Crews are currently engaged in a large-scale tree planting project within Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland to aid in the recovery of its forests, which have been impacted by a significant moose population. Darroch Whitaker, an ecosystems scientist with Parks Canada at Gros Morne, revealed that over 730,000 trees have been planted since 2023 in areas previously transformed into grasslands by voracious moose herds.
The tree planting initiative is set to continue for another three years, with a target of planting 1.25 million trees across approximately four square kilometers. However, the focus is not solely on restoring the deforested areas caused by moose activity. The teams are strategically planting a diverse mix of tree species that are resilient to warmer temperatures, with the aim of establishing robust forests capable of withstanding the effects of climate change.
Whitaker emphasized the importance of selecting tree species that can thrive for decades to come, considering the evolving climate conditions. The park’s landscape, renowned for its majestic fiords and boreal forests intertwined with rivers and waterfalls, spans 1,805 square kilometers and was designated as a national park in 1973, making it the second-largest in Atlantic Canada.
While moose are prevalent throughout Newfoundland, they proliferated in Gros Morne due to a historical hunting ban that shielded them from humans, their primary predator on the island. In the 1990s, the park harbored around 6,500 moose, with certain areas hosting six or more animals per square kilometer, marking unprecedented density levels globally.
The unchecked moose population wreaked havoc on the park’s ecosystems by consuming vast quantities of young trees, particularly in areas where natural regeneration was hindered. This led to the formation of bald patches known as “moose meadows” within the forests. To address this issue, the park was opened to moose hunting in 2011, resulting in the reduction of the population to a more sustainable level of 2,000 animals.
In 2023, tree planters were deployed to these moose meadows, equipped with two-year-old saplings to kickstart the reforestation efforts. The saplings, sourced mainly from the Rocky Harbour tree nursery, comprise a variety of tree species, including black and white spruce, balsam fir, yellow birch, white pine, and wild cherry. By incorporating seeds from the park’s southern regions, the planting teams are ensuring that the new forests are acclimatized to the projected warmer temperatures in the future.
Whitaker stressed the importance of assisting tree migration processes, as trees are stationary and rely on seed dispersal for propagation. By introducing climate-resilient tree species and seeds, the project aims to facilitate the adaptation of the park’s forests to changing environmental conditions over time.