High conservation value forests public

Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program High Conservation Value Forests in the Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program Category 1 Forest areas containing globally, regionally or nationally significant concentrations of biodiversity values Areas of Scientific and Natural Defined by the OMNR as an area that represents lands and waters Interest (ANSI) containing important natural landscapes or features that are important for natural heritage, protection, appreciation, scientific study or education. These areas area Provincially confirmed by a planning process involving public input.

The Natural Heritage Information Center (NHIC) maintains a database containing all areas designated as ANSI. The database is available at http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/nhic_.cfm Provincial Parks, National Parks Area designated as a Provincial Park or a Federal Park & Conservation Reserves A Conservation Reserve is an area of public land identified by the OMNR as a conservation reserve, which is managed to permit natural ecosystems to operate with minimal human interference. Currently White Lake Wetlands is the only area designated as such.

National Wildlife Area Areas protected and maintained by the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) encompassing essential habitat for rare plant and animal species, including endangered wildlife.

According to CWS, Mississippi Lake National Wildlife Area is the only designated site in the EOMF area.

Migratory Bird Sanctuaries Private or public lands designated as migratory bird habitat (including staging and breeding grounds) on which Canadian Wildlife Service protects migratory shorebird, waterfowl and seabird populations.

CWS identifies these protected areas at http://www.cwsscf.ec.gc.ca/habitat/.

The 4 areas found in the EOMF include: Upper Canada Sanctuary (Morrisburg), Beckett’s Creek Sanctuary (Beckett’s Creek, east of Ottawa), Mississippi Lake Sanctuary (Near Innisville) and Rideau Sanctuary (south of Merrickville) Properties with Conservation A conservation easement is a legally binding contract between a Easements landowner and easement holder to ensure long-term conservation and protection of the land (Nature Conservancy of Canada website).

Easement holders are usually nature conservation organizations and land trusts, but can include environmental charities, federal, provincial governments, and municipalities Non-Government Organization- Defined by NHIC as Nature Reserves which are owned and/or Nature Reserve managed by non-governmental conservation organizations including: Federation of Ontario Naturalists, Nature Conservancy of Canada, naturalists clubs, etc.

Non-Government Organization- Defined by NHIC as an area that is owned or managed by a non-

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Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program Trust Land

governmental conservation organization. These properties are usually of lesser quality than nature reserves and may be sold with conditions placed on the sale (e.g. easement) to continue the protection of the site.

Non-Government Organization NHIC identifies 8 designated Natural Historic Properties in the EOMF Natural Historic Property area which can be located at http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/nhic_.cfm Ramsar Site Wetlands recognized by the Ramsar Convention as being of international importance especially with respect to waterfowl habitat.

The Ramsar intergovernmental treaty, signed in 1971, provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources (RAMSAR website). According to the Ramsar database, Mer Bleue Bog is the only site classified as such in the EOMF area.

Crown Game Preserve An area managed by OMNR primarily for the purpose of sustaining populations of game animals. The NHIC maintains a database of such areas at http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/nhic.cfm. Currently two areas are designated as a Crown Game Preserve: Nopiming and Shirley’s Bay. Important Bird Areas Areas identified by Birdlife international in conjunction with Bird Studies Canada and Nature Canada through a science-based initiative to identify, conserve and monitor a network of sites that provide essential habitat for Canada's bird populations. (Birdlife international, 2009) These areas can be viewed through an interactive map at http://www.ibacanada.com/ Biosphere Reserves The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates biosphere reserves as sites recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program, which innovate and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development.

The sole biosphere reserve in eastern Ontario is the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve.

Natural buffers and adjacent Ecological sensitive land is property certified as such by the Minister of lands identified under ecological the Environment. These lands are defined by the Ontario Land Trust sensitive land Alliance (2003) as areas that presently, or in the future, could significantly contribute to the conservation of Canada's biodiversity and natural environmental heritage Natural Forests containing high Examples include Shagbark hickory, black walnut, pitch pine, red concentrations of tree species spruce, jack pine which are uncommon in the area

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Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program Category 2 Forest areas containing globally, regionally or nationally significant large landscape level forests, contained within, or containing the management unit, where viable populations of most if not all naturally occurring species exist in natural patterns of distribution and abundance; Large unfragmented lands by permanent infrastructure that are greater than 30 000 hectares, with less than 5% of the area affected by non-permanent human disturbances There are no known forests that fit this category in the Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program Category 3 Forest areas that are in or contain rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems Alvars

Bogs and fens

Lake sand dunes

Old Growth Forests

Unusual limestone-bedrock communities with sparse vegetation.

Alvars support biological communities that cannot exist elsewhere. (Interim Report on Ontario’s Biodiversity, OMNR 2008) – Burnt Lands Alvar; Bogs are highly acidic, peat covered wetlands with a high water table and a general lack of nutrients dominated by sphagnum and heath shrubs (Wetlands of Ontario, Environment Canada 2009).

Fens are wetlands with a high water table that may be acidic or alkaline with slow internal drainage. They maintain a higher level of nutrients than bogs, therefore are more productive, supporting a higher number of species. Plant species are primarily sedges, but can also consist of shrubs and trees.(Wetlands of Ontario, Environment Canada 2009) Accumulations of sand as a result of existing or historic lakes and shores. They are highly susceptible to wind erosion and are characterized by low fertility and rapid water drainage. North Augusta area For comprehensive characteristics of old growth broken down by community type, consult the Old Growth Forest Definitions for Ontario manual, 2003 (MNR) at http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR_E000252.pdf The Old Growth Forest Conservation Program: Program and Survey Protocol developed by the Raisin Region Conservation Authority and the SDG Stewardship Council, outlines specific protocols used to survey and identify old growth forests in eastern Ontario

Glacial relic and hypsithermal Legacy communities from receding glaciers and the warmest postcommunities glaciation (hypsithermal) period 4000 to 8000 years ago (Deevey and Flint, 1957) which became “stranded” as isolated ecosystems. In eastern Ontario these may include, but are not limited to bogs, tallgrass prairies and savannas.

Note, previously mentioned communities are not necessarily relics or hypsithermal ecosystems.

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Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program Sand dunes in North Augusta area; Gorrell report Regionally significant species in Communities: Dry-Fresh Black Oak Deciduous Forest Type, Drysignificant decline.

Fresh Mixed Oak Deciduous Forest Type, Dry-Fresh Oak-Hickory Deciduous Forest Type, Dry-Fresh Hickory Deciduous Forest Type, Dry-Fresh Hackberry Deciduous Forest Type, Fresh-Moist Black Walnut Lowland Deciduous Forest Type, Fresh-Moist Black Maple Lowland Deciduous Forest Type, Dry Oak- Pitch Pine Mixed Forest Type, Dry Chinquapin Oak- Pine Mixed Forest Type, White Pine Mineral Coniferous Swamp Type, Swamp White Oak Mineral Deciduous Swamp Type, Bur Oak Mineral Deciduous Swamp Type, Pin Oak Mineral Deciduous Swamp Type Refer to the Southern Ontario Ecological Land Classification Vegetation Type List to key out these ecosystems (Harold Lee, OMNR, 2008) Species at Risk habitats for Recognized species, their habitats, ranges and descriptions can be species recognized by the found at http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca Species at Risk Act Species at Risk habitats for A complete list, including habitat, range and description can be found species recognized by the at http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/. The NHIC also maintains a database of Endangered Species Act these species and can be searched by geographic region Category 4 Forest areas that provide basic services of nature in critical situations (e.g., subsistence, health); Groundwater recharge areas

Areas where water from melting snow and rainfall seeps into the soil and percolates down into the water table. These areas consist of porous soils allowing water to drain through the particles.

(Environment Canada: The Nature of Water) Darling Lake area, Darling Township, Lanark County Aquifers Layer of permeable material such as sand, gravel or fractured bedrock, that is capable of holding usable quantities of water (OMNR water resources website) Sole available and accessible Includes water reservoirs and natural springs sources of drinking water for a community Flood Plains

A floodplain is the relatively flat land beside a lake or river most susceptible when overflow occurs. The associated ecology has adapted to and relies on the fluctuations in water level. Change in these fluctuations can lead to fish and wildlife habitat loss and degradation of the ecosystem. These areas provide essential services of erosion control, sediment filtration, water filtration, barriers against destructive water flow and flood prevention by reducing the rate of

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Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program run-off from groundwater into the water system. (Environment Canada: The Management of Water) The local Conservation Authority will have floodplain mapping for the major rivers and tributaries in the area Category 5 Forest areas fundamental to meeting basic needs of local communities and forests that could impact or reduce the supply of basic needs and important values including: medicine, food, fuel, building, water or income.

There are no known forests that fit this category in the Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program Category 6 Forest areas critical to local communities’ traditional cultural identity Land of significant aboriginal Akwesasne Mohawk Nation lands importance Forest stands containing (prime) black ash trees – identified for basket making Notes Adjacent Lands When carrying out forest management activities adjacent to a HCVF which is not part of the FSC certificate – forest managers should consider the scientific basis and the level of public input involved in the designation of in determining the need for modified to forest management. Forest Managers will consider consulting with the appropriate (experts) guidance prior to implementing activities on a HCVF or lands adjacent to a HCVF Additional Values Additional forest values are identified in the Eastern Ontario Model Forest - Forest Certification Policies and Procedures Manual. These are found in section 1.5: Areas of Concern Standard Operating Procedure Table 1: minimum standards for the protection of forest values.

These values include: • • • • • • • •

Cold and warm water lakes and streams Provincially Significant Wetlands (PSW) Wetlands other than PSW Intermittent streams, vernal pools, seepage ways Heronries Treed wetlands Cultural Heritage sites Osprey nest sites 5

Eastern Ontario Model Forest – Forest Certification Program • • •

Raptor nest sites Deer Winter Concentration Area Trees of non timber value (mast, snag, cavity, supercanopy, woody debris)

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