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December CANADIAN or EASTERN HELMOCK (Tsuga canadensis) IN THE GLENDON FOREST Several mature Canadian Hemlocks, remnants of old growth forests that once were common in Ontario, can be found on the banks of the West Don River in Glendon Forest. In popular culture, Hemlock is associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who, sentenced to death by suicide, was forced to drink a cup of tea made from a weed-like plant that bears the same name, but which is not to be confused with our stately native coniferous tree. The Canadian Hemlock has strong tannins that are known for their medicinal (not poisonous) properties, long recognized by the Iroquois people who taught their uses to the early French explorers. The tannins in the inner bark were harvested extensively in the 19th century, and entire old growth stands were felled and left on the forest floor after the inner bark was collected. The Canadian Hemlock is slow growing and generally requires moist soils and cool environments. Individual trees of relatively small size may be several hundred years of age. In Algonquin Park, a tree witha diameter 25cm was found to have been 359 years old. Toronto’s most ancient Hemlock, featured this month,has a diameter of 2.6 metres and a height of at least 30 metres, reflecting its great age. A slender graceful tree with lace-like tips on its branches, it stands like a sentry in front of a stand of conifers and hardwoods, beside a path that in the winter months becomes a ski trail. It does not attract attention, and few are probably aware of the uniqueness of the tree, nor of the value ofHemlock in the development of Toronto. In the 1950’s stands of Hemlock were harvested in Algonquin Park to be used for shoring and railway ties in the construction of Toronto’s first subway.Alas, those stands were not regenerated, reflecting our lack of concern for the natural environment at the time. In stark contrast to those days, in 2007 the City set a goal to increase its tree canopy cover to 34% by the year 2020, almost double the current. Photographs and Texts Copyright © Vincenzo Pietropaolo, 2010 Back To:
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