Cherry birch (Betula lenta) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 7

Habitat

Habitat requirements

Cherry birch grows best on moist, well-drained soils but is also found on coarse textured or rocky shallow soils. At the Ontario 15 Mile Creek site it is growing on clay loam on a west-facing slope and has been sighted on the forested slopes above the nearby 16 Mile Creek valley. In adjacent western New York, it occurs on stony clay loam, organic rich clay loam and sand.

The species is described as shade intolerant (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources [OMNR], 2000; US Forest Service [USFS], 2004); however, in western New York seedlings were observed on areas of exposed fine gravel under an open forest canopy. Thus intermediate might be a better term for its optimal site for seedling establishment.

In Ontario, it occurs with red oak (Quercus rubra) and white oak (Quercus alba), sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis); in western New York common associates are: sugar and red maple (Acer rubrum), beech (Fagus grandifolia), eastern hemlock, black cherry (Prunus serotina); occasional associates include tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and chestnut oak (Quercus prinus).

Habitat trends

There appears to be limited suitable habitat in the Niagara Region outside of the areas from which the species has been documented. Fox and Soper (1954) stated that “it seems quite possible that other stands of B. lenta may be located in the region between Port Dalhousie and the Niagara River since this species occurs in western New York state." However none have been found in the various inventories conducted in the area since. Sites that appear to have suitable habitat such as the forested Niagara Glen (where it was recorded by Hamilton (1943), but never documented) and the nearby Navy Island were field checked but none were found. Habitat in adjacent western New York appears to be in a steady state.

Habitat protection/ownership

The owners of the two extant adjacent sites and one recently extripated site are aware of this species and appear keen to protect it. The population extends into a small deep ravine at the back of the residential lots.

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