The Henteleff Park Foundation acknowledges that we are on Treaty One land and that Manitoba exists on lands and waters that have long sustained the peoples and cultures of the Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininiwak, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline, and the Red River Métis. Through this acknowledgement, we hope to deepen our understanding of the past and the present, to decolonize the ways we think and act, and to contribute to reconciliation and healing.

[SPRING IN THE PARK. PHOTO CREDIT: WES BRAUN]

Greetings from the Board President

It looks like spring has finally arrived: the snow is gone; the river has crested; leaves have appeared on the trees; seasonal birds have returned; and vole damage appears to be everywhere!

Along with the spring renewal in colour, song and the sweet scent of the forest foliage, comes a time for the HPF Board to begin implementing its annual maintenance program. This winter we welcomed new Board and committee members.

I want to thank those past board members who resigned from the Executive, but decided to remain on the Board, to share their knowledge and expertise. I also want to thank our volunteers who put in countless hours, weeding, and cleaning the Park for all to enjoy. With the help of many public donors, and our dedicated board and committee members, it looks like another productive season.

I am excited about the two new initiatives the Foundation is embarking on this year: the food forest and the arboretum. A special thank you to our sponsors the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and Canada Summer Jobs program for their financial support to assist us in making this ‘dream’ a reality.

Stay tuned to learn how we plan to enhance the Henteleff Park experience and how you can participate in the planned activities over the summer season starting with the annual tree planting on Saturday, June 10^th.

Through working together we are developing a natural urban oasis that benefits people and wildlife.

John Borody
President, Henteleff Park Foundation

In the fall of 2022, at its strategic planning session, the Board of the Henteleff Park Foundation revisited its founding documents, which call for “establishing an arboretum as part of the park” and to “provide the public with….educational opportunities in the park.” (Henteleff Park Foundation Bylaws, Article 2.01). We are now able to turn these long term goals into realities by creating an arboretum and a food forest in the Park, a process that will take a number of years to bring to fruition.

So, what is an arboretum?
In charting its future planting activities, the HPF is using the most encompassing description of an arboretum as defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as “a place where trees, shrubs, and sometimes herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes.”

The planned arboretum will showcase for the Winnipeg community the tree and shrub species that can grow in our zone, provide information on how different plant species interact, and show how these varied species enhance opportunities for many forms of wildlife. The only physical evidence of an arboretum that Park users will eventually see will be small signs identifying specific trees and shrubs and offering information about each species.

On a walk through the Park, you may have noted how many of the trees are in rows. This results from the time when the Park was the City of Winnipeg’s tree nursery. When the City moved its nursery to another location, these trees remained. Since an arboretum consists of a variety of trees and shrubs, planning an arboretum will require the Foundation to slightly adjust what we plant each year. In the past, the Foundation planted mainly indigenous tree species. We will continue this practice along the river to maintain the riparian forest. In addition, however, we will add on an ongoing basis some non-indigenous varieties planted in groves and rows in order to enhance educational opportunities.

So, what is a food forest?
Closely related to the idea of an arboretum, a demonstration food forest is a diverse collection of trees and shrubs that provide edibles. When certain species are planted together the food forest can mimic the patterns and interactions found in naturally occurring ecosystems. A food forest will serve as an additional Park educational space while benefiting the adjacent Tall Grass Prairie Restoration by attracting pollinators. We hope that this food forest will add a unique feature to complement the Park’s existing landscape and ecosystems while also giving a sense of continuity with both the Métis and market garden history of this land.

[PHOTO CREDIT: JOHN BORODY & DOUG DROBOT]

Flexible opportunities for volunteers of all ages!

Volunteers are the heartbeat of Henteleff Park. The collective efforts of the summer volunteers, committees and volunteer board have resulted in the new plantings, new paths and interpretive signs that make this a special place for people and wildlife.

Working in Henteleff Park is perfect for people of all ages who want to spend time in nature, want the flexibility to work independently or in groups and are interested in learning more about plants, insects and animals.

If you are interested in joining our enthusiastic group of volunteers, please consider one or more of the following options:

Volunteer At Your Own Pace: Learn about the history of the Park, how to identify weeds and how to remove and dispose them during a 1.5-hour orientation. After completing orientation, you can work in the Park when you wish, for as long as you like. In consultation with our Site Management Committee, you can choose a particular spot in the Park to work in and watch it grow throughout the season. This is a great option for individuals and families.

Thursday Mornings in Henteleff Park: Volunteers work together Thursday mornings from 8:30 to 10:30 with instruction and supervision. You can join weekly or just the Thursdays that work best for you. The groups tackle different tasks each week. Tasks include removing invasive weeds such as European Buckthorn and Burdock, watering new plants or maintaining the wood chip paths. This is a great opportunity to meet new people, work outside and make an important contribution to the Park. High school students needing volunteer hours for credit are welcome to join this group.

Prairie Pals: Prairie Pals is a group of experienced gardeners who remove invasive weeds from our .6 hectare (1.5 acre) Tall Grass Prairie Restoration. This prairie is a delicate habitat and good knowledge of gardening and weed identification is essential. Orientation is provided. Volunteers work in the Prairie Restoration weekly, (about one or two days per week) at a time that is convenient to them.

We look forward to another great summer in the Park. Please contact me if you are interested in serving as a volunteer. We would love to have you join us.

Terri Ashcroft, Volunteer Coordinator
terri.ashcroft@henteleffpark.org

Our first group of Thursday morning volunteers met on May 24th and cleaned the Interpretive Centre area. They washed all of the signs, swept and weeded. These efforts are much appreciated and the Interpretive Centre looks great. Volunteers are welcome to meet in the parking lot every Thursday at 8:30 am. Tasks will vary each week.
[PHOTO CREDIT: TERRI ASHCROFT]

Welcome garden tour guests

Henteleff Park is participating on June 24th in the Urban Retreats Self-Guided Tour of Gardens in South St. Vital this year. We hope the following information helps you plan successfully.

While tour tickets are available at many garden centres, online at 1JustCity.ca, and on tour day at the United Church in Meadowood, they are not and will not be available at the Park. For more information please visit gardentour@1JustCity.ca or call 204-779-8957.

Please be aware that there is no parking along St. Mary’s Road near the Park’s entrance at 1964 St. Mary’s Road. Parking in our parking lot may sometimes be full during tour hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  However, our neighbour at 2005 St. Mary’s Road, the St. Vital Evangelical Mennonite Church, has very kindly offered the use of part of their lot to Park visitors on tour day. The Church lot is on the east side of St. Mary’s Road just south of the Park. They ask that Park visitors use the south side of their lot, the area closest to Warde Avenue.

Did you know …

You may have noticed a number of trees in the Park this spring that look like they had been chewed on by beaver over the winter.
Actually, beaver are not active on land during the winter and the damage that you see is caused by a much smaller rodent – a vole. Voles are often mistaken for mice but they are stockier, with smaller eyes and ears, and shorter tails. They are active all winter and form a network of tunnels on top of the ground, but under the snow cover, where they search for plant material to eat.

Each spring, we typically see some damage from voles in the Park. Normally, the damage is around the stems of small shrubs, but this year larger trees were damaged as well. Unfortunately, once a tree has been girdled (the bark removed all the way around the trunk) it will often die within a few years.

Although we may not appreciate voles and the damage they do, they are an important food source for many predators including owls, hawks and foxes.