User: | Open Learning Faculty Member:
The area that I have selected to study is the oldest city park located in the heart of downtown Calgary, AB. I’ve chosen this area because it is easily accessible and I can visit when needed. It is often frequented by humans and animals (ie. dog, squirrels, and birds) alike.
The approximate size of the park is 100m x 170m (the average block size in Calgary), and is about 2 hectares (according to The City of Calgary). The park is flat with ornamental trees, shrubs, and seasonally planted flowers (all of which have been taken out now). It also has pathways, both concrete and rock, and houses a few monuments, two fountains and a library.
I visited the park Oct 9, 2019 at 4:00pm. The weather was sunny and cloudless with a slight breeze, and at a temperature of 3°C and humidity of 48%.
Throughout the spring and summer, the park had flourished more then other years. This summer, in particular, had much more rain compared to others and the humidity was, and still is, significantly higher as well. It has also begun a snow a couple time, earlier than when it usually snows in Calgary. Now during Autumn, after the second snow, the park is still green in some areas and quite decayed in others, in specific, the deciduous trees. There also seems to be the same amount of sunlight throughout the park, visible from the amount of snow that is left is similar in all areas. Lastly, I noticed that only two types of birds visit or stay in the park: Magpies and Crow. They would normally perch in particular tree, but will jump and walk along the grass and pathway below doing, what seems like looking for food. Squirrels are one of the only rodents in the park and behave in a similar fashion to the bird.
From my observations, these are the questions that came about:
- As the park is well maintained by the city, how will the trees change along with the season? And how will that affect the birds and mammals that live there?
- How does the humidity level, potentially due to increase rain and snow, affect the trees and greenery? It would also be interesting to see, due to snowfall and sunlight, how and if there will be changes in flora in the park?
- Where the birds (Magpies and Crows) and squirrels particular to certain trees in the park because of habitats made in those trees, and/or if there is a food source nearby, and what that source is?
