Historical vegetation (Upper Canada 1784 - 1859)

Description

During settlement of Upper Canada (now Southern Ontario) from 1784 to 1859, land surveys were conducted along transects at one mile intervals. These hand-written notes and a few maps are housed in various locations in Ontario and have been used only sparsely in modern research. This information is applicable as a pre-European settlement baseline in such fields as, land-use and heritage planning, forestry, archaeology, and agriculture.  Though early survey data (ESD) exhibit deficiencies and surveyor bias, they comprise a unique source of spatial environmental data that is best suited to large-scale resolution studies. Only a few researchers have generated pre-settlement vegetation maps from ESD, each using independent methodologies.

Pre-settlement vegetation map: Esquesing township:

Esquesing Township 1819

acronym/ full name acronym/ full name acronym/ full name acronym/ full name
Vegetation symbols/ full name
acronym/ full name Ab: Ash Black acronym/ full name Ce: Cedar acronym/ full name Mh: Maple Hard acronym/ full name T: Thickets
acronym/ full name Al: Alder acronym/ full name Ch: Cherry acronym/ full name Ms: Maple Soft acronym/ full name Ta: Tamarack
acronym/ full name Aw: Ash White acronym/ full name Dg: Dogwood acronym/ full name Md: Meadow acronym/ full name Th:Thorn
acronym/ full name B: Birch acronym/ full name E: Elm acronym/ full name Ms: Maple Soft acronym/ full name W: Willow
acronym/ full name Bd: Basswood acronym/ full name Ha: Hazel acronym/ full name Ow: Oak White acronym/ full name Wa: Walnut
acronym/ full name Be: Beech acronym/ full name He: Hemlock acronym/ full name Pw: Pine White acronym/ full name Wf: Windfall
acronym/ full name Bu: Butternut acronym/ full name Hi: Hickory acronym/ full name Sa: Sassafras acronym/ full name  
acronym/ full name C: Chestnut acronym/ full name Ir: Ironwood acronym/ full name Sy: Sycamore acronym/ full name  

This mapping surveys (PDF) document describes methodologies for transcribing Survey notes into both paper maps and digital formats (using ArcGIS and Quantum GIS {QGIS} mapping applications).

Data access

As listed on this master_inventory list (PDF)  the Geospatial Centre's historical vegetation collection contains surveyor notes (JPG), pre-settlement vegetation maps (JPG), photo negatives of surveyor maps (JPG) and tabulation tables (JPG) .

The historical vegetation collection is freely available for researchers to view or copy during regular business hours.

Citation

Seneca township vegetation: James Kirkpatrick (surveyor) 1842.

1842 Seneca township vegetation

   Data courtesy of James Kirkpatrick {surveyor}