Crews in western Newfoundland’s expansive national park are engaged in a significant tree-planting effort to aid the forest’s recovery from a previously prolific moose population. Darroch Whitaker, an ecosystems scientist with Parks Canada at Gros Morne National Park, reported that over 730,000 trees have been planted since 2023 in areas once transformed into grasslands by voracious moose. The plan is to continue planting for another three years, aiming to reach 1.25 million trees across approximately four square kilometers.

The restoration project involves planting a diverse range of trees that can thrive in warmer climates, ensuring the development of resilient forests capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change. Whitaker emphasized the importance of selecting tree species that can endure for decades to come, considering the evolving climate conditions.

Gros Morne National Park, known for its majestic fiords and boreal forests intersected by rivers and waterfalls, spans 1,805 square kilometers in western Newfoundland, established in 1973 as the second-largest national park in Atlantic Canada. While moose are widespread throughout Newfoundland, their numbers soared in Gros Morne due to a historical hunting ban that shielded them from human predators, their primary threat on the island.

At one point in the 1990s, the park housed around 6,500 moose, with certain areas supporting six or more animals per square kilometer. This abundance led to significant ecological impacts, as the moose freely roamed roads, towns, and trails, consuming copious amounts of young trees. Their browsing habits exacerbated existing forest challenges, such as beetle infestations, preventing natural forest regeneration and creating barren patches known as “moose meadows” within the park.

To address the issue, moose hunting was permitted in the park in 2011, resulting in a reduction of the moose population to a more manageable 2,000 animals. Subsequently, in 2023, tree planters began the meticulous task of reintroducing trees into the affected areas to kickstart forest recovery efforts.

The tree-planting initiative involves the cultivation of two-year-old saplings, many of which are nurtured at the Rocky Harbour tree nursery. Whitaker and his team are strategically incorporating a mix of tree species, including black and white spruce, balsam fir, yellow birch, white pine, and wild cherry, to enhance the park’s biodiversity and resilience to changing climatic conditions.

By utilizing seeds from the park’s southern regions, Whitaker aims to ensure that the newly planted trees are acclimatized to the anticipated warmer temperatures in the future. Recognizing the limitations of tree migration in response to climate shifts, he stressed the importance of assisting tree species in adapting to changing environmental conditions.

Overall, the tree-planting initiative at Gros Morne National Park signifies a proactive approach to restoring ecosystems, safeguarding biodiversity, and mitigating the impacts of past ecological imbalances caused by the overabundance of moose.