Left to right: Dragonfly, Eric Dresser;
Green Frog, Eric Dresser; Red-winged Blackbird, Walter B. Fechner
GLWCAP Highlights Report (2000 - 2003)
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
Information, written contributions and editorial reviews of this
report by Maggie Young, Lesley Dunn, Nancy Patterson, Tamara Gomer,
Brian Potter, Bob Clay, Linda Pim, Angus Norman, James Duncan, Dan
Kraus, Joel Ingram, Graham Bryan, Greg Grabas, Chris Chritoph, John
Meek, Liz Sauer, Emma Thurley, Lenny Shirose, Tom Beaubiah, Julie
Suzanne Pollock, Donna Stewart, Kim Fernie, Mark Stabb, Kim Laird,
Gary McCullough, Laurie Maynard, Brigitte Collins, Sandra Skog,
Anne Borgmann, Andrew Mack, Marilyne Jollineau, Shawn Meyer, Dave
Richards, Dave Reid, Leora Berman, Barbara Veale, Tom Beaubiah,
and Kerrie Wilcox.
Copies are available from: Environment Canada Canadian Wildlife
Service 4905 Dufferin Street Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4 Tel: (416)
739-5830 E-mail: Wildlife.Ontario@ec.gc.ca
Aussi disponible en français sous le titre: Plan d'action
en matière de conservation des terres humides des grands
lacs - Rapport sur les faits saillants (2000-2003)
Visit www.on.ec.gc.ca/wetlands/glwcap-e.cfm
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Wetland Conservation in the Great Lakes Basin
The Great Lakes Wetlands Conservation Action Plan (GLWCAP) is one
of the most well established wetland conservation programs in the
Great Lakes basin. Through coordinating, implementing and reporting
on wetland activities of both government agencies and non-government
organizations in Canada, GLWCAP plays a key role in ensuring the
conservation of Great Lakes wetlands. When it began in 1994, GLWCAP
was not a new program with a designated or collective pool of resources;
rather it was a new way of doing business through agreeing on priorities
and the aggressive pursuit of wetland conservation opportunities
under existing programs. It remains that way today.
GLWCAP partners, including a variety of agencies, interests and
community stakeholders, take responsibility to collectively deliver
individual projects, milestones and strategies that best complement
their strengths and interests. It is overseen by an Implementation
Team including the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR),
Environment Canada (EC), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), the Nature
Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Federation of Ontario Naturalists
(FON).
GLWCAP is organized into eight long-term strategies that encompass
all aspects of wetland conservation – from physical protection and
rehabilitation, to improvement of wetland legislation and increasing
awareness of wetland functions and values. Within each strategy
are a series of milestones, or specific actions setting out steps
that when completed, represent continued progress under each GLWCAP
Strategy.
GLWCAP is the implementation mechanism for the 25-year Strategic
Plan for Wetlands of the Great Lakes Basin developed in 1993 by
more than 30 partners following extensive public and private consultation.
It complements the goals of the Provincial Wetlands Policy (1996)
(which is a component of the Provincial Policy Statement) and the
Federal Wetlands Policy (1991). These two levels of government endorsed
the first Action Plan in 1994 through the signing of the Canada-Ontario
Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA), which
incorporated commitments to GLWCAP.
In 2000, the first Action Plan wrapped up while planning for a
second Action Plan began. Conservation milestones for the second
phase of GLWCAP are published on page 41 of this report. Development
of Phase Two involved evaluating the previous Action Plan to assess
progress towards the completion of each milestone (see GLWCAP Highlights
Report (1997-2000) at www.on.ec.gc.ca/wetlands/onlinepublications-e.cfm).
The relevance of each milestone to today’s wetland conservation
environment was also considered, given changes in policy and scientific
understanding since the initial implementation of GLWCAP. Phase
Two does not present new strategies, as there will always be work
to be done to further wetland conservation within these broad areas.
It does present new and modified milestones to guide continued progress
under each strategy.
The COA was renewed and signed in March 2002. This document included
an overarching agreement to stand in perpetuity, containing four
annexes, each of which specifies five-year goals for the Great Lakes
basin ecosystem. The Lakewide Management Annex includes a commitment
for Canada and Ontario to “implement the Great Lakes Wetlands
Conservation Action Plan”.
The importance of GLWCAP as a Great Lakes wetlands reporting mechanism
was endorsed in a recent report released by the Office of the Auditor
General on the federal government’s Great Lakes Program entitled
the 2001 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable
Development. The report assesses the federal government's performance
in protecting the Great Lakes basin ecosystem, including wetlands,
and refers to the two previous GLWCAP Highlights Reports as “the
most comprehensive information” available for assessing wetlands
in the Great Lakes in “a reader friendly way”.
GLWCAP partners continue a successful reporting tradition by presenting
this update on progress made in wetlands conservation since the
last Highlights Report (1997-2000). GLWCAP partners recently endorsed
the milestones for the second Action Plan and are pleased to present
them in this report. Evaluation of progress towards the new milestones
would be premature, but it remains essential during these transition
years to report on successful projects and achievements. This report
presents descriptive updates of Great Lakes wetlands activities
under each of the eight long-term GLWCAP strategies, the common
threads connecting successive Action Plans.
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The "Great" in Great Lakes Wetlands
Many Great Lakes residents have gained appreciation for the importance
of wetlands simply by spending time in them. Quietly observing wetland
wildlife in a local marsh or swamp evokes tacit understanding of
some of the functions and values that wetlands contribute to the
quality of life of humans and other living creatures.
Wetland functions include natural processes such as retaining and
slowing water during flood conditions, recharging groundwater supplies,
maintaining stream baseflow, removing nutrients and other contaminants
from the water column, and providing habitat for hundreds of species
of wetlanddependent plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects,
and mammals, including many species at risk of extinction.
Humans value wetlands for recreational activities such as bird
watching, canoeing, fishing and hunting, improving drinking water
quality, providing aesthetic enjoyment, and producing harvestable
commodities such as cranberries, wild rice and fish.
Unfortunately, in spite of their recognized values, wetland loss
and degradation across the Great Lakes basin continue at an alarming
rate. Scientists, educators, naturalists, and policy makers must
coordinate efforts to ensure that wetlands are protected well into
the future.
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Wetland Conservation
Highlights
Wetland conservation and science has progressed significantly since
the 2000 Highlights Report and the wrap-up of the first GLWCAP.
The following sections highlight wetland activities, projects and
programs that are new or have progressed since 2000. These achievements
are organized under GLWCAP strategies and many build on the stories
presented in the 1997 and 2000 Highlights Reports, which can be
found at www.on.ec.gc.ca/wetlands/onlinepublications-e.cfm.
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Strategy 1:
Increase Public Awareness and Commitment to Protecting Wetlands
Public awareness of the importance of wetlands, as well as citizens’
actions to benefit wetlands, have increased through a variety of
outreach materials and activities.
Copies of the following documents are available from each of the
respective organizations (see Contacts).
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)
Temperate Wetland Restoration Training Course Instructional
Materials, 2002 (365 pp.)
A Guide to Stewardship Planning for Natural Areas,
2003 (40 pp.)
The Wetland Drain Restoration Project: ‘How
To’ Guide, 2003 (57 pp.)
Environment Canada
Where Land Meets Water: Understanding Great Lakes
Wetlands, 2002 (72 pp.)
Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands: Science and Conservation,
Great Lakes Fact Sheet Series, 2002 (12 pp.)
Putting an Economic Value on Wetlands – Concepts,
Methods and Considerations. Great Lakes Fact Sheet Series,
2001 (12 pp.)
Status and Trends in Fish and Wildlife Habitat
on the Canadian Side of Lake Ontario, 2001 (24 pp.)
Fish and Wildlife Habitat Status and Trends in
the Canadian Watershed of Lake Ontario, 2001 (150 pp.)
Ecological Gifts Program Donor Kit – An informative folder
that contains a brochure, donor profiles, tax examples, and donor
question and answer fact sheet, 2002
Ecological Gifts Program Recipient Questions and Answers, 2002
(2 pp.)
Federation of Ontario Naturalists
Wildlife in Jeopardy Education Kit, 2000 (266 pp.)
Protecting Nature Close to Home: A Guide to Municipal
Environmental Advisory Committees in Ontario. Revised 2002
(32 pp.)
A Smart Future for Ontario: How to Protect Nature
and Curb Sprawl in Your Community, 2002 (72 pp.)
Wildlife Habitat Canada
The Status of Wildlife Habitats in Canada 2001
(98 pp.)
Marsh Monitoring Program (contact Bird Studies Canada)
The Marsh Monitoring Program 1995-1999: Monitoring
Great Lakes Wetlands and Their Amphibian and Bird Inhabitants,
2000 (48 pp.)
Tools for Canadians: Wetkit - www.wetkit.net
National wetland information and resources have found a home on-line:
www.wetkit.net *. Wetkit is a
web-based clearinghouse for information related to wetlands, streamlining
access to practical tools that can help Canadians better understand
and manage wetlands. Tools that are found on Wetkit are generally
practical and related to Canadian wetland management.
Wetkit tools include conservation techniques, technologies, decision
aids, handbooks, field guides, maps and inventories, case studies,
laws, policies, information on tax incentives, agencies that provide
advice or funding, teaching kits, and professional training. There
is an opportunity to rate tools on-line.
Wetkit was established in 2000 by Environment Canada, Fisheries
and Oceans Canada, Industry Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Wildlife
Habitat Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the North American Wetlands
Conservation Council (Canada).
New! Where Land Meets Water: Understanding Wetlands of the Great
Lakes
Coastal wetlands are a valuable resource to all residents of the
Great Lakes basin ecosystem, with new information regarding their
functions and values being uncovered every day. Wetland scientists,
managers and conservationists met at the Quebec 2000: Millennium
Wetland Event in Quebec City for a symposium dedicated to the science
and conservation of coastal wetlands. Organizers of the symposium
felt that the outcome of that session needed to be presented to
a wider Great Lakes audience. The result, a book entitled Where
Land Meets Water: Understanding Wetlands of the Great Lakes, was
released in October 2002. The book incorporates the original research
and ideas presented at the coastal wetlands symposium, with background
material on the history and functions of these fascinating ecosystems.
Topics explored in the book include wetland evolution and classification;
ecological functions and values of wetlands; coastal wetland ecology;
wetland stressors; wetland rehabilitation, including case studies;
and, wetland conservation activities.
The book is available from Environment Canada at (416)
739-5830 or Wildlife.Ontario@ec.gc.ca.
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Strategy 2:
Improve Wetland Science, Data and Monitoring
This strategy will be one of the most important in GLWCAP Phase
Two. All partners play an increased role in furthering what is known
about Great Lakes wetlands and the processes that drive the many
benefits on which humans and wildlife depend. Some of the emerging
issues identified in the 2000 Highlights Report (e.g., Lake Ontario
water level regulation, species at risk) are addressed in projects
presented in this section.
The State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC)
SOLEC is a binational, biennial conference developed to report
on the health of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem and on progress
towards the goals of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Hosted
by the governments of Canada and the United States since 1994, SOLEC
objectives include:
- assess the state of the Great Lakes ecosystem
based on accepted indicators;
- strengthen decision-making and environmental
management concerning the Great Lakes;
- inform local decision-makers of Great Lakes
environmental issues; and,
- provide a forum for communication and networking
amongst all Great Lakes stakeholders.
Since the last GLWCAP Highlights Report, two SOLEC meetings have
occurred. In October 2000, in Hamilton, Ontario, scientists, government
officials, aboriginal groups and nongovernment organizations gathered
to further refine and begin reporting on 33 of the 80 indicators
of ecosystem health developing through the SOLEC process. Coastal
wetland indicators are one of the key assessment tools, along with
the nearshore terrestrial, and open and nearshore waters indicators.
In 2000, data were presented on five of 13 coastal wetland indicators:
wetland-dependent bird diversity and abundance; amphibian diversity
and abundance; contaminants in Snapping Turtle eggs; effect of water
level fluctuations; and, wetland area.
In October 2002, many of the same Great Lakes stakeholders gathered
in Cleveland, Ohio to continue the process of reporting on indicators
and begin in-depth assessments on the state of the Great Lakes ecosystem
based on what the indicators are revealing. At SOLEC 2002, there
was a special focus on biological integrity, and identifying indicators
to assess the biological integrity of the Great Lakes, including
many of the coastal wetland indicators.
The next two SOLEC events in 2004 and 2006 will focus on chemical
and physical integrity. This framework of biological, chemical and
physical integrity will be used for reporting on the state of the
Great Lakes as determined through the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement.
For more information, visit www.on.ec.gc.ca/solec.
Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Consortium
The coastal wetland indicators developed through SOLEC are moving
forward through the efforts of the Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
Consortium.
The Consortium is a three-year project brought together by the
Great Lakes Commission in November 2000 with funding from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. The Consortium emerged from the
SOLEC process and is composed of U.S. and Canadian scientists, policy
makers and others dedicated to Great Lakes coastal wetland science,
monitoring and conservation. The Consortium is focused on refining
coastal wetland indicators, as recommended at SOLEC 1998, and developing
long-term binational monitoring strategies.
In 2002, the Consortium selected six research projects to test
the robustness and applicability of various sampling methods and
coastal wetland metrics across the basin in a collaborative fashion.
Standardized sampling protocols and methodologies are being tested
on over 30 coastal wetland sites distributed across the Great Lakes
basin. The data will be compiled centrally and integrated into existing
databases to enable cross-site comparisons and further validation
of Great Lakes coastal wetland indicators.
Other activities underway include creation of a binational coastal
wetland database using a standardized classification system and
development and evaluation of plans for a long-term Great Lakes
coastal wetlands monitoring program.
For more information, visit www.glc.org/wetlands *.
Population Trends: Monitoring Amphibians
The binational, long-term, volunteer-based Marsh Monitoring Program
(MMP) is now in its eighth year and continues to generate interesting
and useful information about trends in wetland bird and amphibian
populations and their habitats. Since 1995, MMP volunteers have
surveyed amphibian populations at 474 routes across the Great Lakes
basin. Thirteen species were recorded during the 1995-2001 period,
the most common being Spring Peeper and Green Frog.
Trends in amphibian occurrence were assessed for eight species
regularly detected on MMP routes. Statistically significant declines
in trends were detected for American Toad, Chorus Frog, and Green
Frog. Using water levels of the Great Lakes as a proxy for water
conditions throughout the basin, comparisons were made between trends
in mean annual water levels of the Great Lakes and trends in amphibian
annual population (relative occurrence) indices in coastal and inland
wetlands. Some trends (Bullfrog, Green Frog) appeared to correlate
with mean annual lake levels (Figure 1), whereas others (American
Toad, Chorus Frog) showed no apparent relation. Differences in habitats,
regional population densities, timing of survey visits, annual weather
variability, or other additional factors may interplay with water
levels to explain variation in species-specific amphibian populations.
These data will lead to a better understanding of the health of
Great Lakes amphibian populations and the wetlands that they inhabit.
Anecdotal and research evidence suggests that wide variation in
occurrence of many amphibian species at a given site is a natural
and ongoing phenomenon. These variations are apparent for many of
the amphibian species monitored during the past seven years. Additional
years of data will help reveal whether the observed patterns (e.g.,
decline in numbers of American Toad and/or Chorus Frog) continue
and indicate significant long-term trends. Further data are required
to conclude whether Great Lakes wetlands are successfully sustaining
amphibian populations.
The MMP is delivered by Bird Studies Canada in cooperation with
Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service and the Great Lakes
Sustainability Fund), the U.S. Great Lakes Protection Fund, and
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, contact Bird Studies Canada (see
Contacts) or visit: www.bsc-eoc.org/mmpmain.html *.
Conservation Blueprints – Ecoregional Planning
The Nature Conservancy of Canada, in collaboration with the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and The Nature Conservancy (United
States) is establishing a conservation blueprint for the Great Lakes
ecoregion. A conservation blueprint is a portrait of dynamic databases.
It identifies and documents a portfolio of sites which, if conserved,
will secure the long-term survival of viable native species and
community types of the region. It is an adaptive process, driven
by changes in resource information, diversity losses and conservation
achievements. The project’s main objectives are to rank the
area’s biodiversity conservation targets in both aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystems and map the distribution of this biodiversity,
including identifying areas of special significance.
This initiative will bring together a wealth of geographically
referenced conservation data for the entire Great Lakes basin, including
wetlands. The MNR’s Ontario Natural Heritage Information Centre
and other partners will share data and expertise to decide jointly
which sites should be secured and the amount of land needed to ensure
the viability of native species. Workshops and meetings to identify
and refine conservation targets and objectives and assess the quality
of potential sites for biodiversity conservation occurred throughout
2002. The final identification of sites will reflect biological,
chemical and physical integrity of the region as well as societal,
political and practical considerations.
Products from the Blueprint project will include:
- a set of maps showing key conservation locales;
- automated Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) routines for delineating habitat features;
- associated databases containing landscape
and ecoregion level data; and,
- a website providing Internet access to the
GIS routines, maps and databases.
Funding for the terrestrial component has been provided by the
Richard Ivey Foundation, while the Mott Foundation is contributing
towards the aquatic component.
For more information, contact the Nature Conservancy
of Canada (see Contacts) or visit www.natureconservancy.ca *.
Mapping and Tracking Landscapes – Southern Ontario Land
Resource Information System
The Southern Ontario Land Resource Information System (SOLRIS)
is a mapping program designed to accurately measure the characteristics
and extent of southern Ontario's natural resources. This natural
resource and land use database covers the area of Ontario south
of the Canadian Shield. SOLRIS is also a monitoring system that
will be used to track changes to the natural, rural and urban landscapes.
SOLRIS is based on advanced remote sensing and GIS techniques, integrating
MNR’s Natural Resources Values Information System (NRVIS)
base resource data with recent high resolution and archived satellite
imagery. This approach will create an inventory based on MNR's Ecological
Land Classification (ELC).
Benefits of the SOLRIS project include:
- the establishment of a public sector-wide
coordination and standardization of a land resource information
base serving broad information needs;
- creation of a land information framework
that promotes an ecological approach to land information management;
- establishment of a base layer of resource
information from which all future changes can be accurately recorded;
and,
- the promotion, acceptance and adherence
to the ELC through the set up of the framework for future eco-element
and vegetation type mapping requirements.
A multi-divisional MNR team is currently finalizing and field testing
the SOLRIS methodology. This phase of the project is co-funded through
a partnership between MNR and Ducks Unlimited Canada. The team is
working towards a goal of SOLRIS implementation across southern
Ontario in 2003-2004.
For more information contact the Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources (see Contacts).
Understanding the Relationships between Wetland Communities and
Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Water Levels and Flows
Water level fluctuations are a natural phenomenon in the Great
Lakes due to natural climatic variability. Wetland plant communities,
which provide habitat for a multitude of invertebrates, amphibians,
reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals, have evolved to adapt to, and
in fact depend on, water level changes.
Since 1960, water levels and flows of Lake Ontario and the St.
Lawrence River have been regulated at the Moses-Saunders Dam at
Cornwall. In the winter of 2000, the International Joint Commission
(IJC) launched a five-year binational study to review the current
criteria in the Orders of Approval for regulation of Lake Ontario-
St. Lawrence River levels and flows. The Plan of Study has the specific
objectives of considering, developing, evaluating and recommending
updates and changes to the 1956 criteria currently in use for Lake
Ontario-St. Lawrence River regulation. These study objectives are
being accomplished through assessment of how water level fluctuations
affect interests within the basin.
Six interests have been identified: shoreline property, commercial
navigation, hydroelectric power generation, recreational boating,
domestic water use, and environment. Working groups have been established
to complete each assessment. Through the environment working group,
the IJC study will improve the understanding of past water regulation
impacts on coastal wetlands and identify relationships among water
levels, coastal wetlands and wetland-dependent flora and fauna within
Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
Wetland researchers from the U.S. and Canada are conducting a joint
study to evaluate the effects of regulation by digitally mapping
changes in wetland vegetation using aerial photographs of selected
sites across a span of years from pre-regulation to the present.
A computer model has been developed that will use vegetation data,
topographic/ bathymetric maps of the wetlands, and projected water-levels
that would result from proposed new regulation plans to predict
the relative area of wetland that will be in each vegetation community
type under each new plan. The predictions will be assessed against
one another for each of the four wetland geomorphic types and will
also be used by researchers studying amphibians, fish, birds, and
muskrats to evaluate potential changes in habitat availability.
For Lake Ontario, 16 sites in the U.S. and 16 sites in Canada were
split evenly by geomorphic type: open embayment, protected embayment,
barrier-beach, and drowned river mouth. The sites extend from the
west end of the lake to the upper portion of the St. Lawrence River
at the Moses-Saunders Dam at Cornwall. Results will be integrated
with those emerging from a comparable study on the lower St. Lawrence
River.
For more information, visit www.losl.org *.
Fish and Wildlife Health Effects and Exposure
Environment Canada recently initiated a program to assess fish
and wildlife health effects in Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern
(AOCs). The goal of the project is to determine if there are health
effects in fish and wildlife, similar to those observed by Health
Canada in the human population, that can be related to contaminants
in the aquatic environment. Phase One of the project began in the
lower Great Lakes in 2001 and will be completed by 2005. AOCs in
the upper lakes will be considered on completion of Phase One.
Monitoring focuses on reproductive health and developmental effects,
exposure to estrogen-disrupting substances, endocrine function,
and immune function. In addition to components involving fish and
chemical exposure, two wetland-dependent species (Snapping Turtle
and Mink) are included in the study. Snapping Turtle data will also
be used to support one of the SOLEC coastal wetlands indicators
– contaminants in Snapping Turtles.
For SOLEC 2002, preliminary data on Snapping Turtles were reported
for three AOCs (Wheatley Harbour, St. Clair River and the Detroit
River) and compared to two reference sites. Some trends observed
include:
- clutch size (the number of eggs laid by
a female) tended to be smallest at the St. Clair River AOC and
largest near Wheatley Harbour;
- despite large clutches, hatching success
was very poor (12 percent) near the Wheatley AOC and lower at
the St. Clair River AOC relative to the reference sites;
- 15 percent of adult male turtles from the
Wheatley Harbour AOC showed effects of being exposed to estrogenic-mimicking
contaminants, having a protein in their blood that normally only
appears in females; and,
- males from the Wheatley Harbour AOC had
shorter penises relative to their body length. This is similar
to a finding in alligators inhabiting contaminated sites in Florida.
In 2003, the study will begin similar monitoring in selected AOCs
around Lake Ontario.
For more information, contact Environment Canada, Burlington
(see Contacts).
The District of Muskoka Mapping Project: Developing Mapping and
Evaluation Methods to Help Resource Managers Lead Wetland Conservation
in Ontario
The purpose of this project is to apply recently available, highresolution
remote sensing technologies to improve wetlands mapping and information
for input to forest management and municipal planning in the District
Municipality of Muskoka (DMM). This project is expected to encourage
and support conservation and management of wetlands by municipal
planners and forest managers. Partnerships have been established
with many members of the forest industry, and a strong partnership
has been developed between Ducks Unlimited Canada and the District
Municipality of Muskoka (DMM). Others who are involved in this project
include MNR’s Provincial Geomatics Service Centre (PGSC),
MNR Bracebridge District, Canadian Wildlife Service, Nature Conservancy
of Canada and Parry Sound-Muskoka Stewardship Network.
The six project objectives are:
- to develop a method that uses remote sensing (image analysis/interpretation)
and ancillary GIS information to accurately map all wetland types
in forested Shield landscapes;
- to develop a combined GIS and remote sensing application based
on the Rapid Wetland Evaluation Model developed by J.C. Davies
and others in 1996, that produces a total score for each wetland,
based on the MNR’s Northern Ontario Wetland Evaluation System,
thereby providing a relative indication of the value of any particular
wetland;
- to transfer the mapping and evaluation technology to the eight
Sustainable Forest Licensees in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence forested
Shield (i.e., Westwind Forest Stewardship Inc., Vermillion Forest
Management Company Ltd., Nipissing Forest Resource Management
Inc., Algonquin Forest Authority, Ottawa Valley Forest Inc., Bancroft
Minden Forest Management Inc., and Mazinaw-Lanark Forest Inc.);
- to transfer the wetland mapping and evaluation technology to
other municipalities in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forested
Shield (e.g., Dysart, Minden Hills, District of Parry Sound, City
of North Bay, City of Sault Ste. Marie, and numerous others);
- to transfer the wetland mapping and evaluation information for
the DMM to the municipality so that it can be used to provide
input to the upcoming five-year review of the municipality’s
Official Plan; and,
- to implement a landowner contact program in the DMM to provide
conservation and management information to private landowners
of key wetlands.
The DMM is providing a pilot area for the development of the wetland
mapping and evaluation methodology. However, the methods developed
will be applicable throughout Ontario’s forested Canadian
Shield landscape. Ducks Unlimited is responsible for financial and
administrative management of this project. Preparation of the final
report is scheduled for completion between January and March 2004.
For more information contact the Ontario Ministry of
Natural Resources (see Contacts).
Emerging Technologies Assist in Ecosystem Mapping
Since 1999, the University of Waterloo has conducted research on
the use of high-spatial and high-spectral resolution remote sensing
data for detailed wetland mapping and monitoring in southern Ontario.
One focus is on assessing the capabilities of high-resolution remote
sensing instruments to provide detailed information on wetland vegetation
and adjacent land-use/land-cover types.
Study sites from inland wetland complexes in South Dumfries Township
and a shoreline wetland site at Long Point were selected. Compact
Airborne Spectrographic Imager (casi) data were acquired on three
days in the summer of 2000 in spatial- and spectral-mode, with spatial
resolutions of one metre and four metres, respectively. Detailed
analyses of the data were then completed.
Results show that high-resolution data can provide detailed and
accurate information for mapping and monitoring wetland ecosystems.
For example, a map of 11 land-use/land-cover classes was produced
after applying a classification algorithm to the spatial-mode casi
data. Map accuracy was 90 percent. Once similar classes were merged
(i.e., the grassland and hay class), map accuracy increased to 96
percent. Although the spectral-mode data were expected to produce
the best results, the spatial-mode data provided the most accurate
identification. Therefore, spatial resolution may be as important
as spectral resolution in classifying data from these types of wetland
environments.
Application of this technology on a larger scale could provide
up-to-date maps indicating the type, extent, and distribution of
wetlands in this region of Ontario, based on research conducted
in South Dumfries Township and at Long Point. Currently, the University
is working with wetland scientists and managers to determine how
to make the best use of the results to improve management of wetland
ecosystems throughout Ontario and Canada. It is anticipated that
the final results of this study will be available in Spring 2003.
Funding for this research was awarded through the Centre for Research
in Earth and Space Technology (CRESTech). In-kind support for this
research has been provided by Ducks Unlimited Canada; the Grand
River Conservation Authority; the Adaptation and Impacts Research
Group, Environment Canada; and the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment
Canada.
For more information, contact the Department of Geography
at the University of Waterloo (see Contacts).
Regionally Integrated Coastal Wetland Monitoring
Despite their deteriorated condition, Durham Region coastal wetlands
are among the best examples of Lake Ontario coastal wetland communities.
Management of coastal wetlands in Durham Region is a complex challenge,
incorporating maintenance of key wetland functions and values, with
managing the stresses of rapidly urbanizing watersheds and the dynamic
hydrology of Lake Ontario. The Durham Region Coastal Wetlands Monitoring
Project aims to understand wetland dynamics and distinguish among
lake effects, regional trends and local site specific changes, and
integrate regional monitoring activities. Project partners benefit
from shared resources and information.
The Durham Region Coastal Wetland Monitoring Project
Methodology Handbook is a draft document that seeks to provide
standardized protocols to improve the effectiveness and efficiency
of coastal wetland health assessment. The success of the 2002 inaugural
field season may result in changes to monitoring protocol. The following
monitoring activities were carried out at 15 sites to test the methodologies
described in the handbook:
- identification of wetland and upland vegetation
community location, distribution and composition;
- characterization of land use and land cover
within watersheds;
- fish community health assessment through
the calculation of an Index of Biotic Integrity;
- measurement of turbidity levels and sediment
quality;
- water level monitoring to assess the impact
on vegetation communities; and,
- assessment of bird and amphibian species
richness using the Marsh Monitoring Program protocol, with emphasis
on population trends in key species such as the Least Bittern
and Black Tern.
- Rouge River Marsh
- Frenchman’s Bay
- Pickering Nuclear Marsh
- Duffins Creek Marsh
- Carruthers Creek Wetland Complex
- Cranberry Marsh
- Lynde Creek Marsh
- Corbett Creekmouth Marsh
|
- Pumphouse Marsh
- Oshawa Second Marsh
- McLaughlin Bay Marsh
- Westside Beach Marsh
- Port Darlington Marsh
- Wilmot Rivermouth Wetland
- Port Newcastle Wetland
|
Looking ahead
A second year of field work is required before enough data are
collected to report on the status of the Durham Region coastal wetlands.
Following a report, recommendations will be made to implement watershed/wetland
restoration programs where necessary. Long-term monitoring will
reveal the effectiveness of the restoration programs while continuing
to identify impacts.
Additional monitoring activities will be included in the project
as technologies and/or methodologies become available. These activities
include:
- aquatic invertebrate community assessments;
- bathymetry monitoring;
- determining the extent of public ownership
of land within the watershed; and,
- measurement of sediment and nutrient loads
entering the wetlands.
The Durham project will provide a multipartner implementation model
for use in other regions of the Great Lakes and contribute to the
Lake Ontario Lakewide Management Plan. Compatibility of these initiatives
will allow comparison and integration of the Durham Region coastal
wetlands into a larger Great Lakes monitoring network.
For more information, contact the Central Lake Ontario
Conservation Authority (see Contacts).
Invasive Vegetation: Phragmites australis
Phragmites australis (Common Reed) is a
highly invasive plant that thrives in wetlands, particularly areas
that have been altered or disturbed. Once established, Phragmites
can spread over adjacent areas at rates of up to 10 metres per year.
Its recent, rapid expansion has caused concern among resource managers
who believe that it degrades waterfowl habitat and reduces biodiversity
in wetlands. Informed management decisions must incorporate an understanding
of historical changes in distribution and abundance of the invasive
species, along with an identification of displaced communities throughout
the lower Great Lakes.
Figure 2. Change in the
distribution of Phragmites at Long Point based on seven discrete
years of data from aerial photographs taken between 1945 and 1999
In response to the rapid expansion of Phragmites
at Long Point, Ontario, a study of historical distribution and abundance
of the species was initiated by the Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands
Research Fund (LPWWRF) in 1999. This is a collaborative research
project with LPWWRF, Environment Canada (Adaptation and Impacts
Research Group, and Canadian Wildlife Service) and the University
of Waterloo.
Long Point’s wetland plant communities were mapped by interpreting
aerial photographs from seven years between 1945 and 1999. The aerial
extent of Phragmites stands were measured
by digitizing vegetation boundaries, ground-truthing, and analyzing
the data using GIS, while a growth formula was used to document
the rate of increase of Phragmites over time.
Methods emulated those used by Environment Canada’s Wetland
Trends Through Time database.
Aerial extent of Phragmites varied over
the time period (Figure 2), with an exponential increase occurring
between 1995 and 1999 when Phragmites replaced
marsh meadow (33 percent), cattail (32 percent), other mixed emergents
(8 percent), sedge/grass hummock (10 percent), and open water (5.5
percent).
Evidence suggests that Phragmites abundance
is negatively correlated with Lake Erie water depth (r=0.347, P=
0.164). It might also be positively correlated with ambient temperature
(r=0.279, P=0.223). Further, in recent years an aggressive non-native
genotype of Phragmites has been identified
at Long Point. This species introduction, and the apparent relationship
between Phragmites abundance and both temperature
and water depth, have potential links to climate change. Results
suggest that, if global warming predictions are realized, Phragmites
will continue to rapidly expand on the lower Great Lakes.
For more information, contact the Long Point Waterfowl and
Wetlands Research Fund (see Contacts).
Wildlife Habitat Effects
Given the documented expansion of Phragmites
at Long Point in recent years, it is important to assess the suitability
of this habitat for the species that use the area – a task
undertaken by the University of Western Ontario. Bird surveys were
conducted between May 2001 and July 2002 and pitfall traps were
set in the summers of 2001 and 2002 to monitor amphibians and mammals.
Species use of four habitats was investigated: Phragmites
australis, cattail, marsh meadow (mainly sedges and rush),
and mixed habitats.
Preliminary results suggest that Phragmites
provides habitat for some bird species.
- Common Yellowthroat and Yellow Warbler were
found nesting and demonstrated a strong preference for Phragmites
(as illustrated through abundance values).
- Phragmites provides
important roost cover and shelter in all seasons, most widely
during the fall and winter. Large congregations of Red-winged
Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Dark-Eyed Juncos and swallows were
often observed roosting in the large stands.
- Waterbirds (bittern, waterfowl and rail)
did not use Phragmites to the same extent
as other habitats. However, some Mallard nests were discovered
at the edge of Phragmites.
Data from the pitfall study show that Phragmites
provides habitat for amphibian and mammalian species (higher species
richness).
- More adult American Toads and Green Frogs
were captured and marked in Phragmites
than in either cattail or meadow habitats.
- Fowler’s Toads were captured mainly
in meadow habitats.
- Juvenile toads were found most commonly
in both cattail and meadow habitats.
- Mammals were commonly associated with the
denser cover of both Phragmites and cattail.
These data will be used with other information regarding stand
size, water levels and other variables, in the creation of a model
of Phragmites use by wildlife at Long Point.
For more information, contact the University of Western Ontario
or the Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Fund (see Contacts).
Species at Risk in Wetlands
Species at risk were identified as an emerging issue in the previous
GLWCAP Highlights Report and many projects are now underway in support
of their protection and recovery. Several species that rely on wetlands
for a significant portion of their life cycle are designated at
risk by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife
in Canada). The most common cause of decline and limiting factor
for the majority of species at risk across Canada and Ontario is
degradation and loss of habitat. This is particularly evident for
species at risk in Great Lakes wetlands where, despite efforts to
restore wetland habitat, wetland bird populations continue to decline.
Status reports are prepared for all species to be listed under
COSEWIC as species at risk and include information on species distribution,
biological requirements, life cycle, current population status,
habitat and reasons for designation. Species Recovery Teams are
then formed and Recovery Plans prepared to identify actions necessary
to maintain or increase current populations and habitat and prevent
further declines. Recovery Plans are either completed or in progress
for many wetlands species, including the following updates on wetland
birds.
- The Prothonotary Warbler was designated
Special Concern in 1984. In 1996 the status was listed as Endangered.
A subsequent review in 2000 confirmed the Endangered status. A
frequent inhabitant of swamp forests, population declines have
been attributed to nesting failure due to competition with house
wrens, brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds, shortage of
nesting cavities, destruction of breeding and wintering habitats,
and drought in breeding habitat. A Recovery Team was established
in 1997. Recovery actions include the development of a draft Recovery
Plan, and a nest box program to increase nesting opportunities
and reduce nest parasitism by cowbirds and mammalian predation.
- The King Rail was designated as Special
Concern in 1985. In 1994 the status was reviewed and it was designated
as Endangered. The status was reviewed in 2000 and Endangered
status confirmed. The current Canadian population, estimated at
25 to 50 pairs, is found in wetlands in Ontario. In 1997, a Recovery
Team was formed. Progress includes the development of a draft
Recovery Plan, establishment of a King Rail survey protocol, and
digital mapping of King Rail habitat.
- Since 2000, the status of Least Bittern
populations in Canada has been reviewed and the designation was
uplisted from Special Concern to Threatened (November 2001). This
change was due to a very small, declining population that relies
on high quality marsh habitats which are being lost and degraded
across the species’ range which includes Manitoba, Ontario,
Quebec, and New Brunswick. A recovery team will be established
in 2003.
- The Yellow Rail was designated by COSEWIC
as Special Concern in 1999. After a COSEWIC review, this status
was confirmed in 2001. Yellow Rails occur in Northwest Territories,
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec,
and New Brunswick.
- The Louisiana Waterthrush was designated
Special Concern in 1991 and confirmed in 1996. Louisiana Waterthrush
occurs in Ontario and Quebec.
For more information on species at risk visit www.cosewic.gc.ca
or www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca.
COSEWIC |
Endangered |
Threatened |
Special Concern |
Birds |
Prothonotary
Warbler King Rail |
Least
Bittern Anatum Peregrine Falcon |
Louisiana
Waterthrush Yellow Rail Red-shouldered Hawk |
Amphibians |
Northern
Cricket Frog |
Fowler’s
Toad |
|
Reptiles |
Lake
Erie Water Snake |
Eastern
Spiny Softshell Turtle Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Butler’s
Gartersnake Eastern Fox Snake Queen Snake Stinkpot |
Northern
Map Turtle Spotted Turtle |
Plants |
Horsetail
Spike-rush Scarlet Ammannia Toothcup |
American
Water-willow Kentucky Coffee-tree |
Swamp
Rose-mallow |
Fish |
Aurora
Trout Northern Madtom Pugnose Shiner |
Black
Redhorse Channel Darter Eastern Sand Darter Lake Chubsucker
Lake Whitefish Spotted Gar |
Bigmouth
Buffalo Black Buffalo Blackstripe Topminnow Bridle Shiner Greenside
Darter Northern Brook Lamprey Orangespotted Sunfish Pugnose
Minnow Redside Dace River Redhorse Silver Chub Silver Shiner
Spotted Sucker Warmouth |
Top
Strategy 3:
Secure Wetlands
A variety of methods can be used to secure wetlands. In most cases,
the larger the financial investment in the site, the greater the
protection received.
The hectares reported in the table (see next page) were protected
through high security techniques (acquisition), through the cooperation
of a number of agencies and organizations. Securing wetlands remains
an opportunistic process, particularly for acquisition. It is difficult
to predict where and when Great Lakes wetlands will become available
for purchase, or where and when landowners will be open to other
protection options. Funds for acquisition are often difficult for
land-conservation organizations to raise until the target properties
have been identified.
Other (non-acquisition) securement methods are important to protecting
habitats and biodiversity, as are the stewardship efforts of individual
landowners. Thousands of wetlands are owned, managed and cared for
by individual landowners. Efforts to encourage private stewardship
can protect more wetlands than acquisition, through formal or legally-binding
(e.g., conservation easements) and informal (e.g., handshake or
verbal agreements) arrangements. Landowner contact programs which
encourage stewardship by private owners, often in a rural or agricultural
setting, are a key mechanism.
Wetlands, NAWMP and the EHJV
The Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV) is one of 14 habitat “joint
ventures” established across the continent to ensure the implementation
of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP). In Ontario,
the EHJV is a partnership of the federal government, the provincial
government, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada,
and Wildlife Habitat Canada.
Programs are applied on a broad scale to influence land use policies
and promote ecologically sound and sustainable land use practices.
Intensive programs are tailored to secure, create, restore, or rehabilitate
balanced habitat conditions for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife.
Between 1986 and 2001, EHJV partners have been successful in securing
over 181,000 hectares of valuable habitat in Ontario alone, and
over 306,000 hectares throughout the entire EHJV area (Ontario,
Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland).
Neighbours in Waterfowl Conservation
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act
(NAWCA) was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1989 to aid in the conservation
of wetland ecosystems in Canada, the United States and Mexico, and
to provide a mechanism to support NAWMP objectives for waterfowl
and other wetland-related migratory species.
Funds generated under the Act must be used for wetland conservation
projects – essentially the securement, restoration, enhancement
and/or management of wetland ecosystems. Act funds cannot be used
for research, policy or communications activities. The Act specifies
that partnerships are a necessary and valuable mechanism for wetland
conservation. In Canada, the partnerships that access NAWCA funding
are Habitat Joint Ventures, including the EHJV.
Since the passage of the NAWCA, Canadian partners have received
over $180 million Cdn from the U.S. federal government. This amount
has been matched by over $200 million of U.S. non-federal contributions,
for a grand total of just under $400 million Cdn for wetland ecosystem
and waterfowl conservation in Canada.
For more information on NAWMP, visit www.nawmp.ca *;
or on NAWCA, visit http://birdhabitat.fws.gov/NAWCA/act.htm *.
For more information on the Ontario EHJV, contact Environment Canada,
Nepean (see Contacts).
North American Bird Conservation Initiative
The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) builds
on the success of NAWMP and is a coordinated effort among Canada,
the United States and Mexico with a goal to maintain the diversity
and abundance of all North American birds. Launched in 1998, NABCI
coordinates conservation efforts for shorebirds, landbirds, waterfowl
and waterbirds. Many species within each of these four groups of
birds rely on wetlands to fulfill a part of their life cycles.
The waterbird component of NABCI is implemented under the North
American Waterbird Conservation Plan. In Canada, this is executed
through the Canadian Waterbird Conservation Plan, also known as
Wings Over Water. This Canadian initiative presents opportunities
for conservation of inland marsh birds (bitterns, rails, etc.) and
inland nesting colonial waterbirds (gulls, herons, etc.). In 2002,
members of the Canadian Waterbird Technical Committees met to discuss
conservation and monitoring priorities for seabirds and inland waterbirds.
Members provided information on population size, distribution, trends
and threats to determine the conservation status of all waterbirds
that occur in Canada.
Alfred Bog – Moose in Southern Ontario
At 4,200 hectares, Alfred Bog is the largest and highest-quality
bog remaining in southern Ontario. It is located between Ottawa
and Montreal south of the Ottawa River and includes three types
of wetlands: bog (83 percent), swamp (13 percent) and marsh (4 percent).
The domed bog contains peat atop a layer of impermeable clay formed
under marine conditions over 9,000 years ago. Peat depths range
from a metre to over seven metres in the interior.
Alfred Bog is home to many nationally, provincially and regionally
rare and endangered plants and animals. These include the Bog Elfin
Butterfly, Fletcher's Dragonfly, Spotted Turtle, Red-shouldered
Hawk, Golden Eagle, White Fringed Orchid, Atlantic Sedge and Rhodora.
It is also home to Moose. The bog has been designated by the Ministry
of Natural Resources as a Provincially Significant Wetland and an
Area of Natural and Scientific Interest, and is also a candidate
to be recognized under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance.
The main stresses on the hydrology and ecology of the bog are peat
mining and direct drainage. In 1988, the Nature Conservancy of Canada
(NCC) purchased approximately 1,600 hectares of Alfred Bog from
private landowners to initiate the protection of this valuable wetland.
In October 2001, a further 1,261-hectare area of the wetland became
available amid debate over its protection under the United Counties
of Prescott and Russell’s recently implemented Official Plan.
The NCC with contributions from the provincial government, the private
sector, and Environment Canada through the Eastern Habitat Joint
Venture and the Habitat Stewardship Program, purchased this area
in November 2002. Over 70 percent of the core bog area is now protected.
Ontario Parks holds title to the purchased property and will manage
the entire protected area as a nature reserve.
For more information about Alfred Bog, contact the Nature
Conservancy of Canada (see Contacts) or
visit www.natureconservancy.ca *.
Putting Landowners in the Driver’s Seat: Ecogifts
Many private and corporate landowners have taken a valuable step
to conserve wetlands by donating the land to government and non-government
conservation organizations. Others have placed land use restrictions
on the property title by donating conservation easements. The Ecological
Gifts Program of Environment Canada recognizes such efforts –
by certifying their land donations as ecological gifts, donors can
receive enhanced income tax benefits.
In Ontario, the program has facilitated the donation of 105 gifts.
Of these, 62 properties (3,160 hectares) worth an estimated $10.8
million are either partially or wholly wetland.
For more information, contact Environment Canada, Toronto
(see Contacts), or visit the Ecological
Gifts website at www.on.ec.gc.ca/ecogifts.
Why do people donate?
It is a graceful arc of sand pushed by wind and water. At your
back is an impenetrable thicket of alder and willow, occasionally
relieved by pockets of deep black water. Look forward and you are
blinded by the midday sun bouncing off Lake Ontario. You are standing
on one of the better-preserved barrier beach and dune systems on
the lake. The coastal wetland it protects remains intact, species-rich
and complex.
Too often beaches such as this one on Wolfe Island disappear with
intense recreational use or cottage development and accompanying
wetlands are drained or degraded. In this case, a large portion
of the wetland, beach, and dunes was purchased through a GLWCAP
and EHJV partnership. One of the key areas of the wetland barrier
beach system was secured through a donation by a private landowner
to Ducks Unlimited Canada. The donation was made through Environment
Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program. By making an ‘ecogift’,
the landowner ensured his land would be protected in perpetuity
and became entitled to enhanced income tax benefits from the charitable
donation receipt.
Many landowners have long realized the importance of wetlands and
as a result, have specifically sought out wetland properties to
purchase. At retirement age, many make an important decision to
protect these areas forever by donating full or partial title (such
as a conservation easement) to a conservation organization.
Wetlands have some strong supporters. Don and Ruth Bucknell, proud
owners of Mud Lake wetland near Ingersoll, Ontario – donors
of a conservation easement to the Nature Conservancy of Canada –
sum up their values:
We have always been very concerned about the loss of
wetland and woodland habitat. Forty years ago we purchased a marsh
and pond known locally as Mud Lake. Over the years we have enjoyed
this property immensely and have added to its value to wildlife
with reforestation… Through an Easement Agreement with the
Nature Conservancy of Canada it will continue to be preserved
with absolutely no development of any kind allowed now or in the
future regardless who owns the property…
Securing MacGregor Point for Future Generations
In the summer of 2001, GLWCAP partners and other interested local
parties purchased portions of the provincially significant MacGregor
Point Wetland Complex, including 800 metres of Lake Huron shoreline
and 166 hectares of wetland and associated upland. The wetland complex
is made up of 71 individual wetlands that include approximately
82 percent swamp, 14 percent fen, and four percent marsh. This area
is one of the largest remaining undeveloped parcels along the southern
Lake Huron shoreline.
Located between Kincardine and Port Elgin and adjoining MacGregor
Point Provincial Park, this area faces increased pressures from
seasonal tourism and recreation. Despite the encroaching stresses,
the shoreline is a major migration route for birds and boasts areas
of sand dunes, mature cedar forests and wetlands.
Over 100 breeding bird species use this area, including the Great
Egret, and also the Red-shouldered Hawk – a provincially vulnerable
and national species of concern. The property is traditional roosting
habitat for the provincially endangered Bald Eagle. It is an active
feeding area for the Black-crowned Night-Heron and is home to 15
to 20 species of warblers. The area is used for feeding by Great
Blue Herons and is home to the regionally significant Four-toed
Salamander and Ring-necked Snake.
The Province of Ontario holds the title to the lands and Ontario
Parks will manage the property. All partners recognized that securing
the property is only the beginning of its long-term protection and
that the natural ecosystems need protection and management. Habitat
stewardship activities under consideration include:
- development and implementation of a management
plan in conjunction with MacGregor Point Provincial Park to integrate
complementary public access trail use, habitat restoration and
interpretive viewpoints;
- collaboration with Friends of MacGregor
Point Provincial Park to enhance public education in the expanded
park;
- annual monitoring and evaluation of the
site to contribute to the scientific knowledge of the species
that it supports; and,
- signage to designate the property boundaries
as per regulations.
For more information, visit www.ontarioparks.com *.
National Stewardship Conference 2003
Anational gathering of Canada’s stewardship and conservation
organizations is being planned for July 3rd to 6th, 2003 at the
University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. The conference, The Leading
Edge: Stewardship and Conservation in Canada, aims to bring conservationists,
scientists and policy makers together from across Canada to advance
the roles of stewardship and conservation.
Major themes are:
- Strategic Directions;
- Organizational Advancement;
- Program Tools; and,
- Legal, Economic and Policy Tools.
For more information, visit http://landtrustalliance.bc.ca/ *.
Top
Strategy 4:
Create, Reclaim, Rehabilitate and Manage Wetlands
From planting projects in school classrooms to the use of natural
live materials (bioengineering) where stone and concrete have been
used traditionally, innovation is rampant in wetland rehabilitation.
Knowledge gained from new projects is shared through workshops,
courses and manuals detailing the ins and outs of wetland creation
and rehabilitation. A variety of government and non-government organizations
have rehabilitated thousands of hectares of wetlands throughout
the Great Lakes basin.
Successful rehabilitation depends on a great deal of conceptual
planning, research and design flexibility. Wetlands are ever-changing
systems that have adapted to local conditions over many decades.
It is not only important that a rehabilitated wetland looks like
a wetland, it must also function as one. There are many things to
consider, including:
- the position of the wetland in the surrounding
watershed;
- the presence and/or quality of a seedbank,
or a natural source in the area that allows for recolonization
of vegetation;
- the connection between the wetland and the
water table;
- the underlying sediment; and,
- the need for water level variability to
maintain new wetland vegetation communities.
Imagination becomes a key component of coastal wetland rehabilitation.
Projects that show innovation often follow the principles of adaptive
resource management (ARM) – a long-term technique based on
a three-step process of taking action, monitoring results and adjusting
the activity as necessary, or “learning from doing”.
Definitions*
Rehabilitation – Improvement of the
functions or values of a degraded wetland.
Restoration – Modification of the
existing function and structure of a wetland's habitat so that it
is similar to historical conditions.
Creation – The conversion of a persistent
upland vegetation community or ephemeral shallow water area into
a permanent wetland where no previous wetland existed.
Enhancement – An existing wetland
where some planned activity by humans addresses the stresses or
limitations to change one or more wetland functions or values.
* From ManseII, W.D., L. Christl, R. Maher, A. Norman,
N. Patterson, and T. Whillans. 1998. Temperate Wetlands Restoration
Guidelines. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment Canada
(Canadian Wildlife Service) and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Oshawa Second Marsh – Update on the Second Phase
Located in the city of Oshawa, Ontario on the north shore of Lake
Ontario, the 123-hectare Oshawa Second Marsh was once a healthy,
well-vegetated barrier beach wetland, with a robust and diverse
wildlife community.
The story of the degradation and subsequent rehabilitation of Oshawa
Second Marsh is long and ongoing. By the 1970s, a combination of
upstream agriculture and urbanization resulting in sedimentation,
alteration of the original wetland outlet, dredgeate dumping, carp
arrival, and direct sewage discharges had seriously degraded the
wetland. The final damaging events began in 1974, when the Oshawa
Harbour Commission blocked the western outlet to the lake in order
to raise water levels in the marsh, and allow heavy equipment to
drill boreholes in preparation for harbour expansion. The following
spring, large clumps of vegetation floated out to Lake Ontario through
a new eastern outlet during record high water levels. This vegetation
loss continued and, by the 1980s, vegetation was reduced to a narrow
fringe of cattail.
An adaptive resource management approach to rehabilitation was
initially led by Environment Canada from 1994 to 1996. A key component
of these efforts, local citizens’ group the Second Marsh Defence
Association (now Friends of Second Marsh) helped coordinate the
wetland rehabilitation. The goal was to restore, as much as possible,
the wetland community of plants and animals that had existed prior
to 1970. Efforts included:
- reopening of the western channel through
the barrier beach;
- creation of four deflector islands used
to restore historic water flow patterns through deflection of
water;
- attempts to exclude carp through various
means including a link fence, log barriers and protective cells
made of discarded Christmas trees;
- creation of 11 habitat islands, including
one that unexpectedly fostered a Common Tern colony; and,
- construction of trails, bridges, viewing
towers and boardwalks to encourage community appreciation for
the marsh.
Each effort had variable successess and challenges. Valuable lessons
were learned about coastal wetland rehabilitation that could be
applied elsewhere around the Great Lakes. However, it seemed that
a more intensive approach might be required to restore the original
functions and values of Second Marsh.
Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is leading a second phase of marsh
rehabilitation. In 2001, DUC began a project to divert the sediment-laden
Harmony Creek around Second Marsh to the lake in order to alleviate
further sedimentation of the wetland and decrease turbidity. Construction
of an earthen dyke on the eastern bank of the channel in the winter
of 2001/2002 used natural channel design for the lower portion of
the creek below the historic inflow to the wetland. A fishway was
also constructed through the dyke between the diverted Harmony Creek
and the marsh, allowing marsh access for most fish but excluding
large carp that destroy submerged vegetation and cause increased
turbidity. In addition, marsh water levels will be managed to promote
vegetation regeneration using a pump located at the barrier beach.
The rehabilitation efforts appear to be working already. In summer
of 2002, turbidity levels dropped significantly in Second Marsh.
The resulting improvement in water clarity has increased diversity
and growth of submerged plants. Aquatic vegetation such as wild
celery, that has not been seen in Oshawa Second Marsh in years was
present and will be further encouraged by a draw down of the marsh
in 2003.
While short-term efforts appear to be working, the long-term solution
calls for better watershed management through a local landowner
stewardship program and perhaps re-opening the marsh to the lake
and creek once the vegetation has recovered.
The Second Marsh Project is an exceptional example of the effectiveness
of partnerships and cooperative action. Key partners in the overall
project include the City of Oshawa, Friends of Second Marsh, Environment
Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service), Ducks Unlimited Canada, and
numerous other partners that have supported the project over the
years.
For more information, contact Ducks Unlimited Canada
(see Contacts).
Ontario landowners conserving wetlands via the Wetland Habitat
Fund
Ontario’s wetlands are mostly privately owned, so their longterm
health depends on the actions of thousands of private landowners.
The Ontario Wetland Habitat Fund (WHF) was created in 1997 to support
landowners who conserve, enhance or restore wetland habitat. The
WHF provides technical advice and financial assistance (50 percent
of costs up to $5,000) for projects that improve the ecological
integrity of wetlands. Landowners develop wetland conservation plans,
provide matching funds and resources, and carry out and maintain
their projects. Landowners further demonstrate their commitment
by signing 10-year conservation agreements.
WHF field staff help landowners devise practical, cost-effective
habitat projects, including planting or protecting vegetated buffers
around wetlands, creating small water control structures to restore
wetland hydrology, restricting livestock access, creating alternative
watering systems and rehabilitating degraded wetlands by managing
vegetation or runoff.
As of fall 2002, more than 500 private landowners have received
WHF support. The average project costs about $10,600, with WHF contributing
about $3,200 to each. These projects have enhanced over 10,700 hectares
of wetlands and 13,100 hectares of associated upland habitats throughout
southern Ontario. About half of the projects are on farm properties;
the remainder involve non-farm rural landowners.
The WHF is a core program of the Ontario Eastern Habitat Joint
Venture. It is sponsored by Wildlife Habitat Canada, the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment Canada, and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, and is delivered with help from Conservation
Ontario, Stewardship Ontario, the Landowner Resource Centre, and
other conservation groups.
For more information, contact the Wetland Habitat Fund
(see Contacts). To discuss project ideas
or apply for funding, contact the WHF representative for your area,
available from www.wetlandfund.com *.
The Monticello Project: the State of Ohio joins Ontarians to Enhance
Waterfowl Habitat
The Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) comprises 5,665
hectares of undulating landscape in Dufferin and Wellington Counties
and forms a part of the headwaters of the Grand River, the largest
drainage basin in southern Ontario. Luther Lake, a man-made reservoir
initially flooded in 1952, is the most prominent feature in the
area. Many wetlands were destroyed or seriously degraded by drainage
activities conducted prior to the acquisition of the WMA lands by
the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and the MNR.
In 1984, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), under formal agreements
with the GRCA and MNR, completed four “satellite” projects
around Luther Lake to begin to put back lost wetlands. These projects,
totalling 40 hectares, rehabilitate or enhance small historical
wetlands degraded by earlier land drainage activities. Many other
sites were also identified as potential restoration areas, including
a relatively flat area of land southwest of the hamlet of Monticello,
from which four small watersheds emanate. This site was drained
by a series of ditches, but most of the land remained too wet to
cultivate.
The goal of the Monticello project was to restore the wetland to
create high quality habitat, including areas of open water and distinct
vegetation communities, for a wide range of waterfowl and other
wildlife species. Beginning in 2000, DUC built dykes and water control
structures to limit surface drainage. A dyke now divides the area
into two cells, each with a different type of wetland habitat –
wet meadow and shrub swamp. Water control structures allow water
transfer and independence between the cells. The cells became operational
in summer 2001, and monitoring will occur on an annual basis to
ensure the health of the wetland communities.
Even before restoration, the Gadwall Cell was characterized by
sedges and grasses. This dominant wet meadow vegetation remains
while restoration efforts have permitted the creation of pools of
standing water in topographic depressions of the wetland. This cell
provides highly attractive habitat for breeding Mallard, Blue-winged
Teal and Greenwinged Teal. Shoveller, Bufflehead, Pintail, Gadwall,
Widgeon and others also find this habitat attractive during migration.
Significant increases in Northern Leopard Frogs have been noted
in the area, in addition to other amphibian and reptile usage. In
the past few years, several Great Egrets have also been sighted.
The Black Duck Cell was created on land originally drained and
cleared for agricultural use, but its chronically wet and untillable
nature allowed the regeneration of wetland shrubs and trees; alder,
willow and dogwood in the wetter elevations and poplar, elm, ash,
wild apple and hawthorn around the perimeter on drier sites. Independent
management of water levels between the two cells allows restoration
of this shrub swamp through existing and establishing vegetation
communities. The Black Duck cell is ideal habitat for Wood Ducks
and Black Ducks, though many other types of waterfowl and other
wildlife will also be attracted to this habitat.
A large block of land surrounding the wetland cells will be managed
to augment wildlife habitat values. These uplands are dominated
by land that is currently under cultivation; however, a small portion
is characterized by sedges, grasses, shrubs and small trees. It
is planned to let natural successional processes continue in some
areas, and manage remaining areas as permanent grassland or modified
agriculture.
Funding for the Monticello project has interesting origins. Bird
banding at Luther Marsh WMA allowed Ohio waterfowl hunters to trace
a large portion of hunted ducks back to Luther Marsh. This triggered
interest from the State of Ohio to explore further breeding ground
enhancement plans for Luther Marsh in order to increase the number
of ducks migrating through Ohio. As a result, a partnership formed,
comprised of the MNR, GRCA, DUC and the State of Ohio, which explored
options and chose to fund the now completed Monticello project.
For more information, contact Ducks Unlimited Canada
(see Contacts).
Atocas Bay – Securement, Rehabilitation and Awareness in
Eastern Ontario
In the spring of 2001, EHJV partners including Environment Canada,
MNR and DUC, purchased a 648-hectare property fronting on the Ottawa
River, known as Atocas Bay. The area is approximately 50 kilometres
east of Ottawa and is a significant wetland pothole complex containing
over 200 individual wetland basins. Unfortunately, land use practices,
including agricultural drainage, have resulted in the loss of up
to 90 percent of the wetlands in the area.
Since acquisition, DUC has begun to restore many of these wetland
basins for the benefit of waterfowl, other wildlife, and people.
The use of simple earthen plugs, small dykes and water-management
structures has restored hydrology and resulted in the return of
aquatic vegetation to the wetlands.
In addition, the property is used to demonstrate to local landowners
and resource agencies the functions and values of wetlands, and
benefits of land conservation practices. Conservation-oriented agricultural
land use practices will be critical to enhancing the surrounding
area.
Although the Atocas Bay property is relatively contiguous, there
are a few private land parcels that break up the area and as such
do not allow the restoration and management to be carried out to
its full potential. DUC staff have identified four key properties
that would consolidate the project. Two of these landowners have
confirmed an interest in securing their lands (excluding their residences
and immediate area).
This project has great potential to benefit breeding waterfowl
and also to have significant and positive impacts on the local attitudes
and future activities of land managers and resource organizations
towards wetlands.
For more information contact Ducks Unlimited Canada (see
Contacts).
Opening the Cattails at Cooper Marsh
Dense stands of one plant species in coastal wetlands often result
from limited water level fluctuations. These monotypic communities
can become so dense that fish and wildlife movement is limited and
overall plant diversity is reduced. During the 1980s, channelization
opened up a monotypic cattail stand at the Cooper Marsh Conservation
Area near Cornwall and enhanced the breeding and migration of waterfowl
and access by fish.
Partners in a renewed effort to rehabilitate Cooper Marsh hope
that further opening the cattail mat will result in a greater biological
and vegetative diversity. During the winter/spring months of 2002
a series of serpentine channels and associated large ponds with
loafing sites were constructed. This project will increase spawning
and nursery habitat for a number of fish species, including Yellow
Perch and Largemouth Bass, and is hoped to further increase the
viable habitat of breeding and migratory waterfowl.
Project partners include Environment Canada’s Great Lakes
Sustainability Fund, Eastern Habitat Joint Venture, Raisin Region
Conservation Authority, Ministry of Natural Resources, St. Lawrence
River Institute of Environmental Sciences, Department of Fisheries
and Oceans, Job Creation Program, and Ducks Unlimited Canada.
For more information contact the Raisin River Conservation
Authority (see Contacts).
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Strategy 5:
Strengthen Legislation, Policies, Agreements and Compliance
In Ontario, there is no specific wetlands legislation. Wetlands
are protected indirectly by a number of federal and provincial acts
(the provincial Planning Act, Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Act, Municipal
Act, Endangered Species Act, Lakes
and Rivers Improvement Act, Conservation
Land Act, Conservation Authorities Act,
Environmental Assessment Act, Ontario
Water Resources Act, and the federal Canada
Wildlife Act, Fisheries Act, Migratory
Birds Convention Act, and Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act), but are most often protected through policies,
agreements and regulations. GLWCAP partners continue to review and
promote strengthening and enforcement of existing policies whenever
possible.
The Canada – Ontario Agreement and GLWCAP
The most recent Canada – Ontario Agreement Respecting the
Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA) was signed in March 2002 and will
last for five years, ending in 2007. COA represents a coordinated
effort between the Province of Ontario and Canada to work together
to improve the health of the Great Lakes basin. The implementation
of the COA falls under four Annexes: Lakewide Management, Areas
of Concern, Harmful Pollutants, and Monitoring and Information Management.
Under the Lakewide Management Annex, Result 2 (Rehabilitate, conserve
and protect fish and wildlife habitats and protected areas) both
Canada and Ontario are called upon to implement GLWCAP. This ensures
the long-term commitment of both parties to the Agreement to continue
to conserve Great Lakes wetlands.
The full text of the COA is available on-line at www.on.ec.gc.ca/coa.
The Walkerton Water Tragedy – Wetlands get “Standing”
Anyone who lived in Canada in the spring and summer of 2000 became
acutely aware of the tragic events that transpired in the small
town of Walkerton, located on the banks of the Saugeen River in
southern Ontario. Following a number of days of heavy rains, Walkerton’s
drinking water system became contaminated with deadly bacteria,
primarily Escherichia coli O157:H7. Seven people died and more than
2,300 became ill as a result.
The events in Walkerton triggered public alarm about the safety
of Ontario’s drinking water. In response, the Government of
Ontario commissioned a public inquiry resulting in a final report
issued by Justice Dennis O’Connor in 2002, which was divided
into two parts. Part 1 of the inquiry outlined the events in Walkerton
and the causes of the tragedy; Part 2 makes longterm, comprehensive
recommendations to ensure the safety of drinking water across Ontario.
There were many interested parties who were heard at Part 2 of
the inquiry and whose written and verbal contributions were considered
in the final recommendations of the inquiry. Two of these contributions,
from Ducks Unlimited Canada and Conservation Ontario, are particularly
relevant to the importance of wetlands in maintaining water quality.
These papers are available at www.ducks.ca and www.conservation-ontario.on.ca.
The final recommendations were grouped into Source Protection,
Standards and Technology, Municipal Water Providers, Provincial
Oversight and Special Cases. Source Protection is especially relevant
to GLWCAP as it indirectly addresses the role of wetlands in preserving
water quality. Source Protection aims to ensure that water quality
is protected within the watershed before it reaches the water treatment
plant. Justice O’Connor recommends watershed based planning,
led by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and by the Conservation
Authorities (where appropriate).
Each watershed in the province would have a source protection plan
developed which would include, ”at a minimum“:
- a water budget for the watershed, or a plan for developing a
water budget where sufficient data are not yet available;
- the identification of all significant water withdrawals, including
municipal intakes;
- land use maps for the watershed;
- the identification of wellhead areas;
- maps of areas of groundwater vulnerability that include characteristics
such as depth to bedrock, depth to water table, the extent of
aquifers, and recharge rates;
- the identification of all major point and non-point source of
contaminants in the watershed;
- a model that describes the fate of pollutants in the watershed;
- a program for identifying and properly decommissioning abandoned
wells, excavations, quarries, and other shortcuts that can introduce
contaminants into aquifers;
- the identification of areas where a significant direct threat
exists to the safety of drinking water (in such cases, municipal
Official Plans and zoning decisions mush be consistent with the
plan); and,
- the identification of significant knowledge gaps and/or research
needs to help target monitoring efforts.”
Many of these recommendations include wetlands indirectly. For
example, in order to complete a water budget, it is necessary to
know where water is being stored within the watershed. Often wetlands
are a major area of water storage. Similarly, in order to complete
a land use map of a watershed, all wetlands must be noted.
The provincial government is moving forward to address the recommendations.
- The Nutrient Management
Act was passed in June 2002 and will play an important
role in protecting source areas by minimizing the effects of agricultural
practices on the environment.
- Significant funding has been allocated to
establishing a provincial groundwater monitoring network and increasing
groundwater studies to identify wellhead protection areas in communities
that rely on ground water for drinking water supply.
- The Ministry of the Environment and Ministry
of Natural Resources are working to conduct watershed pilot projects
that will address a range of approaches to managing and protecting
water resources with local communities.
- The province’s Conservation Authorities
will also play an important role in implementation, as they are
the only agency in Ontario structured on a watershed basis. They
will work in partnership with the provincial government to set
up more than 350 water quality monitoring stations throughout
Ontario, and will also contribute to the development of water
budget knowledge and methodologies.
- In November 2002, an Advisory Committee
was established to guide the development of a framework for protecting
drinking water at the source. A draft framework should be ready
in early 2003. Advisory Committee members represent a wide range
of interests and expertise related to watershed-based source protection
planning, from municipalities and the agricultural community,
to conservation organizations, First Nations and academic interests.
For more information, visit www.ene.gov.on.ca *.
Using the Drainage Act to Restore Wetlands?
For years, the provincial Drainage Act has
frustrated those who work to conserve and protect wetlands as it
permits draining water from wetlands, often to allow agricultural
land uses in naturally wet areas. The emergence of an innovative
project in Norfolk County, bordering the north shore of Lake Erie
at Long Point may change all that.
Farmers in Norfolk County have experienced lower than average precipitation
in four of the last five years, resulting in decreased agricultural
revenues, dry wells, depleted aquifers and the degradation of local
stream ecosystems and wetlands. In response, the Ministry of Natural
Resources, Norfolk County and cooperating landowners are altering
municipal drains to restore wetlands and their associated water
storage, ground water recharge and water purification functions.
The Wetland Drain Restoration Project is a multi-partnered government
and nongovernment collaboration that facilitates the restoration
of wetlands being drained by municipal drains, through the installation
of water control structures. Benefits to local communities include
ground water recharge, maintenance of surface water baseflows, and
help for those who use water to lessen the impacts of recent drought
conditions. Preliminary monitoring by the University of Western
Ontario has shown that both ground and surface water conditions
have been improved on restored sites. Wetland flora and fauna have
also returned to some of the restored wetland areas.
Cooperation, communication and partnerships have been essential
for success in the Norfolk area to modify drains for enhanced agricultural
and wetland benefits. One unanticipated benefit has been that after
seeing the success of such projects for agriculture, neighboring
landowners are considering wetland drain restoration on their own
properties.
The Drainage Act has been used as a tool
in this project by drainage superintendents in Norfolk County who
understand the value of wetlands and their ability to restore water
quantity and quality in the landscape. One of the most significant
benefits of using the Drainage Act for wetland
restoration, is that restoration efforts are secured by bylaw. Drain
modification and structures will remain even if there is change
in ownership of the land. Further, the drainage superintendent is
responsible for maintenance and operation of the structures.
The Norfolk Land Stewardship Council and Norfolk County successfully
completed a prototype project on the Big Marsh Drain in 1999. The
Ministry of Natural Resources, Norfolk County and partners have
since completed 16 wetland restoration feasibility studies in Norfolk
County and seven in Elgin County. Five sites have been restored
in Norfolk County totaling 145 hectares of wetland area. Six sites
are pending restoration in 2003 (one in Elgin County) totaling 160
hectares of wetland area. Forty-seven sites have been identified
for future feasibility studies in Elgin and Norfolk County. Ten
additional new sites have been identified through the initiative
of landowners and drainage superintendents throughout southern Ontario.
The positive momentum created by the Wetland Drain Restoration Project
is obvious, and will support the expansion of the project throughout
Ontario in the coming years.
For more information contact the Wetland Drain Project
(see Contacts).
Bait-Frog Harvesting Regulations in Ontario
New regulations were introduced in 2000 to address the MNR concern
that the unregulated bait-frog industry in Ontario might be having
a negative impact on frog populations. As a result, only Northern
Leopard Frogs may be legally harvested, frogs can only be commercially
harvested east of Peterborough County, and harvesters require licenses
and must report their catch.
The MNR and Watershed Science Centre (associated with Trent University)
are coordinating several bait harvesting research projects. In order
to make sure that the industry is not having a negative impact on
Northern Leopard Frog populations, a monitoring program has been
put in place in which 150 permanent stations are monitored every
spring. The balance between colonizations and local extinctions
is used to assess the health of the Northern Leopard Frog population
over a broad area.
The Five-year Review of the Provincial Policy Statement
Ontario’s policies on matters of provincial interest related
to land use planning and development are undergoing a scheduled
five-year review. These policies are contained in what is known
as the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), under the province’s
Planning Act and include natural heritage policies related to wetlands.
The purpose of the review is to find out whether the PPS needs to
be revised. The review includes consultations to hear about the
effectiveness of the PPS policies, the need for revisions and the
nature of any possible changes.
The formal comment period finished in fall 2002, followed by the
provincial government addressing concerns and reviewing submissions.
GLWCAP partners Environment Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the
Nature Conservancy of Canada submitted a joint letter to the Minister
of Municipal Affairs and Housing (who administers the Act) expressing
the common goal of recommending administrative changes to improve
the effectiveness of the current provincial wetlands policy. The
Minister was encouraged to strengthen the natural-heritage policy
(2.3 of the Policy Statement), specifically as it relates to wetland
conservation in Ontario.
The land use policies being reviewed have great influence over
wetlands in Ontario. They set out guidelines for land use planning
in the province. The Planning Act requires that municipalities,
provincial ministries, the Ontario Municipal Board and other decision-makers
“have regard” to the Provincial Policy Statement when
making decisions on land use planning matters.
Canada’s Species at Risk Act
The Government of Canada’s three-part strategy to protect
species at risk consists of building on the federal-provincial-territorial
Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk, developing and implementing
stewardship and incentive programs, and creating and passing federal
endangered species legislation, the Species at Risk
Act (SARA), Bill C-5. At the time of the previous GLWCAP
Highlights Report, legislation to improve Canada’s species
at risk protection was in preparation. Since that time, Bill C-5
has been passed into law.
Under SARA, COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife
in Canada) is given legal status and will continue to assess and
classify species at risk using the best available knowledge. Further,
SARA will prohibit the killing, harming, harassing, capturing or
taking of species officially listed as threatened, endangered or
extirpated, and the destruction of their residences. Protection
of critical habitat for those species will be provided through the
development and implementation of recovery strategies and action
plans. Once identified, critical habitat will be protected by conservation
agreements, provincial or territorial legislation, or federal prohibitions.
For up-to-date information about Canada’s proposed
Species at Risk Act, visit www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca.
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Strategy 6:
Strengthen Local Planning and Commitment to Wetland Conservation
The interest, efforts and commitment of local citizens ensure that
many wetlands remain in good condition or receive rehabilitation.
The importance of local efforts in wetland conservation is at times
undervalued. Supporting local groups ensures that projects, maintenance
and monitoring are completed. Training and assistance to develop
the membership and skills of these groups are important.
Grand River Conservation Authority Wetlands Policy
The Grand River watershed is the largest in southern Ontario, covering
7,000 square kilometres from the shores of Lake Erie north to Dundalk,
an area the size of the province of Prince Edward Island. The watershed
is one of the richest agricultural regions in Ontario and one of
the most rapidly growing, with population estimates suggesting 37
percent growth over the next 20 years. This intensive land use creates
many watershed-wide resource management issues including the ability
of the river and groundwater system to meet the demand for water,
the maintenance of river water quality, the capacity of the Grand
River to receive waste water and the protection of wildlife habitats
under the stresses of urbanization.
These stresses are taxing the watershed’s wetlands. Like
much of Ontario, the Grand River watershed has lost between 65 and
85 percent of its wetlands and losses continue. In response, the
Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has taken the initiative
to strengthen wetland protection and management throughout the watershed
through the administration of its Fill, Construction and Alteration
to Waterways Regulation and other resource management programs.
The GRCA Wetlands Policy was developed with extensive stakeholder
input and is written to complement the current Provincial Policy
Statement regarding Provincially Significant Wetlands.
The Policy is built on four guiding principles:
- wetlands are critical to sustaining surface
and groundwater quality and quantity and, therefore, essential
to the well-being of humans and all other forms of life in the
Grand River watershed;
- wetlands are core components of the natural
heritage system of the Grand River;
- wetlands will be managed on a watershed
and subwatershed basis; and,
- wetland loss will be avoided.
In the July 2002 draft of the policy released for municipal review,
there are six broad Wetland Policies identified. Under each Policy
are a series of specific objectives and implementation guidelines.
The six overarching policies are:
- Wetland Identification and Data Management;
- Planning and Protection;
- Land Securement;
- Stewardship;
- Information and Education; and,
- Monitoring and Reporting.
Given the size of the Grand River watershed and the difficulties
in managing such a large and diverse landscape, the GRCA has had
to evolve to keep pace with changes in watershed science, and land
management and protection, thrusting the GRCA into the forefront
as one of Ontario’s most cutting-edge Conservation Authorities.
Once approved by board members (likely in 2003), the GRCA Wetlands
Policy will be a major step towards local wetland protection, thereby
leading the way for other Conservation Authorities in Ontario to
adopt similar wetland protection policies and targets.
For more information contact the Grand River Conservation
Authority (see Contacts) or visit www.grandriver.ca *.
Kingston Wetlands Working Group – Community Action on all
Fronts
For seven years, the members of the Kingston Wetlands Working Group
(KWWG) have met on an informal basis to share experiences, knowledge,
expertise and resources in an effort to protect and restore the
wetlands and natural corridors in the Kingston area. The group is
a coalition of government and nongovernment organizations that recognize
the importance of the wetlands of this area to watershed water quality
and quantity and as wildlife habitat, and is an excellent example
of the effectiveness of local cooperation and coordination.
The KWWG has received two grants from Environment Canada’s
EcoAction program providing four years of funding for Little Cataraqui
Creek Improvement Projects. The goal of the project is to provide
assistance and educational materials to private landowners who are
interested in enhancing or creating a vegetative buffer along the
creek. Thousands of shrubs, trees, wildflowers and wetland plants
have been planted at sites around the City of Kingston. Planting
sites include City parks, the Frontenac (Correctional) Institution,
and private landowner properties. Volunteers from Boy Scouts and
Girl Guides, Queens University students, local schools, cadets and
corrections volunteers have been involved in planting activities.
A series of fact sheets and a brochure about wetlands, buffers and
the Little Cataraqui Creek have been developed to promote the Buffer
Project to the local community.
The KWWG is involved in many other aspects of wetland conservation
in the area. Members are currently coordinating creating channels
within a monoculture cattail stand to increase edge habitats and
wildlife usage. A 200-metre stretch of the creek will be bioengineered
and re-graded to reduce erosion and sedimentation. KWWG’s
advice is often sought regarding local wetland management and protection
issues, such as assessing the potential impact on area wetlands
of expanding Highway 401, a major throughway that will cross significant
wetland area, and the attempt to incorporate wetlands and corridors
into the City’s Waterfront Planning Policy.
The group is committed to protecting and restoring wetland ecosystems
in the Kingston area through public education, good stewardship,
and cooperative action. With members from the Cataraqui Region Conservation
Authority, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources, Environment Canada, the Kingston Field Naturalists, Loyalist
Township, Canadian Forces Base Kingston, Correctional Services Canada,
South Frontenac Stewardship Council, Parks Canada-Rideau Canal,
and the City of Kingston the group has a great breadth and depth
of technical experience in dealing with wetland issues including
engineering, biology, communications and legislation.
For more information, contact the Kingston Wetlands Working
Group (see Contacts).
Going beyond the Provincial Policy Statement for Wetland Conservation
The Provincial Policy Statement for Ontario (PPS) (1997) issued
under the Planning Act provides policy direction on matters of provincial
interest related to land use planning and development, including
the protection of natural heritage features such as significant
wetlands. Provincial policies complement locally-generated policies
regarding matters of local interest, and set minimum standards for
planning in Ontario. Local planning decisions are required to “have
regard to” stated provincial interests.
Section 2.3 of the PPS states that natural heritage features will
be protected from incompatible development, more specifically “development
and site alteration will not be permitted in significant wetlands
south and east of the Canadian Shield”. Significant wetlands
defined in the PPS are those wetlands that have been evaluated using
the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System and considered to be provincially
significant.
The PPS does not restrict local plans from going beyond the minimum
standard in developing local official plans and making decisions
on planning matters, unless doing so would conflict with any other
provincial interest and/or policy. This allows wetland protection
policies to be enhanced in Official Plans. For example, in Simcoe
County the Township of Springwater's Official Plan (2001) has gone
beyond the minimum standard in the PPS to protect all evaluated
wetlands from development. In addition, the Township's Official
Plan does not allow development within 30 metres of provincially
significant wetlands, and 15 metres of locally significant wetlands.
Springwater's policies are an excellent example of progressive local
policies on wetland conservation.
High School Receives Funding to Complete Wetland Evaluations
Haliburton high school seniors are about to learn about their local
wetlands. Emma Thurley, a high school teacher from Haliburton Highlands
Secondary School contacted several agencies to learn more about
the protocols required to monitor local wetlands with her students.
Very few wetlands have been officially evaluated by the MNR in the
area, as it is an expensive and timeconsuming process.
Thurley received a great deal of information, including the Ontario
Wetland Evaluation System Manual from the MNR, and Environment
Canada's Rehabilitating Great Lakes Habitats: A
Resource Manual. She then secured funding from the MNR through
the Community Wildlife Involvement Program to attend the Ontario
Wetland Evaluation training course at Nipissing University in the
summer of 2002.
Thurley will begin taking senior students to local wetlands this
year and passing on the knowledge that she has gained. The project
will not only help the county protect potentially significant wetlands,
but will also give students hands-on experience and show them potential
career opportunities. Green Street, an environmental education coordinating
agency supported by the J. W. McConnell Family Foundation, will
help pay for buses to transport students to the field sites, local
landowners are participating by allowing the use of private boats,
and Ducks Unlimited Canada is providing additional funding and resources.
How Much Habitat is Enough? A 2002 Assessment
The Framework for Guiding Habitat Rehabilitation
in Great Lakes Areas of Concern was published in 1998 as
a joint effort between Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry
of Natural Resources and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.
It was intended to provide guidelines for habitat rehabilitation
with the goal of restoring lost beneficial uses of wildlife habitat
in AOCs on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes.
A major feature of the Framework is that
it offers guidelines for the amount and type of habitat and thresholds
that should be present in a degraded watershed to allow for various
wildlife communities. For example, the guideline for wetland rehabilitation
for AOCs is to have 10 percent of each major watershed in wetland
habitat, and six percent of each subwatershed in wetland habitat,
or to restore to the original percentage of wetland in the watershed.
The Framework has positively influenced municipal
planning processes, such as in Tay Township in the Severn Sound
Area of Concern, which was de-listed in 2002.
A 2002 assessment of the Framework and its
application indicated that it is well used within AOCs, and is also
beginning to be used outside AOCs.
- In most AOCs with impaired beneficial uses
of wildlife habitat, the Framework is used
to set habitat targets on a watershed basis, to locate habitat
rehabilitation projects, and/or set AOC delisting criteria.
- Of the five Conservation Authorities located
outside of AOCs who were aware of the Framework,
all were using it to guide habitat rehabilitation, and also for
a wide range of other applications.
- Among the applications of the Framework
outside of AOCs was the use of the Framework
by agencies as a scientific rationale for their watershed conservation
and rehabilitation work in dealing with the public and politicians.
- Additional Conservation Authorities (16)
who were not aware of the Framework were
contacted and received a copy of the Great Lakes fact sheet How
Much Habitat is Enough? Almost all expressed an interest
in learning more and many identified the Framework
as a needed scientific backing for watershed habitat conservation
and rehabilitation.
In 2002/2003, a review of the literature published since the release
of the Framework will ensure the latest scientific
information is in use; also there will be further promotion of this
already successful tool.
Copies of the Framework for Guiding Habitat Rehabilitation
in Great Lakes Areas of Concern and the Great Lakes Fact Sheet How
Much Habitat is Enough? are available from Environment Canada, Toronto
(see Contacts).
The Oliver Family Takes the Lead on Restoration
The Welland River meanders through the privately-owned, 33-hectare
Oliver property, with small surface channels and tributaries flowing
towards the river from the surrounding undulating uplands. Historically,
wetlands comprised 27 percent of the upper Welland River tributaries;
mostly slough forests, floodplain wet meadow and marsh areas. Currently
this area of the watershed has only 2.4 percent wetland habitat
with considerable forest fragmentation. In recent years, the land
was used for agricultural production. However, during high flow
events, the Welland River backed water up into the low-lying field
at the front of the property.
The Oliver family approached the Niagara Peninsula Conservation
Authority (NPCA) to enquire about initiating a project on their
property after receiving NPCA information about habitat restoration.
The family felt that cash-cropping was not a suitable activity for
the low-lying portion of their land – it was their goal to
see the site restored back to its original wetland state.
In 1999, wetland restoration and a habitat management plan were
initiated. The project design included the restoration of the half-hectare
depression area to an open-water wetland, with enhancement of floodplain
swamp forests. In addition, 14 hectares of upland forest (12,000
seedlings) and grasslands were restored, thereby connecting existing
riparian and woodland areas. Partners included the NPCA, Wetland
Habitat Fund, Environment Canada’s Great Lakes Sustainability
Fund, Land Care Niagara, Ontario Power Generation and in-kind support
from contractors and volunteer groups.
The NPCA uses the Framework for Guiding Habitat Rehabilitation
in Great Lakes Areas of Concern to guide the selection of priority
areas for restoration throughout their jurisdiction. The Oliver
property had been selected as a priority site for restoration as
it would support three targets from the Framework:
- Percent forest cover – the project
resulted in increased forest cover and connectivity;
- Percent wetlands in watersheds and subwatersheds
– the project resulted in the restoration of marsh and swamp
area; and,
- Amount of natural vegetation adjacent to
streams – the project resulted in increased buffer area
adjacent to first to third order streams.
Enhancing this wetland increases the floodplain area, slows surface
flow during flood and snowmelt events, and helps prevent downstream
flooding. The wetland provides habitat for frogs and turtles and
other wildlife, filters sediments, and provides nutrient uptake,
which has improved water quality on this property. For more information,
contact the NPCA (see Contacts).
Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund – Support for
Grassroots Action
The Federation of Ontario Naturalists (FON) is the Ontario coordinator
for the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund (GLAHNF). The
network and fund were started in 1996 by the Tip of the Mitt Watershed
Council in Michigan, with financial backing from the C.S. Mott Foundation.
The purpose is to provide information and financial support to grassroots
citizen initiatives working to protect and restore Great Lakes shorelines,
wetlands, inland lakes, rivers and other aquatic habitats in the
Great Lakes basin. GLAHNF includes a grants program – twice-yearly
awards of grants ranging from $500 to $3,500 U.S. for grassroots
aquatic habitat projects in Ontario and the Great Lakes states.
Among the Ontario initiatives funded recently relating to wetlands
protection have been: work by the Water Protection Coalition of
South Grey and by the Grey Association for Better Planning to prevent
a proposed commercial groundwater bottling operation (near Flesherton)
from diminishing a wetland’s water storage capacity; work
by Environment North to build community support for the Lake Superior
National Marine Conservation Area; and public education workshops
led by GreenCase in Caledon on protecting local wetlands and woodlands.
A GLAHNF grant of $3,100 U.S. to the Shoreline Stewardship Association
of Cloud Bay recently yielded particularly positive results. The
group, located near Thunder Bay, sought to educate the public and
the government of a small municipality about the ecological importance
of wetlands and to prevent the establishment of a fully-serviced,
70-unit seasonal trailer park on the banks of the Cloud River near
its mouth and the associated Cloud Bay estuary, a Provincially Significant
Wetland. Coastal wetlands are rare on Lake Superior, making up approximately
six percent of the Canadian shoreline, and the Cloud Bay estuary
has especially high biodiversity.
The Stewardship Association appealed the municipal approval of
the trailer park proposal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) based
on concerns about:
- the potential for the development to irreversibly disturb the
sensitive and pristine wetland ecosystem, for example by boaters
and personal watercraft users accessing the wetland from the campground;
and,
- how proper enforcement of any restrictions placed on motorized
water access to the wetland from the campground could be achieved.
In an August 2002 decision, the OMB agreed with the position of
the Stewardship Association and allowed the appeal.
GLANHF's second function is to facilitate networking among Great
Lakes aquatic habitat community groups. Two ways in which networking
happens are through the bi-monthly Great Lakes Aquatic
Habitat News, available on-line at www.glhabitat.org *
and in hard copy from the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (see
Contacts). Also, the new Great Lakes Directory
is an extensive, on-line resource of Great Lakes environmental information
with regular news updates and listings for over 1,000 environmental
organizations, found online at www.GreatLakesDirectory.org *.
Top
Strategy 7:
Improve Coordination
When dealing with an issue that is as geographically, politically
and ecologically complex as wetland conservation, it is essential
to maintain communication with and encourage participation by a
wide variety of government and non-governmental organizations. The
GLWCAP partners have participated in and contributed to many information-sharing
products and forums over and above those highlighted in this document,
including consultative planning exercises, workshops, conferences
and meetings.
Canadian Wetlands Stewardship National Policy Conference
The conference Canadian Wetlands Stewardship: Setting
a Course Together is being held in Ottawa, Ontario from February
3 to 5, 2003 and will provide a look ahead in implementing wetland
conservation and stewardship initiatives for the coming decade.
Over 600 delegates are expected to attend, representing Canada’s
resource industries, government and non-government wildlife, biodiversity
and stewardship networks. A short Plenary Session is to be followed
by six facilitated working sessions to develop national recommendations
for action:
- Wetlands in Working Landscapes;
- Wetlands, Clean Water and Healthy Communities;
- Canada's Wetland Industry;
- Innovations in Wetland Technology;
- Wetlands Inventory and Monitoring; and,
- Wetland Education.
For more information, visit www.stewardshipcanada.ca *
or www.wetlandscanada.org *.
Collaborative Training in Wetland Restoration
The seventh annual Temperate Wetland Restoration Course was held
September 8 to 13, 2002 in watersheds throughout southern Ontario.
Representatives from all areas of the environmental community participated
– from Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources, to the City of Toronto, the Nature Conservancy of Canada,
Wetland Habitat Fund and municipal drainage superintendents, among
others. Experts from the field of wetland restoration shared their
knowledge at various sites throughout the province as instructors
to an enthusiastic group of individuals.
Participants in the course spent several days in the field learning
to recognize characteristics of, and opportunities for, successful
marsh and swamp restoration projects. Group activities included
conducting field investigations and preparing presentations for
three case studies. The first involved identifying impacts on and
potential options for hydrological restoration of Greenock Swamp
near Walkerton, the second required the development of three options
for wetland restoration in the upper watershed of the Farewell Creek
draining into Oshawa Second Marsh, and the third was presenting
a restoration plan to a landowner near Luther Marsh at the headwaters
of the Grand River.
The course was developed by a consortium including the Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment Canada, Ducks Unlimited
Canada and Trent University.
For more information, visit www.trentu.ca/wsc/wetlandrestorecourse.shtml *
or contact the Ministry of Natural Resources (see Contacts).
Lakewide Management Plans – A Comprehensive Approach to
Lakewide Ecosystem Restoration
The Governments of Canada and the United States, along with provincial,
state and municipal governments and non-government organizations,
have come together to ecologically restore each of the five Great
Lakes. The 1987 Protocol to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
called for Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) to “embody a
systematic and comprehensive ecosystem approach to restoring and
protecting beneficial uses”. Wetland science is incorporated
into the goals of the LaMPs through restoration of degraded fish
and wildlife habitat and degraded populations of fish and wildlife.
There are currently four LaMPs in progress – in Lakes Ontario,
Erie, Superior, and Michigan. A similar process is underway for
Lake Huron. The following paragraphs summarize some of the recent
actions and progress to restore, protect and manage the ecosystems
of each of the Canadian Great Lakes.
Lake Superior LaMP
The Lake Superior LaMP Binational Habitat Committee is a team of
technical personnel from many resource agencies and tribal authorities,
with the goal to protect and maintain existing highquality habitat
and restore degraded plant and animal habitat in the Lake Superior
basin. Two recent activities of the Habitat Committee are:
- production of a map showing ecologically
important areas around the basin with comments about special features
at each site, including important wetland areas; and,
- strategic planning across the entire basin
to identify needed activities and implement projects to protect
or restore habitat features and the ecological processes that
sustain them.
In the Lake Superior LaMP 2002 Progress Report,
ecosystem challenges were identified, such as determining what constitutes
a healthy mammalian community structure in the basin, placing greater
emphasis on amphibian and reptile population restoration and protection,
and promoting better local land use management decisions via locally
driven projects and new legislation to protect wetlands where required.
Next steps for the LaMP include conducting outreach to local communities,
providing resources to support habitat restoration and protection,
and continuing to develop a comprehensive set of ecosystem targets
to guide management actions over the long-term. For example, the
draft ecosystem goal for wetlands, as presented in the LaMP
2002 Progress Report, is to create and distribute a spatial
database of coastal wetlands, identify areas where restoration can
occur by 2006, and restore 25 percent of the degraded wetland acreage
in the Lake Superior basin by 2010.
Lake Erie LaMP
The Lake Erie LaMP 2002 Report outlines
the need for, and initial development of, a Lake Erie Habitat Strategy.
Habitat loss and degradation has been identified as one of the top
three stressors that must be addressed to restore Lake Erie. The
habitat strategy provides a framework to guide and coordinate habitat
protection and restoration efforts in the Lake Erie basin. Monitoring
will switch from a focus on species presence or absence and the
amount of habitat acquired or restored, to a more detailed focus
on population numbers and habitat function. The Lake Erie LaMP will
work with key groups and agencies involved in habitat protection,
restoration and management in the Lake Erie basin and attempt to
coordinate the many existing habitat related projects that are already
underway.
Lake Ontario LaMP
The Lake Ontario LaMP 2002 Report provides
a summary of actions taken and progress by the LaMP. Highlights
of the report include:
- the LaMP has adopted ecosystem indicators
to track progress, including critical pollutant indicators and
lower and upper foodweb indicators;
- fish and wildlife populations have improved;
- populations of benthos and phytoplankton
are degraded due to zebra mussels;
- levels of critical pollutants in fish and
wildlife continue to decline; and,
- sources of critical pollutants in the Lake
Ontario basin are being addressed.
Lake Huron Binational Partnership
Binational federal, provincial, and state agencies have recently
agreed to engage in a new lakewide management process for Lake Huron.
Building on the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s
Lake Huron Initiative, the Lake Huron Binational Partnership will
prioritize and coordinate activities in the basin under several
key issues. Wetland-related issues that the Binational Partnership
will address are: pollutants causing fish and wildlife consumption
restrictions, status and trends in fish and wildlife habitat and
communities, and biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function
(including effects of exotic species). Domestic programs by federal,
provincial, and state agencies as well as by First Nations and non-government
organizations currently address many of these issues. Some examples
are the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and the Great Lakes Heritage
Coast project. The intention of the Binational Partnership is to
link these programs and activities through a targeted workplan.
Currently a five-year workplan is being developed, with a detailed
workplan for the next two years. Such linkages will integrate information,
technology transfer, priority setting, and public involvement.
For more information about the Lake Superior, Erie or
Ontario LaMPs, visit www.on.ec.gc.ca/water/greatlakes/program-lamps-e.html.
For more information about the Lake Huron Initiative, visit www.michigan.gov/deq *.
Volunteer for Nature
Volunteer for Nature is a new partnership between the Federation
of Ontario Naturalists (FON) and Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)
funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The goal of this partnership
is to provide people with the opportunity to work together, learn
new skills and participate in hands-on conservation projects throughout
Ontario.
Ontario Nature Volunteers (ONV)
Formerly called Working for Wilderness, ONV takes small groups
on two to ten day working expeditions to build trails, monitor wildlife
or restore habitats. The FON hosts this component of Volunteer for
Nature. Recent wetland-related ONV projects have included boardwalk
building at the wetland portion of Misery Bay on Manitoulin Island
and at the silver maple swamp at Trent University; restoration work
on the Trumpeter Swan wetland staging areas at Wye Marsh; and shade
plantings around the wetland at FON's G.G. Newton Nature Reserve
near Goderich.
Nature Conservation Days
These one day events are hosted by the NCC. Volunteers learn about
ecological systems, diverse habitats, rare species, restoration
techniques and natural area management issues. Nature Conservation
Days are as different as the areas NCC protects. Volunteers help
with native seed collection; invasive species removal; tree planting;
meadow restoration; fence repair; monitoring and inventories; wetland,
savanna, and prairie management; nesting and over wintering habitat
creation, and many other conservation activities.
For more information, visit www.ontarionature.org/action/index.html
*.
Community-based Conservation Planning for Important Bird Areas
(IBAs)
The FON collaborates with Bird Studies Canada and the Canadian
Nature Federation in the Ontario portion of the IBA program, operated
internationally by Bird Life International, which is a partnership
of member-based organizations in over 100 countries. IBAs are sites
that are exceptionally important for certain birds for some period
of the year. These truly outstanding sites are of significance nationally
or internationally. To determine if a site is an IBA requires:
- reliable information on the number of individual
bird species and individuals that use a site during a specific
time period; and,
- accepted population estimates for the species
at global, continental and national levels.
The FON is responsible for delivering conservation planning for
IBAs in Ontario. It has thus far coordinated the community-based
conservation planning for 18 nationally to globally significant
IBAs across the province. Local IBA committees, collaborating with
FON, have developed and published these conservation strategies
to protect birds and their habitats, and are now moving toward implementing
the recommendations. Ontario wetland-based IBAs with completed conservation
plans include eastern Lake St. Clair, Luther Marsh, Presqu'ile Provincial
Park, Tiny Marsh and Wye Marsh.
Top
Strategy 8:
Evaluate the Program
Progress under GLWCAP has been significant. The Implementation
Team remains satisfied with activities and results to date, and
recent praise from the Auditor General has increased recognition
of the partnership.
Partners continue to actively promote wetland conservation to the
public and all levels of government, are involved in ground-breaking
wetland science, and have been successful in securing over 6,000
hectares of wetland through acquisition. Restoration projects continue
all over the Great Lakes basin, facilitated through increased coordination
between individuals and agencies interested in wetland conservation.
Strategies such as Strengthen Legislation, Policies,
Agreements and Compliance, remain a challenge with little
direct control afforded to GLWCAP partners. It is hoped that in
coming years, slowly, the milestones under this strategy will be
realized through gradual influence and changing public perception
about the importance of wetlands.
Many of the milestones were reached under the first plan, and renewed
and expanded membership on the Implementation Team has ensured the
thoughtful development of the second phase of GLWCAP. Planning Phase
Two involved a great deal of collaboration and planning, which led
to a longer timeframe for development, but in the end, resulted
in a better product, with clearly defined milestones and commitment
from partners.
It is recognized that even with concerted efforts, more can and
should be done to prevent the ongoing losses of wetland occurring
around the Great Lakes basin.
The Future - Introducing…
GLWCAP partners are pleased to present Phase Two of GLWCAP (2002-2007)
in the following pages. This Action Plan will ensure that wetland
science and conservation remains at the forefront of the mandates
of governments and non-government organizations by sharing the workload
and allowing partners to focus their respective strengths, interests,
and resources.
Wetland conservation and science activities, technologies and understanding
are constantly advancing with new knowledge on important issues
such as invasive species and climate change. Partners will continue
to adapt their mandates with this changing knowledge and as a result,
GLWCAP will remain a fluid, living Action Plan with renewed enthusiasm
and participation every five years.
Top
Strategies and Milestones
of GLWCAP Phase Two
STRATEGY 1
Increase Public Awareness and Commitment to Protecting Wetlands
Publicize information concerning wetland values, protection, rehabilitation,
policies and regulations and encourage involvement by individuals,
groups, corporations and industries in all aspects of Great Lakes
wetlands protection and rehabilitation.
1.1 |
Publicize wetland values to
society, to water, and to wildlife in order to encourage wetlands
conservation. This may involve developing, publishing and distributing
brochures, educational packages and status reports. Possible
distribution vehicles include Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
district offices, Conservation Authority publications, and newsletters
of non-governmental organizations. |
1.2 |
Produce and distribute communication
packages targeted to corporations, agriculture (including individual
landowners), industry and development interests, school curriculum,
and municipal and regional governments. Include information
on opportunities for involvement in wetlands conservation. |
1.3 |
Expand distribution network
through web-based information and links (e.g., improve and maintain
current GLWCAP Web site). |
1.4 |
Provide a publicly accessible,
web-based basic wetland attribute and mapping resource (e.g.,
provide Ontario Coastal Wetlands Atlas on-line – static
maps). Linked to 2.2. |
STRATEGY 2
Improve Wetland Science, Data and Monitoring
Conduct and facilitate study of wetland functions, status and trends
to improve understanding, communicate values, and set priorities
for protection and rehabilitation. Develop an accessible, computerized
database for coastal Great Lakes wetlands.
2.1 |
Establish an interagency data-management
group or technical coordination team. |
2.2 |
Create/maintain an integrated
computer database for coastal wetlands of the lower Great Lakes
and expand to include the remainder of the Great Lakes basin
(e.g., Ontario Coastal Wetlands Atlas, plans for interior Ontario
wetlands, binational coastal outcome from Great Lakes Coastal
Wetlands Consortium). Update the catalogue of existing coastal
wetland databases (metadata) if necessary. |
2.3 |
Continue wetland health monitoring
at a variety of spatial and temporal scales (e.g., Durham Region
Coastal Wetland Monitoring Project), including maintenance and
enhancement of a binational Great Lakes wetland monitoring program
(e.g., the community-based Marsh Monitoring Program, Great Lakes
Coastal Wetlands Consortium indicators work). |
2.4 |
Investigate and report on targets
(e.g., SOLEC, individual agency), status and trends in wetland
area and other attributes (e.g., Wetland Monitoring Pilot using
Landsat for Durham and York Regions, University of Waterloo
project using Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (casi)
at St. Clair National Wildlife Area, participate in Great Lakes
Coastal Wetlands Consortium to develop binational methodology
for tracking trends). |
2.5 |
Investigate and report on loss
of wetlands (area and function) due to agricultural drainage
and other causes in a selected watershed (e.g., Pembroke study,
GRCA modeling exercise). |
2.6 |
Investigate the science of wetlands
including: the relationship between wetland hydrology and groundwater
discharge/recharge; features that define faunal habitat preferences;
wetland function within a landscape mosaic – hydrology,
connections to uplands, buffers; exotics; species at risk; species
toxicology; sensitivity to climate change; relationship between
wetlands and water quality; and economic values. |
2.7 |
Use up-to-date science to develop
a more cost-effective methodology for evaluating wetland functions
and values, while maintaining the scientific rigour of the provincial
wetland evaluation system. |
STRATEGY 3
Secure Wetlands
Determine priority securement sites and the most effective techniques
to secure these sites. Focus existing securement programs on priority
sites. Undertake wetlands securement at priority sites involving
publicly-owned lands to demonstrate innovative securement strategies.
Undertake extension and stewardship activities with private landowners
to protect the area and function of existing Great Lakes basin wetlands
and achieve the ”no loss“ long-term goals.
3.1 |
Secure 6,000 hectares of wetland.
|
3.2 |
Promote and facilitate improved
responsible wetland protection and management (Strategy 4) on
crown lands by all provincial and federal government agencies/owners
(apply guidelines and policies from Strategy 5). Identify opportunities
by documenting location and ownership of all provincially-owned
lands with wetlands to complement existing federal report. |
3.3 |
Convene an experts workshop
to identify, map and describe biodiversity investment areas
and develop a basin-wide conservation blueprint for priority
securement. |
3.4 |
Identify, promote and assist
activities of Conservation Authorities and municipalities to
maintain and improve, where necessary, the security and management
of other publicly owned natural lands. |
3.5 |
Promote and facilitate responsible
wetland protection and management (Strategy 4) on private lands
by landowners through extension and stewardship programs. For
example organize workshops to promote local securement initiatives
(e.g., St. Clair EHJV community advisory committee). Linked
to Strategy 1. |
STRATEGY 4
Create, Reclaim, Rehabilitate and Manage Wetlands
Undertake rehabilitation projects at priority sites. Pursue opportunities
for wetland rehabilitation/creation through existing programs including
Remedial Action Plans and the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture. In
the longterm, consider ecological and watershed-based goals to achieve
an overall increase in the area and function of wetlands in the
Great Lakes basin.
4.1 |
Rehabilitate/create 6,000 hectares
of wetland. |
4.2 |
Strengthen and enhance wetland
rehabilitation and management expertise through training and
technology transfer to rehabilitation practitioners. |
4.3 |
Establish management plans on
6,000 hectares of secured or rehabilitated wetland, based on
federal, provincial or non-government guidelines as appropriate.
Develop and refine guidelines as needed. |
STRATEGY 5
Strengthen Legislation, Policies, Agreements and Compliance
Refine and improve compliance with existing regulatory programs.
Strengthen wetland conservation and protection through ongoing and
upcoming regulatory/agreement/policy review opportunities.
5.1 |
Influence Official Plans through
stewardship and other efforts to promote that wetlands be designated
and zoned for conservation in local planning documents. Provide
information to municipalities to facilitate planning (e.g.,
where are wetlands, what is their local function, etc…)
|
5.2 |
Periodically review the effectiveness
of the provincial wetlands policy as part of the Province’s
five year review process and recommend any changes and resources
required to improve effectiveness of the policy. |
5.3 |
Evaluate and implement Parks
and Forest Management Guidelines where appropriate for wetland
management on provincially owned lands. |
5.4 |
With appropriate agencies, review
the application and effectiveness (positive and negative) of
the Federal Wetlands Policy, Fisheries Act,
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, Migratory Birds Convention
Act, Agriculture Act, Species at Risk Act, Drainage Act, Lakes
and Rivers Improvement Act, Conservation Authorities Act, Ontario
Farm Practices Protection and Promotion Act, with regard
to wetlands protection and rehabilitation. |
5.5 |
Conduct workshops involving
Conservation Authorities, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources,
municipalities and other government and nongovernment stakeholders
to review the effectiveness of current wetland conservation
practices such as impact assessment and mitigation and provide
necessary follow-up training and information exchange regarding
site-specific techniques. |
5.6 |
Review and evaluate grants,
loans and other financial incentives/disincentives to determine
their impact on wetland resources (including facilitating protection)
(e.g., Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program, Managed Forest
Tax Incentive Program). |
5.7 |
Optimize implementation of GLWCAP
through the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes
Basin Ecosystem. |
STRATEGY 6
Strengthen Local Planning and Commitment to Wetland Conservation
Ensure that all new plans such as resource-management plans, watershed-management
plans, and local land use plans, Official Plans and habitat management
plans incorporate wetland protection and rehabilitation strategies.
Also encourage recognition and designation of appropriate adjacent
and upstream land uses.
6.1 |
Update Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources’ natural heritage strategies and guidelines
for coastal areas (crown lands) as required. |
6.2 |
Identify, promote and assist
activities of Conservation Authorities and municipalities to
maintain current watershed plans/strategies, integrated resource-management
plans, zoning and other activities for wetlands protection. |
STRATEGY 7
Improve Coordination
Coordinate and integrate all Action Plan protection, rehabilitation
and creation initiatives with other ongoing programs that affect
Great Lakes wetlands, in particular activities associated with relevant
international conventions and agreements.
7.1 |
Through linkages to Strategy
1 - maintain a current GLWCAP website with regular updates to
share progress with wetlands stakeholders. |
7.2 |
Build alliances with new and
existing wetlands and other wildlife habitat conservation initiatives
to ensure coordination and efficiency as well as facilitate
reporting on the full range of wetland activities in the Great
Lakes basin. |
7.3 |
Coordinate binational Great
Lakes wetlands activities (including Lakewide Management Plans,
International Joint Commission Lake Ontario- St. Lawrence River
Study, etc…) |
7.4 |
Coordinate binational Great
Lakes wetlands meetings to complement initiatives such as the
North American Bird Conservation Initiative, Great Lakes Conservation
Blueprints and State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference. |
STRATEGY 8
Evaluate the Program
Evaluate the Action Plan components, including a careful assessment
of individual techniques and their application.
8.1 |
Share annual workplans by partners
in implementation team. |
8.2 |
Report on program progress at
least twice during the lifespan of the Action Plan. First report
in January 2003. |
8.3 |
Regularly review program by
all implementation team partners. |
Top
Contacts
Central Lake Ontario Conservation
Authority
100 Whiting Ave.
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 3T3
Tel: (905) 579-0411
Fax: (905) 579-0994
Web site: www.cloca.com *
Ducks Unlimited Canada
566 Welham Road
Barrie, Ontario L4N 8Z7
Tel: (705) 721-4444
Fax: (705) 721-7999
Web site: www.ducks.ca *
Ducks Unlimited Canada (Kingston)
614 Norris Court
Kingston, Ontario K7P 2R9
Tel: (613) 389-0418
Fax: (613) 389-0239
Environment Canada
Canadian Wildlife Service (Toronto)
4905 Dufferin Street
Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4
Tel: (416) 739-5829
Fax: (416) 739-5845
E-mail: Wildlife.Ontario@ec.gc.ca
Web site: www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife
Canadian Wildlife Service (London)
465 Gideon Drive
P.O. Box 490 Lambeth Station
London, Ontario N6P 1R1
Tel: (519) 472-3745
Fax: (519) 472-3062
Canadian Wildlife Service (Nepean)
49 Camelot Drive
Nepean, Ontario K1A 0H3
Tel: (613) 952-5913
Fax: (613) 952-9027
Canadian Wildlife Service (Burlington)
867 Lakeshore Road
Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6
Tel: (905) 336-4952
Fax: (905) 336-6434
Federation of Ontario Naturalists
355 Lesmill Road
Don Mills, Ontario M3B 2W8
Tel: (416) 444-8419
Fax: (416) 444-9866
Web site: www.ontarionature.org *
Grand River Conservation Authority
400 Clyde Road
P.O. Box 729
Cambridge, Ontario N1R 5W6
Tel: (519) 621-2761
Fax: (519) 621-4844
E-mail: grca@grandriver.ca
Web site: www.grandriver.ca *
Great Lakes Sustainability Fund
867 Lakeshore Road
Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6
Tel: (905) 336-4475
Fax: (905) 336-6272
E-mail: glsf@ec.gc.ca
Web site: http://sustainabilityfund.gc.ca
Kingston Wetlands Working Group
Tom Beaubiah
Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority
P.O. Box 160
Glenburnie, Ontario K0H 1S0
Tel: (613) 546-4228
E-mail: crca@cataraquiregion.on.ca
Web site: www.cataraquiregion.on.ca *
Long Point Waterfowl
and Wetlands Research Fund
c/o Bird Studies Canada
P.O. Box 160
Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0
Tel: (519) 586-3531
Fax: (519) 586-3532
|
Marsh Monitoring Program
Bird Studies Canada
P.O. Box 160
Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0
Tel: (519) 586-3531
Fax: (519) 586-3532
Web site: www.bsc-eoc.org *
Nature Conservancy of Canada
110 Eglinton Avenue, Suite 400
Toronto, Ontario M4R 1A3
Tel: (416) 932-3202
Fax: (416) 932-3208
Web site: www.natureconservancy.ca *
Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority
250 Thorold Road West 3rd Floor
Welland, Ontario L3C 3W2
Tel: (905) 788-3135
Fax: (905) 788-1121
Web site: www.conservation-niagara.on.ca
*
Office of the Auditor General of Canada
240 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G6
Tel: (613) 995-3708
Fax: (613) 957-0474
E-mail: communications@oag-bvg.gc.ca
Web site: www.oag-bvg.gc.ca
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7000 300 Water Street
Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8M5
Tel: (705) 755-5040
Web site: www.mnr.gov.on.ca *
Raisin Region Conservation Authority
Box 429
6589 Boundary Road
Cornwall, Ontario K6H 5T2
Tel: (613) 938-3611
Fax: (613) 938-3221
Web site: www.rrca.on.ca *
University of Waterloo
Dr. Philip Howarth
Department of Geography
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Tel: (519) 888-4567, ext. 3404
E-mail: howarth@watleo.uwaterloo.ca
Marilyne Jollineau
Department of Geography
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Tel: (519) 888-4567, ext. 6755
E-mail: myjollin@fes.uwaterloo.ca
University of Western Ontario
Biology Department
Biological and Geological Sciences Building
The University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario N6A 5B7
Tel: (519) 661-3155
Fax: (519) 661-2014
Wetland Drain Project
Dave Richards
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources,
Aylmer District
353 Talbot Street West
Aylmer, Ontario N5H 2S8
Tel: (519) 773-4731
E-mail: Dave.Richards@mnr.gov.on.ca
Peter Bryan-Pulham
Drainage Superintendent
Norfolk County, Public Works and
Environmental Services
183 Main St.
Delhi, Ontario N4B 2M3
Tel: (519) 582-2100 Ext.# 601
Fax: (519) 582-4571
E-mail: peter.bryanpulham@norfolkcounty.on.ca
Wetland Habitat Fund
c/o Wildlife Habitat Canada
7 Hinton Avenue North, Suite 200
Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4P1
Tel: (613) 722-2090
Fax: (613) 722-3318
Web site: www.wetlandfund.com * |
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