“Giving Nature a Helping Hand”
Malcolmson Park, located at Niagara Street and Lakeshore Road, has focused an increasing amount of community attention on an exciting naturalization project.

Open to the public, it allows visitors to witness and participate in the ongoing restoration of a Carolinian forest, Savannah grassland, and wetland environment. Its 36 acres can be explored by using several trails, including wheel chair accessible stone dust paths.

Once known as “Bicycle Forest”, the damage caused by vandals, refuse dumping, tree-cutting and bonfires is now being undone with the help of local residents, environmentalists, several St. Catharines companies and the City. Visitors are asked to keep an eye out for anyone destroying this beautiful area and the hard work that so many individuals and groups have joined together to complete.

The development of the Savannah grassland over the past few years is expected to bring record numbers of butterflies back to the park this summer. Bird boxes placed throughout the park provide homes for blue birds, tree swallows, wrens, and screech owls. Birders new and seasoned are welcome to enjoy the spectacle and sound of the over 170 species of birds that have been seen in the park.

The Troll Reading Forest is another exciting new addition to the park and will continue to develop over the next few years, providing schoolchildren with a hands-on opportunity to learn about nature. Other projects you can see and help with at Malcolmson Park include wetland restoration and the formation of a pond for waterfowl. The continued plantings of Savannah grassland and Carolinian forest and understorey always provide a good opportunity to get your hands dirty and learn a bit about nature. Stonedust trails have been laid to increase accessibility to the various features of the park, and you can easily go for an hour stroll, a quick jaunt, or a more leisurely exploration of all the park has to offer.

Join in the organized work parties or show your interest in the naturalization by becoming one of The Friends of Malcolmson Park. Call Mike Anderson at 905 688-5601 extension 3140.