Mother Nature Grows 100-Year-Old Seeds

The mouth of the Don pictured before construction began in 2017. The new river mouth is expected to open in 2024.

Learn more about the Don River project on the TRCA website.

There is a massive river enhancement project underway in the City of Toronto that has revealed new plants – what appear to be long lost wetland plants growing spontaneously from 100-year-old seeds. Crews noticed them because they are unlike anything else growing in the area.  

Waterfront Toronto construction crews are completing a new path for the Don River, essentially creating a new mouth for the river. According to Waterfront Toronto, in early 2021 they excavated seven metres down in the area. “By chance, this area was relatively flat with poor drainage and wasn’t scheduled for further work for several months. Over the summer the weather warmed up, water accumulated in the peaty soil, and the more-than-a-century-old seeds sprang to life!” said the release.

In cooperation with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority and a University of Toronto horticulturalist, Waterfront Toronto has collected quite a few buckets of surrounding soil in the hopes that more species will sprout.  Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?

Read more: 100-Year-Old Seeds | Waterfront Toronto