Three prescribed fire burns will take place in the Spring to restore and protect rare Black Oak woodlands and savannahs at High Park, South Humber Park and Lambton Park.
Plans are underway by the City to set fire and conduct a traditional and prescribed burn this spring to boost certain plant wildlife in at least three areas.
The three prescribed burns will take place in 2025 to restore and protect rare Black Oak woodlands and savannahs at High Park, South Humber Park and Lambton Park.
Fire-dependent ecosystems, such as Black Oak savannahs, contain rare native prairie plants that respond positively to burning and grow more vigorously. The burns are a part of a long-term management plan to restore and protect rare Black Oak woodlands and savannahs.
City officials are seeking more than $200,000 to conduct multi-year summertime “traditional and prescribed” to honour the traditional practice of Indigenous people on Turtle Island.
City of Toronto staff in a report said the burns can be dangerous if not managed properly and highly-qualified people have to be hired to conduct high complexity prescribed burns on City property.
The fires are planned and coordinated by a so-called Burn Boss, whose job it is to ensure the bush burns are well-planned and safe.
The prescribed burns will help protect Black Oak savannahs in the area.
Prescribed burning is an important management tool to restore and maintain disturbance dependant habitats like the black oak savannah. Urban Forestry officials said that it helps to restore and maintain savannah habitats in the three areas.
“Densely urbanized centres such as Toronto are highly complex areas in which to burn, and it is crucial to have skilled staff to perform these burns effectively and safely,” according to the report.
It said urban sites in Toronto fall within the high complexity criteria. This is due to the potential impacts fire can have on public and private structures, as well as the risk of human impacts from smoke.
Following the prescribed burn each spring, a monitoring program is conducted by staff to collect site data including burn area coverage and vegetation response. Urban Forestry also work closely with High Park community members on assessing the results of the burns.
The burns help certain plant, tree and other vegetation in our parks.
About a third of the park’s natural environment consists of nationally rare oak savannah, an open, park-like landscape that contains widely spaced black oaks, scattered low shrubs and a rich variety of prairie grasses and wildflowers. Savannahs are dependent on periodic fire to maintain their open character and rich variety of plant species.
South Humber Park is home to remnants of Black Oak woodlands and savannahs, a rare and endangered ecosystem. These woodlands and savannahs are a rare and endangered ecosystem that are fire-dependent and require periodic burning to maintain their open landscape and plant diversity.
Previously referred to as a “prescribed” burn, it is now referenced as a “traditional and prescribed” burn in order to use more accurate wording to honour the traditional practice of Indigenous people on Turtle Island.