Century Old Seeds Sprout Again in Toronto's Port Lands
In early 2021, Waterfront Toronto began digging a one-kilometre opening for the Port Lands. This project was part of the “Port Lands Flood Protection project, a landscape infrastructure project meant to provide flood protection for the downtown core.” (www.nationalpost.com) The construction process involved digging seven meters into the peaty mosses, which were around 100 years old. The craters allowed for an unprecedented amount of sunlight and water to reach the unexposed soil, resulting in the regeneration of century-old plants. So far, two different species of plants have been identified: “the Hard Stem Bulrush and Cattails'' (www.nationalpost.com). As mentioned by Shannon Baker, director of parks and public realm at Waterfront Toronto, “The discovery of these seeds is really an amazing testament to the regenerative power of nature.” (nationalpost.com) Due to this phenomenal discovery, scientists suspect that there may be more things to be discovered in the soils of the Port Lands; thus, peat moss samples were given to the “labs in the University of Toronto’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department to see if any more species could germinate.” (www.nationalpost.com)
PHOTO BY WATERFRONT TORONTO
The article provided background information and insight from scientists to explain the growth of ancient plants in the Port Lands in Toronto. I believe that the discovery of these ancient plants is groundbreaking. Humans have caused a lot of damage to the environment, which is evident in the statement provided by Shanon Baker, “Before there was the Port Lands, there was Ashbridge’s Bay Marsh, an ecologically diverse wetland supporting a vast range of species. A century ago, and after years of sewage being dumped into the marsh, it was filled with the
interest in creating an active port for Toronto. That never really materialized,” (www.nationalpost.com) Therefore, it is gratifying to see that some of the damages we have caused are reversible. I am glad that Waterfront Toronto is planning to replant the seeds in Tommy Thompson Park.
Sources:
Century old seeds sprout again in Toronto's Port Lands
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/century-old-seeds-sprout-again-in-torontos-port-lands
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