- East of the path near the wading pool and children's playground.
- Photo: © Vincenzo Pietropaolo
For years visitors to Trinity Bellwoods Park couldn't help but notice this tall multi-coloured tree stump, standing five feet away from an equally colourful wolf howling skyward. The stump was of an American elm (Ulmus americana) tree that died nearly ten years ago, struck down by Dutch elm disease, which has killed the majority of elms in Toronto over the last several decades. The tree was carved with chainsaws and then painted by a yet to be identified artist (if you know the artist or additional history about the tree please leave a comment). Word has it that the tree was initially painted white and then anonymously painted different colours over the years under the cover of darkness. It is as if the stump has been resurrected from the dead to become one of the city's living pieces of art.
The wolf now stands alone as the stump had become unsafe and was cut down in July of 2007. The decay at the base of the tree is obvious in the photo, a process of disintegration caused by fungi and microorganisms that feed on the dead wood. As the wood is broken down the organic matter falls to the ground and is added to the soil to be taken up anew by growing plants. This process is referred to as nutrient cycling and is vital in a forest to keep the soil rich and feed the trees. When a tree falls in the forest it lays where it fell, often until it has completed decomposed, which can take 20 years or more. In an urban setting, nutrient cycling is rarely allowed to occur because people diligently clean up decaying wood and fallen leaves. This robs the soil of nutrients and often requires fertilizers and soil amendments be added. The best thing to do for trees in your yard is add a layer of wood mulch under their canopy to replicate the litter of fallen leaves and branches that breaks down on the forest floor.
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