Transcript Kella Sadler - Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation

Overview of the Federal
Recovery Strategy for
Whitebark Pine in Canada
Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation WPEF)
2014 Science Meeting
Coeur d’Alene , Idaho
Kella Sadler, Senior Species at Risk Biologist
Environment Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service
Species at Risk Recovery Unit
Pacific & Yukon Region
Photo: Kella Sadler
© Kella Sadler
September 19, 2014
Outline & Objectives
• Share general information with you about the
Species at Risk Act (SARA) and the
listing/recovery planning processes in Canada
• Share information with you about the draft
federal recovery strategy for Whitebark Pine in
Canada
• Seek additional input and advice to best inform
the recovery strategy and recovery planning for
Whitebark Pine in Canada
Environment Canada’s SARA S.1
Requirements – Recovery Strategies
• A Recovery Strategy (RS) document must be
prepared for species listed under Schedule 1 as
Threatened, Endangered, or Extirpated
• Recovery strategies provide direction for recovery
of SARA-listed species:
– Identifies what needs to be done to arrest or reverse the
decline of a species.
– Sets goals and objectives and identifies the main areas of
activities to be undertaken.
– Must include specific components…
SARA Recovery Strategy Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Recovery Feasibility Summary
COSEWIC Species Assessment Information
Species Status Information
Species Information
Threats
Population and Distribution Objectives
Broad Strategies and General Approaches to
Meet Objectives
8. Critical Habitat
Closely linked
• Identification of critical habitat
• Activities Likely to Result in the Destruction of critical habitat
• Schedule of Studies
9. Measuring Progress
10. Statement on Action Plans
SARA Recovery Strategy Consultation
SARA Section 39(3):
“To the extent possible, the recovery strategy must be prepared
in consultation with any landowners and other persons whom
the competent minister considers to be directly affected by the
recovery strategy, including the government of any other
country in which the species is found.”
 Recovery actions taken for Whitebark Pine in Canada (including
implementation of broad strategies and general approaches to
meet objectives, and protection of critical habitat) are likely to
have direct effects on the success of species’ survival and
recovery in the United States of America (and vice versa!).
Critical Habitat (CH) Identification
 Definition: “The habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery
of a listed wildlife species and that is identified as the species’ critical
habitat in the recovery strategy or in an action plan for the species.”
www.sararegistry.gc.ca
 Identified as: Geospatial area within which critical habitat is found
(typically represented by a polygon) plus a definition of biophysical
attributes within those areas that together comprise the identification;
i.e., critical habitat is identified wherever those biophysical attributes
are found, within the geospatial area indicated.
 Represents: Critical habitat must be identified to the extent possible,
given time constraints (SARA deadlines), and based on the best
information that is available at the time. Recovery strategies
(including critical habitat identification) may be amended at any time
in the future, e.g. to reflect best available information.
Whitebark Pine (WBP) Recovery
Planning Update
Photo: Kella Sadler
Photo: Kella Sadler
Status of Federal Recovery Planning
• 2010: Assessed as “Endangered” by the Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
• 2012: Added to SARA Schedule 1 listing as “Endangered”,
triggering requirement to develop Recovery Strategy
• 2012-2014: Recovery planning underway, federal recovery strategy
(led by EC-CWS Pacific & Yukon Region) is in development in
cooperation with EC-CWS Prairie & Northern Region, Parks Canada
Agency, appropriate Aboriginal organizations, and the provinces of
British Columbia and Alberta
• FUTURE: Posting to the SARA Public Registry
(www.sararegistry.gc.ca) is expected in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
Consultation with directly affected parties is ongoing, and will
continue towards finalization.
Species’ Needs
Photo: helenair.com
Photo:
www.discovergrandteton.org
Four main components:
 Needs for survival (e.g. root area,
ectomycorrhizal associations, specific
soil attributes – physological tolerance)
 Needs for seed dispersal (dependence
on Clark’s Nutcracker)
 Needs for regeneration (habitat and
microsites for germination, seedlings)
 Needs for recovery (research and
restoration – e.g. identify and
propogate rust resistant individuals)
Photo: Kella Sadler
Photo: www.nikiwilson.com
Main Threats in Canada
• 4 main threats: White Pine Blister Rust, Mountain Pine
Beetle, fire and fire suppression, and climate change
Photo: Photo by Alan Dibb, Parks Canada
Mountain Pine Beetle effects
Photo: Kella Sadler
Tim Gage (Creative Commons)
Photo: Kella Sadler
The population and distribution objective
for Whitebark Pine in Canada is:
 To maintain and/or restore the
population and distribution of
Whitebark Pine to a level that
allows for persistence of natural
seed dispersal, stand densities,
and genetic diversity, ensuring
perpetuation of the species
throughout its known and potential
range in Canada.
Cone collecting
Photo: Kella Sadler
Marking trees, insect
deterrents
Photo: www.fs.fed.us
Prescribed burn
Photo: www.fs.fed.us
Nursery propagation
Photo: Keefer Ecological Services
Replanted burn
Photo: www.chegg.com
Critical Habitat for Whitebark Pine
Candidate critical habitat for Whitebark Pine will be identified to address
the species’ needs, based on best available information about:
 Known range of Whitebark Pine in Canada
 Species needs:
▪ Habitat for survival (habitat supporting individuals – e.g. 30 m radius)
▪ Habitat for seed dispersal (Whitebark Pine stand densities that are
required to support Clark’s Nutcracker – e.g. 2 m2/ha)
▪ Habitat for regeneration (e.g., natural open and/or recently logged sites,
recent burns; habitats deliberately prepared for and/or replanted with
WBP seedlings; consider CN average dispersal distance of 2 km)
▪ Habitat for recovery (e.g., research plots to identify rust-resistant
individuals)
Distribution in Canada (General)
• Most of WBP global
•
•
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range is in Canada
BC estimated to have
76% of the Canadian
range; 24% in AB
Area of occupancy in
Canada may be
underestimated due
to poor mapping &
remote occurrences
high elevation habitat
(subalpine, treeline)
Known Range in Canada (Detailed)
 The detailed boundaries of known range have been drafted
using the best available information about where Whitebark
Pine is known to occur.
 All landscape inventory polygons that have Whitebark Pine
indicated as a vegetation component (in the label or in the
polygon descriptor) were selected, overlapped and merged.
 Next step: Incorporating what we know about species’ needs…
Identification of Candidate CH for WBP:
Candidate CH: Example Identification
Schedule of Studies:
What do we need to do to complete the CH ID?
• Reconsider the population and distribution objective:
“To maintain and/or restore the population and distribution of
Whitebark Pine to a level that allows for persistence of natural
seed dispersal, stand densities, and genetic diversity, ensuring
perpetuation of the species throughout its known and potential
range in Canada.”
• What information is needed to complete the critical
habitat identification?
Schedule of Studies:
What do we need to do to complete the CH ID?
Activity
Rationale
Inventory to identify the full extent of
The “known” range as identified in the candidate critical
current range and area of occupancy
habitat section likely underestimates the full range that
of WBP that is unknown due to
WBP potentially occupies at present time.
insufficient spatial information.
Inventory and studies to identify the
Current information on impacts of climate change is
future potential range of WBP that is
inadequate to identify habitats which may become suitable
unknown due to insufficient
under projected climate change scenarios, which suitable
knowledge of projected climate
areas are unoccupied, and whether there are any barriers
change impacts.
to new occupation.
Research on the composition,
There is inadequate information about the significance of
density, and structure of WBP stands variable WBP stand densities across the landscape, and
necessary for long term persistence
their relative importance to seed dispersal or stand
and maintenance of genetic diversity
resilience under stressors. As populations decline, need to
across the species’ range.
know what densities are required on the landscape to
ensure long-term genetic diversity and connectivity.
Example Activities Likely to Result in
the Destruction of Critical Habitat
 Development and conversion of lands to industrial, recreational, or
commercial properties
 Forest harvest activities and/or recreational development activities
that impact seed dispersal and/or survival habitat
 Deliberately planting seedlings that may compete with Whitebark
Pine in Whitebark Pine critical habitat; particluarly Lodgepole Pine
seedlings
 Inappropriate fire management related to fire suppression including:
fire suppression in mixed seral stands
 Inappropriate fire management related to allowing large scale fires
in high-density or high-elevation WBP stands and/or where there is
inadequate protection of survival and/or seed dispersal habitat
 Off-road operation of motorized vehicles and inappropriate levels of
livestock grazing.
Activities Resulting in Destruction &
Example Landscape Management
 Identify and avoid seed dispersal habitat ( ≥ 2 m2/ha basal area WBP)
 Identify regeneration habitat; replant with WBP in high proportion: avoid
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competitive species/seedlings (particularly Lodgepole Pine)
Avoid wildfire spreading into high-density WBP habitat
In lower-density stands (< 2 m2/ha basal area), identify and avoid WBP
survival habitat (30 m radius around individuals).
In lower-density stands, prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, or creation of
suitable openings including forest harvest (outside of survival habitat) are
not considered ALTD, and may benefit the species
In lower-density stands, identify and protect WBP survival habitat during
prescribed burns
Mitigate spread of noxious weeds (limit soil disturbance, clean equipment)
Manage access for off-road vehicles and foot traffic
Avoid or mitigate projected effects of livestock in range management plans
Use WBP in mining reclamation where appropriate
Background Information - Canada
• Recovery Strategy for Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) in Canada
[Draft]: [email protected]
• COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Whitebark Pine
Pinus albicaulis in Canada:
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/document/dspHTML_e.cfm?ocid=8174
• Parks Canada Whitebark Pine Page:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/mtn/feuveg-fireveg/veg-veg/pin-pine.aspx
• Province of Alberta Recovery Plan for Whitebark Pine:
http://esrd.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/species-at-risk/species-at-risk-publicationsweb-resources/plants/documents/SAR-WhitebarkPineRecoveryPlan-Jan2014.pdf
• Province of BC Whitebark Pine Profile Page:
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/whitebarkpine.htm
Thank you!
Any Questions?
Kella Sadler
Senior Species at Risk Biologist | Biologiste principal, espèces en péril
Species at Risk Recovery Unit | Unité de rétablissement des espèces en péril
Canadian Wildlife Service | Service canadien de la faune
Environment Canada | Environnement Canada
Pacific and Yukon Region | Région du Pacifique et du Yukon
5421 Robertson Road | 5421 rue Robertson
Delta, BC, V4K 3N2 | Delta, C-B, V4K 3N2
[email protected]
Telephone | Téléphone 604-350-1986
Mobile | Portable 604-764-2015
Facsimile | Télécopieur 604-946-7022