Location: Nose Hill Park, Calgary AB
Coordinates: 51.09293°N, 144.09820°W
Date of Visit: 05/02/2024
Time of Visit: 2:40 PM
Conditions: 6°C, very high cloud coverage, 25 km/h winds, small patches of snow on the ground
Nose Hill Park is a protected natural municipal park in northwest Calgary spanning over 11 km². It is located alongside high-traffic roads with several access points along all sides and is surrounded by 12 residential communities. The area is a grassland with many hills leading to upland planes through wooden, gravel, and dirt pathways. During my visit, there was still some snow on the ground due to unseasonal snowfall and flurries that have occurred over the past few weeks.
I observed many plant species and tried my best to identify them; however, it was difficult due to the current season. The trees and shrubs have no leaves, and many of the grasses are brown and flat. There were clearly multiple types of grass, which I believed to be various Fescue (Festuca) and Bluegrass (Poa pratensi) species. There were many small shrubs, which I identified as Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata). As I went up the hill, I encountered several flowering plants, including Crocus (Crocus), Spiny Phlox (Phlox hoodii), Early Cinquefoil (Potentilla concinna), Small Leaf Pussytoes (Antennaria parvifolia) and Dandelions (Taraxacum). I also saw a few birds, which I believe to be Black-billed Magpies and some type of Hawk.
Based on these observations my possible questions are:
- How do slope and elevation affect flowering plants (that are not grasses)?
- Has the unseasonal weather affected the growth of vegetation?
- How do trails affect vegetation diversity and distribution? Do the different trail types have different effects?
Field Journal:
Nose Hill Park Facing North at the Bottom of the Hill
May 2, 2024
Nose Hill Park Facing South at an Upland Plain
Great field site and all your initial questions could work!