Tuscarora Nature Trail

TUSCARORA NATURE PARK -Walking time: 18 min. Tuscarora Nature Park possesses many of the typical plant species of the Point Clark Nature Parks, but it also contains plants not found within the other areas. Species unique to Tuscarora include Indian Cucumber Root, Indian Pipe, Partridge Berry, Beech Drops, Enchanter's Nightshade and Blackberry. This park is also different from the others because it has three distinct habitats: a seasonally wet swamp, a dry ridgeline community and a deciduous forest community that is adjacent to the trail and ridgeline. (1)   A wildlife brush pile has been created using accumulated debris from trail clearing. Such piles are useful shelters for smaller wildlife, such as chipmunks and rabbits. (2)   The trail follows an upland ridge, which supports Canadian Yew, Sugar Maple and Mountain Maple. From this vantage point, one can observe the moist lowland habitat, consisting of solid ground cover of jewelweed beneath a canopy of White Ash. (3)   Club Mosses, Woodferns, Wild Lily-of-the-Valley and mosses are growing on a receptive seed bed consisting of logs and stumps in an advanced state of decay. (4)   This canopy opening has a well-developed understory layer of Blackberry and Red Elder and a ground cover layer of Foam Flower, Common Speedwell, Wild Lily-of-the-Valley and White Ash seedlings. (5)   Sugar Maple seedlings and saplings are developing in the shade of mature Sugar Maple trees. Their presence in all three forest layers indicates that Sugar Maple is a shade tolerant tree and will continue to be a dominant species of forest.