Steward using Seek App at Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve, 2021

The Dune and Meadow Habitat on Woodbine Beach Protected!

Update October 3, 2022 – Disc Golf Course Removed

 On Monday Oct. 3, 2022  the Waterfront Park Manager declared the removal of the Disc Golf Course to be permanent! He also stated that any other courses to be installed in Toronto will now go through the process of due diligence and public consultation. 

The rare shoreline habitat that is a migratory stepping stone, stopover and nesting area of birds and insects can once again be enjoyed by nature lovers. Unfortunately the disc golf course will have to be relocated, but we always said you cannot move a natural habitat, but you can move a recreational activity.

 The pressing question asked of TRCA, PFR and the Councillor’s Office in July 2022 which we have not received an answer for yet, is whether the Phragmites will be treated or addressed as in Oct. 2019.

West Woodbine Beach, Dune and Meadow Habitat, Biodiversity and Damage Report, Summer 2022

Report prepared by: Noam Markus and Clyde Robinson

We are pleased to present to the City of Toronto and TRCA a biodiversity report from the West Woodbine Beach Habitat in Toronto.

To date, 596 species of flora and fauna have been documented in INaturalist on the beach habitat.

In the report you will see:

* 25 plant species rated L2 – L3 – L4, species of regional and urban conservation concern by TRCA.

* A list of nesting birds, pollinators and mammals.

Also in the report is evidence of damage to the habitat and examples of long term damage from the use of disc-golf both at Ashbridge’s Bay Park and other parks in Toronto.

Please see the report here: West Woodbine Beach, Dune and Meadow Habitat, Biodiversity and Damage report Summer 2022.

Summary

This report documents the rich biodiversity found within the habitat at West Woodbine Beach in Toronto, Ontario. The observations have been by citizen scientists, confirmed by local experts and through iNaturalist. It is hoped that this report will help the public and Toronto City Hall officials, be more aware of the rich biodiversity within the habitat as there is no current Environmental Assessment and no official plant inventory by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).