EVALUATION

Selection criteria for the evaluation and confirmation of Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest include six categories: Context, Representation, Diversity, Condition, Ecological Function and Special Features. Evaluation descriptions of each of these criteria are as follows.

Context

The natural values associated with the SWCL were first noted by staff of the original Norfolk Provincial Forest Station. Beginning in 1909, station staff recorded the presence of Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, Wild Lupine and New Jersey Tea on areas being prepared for silvicultural treatment. These species are presently classified by Rodger (1998) as indicators of tallgrass prairie and savanna in Ontario. In 1942, staff of the St. Williams Forest Station set aside the “Landon Property” (Lot 24, Concession 6, South Walsingham Township) to be managed as a natural woodland. This property was characterized as being unique at the station in view of the diversity of tree species and their presence in all age and size classes. Today, this woodland has one of the largest populations of Pumpkin Ash (S2) and Black Gum (S3) within the SWCF. In 1969, the SWCL was evaluated by J.E. Cruise and P.M. Catling for the International Biological Program. Their assessment focused on the remnants of “Dwarf Chestnut Oak Parkland” in Lots 19, 20 and 21, Concessions V and VI, South Walsingham Township. They noted that “...this type of ecosystem is approached in only one other locality in Southern Ontario...” and recommended that these remnants, and an area to the west of the Nursery Tract, be managed as a natural area (Cruise and Catling 1969).

In 1984, the SWCL was assessed as part of an OMNR review of significant natural areas in Site District 7-2, west of the Haldimand Clay Plain (Lindsay 1984). Lindsay remarked: “Of note are several small areas of dry, open, oak parkland and prairie which remain (centred at 423628 sic, 438274, 444268 and 445279). These support rare species such as Dwarf Chinquapin Oak and the Frosted Elfin and Karner Blue butterflies. This is the sole location for the Frosted Elfin in Ontario. Further study is required.” Lindsay subsequently classified the SWCL as a “significant site” in Site District 7-2 and as a representative site of “Dry Open Oak Plains” on the Norfolk Sand Plain.

In 1987, the SWCL was assessed as part of the Natural Areas Inventory of the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk (Gartshore et al. 1987). This study characterized the Dwarf Chestnut Oak community at St. Williams as “unique in the region”. St. Williams Crown Land was further characterized as having “...the most extensive continuous dry- mesic White Pine - White Oak - Black Oak forest in the region”. The study recommended, in part, that the Manestar

Tract, an “...area of dry oak barren, now privately owned and containing many rare species, should be set aside as a nature reserve.”

In 1988, Carolinian Canada added the Manestar Tract to its original list of 36 Carolinian Canada Unprotected Sites, in recognition of the importance of the “Dwarf Chestnut Oak Parkland” and rare Lepidoptera at this site. The property was subsequently purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 1989 and transferred to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in 1992.

Wetlands in the SWCL were evaluated by DeZwart and Bacro (1987), Umlah et al. (1996), and Umlah and Haggeman (1996). In 1996, a large wetland complex, known as the St. Williams Wetland, was classified as a provincially significant (Class I) wetland. Six of the 17 wetlands comprising this complex are situated in the north east corner of the Nursery Tract and on the floodplain of Dedrick’s Creek. In that same year, a second wetland complex, known as DYC9- Wetland, was classified as provincially significant (Class II) wetland (Umlah and Haggeman 1996). This wetland complex is associated with Mud Creek and extends to the south and east of the Nursery Tract.

The present report represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the SWCL. The following sections summarize the significance of the natural heritage values associated with the Nursery Tract, Manestar Tract, and Turkey Point Tract. The names of communities, ecosites, and vegetation types follow the Ecological Land Classification for Southern Ontario (Lee et al. 1998). The order of elements and matters addressed follow the “Natural Heritage Gap Analysis Methodologies Used by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources” (Crins and Kor 2000).

Representation

Black Oak - White Oak Tallgrass Woodland (S1) occupies approximately 0.15 ha in the northwest quadrant of the Manestar Tract. Ingrown sand barrens, oak savanna and oak woodland habitat, however, is widespread and occupies approximately 700 ha of land on drought-prone, sand, soils. This complex represents the largest area of ingrown savanna habitat with restoration potential in Site District 7-2 outside the provincial parks system. Natural succession, fire suppression, under-planting by forest station staff, and cultural disturbance have transformed former habitat into oak forest, cultural forest, cultural savanna or cultural barrens. These communities, however, retain a rich assemblage of prairie/savanna indicators (Rodger 1998). After Walpole Island (108 indicators), Ojibway Prairie (99 indicators), and Pinery Provincial Park (70 indicators), SWCL (68 indicators) harbours the greatest diversity of vascular plants with prairie/savanna affinity in Southern Ontario (42.1% of the total number of plants with savanna or prairie/savanna affinity in Ontario).

St. Williams Crown Land ranks with the Windsor Prairie and Pinery Provincial Park for supporting the richest assemblages of prairie and savanna insects in Ontario. The true number of rare insects is still far from known.

St. Williams Crown Land represents one of the largest blocks of forest in the Carolinian Life Zone outside the provincial parks system and Six Nations Reserve, and, is the largest forested area in Site District 7-2, after Long Point (4,260 ha) and Pinery Provincial Park (2,532 ha). St. Williams Crown Land also includes Class I and Class II wetlands. Eleven wetland ecosites and 23 wetland vegetation types are represented in the SWCF portion of the St. Williams Wetland, a large (138.2 ha) Class I wetland complex on the northeast periphery of the Nursery Tract. The Swamp Maple Mineral Deciduous Swamp and Fresh-Moist Oak - Maple Deciduous Forest associated with this complex contains the largest concentration of Pumpkin Ash (S2) and Black Gum (S3) at SWCL. St. Williams Crown Land also includes a small portion of the Class II wetland associated with Mud Creek on the southeast periphery of the Nursery Tract. Four wetland ecosites and eight wetland vegetation types are represented in the SWCL portion of this complex.

Diversity

St. Williams Crown Land contains five landforms: sand plain, sand dune, shore cliffs, creek valley, and, floodplain. Sand plain and sand dune are the predominant land forms on the Nursery Tract, Manestar Tract and Turkey Point Tract. A steep shore cliff associated with lowering lake levels, and several deeply incised creek valleys, are present at the Turkey Point Tract. Less deeply incised creek valleys and associated floodplains are present on the Nursery Tract.

St. Williams contains a rich diversity of plant communities. Six community classes, 16 community series, 41 ecosites and 99 vegetation types are present.

In keeping with this structural diversity, St.Williams has 767 species of vascular plants, 139 breeding birds, 39 mammals, 13 amphibians, 12 reptiles, and a substantial but incompletely known list of insects.

Condition

The forest, woodland, savanna and sand barren communities at SWCL have been modified to varying degrees by forest management practices, land clearing for nursery production, land clearing for 19th century agriculture, sand mining, maintenance of low-voltage transmission rights of way, and ATVs. Riparian communities along Dedrick’s Creek have also been affected by water level management to maintain a ready supply of irrigation water for nursery stock production. A brief description of each condition follows.

Forest management practices have altered the composition and structure of natural forest stands by selectively removing Black Oak and by under-planting natural woodlands with species of pine, spruce and hardwoods. The spot-planting methods applied at SWCL, however, have left the forest floor largely intact. As a consequence, forest stands today are typically enriched in conifer species, and diminished in Black Oak, but otherwise intact in characteristic and rare understory species.

Conifer and hardwood plantations that were established on lands previously cleared for agriculture typically retain few characteristic or rare understory plants. The principal exceptions are vascular plants with prairie/savanna affinities. These species typically persist at the edge of plantations, along fire roads, and in canopy openings of thinned and young plantations. The diversity of species at these sites, however, is typically less than in savanna habitats where the herb layer is intact. Plantations on the Nursery Tract are typically more diminished in species than plantations on the Turkey Point Tract.

Lands cleared for nursery stock production at the Nursery Tract were not surveyed.

Sand mining has taken place at one small pit on the Nursery Tract and in the east half of the large field on the Manestar Tract. The latter has resulted in the removal of sand dunes and associated savanna habitat that formerly extended across the north half of the Manestar Tract.

Three low-voltage wood pole transmission lines border or traverse several plantations at the Turkey Point Tract. These rights-of-way are brushed out and selectively spot-sprayed by Ontario Hydro crews every 8-10 years. Several rare plants occur on or at the edge of these rights-of-way, including Forked Blue-curls, Virginia Goat’s-rue (COSEWIC Endangered), and Britton’s Phlox. The persistence of Forked Blue-curls at SWCL may depend on this disturbance since populations in nearby plantations have declined sharply in recent years in response to deepening shade. Rutting and compaction by ATV’s is typically confined to posted fire roads. Off trail activity, however, has deeply rutted ravine slopes that support populations of rare plants on the Turkey Point Tract and has destroyed the root mat on portions of the Manestar Tract. Rutting of organic soils has also occurred in selected wetlands on the Nursery Tract and in seepage areas in ravines at the Turkey Point Tract.

Water levels on Dedrick’s Creek have been controlled for many years for the purpose of supplying irrigation water for nursery stock production. This practice has raised water levels in the thicket swamp, meadow marshes and shallow marshes, upstream. The consequences of this long term change on this Class I wetland complex have not been assessed.

The streambed of Mud Creek, east of Regional Road 16, has been channelized and now forms part of the Third Concession Municipal Drain.

A small portion of the wetland associated with Mud Creek was in-filled by forest station staff prior to its designation as a Class II wetland by Umlah and Haggeman (1996).

Ecological Function

Forests and plantations occupy approximately 800 ha at the Nursery and Manestar tracts and approximately 400 ha at Turkey Point Tract. Forested areas of this size have been characterized as “mega-woodlands” by Riley and Mohr (1994) and provide an important refuge for area and edge sensitive species. In recognition of its large size, and ecological significance, SWCL has been identified as one of the core areas for Carolinian Canada’s Big Picture - Cores and Connections project. In keeping with this designation, 30 species of forest-interior, and 50 species of area-sensitive, birds presently breed in SWCL.

The extensive tracts of cultural forest and plantations at SWCL are linked by forest corridors to Backus Woods ANSI, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point Marshes ANSI, Spooky Hollow ANSI, and Fisher’s Glen. Class I and II Wetlands on the Nursery Tract are linked by forest and riparian corridors to provincially significant wetland complexes on the eastern periphery of the tract.

The savanna communities at SWCL are represented by a rich assemblage of plants, insects and reptiles with prairie/savanna affinity. The trophic and taxonomic diversity of these elements greatly enhances the ecological value and function of these communities.

Ingrown savanna habitat at St. Williams is associated with fresh to moist soils that may facilitate the re-introduction and survival of extirpated Lepidoptera, such as the Karner Blue and Frosted Elfin butterflies. The early senescence of Wild Lupine on dry sites during summer drought places double brood species at risk, owing to the scarcity of food plants for larvae of the second brood. The thinning of forest cover and the planting of lupine on fresh soils at the edge of sand dunes may provide an important refuge for these taxa during periods of drought stress.

Special Features

St. Williams Crown Land provides habitat for nationally, provincially and regionally rare plants, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects. Several species are presently classified as COSEWIC Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern.

1) National Significance:

· St. Williams provides breeding habitat for Acadian Flycatcher (COSEWIC Endangered), Hooded Warbler (COSEWIC Threatened), Red-Shouldered Hawk (COSEWIC Special Concern), Cerulean Warbler (COSEWIC Special Concern), Louisiana Waterthrush (COSEWIC Special Concern), and Red-Headed Woodpecker (COSEWIC Special

Concern). The population of Hooded Warbler at St. Williams is the largest in Canada. St. Williams formerly provided habitat for locally extirpated Northern Bobwhite (COSEWIC Endangered) (Mary E. Gartshore).

· St. Williams provides habitat for American Badger (COSEWIC Endangered), Southern Flying Squirrel (COSEWIC Special Concern), Woodland Vole (COSEWIC Special Concern).

· St. Williams provides habitat for Eastern Fox Snake (COSEWIC Threatened), Eastern Hognose Snake (COSEWIC Threatened), Black Rat Snake (COSEWIC Threatened), Jefferson Salamander (COSEWIC Threatened), and Spotted Turtle (COSEWIC Special Concern).

· St. Williams provides habitat for four species for which COSEWIC Recovery Plans have been established (Hooded Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Black Rat Snake, and Karner Blue Butterfly).

.

St. Williams is one of two sites in Ontario with historic populations of the Karner Blue butterfly (COSEWIC Extirpated) and the only known site for Frosted Elfin butterfly (COSEWIC Extirpated). These species, and Persius Duskywing butterfly, were last seen at SWCL in 1989. St. Williams also provides habitat for Monarch Butterfly (COSEWIC Special Concern).

· St. Williams is the only known locality in Canada for five species of bees: Sphecodes aroniae, Lasioglossum ceanothi, Megachile mucida, Andrena macoupinensis, Dufourea maginata. It is one of two sites in Canada for Sphecodes heraclei, Mellinus bimaculatus, and Dipogon brevis brevis.

· St. Williams provides habitat for important populations of Spotted Wintergreen (COSEWIC Endangered), American Ginseng (COSEWIC Endangered), Virginia Goat’s- Rue (COSEWIC Endangered), American Chestnut (COSEWIC Threatened), and Bird’s- foot Violet (COSEWIC Threatened). The population of Spotted Wintergreen at SWCL is the largest in Canada, one of only three.

· St. Williams provides habitat for 34 vascular plants that are listed as rare in Canada (Argus and Pryer 1990): Arrow-feather Three-Awn, Pawpaw, Fern- leaved False Foxglove, Rugulose Grape Fern, Side-oats Gramma, Ribbed Sedge, Pignut Hickory, American Chestnut, Spotted Wintergreen, Autumn Coral-root, Dodge’s Hawthorn, Round-leaved Tick-trefoil, Forked Panic Grass, Panic Grass, Yellow Mandarin, Engleman’s Spike-rush, Hairy Bedstraw, Hairy Pinweed, Tulip Tree, Wild Lupine, Stalked Water-horehound, Woodland Satin Grass, Slender Satin Grass, Black Gum, American Ginseng, Moss Phlox, Slender Knotweed, Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, Shining Sumac, Waxy Meadow-rue, Forked Blue-curls, Perfoliate Bellwort, Early Blue Violet,

and Bird’s-foot Violet. 2) Provincial Significance:

· St. Williams provides habitat for four species of birds (S1-S3) that are not classified as COSEWIC Endangered, Threatened or of Special Concern: Tufted Titmouse (S2S3), Prairie Warbler (S3S4), Carolina Wren (S3S4), and White-eyed Vireo (S2).

· St. Williams is the sole locality in Ontario for at least six of bees and wasps (Andrena thaspi, Hyaleus gaigei, Hylaeus illinoisensis, Osmia pumila, Osmia albiventris, Nomada cuneata), two species of beetle (Anisodactylus merula, Carabus goryi), and one robber fly (Diogmites basalis).

· St. Williams provides habitat for at least seven insects considered to be very rare in Ontario (Packer et al. 2001): Spechodes heraclei (bee),(Halictus parallelus (bee), Mellinus bimaculatus (wasp), Elater abruptus (beetle), Cicindela lepida (beetle), Atlanticus monticola (katydid), Pseudopomala brachyptera (grasshopper), and Chariesterui antennator (bug).

· St. Williams provides habitat for 48 provincially rare vascular plants (S1-S3). The population of Woodland Satin Grass (S1) is believed to be one of the largest in Ontario, if not the largest; the population of Perfoliate Bellwort (S1) is the second largest in Ontario. The population of Sun Sedge (S1) is the only site in southern Ontario; the population of Arrow-feather Three-awn (S1) is the only occurrence east of Windsor where the largest and only other populations in Canada are found. The population of Forked Blue-curls (S1) is the only apparently native occurrence in Canada.

3) Regional Significance

· St. Williams provides habitat for 42 species of vascular plants that are rare (R1-R5) in Norfolk County; 18 of these species are also rare in Ontario. Seven species are found only at the SWCL (R1): Arrow-feather Three-awn, Ontario Aster, Pawpaw, Wild Indigo, Sun Sedge, Hairy Wood Lettuce, and Forked Blue-curls.

4) Ontario History

· St. Williams Crown Land is the site of the first provincial forest station in Ontario. 5) Scientific Research

· St. Williams is the site of a breeding bird census plot established by Bird Studies Canada to assess the consequences of alternative forest harvesting methods in southern Ontario. It is also the site of a major research program for Hooded Warbler.

· St. Williams is the site of a long term forest bird monitoring study conducted by the Canadian Wildlife Service.

· St. Williams is the permanent site of the Ontario Forest Research Institute’s soft pine and spruce archives, and an important site of ongoing forest research projects.

· St. Williams is the site of a University of McMaster study to explore the carbon sequestration potential of planted conifer forests in southern Ontario.

· The Turkey Point Tract is the site of three arboreta established by the St. Williams Forest Station.

4.2 MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

The natural heritage values associated with SWCL are significant at the national, provincial and regional level. Certain conditions and land uses, however, are not compatible with the long-term persistence of significant natural features and communities. A summary of recommended management actions to protect existing natural heritage values is presented in Table 10.

Table 10. Management considerations. Legend: NT=Nursery Tract, MT=Manestar Tract, TPT=Turkey Point Tract

Management Action ELC Polygon

1. OAK SAVANNA HABITAT

a) Delineate, rehabilitate and restore oak savanna habitat, by:(i) preparing, testing and refining a staged restoration and management plan that addresses both plant and animal concerns.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 53, 58, 62, 63, 65,68, 70, 74, 75, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 102, 104, 106, 107, 108, 110, 112, 116,118, 168,169, 172,173, 174 (NT); 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92 (MT); 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16,19, 20, 22, 24, 30, 31, 37, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 65, 66, 68, 71, 73, 75, 79, 84, 99 (TPT)

b) Rehabilitate and restore ingrown oak savanna, by: (i) retaining the older, larger, oak trees and selectively removing the stems of regenerating Red Maple and Black Cherry; (ii) conducting controlled burns, at lower indices and on marginal habitat (to avoid damaging remnant arthropod populations), where appropriate; (iii) augmenting and enriching the composition of savanna plants by seeding in species from adjacent sites; (iv) re-introducing extirpated plants and animals, where appropriate, using a recovery planning process; (v) monitoring results and adapting management practices accordingly.

29, 42, 104,110, 112, 169 (NT); 76, 77, 78, 80, 85, 87, 88, 89 (MT); 4, 12, 30, 63, 68, 71 (TPT).

c) Rehabilitate and restore under-planted oak savanna, by: (i) retaining regenerating oak saplings and larger diameter oaks; (ii) removing planted conifers and stems of regenerating Red Maple and Black

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 46, 47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 55, 58, 62, 63, 65, 68, 70, 72, 74, 75, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 102,

Table 10. Management considerations (cont’d).

Management Action ELC Polygon

c) Cherry; (iii) conducting controlled burns, at lower indices and on marginal habitat (to avoid damaging remnant arthropod populations), where appropriate; (iv) augmenting and enriching the composition of savanna plants by seeding in species from adjacent sites; (v) re-introducing extirpated plants and animals, where appropriate, using a recovery planning process; (vi) monitoring results and adapting management practices accordingly.

168, 174 (NT); 82 (MT); 8, 39, 41, 62 (TPT).

d) Rehabilitate and restore furrow-planted oak savanna, by: (i) harvesting

In document ST. WILLIAMS CROWN LAND LIFE SCIENCE INVENTORY (Page 44-69)