SWAN LAKE PARK WILDLIFE
Swan Lake Park in Markham is home to a rich diversity of wildlife. But this wildlife is threatened by the deteriorating water conditions in Swan Lake and the erosion of sustainable terrestrial habitat in Swan Lake Park due to the unchecked intrusion of invasive plants.
Help save Swan Lake Park’s biodiverse environment
In a report dated April 18, 2018, City of Markham’s Wildlife Services, notes that Markham’s interactions with wildlife are guided by the following principles:
- Wildlife has intrinsic, ecological, economic, social and cultural value.
- Markham residents desire healthy and sustainable wildlife populations.
- The City will endeavour to identify and protect natural heritage systems and wildlife habitats to conserve biodiversity for future generations.
- The City recognizes the importance of planning and managing natural heritage resources at a landscape/watershed scale in order to provide for wildlife connectivity, a diversity of habitat types and sizes, and to consider water-related functions.
Friends of Swan Lake Park, a group of local citizens committed to saving Swan Lake and Swan Lake Park, is asking the City to address the deteriorating conditions in Swan Lake and Swan lake Park immediately. They can start by engaging the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (“TRCA”) to undertake a biological assessment of the aquatic and terrestrial habitats in Swan Lake and Swan lake Park. This important foundation work will set the stage for development of a meaningful protection and restoration program for the Swan Lake and Swan Lake Park.
The following summary of birds was based upon recordings on ebird.org on March 14, 2021. The summary of terrestrial wildlife and insects in Swan Lake Park was based on photographs and sightings of Don and Cindy Fowler, members of the Friends of Swan Lake Park.
