The most northern 20% of the Arboretum is really quite special. At one time, before settlement, it was probably forested. Then it became farmland, follow by grassland. Today it's a grassland we call 'The Meadow'. It's increasingly rare today to find a meadow in an urban setting in Southern Ontario. This unique environment provides habitat for meadow birds and their song, along with a number of other animals and a vast array of insects.
Over the next several years, we'll clean it up a bit by mowing and removing shrubs that would take over the space if not controlled.
The Meadow was the site chosen for our first Educational Sign to help visitors and school groups learn more about meadows and some of their inhabitants. It's not empty space, just different...a difference we value greatly.