Koffler Scientific Reserve

The Koffler Ecological Research Station, known colloquially as the Koffler Scientific Reserve or Jokers Hill, is a biological field station belonging to and managed by the University of Toronto. It occupies roughly 348 hectares of old fields, wetlands, grasslands, and forestlands in King Township, on the western portion of the Oak Ridges Moraine and close to the town of Newmarket, Ontario. The site has been called "an island in a sea of development"; the undisturbed and diverse ecology is home to many species of plants and animals, including American ginseng ("Panax quinquifolius"), Wild Turkey ("Meleagris gallopavo"), Downy Woodpecker ("Picoides pubescens"), Red fox ("Vulpes vulpes"), and beaver ("Castor canadensis").

Prior to its use as a field station, Jokers Hill had been heavily deforested and settled as several small farms. In the 1950s, these farms were consolidated and developed as an 800 hectare horse farm and estate; a race track, barns, pastures, and other equestrian relics remain from this era. The property was purchased by the Koffler family in 1969, and served as a vacation home before it was donated to the University of Toronto in 1995. This was one of the largest single donations of property ever given to a Canadian university.

As a field station and member of the Organization of Biological Field Stations, Jokers Hill is the site of many ongoing research projects, including studies in forest ecology, soil ecology, biological invasions, plant defenses, fungal biodiversity, and pollinating insects. The site is relatively remote and not practical to commute, so graduate students and research assistants often lodge at university-owned houses along the edge of the site. An office, classroom, and laboratory have been set up near the main barns. As of July 2007, Dr. Arthur Weis will be replacing Dr. Ann Zimmerman as Director.

Invasive species

The spread of invasive species remains a problem at Jokers Hill, and measures have been taken to control populations of Garlic Mustard ("Alliaria petiolata") and Purple loosestrife ("Lythrum salicaria"). It is believed that agriculture during early settlement and ornamental gardens are important sources of the unintentional dispersal.

ee also

*University of Toronto
*Murray Koffler

External links

* [http://www.zoo.utoronto.ca/jokershill/jh.html Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers Hill]
* [http://www.zoo.utoronto.ca/jokershill/jhdescription.html Description of Jokers Hill]
* [http://www.obfs.org/ Organization of Biological Field Stations]