Wildlife Overview provided to the Site C Joint Review Panel

prepared by

Chris Addison

Director of Resource Management

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

&

Joelle Scheck

Ecosystems Section Head

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

With contributions from colleagues from MOE & MFLNRO

Jan. 15 & 16, 2014

Representation from Natural Resource Agencies

Northeast Region FLNRO

Chris Addison: Director of Resource Management

Nick Baccante: Fish and Wildlife Section Head

Joelle Scheck: Ecosystems Section Head

Ministry of Environment, Knowledge Management Branch

Corey Erwin: Terrestrial Ecosystems Ecologist

Outline 1. Wildlife Management Principles

2. Role of MFLNRO Resource Management in project reviews

3. Current knowledge of the wildlife resource

4. View the information in the EIS about the impacts to wildlife

5. Views on proposed mitigation

6. Species of concern already experiencing an impact and for which the Project

would have a cumulative impact

North American Model of Wildlife Conservation

– An evolving system of high-level management direction that allows competent professionals to manage game for perpetual conservation.

– Two fundamental principles

• That wildlife belongs to The People

• That it will be managed to ensure its continued sustainability

HIERARCHY OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND USE PRIORITIES

1. Ensure population is conserved over time

2. If a harvestable surplus exists, First Nations needs are addressed first.

3. If further allowable harvest is available, this is allocated to licensed hunters according to regulation and policy.

FLNRO Resource Management

Major Project Review – Information & advice to proponents and decision

makers

• Identification of values and risks

– Assess proponent’s characterization of impacts, mitigation and residual effects

– Ensure the Ministry is meeting its Stewardship Objectives through implementation of conservation tools, monitoring, project referrals, Best Management Practices

Valued Components (VCs)

• VC’s are surrogate indicators for a healthy environment with diverse and resilient ecosystems and processes

• Provincial government role: – Advice to proponent

• Species of conservation or management concern

• Regional importance

• VC’s identified by First Nations in past reviews

WILDLIFE RESOURCES Peace River Reach

• East-west orientation and topography • Connectivity between Great Plains, Pacific and Arctic

zones

• Wide variety of ecosystems, habitats/habitat features

• Unique micro-climate & communities of species

• Very high biodiversity – Approx 150 breeding bird species, very high densities

– Butterflies

– Plants

WILDLIFE RESOURCES (cont’d) All major groups represented

• Fish (1 blue-listed)

• Large carnivores

• Furbearers (1 blue listed)

• Ungulates

• Birds (26 red or blue listed)

• Small mammals (1 red, 1 blue-listed)

• Amphibians (1 blue-listed)

• Reptiles

• Invertebrates (15 red or blue listed, 4 new sub-species)

• Plants (51 red or blue-listed, including new species to science)

SPATIAL ANALYSIS

• Basis for determining impacts to wildlife and terrestrial values was baseline habitat mapping:

– Alternative methods used rather than standard provincial

methodology

– The methodology used for analysis of this layer influences interpretations (i.e. the accuracy of wildlife habitat maps and quantification of effects)

– Additional work between proponent and provincial government is recommended so that the Province my fully understand the methodology used

ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS

• A broader approach for determining significance of impacts to wildlife resources and ecosystems is recommended

– E.g. a moderate impact on a red-listed species or ecosystem (or a federally listed species) would not qualify as significant

– E.g. impacts to blue-listed species or ecosystems would have to result in a change to the province-wide listing

SPECIES ASSEMBLAGES

• Recommend that indicator species be grouped by similar habitat requirements and lifecycles

– E.g. butterflies and dragonflies are grouped although they have considerably different life histories and habitat requirements

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Further consideration of project climate change effects on fish, wildlife and ecosystem Valued Components

• Consider climate change in future monitoring, mitigation and compensation

Recommended Improvements to Proposed Mitigation

• Consider adopting a more holistic approach

• Consider wider scope (beyond red and blue listed species)

• Incorporate climate change into plans

• Include adaptive management principles

Cumulative Effects

• Species of concern now with potential CE from the Project: – Bottomland and north-facing forest species:

• Listed warblers • Fisher • All bat species • Northern goshawk • Moose

– Wetland species: • Nelson’s Sparrow, Yellow Rail, Rusty Blackbird • Western Toad (other amphibians of high conservation concern)

– Agricultural • Short Eared Owl

– South facing warm slopes • Mule deer • Rocky Mountain Elk • Sharp tailed grouse

• Others • Bald Eagle (potential for significant regional impact) • Garter Snakes (potential for regional impact) • Species unique to Peace River Lowlands (e.g. Coral Hairstreak, various plants)

Questions?