newsletter.

Our grounds and curatorial staff were in limbo for a good portion of the year as the "Hilton Crew" evacuated the RJ Hilton Centre to allow for renovations and construction of the relocated Guelph Turfgrass Institute. Despite this temporary upheaval, their dedication to forging ahead and taking such pride in caring for The Arboretum, all while working out of makeshift offices and shipping containers, is an inspiration. While the packing and moving was occurring, you would still catch Kellen finding time to keep our grounds safe and accessible while dealing with the outbreak of emerald ash borer in The Arboretum. If you saw a tree planted in The Arboretum, Polly likely had her hands on it. Additions to the Oak & Beech Collection, Dwarf Conifers, World of Trees and Cashew Family Collection are just the tip of the iceberg. Also, please read ahead to see Polly's fantastic article that answers the annually asked question, "What does our grounds staff do in the winter?" Emma dove into the Elm Recovery Project and Ontario Tree Atlas Project to put her data wizardry and vast research skills to work. Cael stepped into the role of Arboretum Gardener in 2019 and immediately oversaw ongoing updates to the Gosling Wildlife Gardens and the gardens around the Arboretum Centre. Cael has many more tricks up his sleeve as we anticipate the 2020 growing season. We also welcomed Sarah as Horticultural Intern in 2019, and she instantly put her immense training and talents to work all over The Arboretum. With such a busy year, it’s hard to know how we could have done all we did without her!

Despite already filling a couple of paragraphs detailing some staff activities, words really cannot do justice in describing all of the diverse tasks that each of our staff members take part in every day of every year. Along with our 2019 summer crew (Jane, Kaitlyn, Colleen, Isabelle & Amanda) and the incredible support of our Arboretum auxiliary, we had many wonderful people accomplishing many great things. It certainly is inspiring for me to see the dedication that all of our Arboretum staff and volunteers put toward ensuring that this place thrives.

Hmmm… what else? An Arboretum Expo, the paving of Arboretum road, a new fence in the Japanese Garden, hosting professional training courses with the International Society of Arboriculture, Forest Gene Conservation Association & Canadian Food Inspection Agency and more, the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest, thousands of visitors, thousands of trees… There really is too much to list to continue keeping your attention before this becomes a novel, so please stay tuned for more updates, please check out our social media pages, and better yet, please come explore The Arboretum often to see all of the growth for yourself.

And, as we move into the new year and the next 50 years of growing our Arboretum canopy, I'm sure many of you are wondering who will be stepping into Shelley's shoes as Arboretum Director. Well, you're lucky, as the newsletter ahead also contains an announcement from our OAC Dean's office. I won't spoil the news until you read further, but all of us at The Arboretum are excited about welcoming our new director, and looking forward to all that we can achieve together in the time ahead.

So, welcome to 2020, thank you for supporting us through our first 50 years, and we hope to see you out and about in The Arboretum for many more years to come.

Sean Fox
Acting Arboretum Director,
Manager of Horticulture

We are excited to announce a new director has been appointed to The Arboretum. Justine Richardson, an experienced manager focused on facilitating interdisciplinary research and community engagement, will step into the position effective Feb. 3. Justine has been the project manager for the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation at the University of Guelph since 2015. She holds a BA from Yale University and an MA from Michigan State University. She has worked in project management roles in academic institutions since 2000. She is also an award-winning director, videographer, producer and editor. A full announcement can be found on the University of Guelph News site: https://news.uoguelph.ca/2020/01/new-arboretum-director-named/

Justine Richardson

by Shelley Hunt

It is with mixed feelings that I write this – my last newsletter contribution as Arboretum Director. It is hard to believe that it has been seven years since I first set foot in the Director’s office - in many ways it seems like just yesterday (time flies when you’re having fun, and I would add when you’re working at a special place, with special people). Of course that wasn’t my first time in The Arboretum – throughout my time at U of G as an undergraduate, grad student, and professor, I spent a great deal of time here, walking, biking, exploring, and ultimately bringing students out to the grounds for course-related hikes and research projects. The Arboretum was (and is!) such a beloved and iconic part of the University of Guelph, it was an honour to take on the role of Director. Once I became involved in the day-to-day rhythms of the place, I learned so much, and gained a much deeper appreciation for The Arboretum as a place, and an organization, that accomplishes so much, in so many areas, fueled by a small, passionate staff, a small army of committed volunteers, the generosity of donors, and U of G support to anchor it all. I want to extend my deepest thanks for all of your efforts and contributions over the years. All of the things the Arb is able to do so well - the curation and development of its plant collections and gardens, the maintenance of its grounds, the workshops, school programs and other education initiatives it develops and delivers, the support for U of G teaching and research, the well-respected and renowned plant conservation programs, the stewardship of natural areas and ecosystems, the well-loved space for meetings, conferences, and celebrations – are all made possible thanks to a community effort - the internal Arb community, the campus community, and the broader City of Guelph community (and beyond!). It has been a pleasure being part of this community, and helping to direct and steward The Arboretum over the past few years. Let’s ensure that the community effort continues! Although I certainly feel sad to leave, I have nothing but excitement for what the future will bring for The Arboretum, and for what The Arboretum will bring to the world in future. New leadership will mean fresh eyes, new ideas, different skills, and I can’t wait to see what comes next, as The Arboretum embraces its 50th anniversary this year, and embarks on its next 50 years.

All the best,
Shelley

by Polly Samland

I get this question a lot. As autumn approaches, throughout the holidays, well into the new year. And I’m not alone - my colleagues are quite reliably presented with this same query. As the temperatures drop, the days darken and gardens and forests lie dormant and slightly stunned with snow, it is perhaps hard to imagine spending a day outside, or what a horticulturist might be occupied with indoors. So here is my attempt to pull back the veil and demystify the hidden world of the plants-person in winter.

Firstly, we prepare. Tools and equipment are cleaned and fixed, supplies are stockpiled for approaching snow and ice removal, plants are dug up from the nursery and transplanted to cold storage, flats and pots moved into the greenhouse. Next, we protect. Selected young and semi-hardy trees are given a wrap of burlap and newly planted or tender evergreens prone to drying out are sprayed with anti-desiccant. Tasty species that rabbits, mice and meadow-voles seem to find delicious are sprayed with a natural deterrent (a blood meal and vegetable oil product) that makes these gentle critters avoid the plants instead of snacking on them. If the bark is chewed away under the snow, where rodents move around in cozy tunnels, it is easy for a good-sized tree to be girdled and killed. We spray only targeted plants in gardens and collections, still there is a lot of ground to cover.


Sarah working in the greenhouse.

The second big thing that occupies us during the winter is arborist work. The effects of emerald ash borer on our collections is quite pronounced and hundreds of dead trees need to be removed, starting with those near to roads, paths and benches. Along with these hazard trees are invasive species, diseased trees and specimens slated for replacement. While tree removals can be done year-round, it is one task that can be easier in the winter, as there is less foliage on the trees and it is easier to see bird nests, potential risks, as well as the structure of the trees and how they may fall or lean. Similarly, pruning is done from late February into March, just before trees start to break their dormancy. We modify the pruning targets annually, working through areas and collections systematically.

While the sound of chainsaws and the roar of the wood-chipper are hard to ignore, there are some tasks that take place silently. Much like a tree root extends primarily underground, hence out of sight, there is an aspect of the grounds that isn’t noticeable but that exists all the same, invisibly supporting our collections. As you know, most of the Arboretum -with the exception of the nature reserve and fragments of woodland- has been added by design. The patchwork of agricultural research plots presented a somewhat blank canvas in 1970, and every tree since added into this landscape has a purpose: to present taxonomic relationships; to describe Ontario’s natural plant diversity; to conserve threatened genetics; to display ornamental features; to naturalize and connect forest fragments; or functionally to form wind barriers and provide spatial demarcation.


Kellen sharpening chainsaw.

As part of an international community of accredited botanical gardens and arboreta, we follow standards of best practice in record keeping, labeling, and inventorying these plant additions. This is a process that evolved through hand-traced maps and thick ledgers of accessions into our current digital plant records database and GIS capabilities. A main task over the winter is tending to this side of the collections. We update maps, inventory labels and tags to be replaced, create these labels, track the health of existing trees, plan for removals and additions, and check the names and relationships of plants (which change constantly). Some of the collections have been given more attention historically, and each year we add a few more areas to be reviewed and updated. Over the past couple of years Kellen (the GIS technician) and I (plant records technologist) have mapped and identified all of the dedicated trees and benches, added them to the database, and transferred the data to Arboretum Explorer so you the public can easily search dedications online.

The arboretum is a large piece of land (165 hectares), and five of us (Kellen, Cael, Sarah and I, directed by Sean) are responsible for physically taking care of it throughout the year. During the growing season it can be a real scramble and we must adjust our priorities on the fly as new projects and surprises are thrown our way.

The winter allows for some time to breath, catch up, and plan for the new year.


Cael desgning Japanese Garden map.

Planning can be an intellectual exercise. Many meetings take place, designs are proposed and revised, and strategies agreed upon. It is also a process with physical steps unfolding over time. In developing a collection, planning needs to start many years in advance in terms of collecting, purchasing or growing plant material. In the greenhouse, there are a billion tasks to keep one busy, monitoring pests, cleaning and propagating seeds, and caring for fledgling plants destined for a place in the collections one day. These daily tasks allow many conservation plans and collection goals with multi-year phases to continue. When we renovate a garden or expand a collection, we need to physically clear and often modify the site well in advance and must order materials to have at the ready. Along with planning, scheduling and ordering, a review is made of problems and successes we encountered, so that we can always be improving our horticultural skills. This includes searching out best practices, attending conferences and webinars, and continuously updating our domains of knowledge so that we can revise and improve the techniques used to care for the Arboretum. How well we plan and learn during the winter months makes a huge impact on how successful we are in our projects throughout the year.

And we clear snow.

I hope any curiosity has been sated by this earnest account of our general winter activities.

Polly

by Jenny Lin

Winter traditions are a funny thing, and can look different for everyone. For some, this frosty season is all about giant cozy sweaters and steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Others might be found knee deep in fluffy snow, working on the biggest snowman the neighborhood has ever seen! For me, winter is all about trudging through the forest in the bitter cold with a dozen other people trying to be as quiet as possible. In the dark. Before anyone gets overly concerned, I should add that we are also taking breaks on this trek to play owl calls on a speaker. Admittedly, this extra tidbit may explain a lot for some folks but there are probably some people who are now more confused than ever. So let me explain - winter is owl prowl season!

Most animals out there are just trying to survive this harsh time of year, taking precautions with food caches or finding that perfectly sheltered overwintering spot. In fact, some animals decide that it’s all too much and just leave for warmer weather! Owls can be a little bit different. Not only are these animals surviving the winter, but some owls are breeding in it¹! This is good news for owl enthusiasts such as yours truly, because it means that it gives us a better chance to encounter one of these mysterious birds out in nature - something that is usually quite hard to do.


This Barred Owl is having no problems hunting out in the cold and can be
seen here swallowing a Meadow Vole. (Picture by Paul Tavares)

In Ontario, we have 11 different breeding species of owls² and all 11 out of 11 are camouflage experts. Of course, camouflage has its uses. The humble Meadow Vole may use camouflage to avoid the jaws of a hungry predator, while the crafty coyote may use it to sneak up on unsuspecting prey. An owl’s camouflage can serve the same purposes, but it’s not the main reason they have it. You see, the smaller species of owls will definitely depend on staying hidden to avoid predators, but those bigger species are apex predators³. There aren’t many animals they need to avoid since there aren’t many animals brave enough to want to tangle with their talons. Sneaking up on prey is a non-issue for many owls as well. Most of our native owls are active and hunting at night⁴, where colour doesn’t play a big role in vision. These owls could be bright pink and still look mostly grey in the dark to its prey! All this is to say, owls have a very special reason for camouflage and that reason is to get a good day’s sleep.


A Great Horned Owl, doing its best tree impression. (Photo by Chris Earley)

Owls are very unpopular in the forest, which makes sense when they can eat many of its residents. Often, small woodland creatures like blue jays, chickadees, and crows will take offense at an owl roosting in their tree for the day⁵ because it means that come nighttime, they may become a convenient snack. Therefore, something must be done. These songbirds will gather and take up the issue with the owl to drive it away! This seems like a bad idea at first because the owls are much more powerful but worry not, those blue jays and crows have their own super power- they can be VERY annoying. Songbirds will often “mob” predators, which essentially involves getting together and screaming until the owl decides it can’t sleep and goes elsewhere. Thus, an owl’s camouflage allows it to hide from these pesky mobbers and get some shuteye. Of course, that means that they are also well hidden from owl-loving bird nerds trying to add more species to their life list.

All in all, owls are rarely encountered in the wild but there are a few good ways to possibly find some. One way is to listen for angry songbirds trying to mob something and going to see what they are agitated about. The other is to join an owl prowl! An owl prowl is an event⁶ that aims to connect people with these fascinating creatures. First, an info session gets us well acquainted with the owls in our area and then, we trek out into the wilderness to see if we can call for some wild owls! Owls breeding in the winter, such as the Great Horned Owl, can be extra vocal during this season since they are full of hormones and motivated to respond, either to warn us out of their territory or to beckon us closer in case we are a potential mate. So the next time you start your winter traditions, think about mixing it up and adding an owl prowl to your repertoire for some nocturnal nature goodness!

¹Great Horned Owls are a common owl species that is tough enough to breed in the winter- talk about a superhero mom!
²Feeling lucky yet? Because you should, that’s a lot of owls!
³We’re looking at you, Great Horneds and Snowies
⁴Northern Hawk Owls and Snowy Owls are diurnal and mostly active during the day though! How’s that for busting myths?
⁵The audacity!
⁶Such as the ones hosted at The Arboretum! Check out: https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/educationandevents/workshops for more information!

A printable version of this article is available here: www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/January_2020_/Owl_Newsletter_article_Jenny_Jan_2020.pdf

Group members: Lindsay Aldous, Bryan Oblin, Kenzie Stevenson, Aiden Maloney and Savanah Muller

The Nature Reserve, located to the south-east of the University of Guelph Arboretum, acts as an undisturbed home for many native plants and wildlife. Unfortunately, some invasive species have taken advantage of the location and are using it as a place to grow and outcompete some of the native species. One such species is the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Scots pine seedlings grow rapidly and aggressively to take nutrients from native vegetation. For our fourth year project in ENVS*4001, we are mapping the pattern of Scots pine invasion in the Nature Reserve and developing a removal strategy.

To collect data on the Scots pine distribution and density, we split the affected portion of the Nature Reserve into 42 plots (50 m x 50 m). Due to the sheer volume of trees present in some areas, we obtained the diameter at breast height (DBH) of all Scots pines within a 5 m radius of the plot centre point. Currently, we are finishing off the coring of trees in our established plots to supplement the age assessments for the largest trees (measured by diameter) and counting the whorls of cored trees to reinforce initial age assessments. The data collected on density and age (both DBH and cores), will be used to develop a map of Scots pine density and age distribution within the Nature Reserve. This data and map will later be used, along with qualitative observations taken in the field and previous literature, to identify the history of invasion and inform our potential removal strategy.

 
student in action                                       tree core

Our Auditorium and foyer have undergone a huge update and improvements over the last year. We have new blinds (with electric switches to raise and lower them!) instead of the outdated curtains, fresh neutral paint from floor to ceiling, new carpet in the Auditorium, a new wider projection screen and new eye catching doors at the rear of the Auditorium. The foyer also has fresh furniture and display tools. Come and check our fresh new look out. Contact our Bookings Co-Ordinator, Dawn Ann Webster at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110 for a tour of the space or to check availability for bookings. We are an excellent choice for your event whether it be a meeting, wedding, conference, birthday, anniversary, celebration of life or other gathering.

Join Jenny or Kitty every Wednesday at 12:15 as they explore the grounds on a 50 minute hike. It is a wonderful way to explore The Arboretum grounds in the winter and see what nature offers at this time of the year. The walk is free and you should meet at the kiosk at the end of the promenade closest to campus if you are interested in participating.

Check out our 2020 calendars, biodiversity sheets, booklets, t-shirts, hats, buttons and decals. All items can be purchased on-line or by stopping into the Arboretum Centre during business hours.

Would you like to see more of what is happening at The Arboretum or read more nature related information? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr and YouTube by searching @uogarboretum.

The Animal Tracking workshop, Winter Landscape Watercolour Painting workshop, Owl Prowls and "What's Up Tonight?" Planetarium programs are approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs… please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

Registering early is important for us because we need lead time to decide if there are enough people registered to run the workshop or not. To encourage registering before the deadline, we have an Early Bird Fee. You can still register after the deadline, but it will cost an extra $10, so why not register early?

Registration is available on-line, which allows you to register for our programs at anytime, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided on our website for this easy registration process.

If you do not have internet access, registration can still be made by phone or in person at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 as in the past. Please remember that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

With winter conditions truly coming back again, our bird feeders are busy busy busy. The ones by The Arboretum Centre are attracting higher-than-usual numbers of Northern Cardinals so photographers might want to try getting a shot of one in the snow-covered Loesener Bittersweet along the wall. Watch for our overwintering White-throated Sparrow in the vines, too. Our plant collections with berries, rose hips and seed heads are looking nice in the snow as well. Be on the lookout for some of our winter residents while you are hiking around: a Great Horned Owl, a Pileated Woodpecker and a Mink have been seen a few times in the last month and a multitude of porcupine, skunk and coyote tracks mean they are here, too.

American Mink                                      Northern Cardinal
Photo by Chris Earley                             Photo by Chris Earley

Back to Quiz

Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: https://secure3.convio.net/uofg/site/Donation2?df_id=3321&mfc_pref=T&3321.donation=form1&single_designee=arboretum

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Jayne Whitfield
Gift Planning Manager
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 56196 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]