Site Search
represents an external link and/or indicates a new browser window will open. SPES is not responsible for external site content.
Help us continue to educate and promote urban ecological conservation and stewardship.
Now available: A wonderful Powerpoint presentation on the storm's effects on Stanley Park in pdf format (PDF files require the free Adobe Reader. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader here if you don't have it.). Please note that at about 8.7 MB the file is fairly big and will take a long time to download, but is well worth it if you have a faster modem, full of amazing photos of the impact the storm had and how the Park's wildlife is recovering.
- To sign up to volunteer on future restoration projects: vols@stanleyparkecology.ca
- To donate funds towards restoration and monitoring projects: info@stanleyparkecology.ca
- To donate funds towards tree replacement: www.vancouverparks.ca
Early on the morning of December 15, 2006, Vancouver's Stanley Park was in the path of near-hurricane force winds that have had a catastrophic impact on the forests and its paths as we have known them. Estimates as of December 22 are that perhaps more than three thousand trees have fallen.
Answers to questions you are asking SPES about the December 15 storm that hit Stanley Park:
- What does it look like in the Park?
- Which roads/trails are open?
- How is the wildlife affected?
- What may be some of the long term impacts of the storm on the Park?
- How will this affect SPES' educational programs?
- What do you think should happen with the fallen trees?
- What is the Stanley Park Ecology Society's role in planning?
- How can the public help?
1. What does it look like in the Park?
"On Dec 18, I [Robyn Worcester, Stanley Park Ecology Society, Urban Wildlife Specialist] have spent about eight hours surveying the damage in the Park with volunteer Monica Schroeder and Koren Johnstone, SPES Volunteer Coordinator. There are trees down in every part of the Park, and we have yet to find a forest trail that has not been drastically affected. There are two or three places in the Park that seem to have succumbed to the strongest winds which have left a path of destruction similar to that of tornado touchdowns. The Province (Dec. 20, 2006) stated that in the majority of the Park, one in every five trees is down.
The first we saw was a line of trees just east of the causeway (main vehicle route that bisects the Park) about halfway between the Park entrance and the overpass, which is about half way through the park. There were 10-15 giant root balls lifted in the air and a bare area in the forest beyond, towards the Park Board works yard.
The most damaged area is near Prospect Point. As we approached the road heading west along Lake Trail we began to see more and more fallen trees. We were overjoyed to see that several of our largest (400-600 year old) western red cedars had survived, and, surprisingly, quite a number of large old maples had, as well. All around them, western hemlocks and other trees lay strewn over the path and on the road. As we walked up the road that had been cleared to just past the Prospect Point Picnic Area, we saw that the Hollow Tree and a few more large old living cedars were still standing. We started up Merilees Trail towards Prospect Point to check on the eagles' nest there. We were in shock as we looked ahead and saw the sky and the mountains through an area that had once been a fairly dense forest. We scrambled over trees on the path as long as we could, but came to a point where there was no way to move forward. We were unable to find the eagles' nest tree and suspect that it must be gone. It is hard to know for sure because the area is so unrecognisable, but there is not a single tree left standing that is large enough to hold an eagles' nest in the vicinity. As we tried to approach Prospect Point again, this time along the road, we came to a point where the path of destruction made the entire area unrecognisable and inaccessible. As far as we could see towards Prospect Point there were a few young trees spread 80-100m apart standing among the wreckage of the rest of the forest. The Province (Dec. 20, 2006) states that only 20% of trees are left in this area. On the north side of the road there was once a mature stand of trees so dense that I remember it being dark in the summer. In this area there used to be a forest that SPES would use for interpretive programs because it was such a great example of a classic "temperate rainforest" with several old growth trees still intact. Although it seems like individual old growth trees survived the winds in many parts of the Park, it is likely that any that were on this slope are now gone.
The last area we saw that was very hard hit, was a swath of trees just behind those trees visible as one looks north across Lost Lagoon. The centre of this path of blowdown is Cathedral Trail, one of the most picturesque trails in Stanley Park. This small area of intact rainforest was used by SPES volunteers, School Programs, and Eco Walk leaders regularly because it had such a diversity of plants and served as a valuable example of rainforest ecology. This trail is now unrecognisable and at the south end near Lagoon Drive, there are almost no trees left standing. The trail surface itself was ripped apart as tree roots below were flung in to the air and now hang above as you try to walk through. The north end of the trail still exists but the nurse logs and swampy skunk cabbage patches on the south side that once were a home to animals and a delight to visitors, are now gone." - Robyn Worcester, Urban Wildlife Coordinator
"On Friday afternoon when I wove my way in by foot, the word was that there were likely a good 200 trees down in the Park. I scouted further north up Pipeline Road, which, to give you an example of the 'crush' of the impact, looked more like a logging slash show from northern BC. There were 30 trees felled between Rose Cottage and the entry trail to Beaver Lake alone. Of course, by today, especially with vantages shared by Global TV helicopter, we are counting the trees perhaps in the thousands. Most of them are the mid-age trees: conifers and cottonwoods. We are glad to see that many of the very oldest trees have survived, however. Much fencing damage and some lamp standards are 'injured'... The east side of Beaver Lake was a pell-mell of trees, and the trails in and out were buried in timber. I pulled one empty SPES bat box off the side of a fallen cedar, feeling rather like I was taking its dogtag...
The Ceperley Creek willow trees are almost all gone now, one having crushed the new cedar rails of the curved bridge. And the conifers at the south end of the stone bridge and along that stretch between the Lost Lagoon and the rhododendron gardens took a very hard hit. The Brockton Point caretaker's house had one tree crash onto it, but I believe that damage there is limited." - Patricia Thomson, Executive Director
2. Which roads/trails are open?
The best source of information on trails and roads is the Park Board Web site: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/index.htm. Of all the trails we have seen, there are none that are not in some way affected by the windfall. Almost all trails have downed trees and Park Board crews are urging the public to stay out of the forested areas and off forest trails.
| Trails We Have Seen: | |
|---|---|
| Merilees (severely impacted, impassable) | Beaver Lake trail (trees down but cleared) |
| Lees (trees down) | Ravine trail (trees down) |
| Tatlow (south of Lees, trees down) | Tisdall Walk (trees down but cleared) |
| Bridle north and south of Lees/Tatlow junction (trees down) | Tunnel Trail (trees down) |
| Lost Lagoon loop trail (open) | Cathedral (severely impacted, impassable) |
| South Creek Path (trees being cleared) | Lovers (trees down) |
| Siwash Rock Trail (assumed destroyed) | Lake Trail (trees down) |
| Rawlings Trail (trees cleared) | Pipeline Road (150 trees down but cleared) |
| Brockton Oval Trail (trees down but cleared) | |
3. How is the wildlife affected?
Bald eagles at Prospect Point building a nest
Robyn Worcester
Three of the four Stanley Park Bald Eagle nests are in old growth trees that stood up to the storm and are virtually unaffected (Cathedral, Pipeline, Pavilion). However, the eagle nest near Prospect Point south of Merilees Trail was destroyed. Since the storm the pair has begun rebuilding and their new nest is about 100m to the east in an old dead tree. This pair can be seen busily adding nest material in preparation for the upcoming breeding season.
Great Blue Herons
The herons - which are due to arrive back for breeding in February - were lucky this time around because the heronry was virtually unscathed after the storm. Of the 176 nests clustered in the heronry at 2099 Beach Ave, six to eight nests did fall but this number is not too far off from the normal number of nests that fall over the winter. A piece of one tree did fall and broke the fence beneath, but luckily this was not one that was used by the herons.
Heron monitor Dalyce Epp first reported the downed nests and was also concerned how the returning herons would react to them. The nests may be left on the ground so that the materials can be reused next spring (herons were seen collecting branches below the heronry last year).
Other Wildlife
On our excursions out in the Park we noticed quite a lot of activity from wildlife. We saw winter wrens and other small birds in forest areas that were hard hit. Up at Prospect Point we saw a flock of pine siskins flying between the few still standing trees. We also heard many woodpeckers which may already be taking advantage of the windfall. It is likely that any wildlife that inhabited the forest at Prospect Point have been displaced, as there is a fraction of the original forest left. Some deep forest species such as flying squirrels, owls and some forest birds will may be challenged when they find their dark sections of forest have been opened up by falling trees. However, some areas are still intact and,in time, the change to the forest structure may, in fact, benefit some wildlife.
Forest Succession
Openings created by windfall are a natural part of the forest ecosystem and increase biodiversity in the short term as new berry bushes and deciduous trees are the first to grow up as pioneer species. However, in about 50-100 years these areas will become mature forests, the canopy will close and the forest will become dark again. In this stage of forest succession, there is a low diversity of plants and animals as only shade tolerant species can grow in the understory, and these plants are not used by as many species of animals. From about 150 years and older, the forest begins to open up again by trees dying and falling. These gaps open up the forest floor to sunlight and allow herbaceous plants, shrubs and more deciduous trees to grow. In these old growth forests there are high numbers and species of plants and animals, and these forests are the most stable and biologically productive. Animals such as flying squirrels, woodpeckers, bald eagles, bats and owls rely on old growth forests for food, shelter, and nesting sites. Although many of Stanley Park's old growth trees withstood the recent windstorm, it is unfortunate that some areas of the Park where this level of succession was most evident (i.e. the south slopes near Prospect Point and the area around Cathedral Trail) have now been lost.
A salamander under a rotting log
Danny Mendez
It remains to be seen exactly what impacts will be seen besides the clock being set back in the succession of the forest ecosystem (see above). It will depend on a number of factors, including the methods and extent of tree removal in the Park. Dead and decaying wood is a critical component of the forest ecosystem as it provides habitat for wildlife and returns nutrients to the soil. "More than 80 species of wildlife in B.C .- many of which are Red- and Blue-listed species (threatened with endangerment species) - make their homes in wildlife trees or fallen, rotting wood" (BC Gov Website). Newts, salamanders, mice, voles, winter wrens, weasels, and shrews all use logs for cover. Raccoons and weasels also use hollow logs for dens and protection. Rotting logs provide long term sources of nutrients that are released slowly back and replenish the soil. These logs also retain water in the summer months and provide a high rooting medium for trees as they compete for sunlight. The many root wads upturned during the storm also provide habitat. Winter wrens nest in these balls of roots and some plants rely on the mineral soil that is brought to the surface. Ferns and some shrubs will likely be the first to take hold. There is a species of moss called Goblin's Gold schistostega that glows when it is young and only grows on these root balls and in caves. These organisms have been observed in Stanley Park and will likely thrive with the new habitat.
Goblin's Gold Moss
5. How will this affect SPES' educational programs?
Many of our traditional walk routes are presently closed and some are severely damaged. All walks that were planned for forest trails will be rerouted to different parts of the forest but they will still be running on schedule. This storm has created excellent educational opportunities and the interesting changes will be discussed by our interpreters immediately and for generations to come.
6. What do you think should happen with the fallen trees?
The Stanley Park Ecology Society believes that an integrated approach should be used in consideration of the fallen trees and debris. Woody debris is essential to healthy forest ecosystems (see 4. above), and there is a huge amount of debris present in the Park. We support that fallen trees should be left in place wherever possible so that they can function normally to replenish the forest nutrients and provide habitat for the organisms that live there. However, we appreciate that timber will need to be cleared from trails and roads for public safety and fire-suppression vehicle access. In determining the remaining forest load of woody debris, we also recognize that there are other complex considerations to balance such as slope stability above the high-traffic seawall and the potential risk of increased fire and elevated insect infestations. Final decisions must be on a site-specific basis.
One of SPES's concerns is the opening-up of areas of forest that were once impenetrable to the public and thus at lower risk for the spread of exotic species. As these areas are now open, it may be highly beneficial to use fallen trees in strategic locations to prevent access. Off trail uses (such as mountain biking and hiking) can damage the forest floor and cause disturbance to some of the more sensitive wildlife such as nesting birds. Open areas are now at a higher risk for invasion by invasive species such as Himalayan blackberry and English holly as well. Those invasive species that already exist in these blowdown areas (such as English ivy) will also expand at a faster rate.
7. What is the Stanley Park Ecology Society's role in planning?
As a Park Partner since 1988, SPES is part of a stakeholders committee that will be called upon to make recommendations. We have introduced reputable experts to act as Environmental Advisors for the Steering Committee which is formulating the plan for how to deal with the effects of the storm. We attend meetings with the Park Board staff committee and dialogue on the goings on in the park. We have also made connections with professionals in various fields to gain insights into the various issues surrounding park restoration in order to bring well-founded and well-rounded suggestions and concerns to the steering committee's attention.
We will work with the Park Board and other organizations towards conserving wildlife habitat both in short and long term timeframes. We aim to increase our capacity to monitor the most significant areas in the Park and will continue monitoring wildlife to assess how it has been impacted by the storm. We are continuing our efforts towards invasive ivy removal with an eye to expanding to the areas that may now be more susceptible to invasion by many species.
8. How can the public help?
At present, SPES is fully engaged in helping the Park Board with calls from the public and the media, and giving information about the status of the Park. You can donate to SPES to help in our present and future initiatives in dealing with the effect of the storm and to support our non-profit organization in conserving this amazing place. We also encourage everyone to provide the Park Board with much-needed support by donating to them. For further information on their fundraising initiatives, please go to the Park Board Web site at: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/donation.htm.
Once trails and the perimeter seawall have been deemed to be safe by the Park Board, we will plan towards further restoration efforts in collaboration with the Park Board, in consultation with other organizations already engaged in successful restoration projects. If you are interested in participating in such efforts in the months ahead, please contact Koren Johnstone at 604-681-7099 or e-mail vols@stanleyparkecology.ca, and we will keep you updated as these volunteer opportunities arise.
