Per this decision in December 2011, the Quality of Island Coop is no longer in operation. This website remains online for archival purposes only.
Per this decision in December 2011, the Quality of Island Coop is no longer in operation. This website remains online for archival purposes only.
This is the text of a brochure producted in 1989 as part of a project sponsored by Island Nature Trust. The information is now more than 20 years out of date, but remains one of the best summaries of the Royalty Oaks forest, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the Trust as a reference.
The Royalty Oaks Natural Area is located in East Royalty off the St. Peters Road. The trail entrance is between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Belmont House on North Ridge Parkway. Parking is available at the trailhead or in the church parking lot.
This trail guide and the signage along the trail are the result of an Environment Week 1989 project sponsored by Island Nature Trust.
Co-funded by:
This brochure features one of the Natural Areas of Prince Edward Island and is funded by Forestry Canada under the Canada-P.E.I. Forest Resource Development Agreement.
Thanks to the Royalty Oaks Management Committee, the Education Committee of the Island Nature Trust, Dan McAskill, Ruth Richman, Bruce Smith and Diane Griffin for their advice. Special thanks to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for their cooperation.
Text, design and production: Gary Schneider Cover photo/artwork: Bruno Peripoli/Kate Poole Maps: Ruth Richman. P.J. Burden Illustrations: Kate Poole, Meacham's 1830 ATLAS OF P.E.I., DOVER COLOURING BOOKS Trail work: Kings Forestry Cooperative Ltd.
Royalty Oaks is a small oasis of mature woodland precariously situated within the outskirts of the expanding suburban Charlottetown area. Noise from nearby traffic is everpresent, but once among the trees, the more serene sounds of birds and other forest life are prominent. One can almost forget its location, adjacent to a large residential subdivision and a major highway.
The Island Nature Trust became involved with this area in the early 1980s after a grocery chain acquired approximately 4 hectares (10.84 acres) for a large shopping mall. Pressure from local residents, the Island Nature Trust and other concerned individuals resulted in the land trade and purchase agreement of the property by the province.
The Natural Area is now managed by a committee representing the Village of East Royalty, the Department of Energy and Forestry, the Department of Tourism and Parks and the Island Nature Trust.
Yet Royalty Oaks still faces an uncertain future. Aside from the stress caused by road salt and airborne pollutants, there is also pressure from expansion of the Charlottetown by-pass. Should the expansion happen, the Island would lose an irreplaceable treasure, a vestige of old growth forest which has somehow managed to survive on the very doorstep of an urban area.
When the first European settlers arrived on Prince Edward Island in the 17th century, our province looked much different than it does today. There was little cleared land and dense forest dominated the landscape. Sugar maple, yellow birch, beech and to a lesser extent red oak, hemlock and white pine made up the most common woodland type - the Acadian forest.
Although all of the trees yielded valuable products, red oak was especially prized by woodworkers and carpenters for its distinctive grain pattern and ease of working. It was also in demand as fuel wood and used by shipbuilders. Very few stands of red oak remain today and that is one reason Royalty Oaks is unique. The red oaks in this stand represent the best of what is left. One specimen, with a diameter of 1.5 metres [5 feet) is the largest tree of its kind on P.E.I.
Royalty Oaks has many tales to tell about human history. By 1810, the area was owned by John and Mary Cambridge of Bristol, England. Cambridge was one of the foremast Island shipbuilders and merchants of his time. In 1819, the Cambridges' daughter Phoebe and her hus band George Wright acquired the property. Wright followed a family tradition by serving as Surveyor-General of the Island and built Belmont House at the northeast corner of their property. The house still stands today.
Despite the heavy demand for red oak, the trees in this area managed to survive. By the 1920s the woods were filled with fox pens. The fox farm contributed to the preservation of the trees, since it tried to simulate a natural environment. The trees provided the animals with shade in summer and a windbreak in winter.
Today, a marked nature trail, 0.8 kilometres (1/2 mile) long, allows for easy viewing of the trees. By staying on the trail, you protect the surrounding ground cover and prevent compaction which will damage delicate roots. The trail is fairly level and takes about 45 minutes to walk.
Only the parts of the trail which use the old road system from the fox farming days are wheelchair accessible. The map on pages 10-11 shows these areas. It is advisable to avoid the woodlot when there is heavy snow on the trees since there is a danger of dead branches falling.
PLEASE NOTE: Although the trees are large, Royalty Oaks is a fragile area, and no plants (including this wild sarsaparilla) should ever be picked. Some plants are also very poisonous - an extra reason to leave them where and as they are.
One of the first sounds you hear in Royalty Oaks is a solo chick-a-dee-dee-dee, getting louder and then becoming a chorus as more black-capped chickadees fly in to see who is visiting. This year-round resident is easily recognized by its small size, white cheeks and black cap and bib.
Quite likely the next most common sound is a woodpecker pecking on a tree for insects or to make a nesting cavity. The abundance of suitable nesting and feeding habitat supports a large population of downy and hairy woodpeckers. Downy woodpeckers (left) are almost identical to hairy woodpeckers, except they are much smaller and have a shorter beak.
Other frequently-sighted birds include the northern flicker, American robin, European starling, yellow-rumped warbler, American goldfinch and common grackle.
Red squirrels are found in the woodlot, where they have a large menu from which to choose. If you're particularly sharp-eyed, you might get a glimpse of a woodland jumping mouse, little brown bat or flying squirrel.
At the entrance to Royalty Oaks, there is a mixture of young and old trees. On the left, the striped trees with smooth, greenish bark and goosefoot-shaped leaves are striped maples.
The first stop is an introduction to old growth forest, mature trees that are nearing the end of their life cycle. A large crescent of trees on the southeast and southwest edges of the property includes fine examples of mature red oak, sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, red maple and red-black hybrid spruce. These larger trees are well over 100 years old.
Old growth forests are now rare on P.E.I. These trees are growing slowly and the tops are starting to die, yet many animals find this an ideal habitat. Some need the dying branches in which to make nest holes and feed on insects that infest the dead wood. Old growth forests provide a haven for animals and, because of their beauty, grace and cathedral-like atmosphere, a haven for humans as well.
Fox farming had become less profitable after the price of pelts had fallen, and the last foxes were raised here in 1935. Fences rusted, pens fell apart and most were removed during a cleanup in 1982. The pens in this area were partially reconstructed, attaching the original top rail and wire to new cedar posts. Notice how tall the fence is, how large the pens are compared to present-day standards.
These gates once led into the pens. Walk through and picture how it looked in the 1920s - foxes in the pen with you, surrounded by high fencing, more pens on either side and few trees.
The raised areas in pens where fox huts once were now support a lush growth of plants. Those that look like miniature pine trees are known as ground pine or princess pine.
Indian-pipe grows in the dense shade of Royalty Oaks. It is generally found in forests with an abundance of humus in the soil, drawing nourishment from decaying organic matter. Lacking chlorophyll, Indian-pipe is unable to manufacture food as do green plants. The single, white flower, common in July and August, straightens up and turns black in autumn when the plant dies.
Often, the times people are able to enjoy nature are not the times when plants are at their best, or even visible. It pays to walk slowly and keep your eyes open. You may notice a small, ruby-red bead lying among dead leaves. This is a fruit of the wild lily-of-the-valley, also known as beadruby.
The grey-barked, deformed trees at this stop are victims of the beech canker. This disease affects 80% of the beech in the Maritime provinces, leaving the wood with little value as lumber. But diseased or not, a beech grove with the sun filtering through pale green leaves is a special place to be.
Look over the signpost to see the largest tree in Royalty Oaks, a red oak with a diameter of 1.5 metres (5 feet) and a height of 20 metres [65 feet). Estimated to be from 150 to 300 years old, it may well have been among the trees to greet the first settlers on P.E.I.
Heading towards the next stop, you will see a magnificent sugar maple on the right, another giant of Royalty Oaks.
Have you ever wandered why the ground isn't flat in some woods? Often the forest floor is made up of depressions and hummocks. The early stage of this 'pit and mound' development is illustrated here. When this tree blew over, a hole was created where the roots were dislodged. Soil pulled out of the pit fell off the roots and, along with the trunk, creates the mound.
As you leave the rotting log, follow another of the roadways that ran between the rows of fox pens.
Red maples can produce new sprouts from a stump after the tree has been cut or has blown down. Count the stems of this red maple. Usually, 2 or 3 sprouts become dominant and shade out the thers but 7 sprouts make this tree.
This is another sign of the impact man has had on Royalty Oaks. Over a dozen apple trees still remain in the old orchard, providing good habitat for fruit-eating birds such as the Bohemian waxwing. This crested bird, which gets its name from the waxy, red wingtips, has bright yellow markings on its tail and wings. Other birds such as the American robin and the purple finch, as well as red squirrels and mice, also make good use of the apples.
Many of the saplings in this area are from a hybrid ash, probably planted. The parent is a large double-stemmed tree off to the left with grey, S-furrowed bark. Instead of individual leaves, ash leaves are compound, with 5-9 leaflets.
The forest glen is a graphic example of succession, the change from one plant community to another. Look for the presence of pioneers, the first trees and shrubs to move into an open area. Pin cherry, white birch and trembling aspen are slowly shading out rough goldenrod and grasses from old field. If left undisturbed, these species will give way to others that are increasingly tolerant of shade and longer lived - sugar maple, yellow birch and red oak.
People still pose a daily threat to Royalty Oaks. The large pits were dug by children for forts, many trees have been cut or scarred and garbage is a constant problem. Please don't add to these pressures - your help is needed to make Royalty Oaks a beautiful, clean place to visit.
This mound was bulldozed in the late 1960's, yet there are still bare patches of earth where nothing is growing. Notice the difference in succession from the previous stop. The pin cherries (above] are here, but you will also see burdock, deadly nightshade and ferns. Much more of Royalty Oaks could have been lost to a bulldozer. It is easy to see how fragile our natural areas are, how long they take to heal when damaged and why they need our protection.
Along this part of the trail, look for wood ferns with their rootstocks partially above ground, ground pine and wild lily-of-the-valley.
You are now following the outline of a fox pen. The bases of cedar fenceposts are still visible and this sketch gives you an idea of where the pens were situated. Remember that only the larger trees were growing in the pens. The rest grew up after fox farming stopped.
Standing dead trees that are large enough to provide nesting and feeding sites for animals are called snags. This area shows the 'life cycle' of a snag. On the immediate left, the crown of a sugar maple has begun to die, branches will break off and rot will set in. About 15 metres (50 feet) behind the maple, half of a yellow birch has broken off. This birch has extensive cavities and scar tissue where it tried to heal wounds. Directly ahead is an example of what these trees may become. Decay and wind have worn this snag down but its value to wildlife is not over. Northern flickers make use of snags and are often found in this area.
This stand of trees had been suffering severe defoliation from insects. After careful observation, it was thinned to decrease competition and increase crowns, making trees better able to withstand insect attack. Snags were left to encourage wildlife.
White and yellow birch trees, easily recognized by their paper-like bark, are present in this stand. Although the leaves of both trees are somewhat similar, yellow birch leaves (above) taper at both top and bottom, instead of just at the top as in the white birch (below). And of course, their names reflect the colour of their bark.
Look around you. There are many different types of trees, some towering and majestic, others thin ar frail looking. See how many types yoi can name. In the winter and spring you may have to rely on colour and texture of the bark, the shape of the tree and the buds, In summer and fall the leaves will make it much easier.
There are trees of many types and sizes in these woods, but you may be fooled if you try to guess their age by their diameter. The largest sugar maples in front of you were seedlings in the 1860s, perhaps when our country was born. The red oak on the corner to your left got its start around the end of World War Two, almost 80 years later! Red oaks normally grow faster than sugar maples, but this one appears to be doing exceptionally well. Did the fox droppings help it out by enriching the soil?
Like most woodlands on P.E.I., Royalty Oaks is rich in mushrooms during summer and fall. They play an important role in helping plants decay more quickly. The mushrooms above are types of puffballs, named for the 'puff of spores released when mature specimens are touched. The spores float away in the air to propo-gate new fungus plants.
As you become more familiar with trees, they also become more distinctive. Sometimes aided by ' treeplanters' such as blue jays or red squirrels, many of these trees have grown from seed. Look among the leaves in May for tiny seedlings that, under the right conditions, may grow into the saplings and larger trees found here. The almost debarked red maple ahead has dozens of stump sprouts ready to take its place. Other trees in this area have also grown from stumps, most commonly beech and red oak. Take a guess at how the trees nearby got their start.
It's a quick left turn and a short walk to the end of the trail. We hope you've enjoyed Royalty Oaks.
Canker: An area of diseased tissue, often discoloured and cracked, on a living branch or stem.
Crown: The branches and foliage of a tree.
Dominant trees: Trees with crowns extending above the general level of crown cover, receiving full sunlight from above.
Sapling: A young tree greater than 1 metre [3 feet) tall, but less than 9 centimetres (3.6 inches) in diameter.
Seedling: A young tree, grown from seed, that is not yet 1 metre (3 feet) tall.
Snag: A standing dead tree from which most leaves and branches have fallen off.
Sprout: Any shoot arising from above ground level, usually from a stump or stem.
Tolerant species: Those trees which can persist and grow under shade of other trees.
Preliminary list of plants that may be seen in the Royalty Oaks Natural Area:
SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME Aesculus hippocastanum Horse-chestnut Abies balsamea Balsam Fir Acer pensylvanicum Striped maple Acer rubrura Red maple Acer saccharum Sugar maple Agrostis capillaris Fine bent-grass Aralia nudicaulis Wild sarsaparilla Arctium minus Common burdock Amelanchier (sp.) Serviceberry Aster acuminatus Wood aster Betula alleghaniensis Yellow birch Betula papyrifera White birch Clintonia boreslis Blue-bead lily Cornus alternifolia Alternate-leaved dogwoo Cornus canadensis Bunchberry Dryopteris spinulosa Wood Fern Fagus grandifolia Beech Fraxinus americana White ash Galeopsis tetrahit Hemp-nettle Humulus lupulus Common hop Luzula multiflora Wood rush Lycopodium annotinum Stiff club-moss Lycopodium clavatum Running club-moss Lycopodium obscurum Ground-pine Maianthemum canadense Wild lily-of-the-valley Medeola virginiana Indian cucumber-root Monotropa uniflora Indian-pipe Osmunda cinnamomea Cinnamon Fern Oxalis stricta Yellow wood-sorrel Phleum pretense Timothy Picea glauca White spruce Picea rubens x p. mariana Hybrid red-black spruce Polytrichum (sp.) Hair-cap moss Populus grandidentata Large-toothed aspen Populus tremuloicies Trembling aspen Potentilla (sp. ) Cinquefoil Prenanthes trifoliolata Lion's-paw Prunus pensylvanica Pin cherry Prunus virginiana Choke cherry Pteridium aquilinum. var. lstiusculum Bracken fern Pyrus malus Apple Quercus robur English oak Quercus rubra Northern red oak Ranunculus repens Creeping buttercup Rubus strigosus Respberry Rumex crispus Curly-leaved dock Rumex obtuaifolius Red-veined dock Rumex orbiculatus Great water-dock Salix discolor Pussy-willow Sarnbucus racemosa Red-berried elder Scirpus validus Giant rush Smilacina racemosa False soloman's seal Solanum dulcamara Bittersweet Solidago canadensis Canada goldenrod Solidago graminifolia Narrow-leaved goldenrod Solidago rugosa Rough goldenrod Sorbus decora Showy mountain ash Taraxacum officinale Dandelion Trientalis borealis Starflower Trillium undulatum Painted trillium Vaccinium angustifolium Low-bush blueberry Veronica officinalis Common speedwell Viburnum cassinoides Viola (sp.) Wild reisin Viola (sp.) Violet
Nomenclature per Hinds, Harold R., 1986, FLORA OF NEW BRUNSWICK, Primrose Press, Fredericton 460 pp.
Preliminary list of birds that may be seen in the Royalty Oaks Natural Area:
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| High-resolution PDF of the 1989 Royalty Oaks brochure | 11.19 MB |
| Low-resolution PDF of the 1989 Royalty Oaks brochure | 664.79 KB |
| ASCII text file of the 1989 Royalty Oaks brochure | 19.83 KB |