Friends of Murphys Point Park

Species of the Week: The White Birch

This week we’re taking a closer look at the White Birch, a species that extends across all provinces and territories of Canada except Nunavut! White Birch, also known as Paper Birch, need full sun to grow — stands of birch often arise in areas recently cleared of other vegetation. Indigenous peoples from what is now called North America have used the bark of White Birch for thousands of years. Uses include the making of canoes, baskets, containers, and wigwams. In 2018 and 2019 Algonquin canoe builder, Chuck Commanda, built birchbark canoes at Murphys Point. Are you interested in learning about how to make a canoe out of materials found within the park? Visit our the ‘Canoe Build Videos’ tab on our website to check out video footage of the 2018 canoe build, as well as updates regarding upcoming Indigenous programming at Murphys Point.

Species of the Week: Blue-Spotted Salamander

Screen Shot 2020-08-15 at 12.54.07 PM This week we’re going to spend a year in the life of the Blue-spotted Salamander. In the early spring, Blue-spotted Salamanders emerge from their overwintering sites and begin their journey to breeding habitats such as vernal pools and wetlands. Once there, adult salamanders mate underwater and later lay up to 200 eggs. About a month later, the eggs hatch and larvae emerge. Larvae spend part of the summer in the water with gills and a tail eating aquatic insects and crustaceans. Once they have developed legs, the now juvenile salamanders leave the wetland and begin residing on the forest floor foraging for insects and worms at night and using logs, rocks, and leaf litter for protection. As they enter adulthood, Blue-spotted Salamanders darken to be almost black, develop more blue spots along their sides, and reach a length of up to 16cm. As winter approaches, salamanders must find a suitable place to spend the cold winter months — commonly using mammal burrows and root cavities.