Rouge River Park Research Paper

The Rouge River Park: Dog- strangling vine control

The Rouge River is one of the “largest natural environment parks in an urban area” (Rouge Park 2009). The park contains many different ecosystems and community types, some of which include riparian, restored wetlands, sandy beaches and farmland. It is a site full of ecological and historical significance; the park still plays an important role in the community today. Several experimental projects are going on at the Rouge River Park including the experimental control of the dog-strangling vine (DSV) (Cynanchum rossicum or Cynanchum louiseae.) There are two sites chosen for this photo journal; site 1 is the uncontrolled DSV area and site 2 is the controlled DSV area by mowing.

The substrate of an area is very central in
DSV is most prevalent around the edges, hence one of the measures of controlling this invasive species includes decreasing the defragmentation, and the creation of edges in which the DSV and other invasive species like the garlic mustard may flourish (Foster and Sandberg 2004). By outcompeting the native species, the DSV and garlic mustard are a danger to the native grasses and plants. DSV disrupts the food webs and breeding patterns of the monarch butterfly and put the species at risk (Mattila and Otis 2003). Other invasive species can introduce disease and parasites which can kill the native plants and fauna, and thereby decreasing the biodiversity of the region (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 2011). The Rouge River Park has “762 plant species of which six are nationally rare and 92 species which are regionally rare” (Rouge River Park 2009). Not only does the Rouge River Park have rare plant types, but also an assortment of rare reptiles, mammals, fish, and birds (Rouge River Park