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Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Guidelines and Priorities

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Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Guidelines and Priorities Essex Region Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Guidelines and Priorities ! 2002 ! November 29, 2002 Published by: The Essex Region Conservation Authority Prepared by: Dan Lebedyk, Conservation Biologist - Project Co-ordinator With funding support from: Copies* of this report may be obtained from: Essex Region Conservation Authority 360 Fairview Ave. W. Essex ON N8M 1Y6 * Due to the size and cost of producing this document, some restriction in its distribution may be necessary. This report may be cited as: Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). 2002. Essex Region Biodiversity Conservation Strategy - Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Guidelines (Comprehensive Version). Dan Lebedyk, Project Co-ordinator. Essex, Ontario. 181 pp. Acknowledgements Many individuals contributed to the development of this Biodiversity Conservation Strategy for the Essex region. The following individuals and organizations are gratefully acknowledged for their commitment, support, and involvement on the technical steering committee for the project: Terry Anderson Essex County Woodlot Owners Association Jim Boothby Stewardship Co-ordinator, Essex County Stewardship Network Tom Clark Essex County Federation of Agriculture Bob Clay Manager, Western Ontario Field Office, Ducks Unlimited Canada Ken Colthurst Forester, Essex Region Conservation Authority Lee Anne Doyle County Planning Advisor, County of Essex Jodi Dutz EcoServices, Muddy Creek/Two Creeks Implementation Strategy Mark Emery Stewardship Co-ordinator, Essex County Stewardship Network Geordon Harvey GIS Technician, Essex Region Conservation Authority Don Hector Area Biologist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Tom Hurst President, Essex County Field Naturalists Club Dan Lebedyk Biologist and Project Co-ordinator, Essex Region Conservation Authority Janice Leboeuf Soil and Water Quality Technician, Essex Region Conservation Authority Jon Lovett-Doust Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor George McCracken Wildlife Photographer/Naturalist Brian McHattie Contractor to Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service and Great Lakes 2000 Cleanup Fund Gary Mouland Park Warden, Point Pelee National Park Ian Naisbitt Little River Enhancement Group Dan Reive Chief Park Warden, Point Pelee National Park Larry Silani Prince, Silani & Associates Limited Urban & Rural Planning Consultants Owen Steele Biologist, Ducks Unlimited Canada Bill Stephenson Regional Conservation Biologist, Parks Canada Ric Symmes President, STERNSMAN International Inc. Lisa Tulen Citizen's Environment Alliance Doug van Hemessen Program Secretary, Carolinian Canada Gerry Waldron Consulting Ecologist, ECSN Landscape Strategy for Wetlands in the Western Basin Al Woodliffe Area Ecologist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Richard Wyma Land Management Supervisor, Essex Region Conservation Authority Special thanks are extended to the following ERCA staff and assistants for their technical work on the project: GIS technical staff - Geordon Harvey and Christina Small Technical assistants - Michael O’Brien and Larisa Pappas Finally, thanks to Parks Canada, Environment Canada’s Great Lakes 2000 Cleanup Fund, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Essex County Stewardship Network, and Human Resources Development Canada for providing funding for the strategy. i Essex Region Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Table of Contents List of Figures....................................................................... vi List of Tables .......................................................................vii Executive Summary.................................................................. ix 1. Background .................................................................. 1 2. Purpose..................................................................... 4 2.1 Applicability to Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) ................................. 4 2.1.1 Detroit River RAP ................................................ 4 2.1.2 Wheatley Harbour RAP ............................................ 5 3. Study Areas.................................................................. 5 4. Methodology ................................................................. 6 4.1 Database Compilation ................................................... 6 4.2 Spatial Analysis of Existing Habitat ......................................... 7 4.2.1 Forest Cover.................................................... 7 4.2.2 Riparian (Streambank) Analysis ..................................... 7 4.2.3 Imperviousness of Urbanized Areas .................................. 8 4.2.4 Wetland Extent .................................................. 8 4.2.5 Extent of Prairie, Savanna, Alvar .................................... 9 4.3 Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Development .............................. 9 4.3.1 Environmental Guidelines/Local Targets............................... 9 4.3.2 Guiding Principles............................................... 10 4.3.2.1Forest Habitat............................................ 11 4.3.2.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 12 4.3.2.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 13 4.3.2.4Fish Habitat ............................................. 15 4.3.2.5 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 15 4.3.2.6 Vulnerable, Threatened, and Endangered Species ............... 16 5. Results .................................................................... 17 5.1 Southeast Essex Region: Point Pelee, Hillman Marsh, Sturgeon Creek, and Muddy Creek (Wheatley Harbour AOC) Sub-watersheds .................................. 17 5.1.1 Study Area..................................................... 17 5.1.2 Existing Habitat................................................. 17 5.1.2.1Forest Habitat............................................ 25 5.1.2.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 26 5.1.2.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 26 5.1.2.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 27 5.1.3 Habitat Restoration Opportunities ................................... 27 5.1.3.1Forest Habitat............................................ 35 5.1.3.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 35 5.1.3.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 35 5.1.3.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 36 5.2 Greater Detroit River Study Area: Detroit River AOC, Little River, Turkey Creek, and River Canard Sub-watersheds ................................................. 37 5.2.1 Study Area..................................................... 37 5.2.2 Existing Habitat................................................. 37 5.2.2.1Forest Habitat............................................ 44 5.2.2.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 45 5.2.2.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 46 5.2.2.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 46 5.2.3 Habitat Restoration Opportunities ................................... 46 iii Essex Region Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 5.2.3.1Forest Habitat............................................ 53 5.2.3.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 53 5.2.3.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 54 5.2.3.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 54 5.3 Lake Erie Sub-watersheds: Big Creek, Fox Creek, Cedar Creek, Wigle Creek, Mill Creek and Kingsville Drains ................................................... 55 5.3.1 Study Area..................................................... 55 5.3.2 Existing Habitat................................................. 55 5.3.2.1Forest Habitat............................................ 61 5.3.2.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 62 5.3.2.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 62 5.3.2.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 63 5.3.3 Habitat Restoration Opportunities ................................... 63 5.3.3.1Forest Habitat............................................ 69 5.3.3.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 69 5.3.3.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 69 5.3.3.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 70 5.4 Lake St. Clair Sub-watersheds: Pike Creek, Puce River, Belle River, Duck Creek, Moison Creek, Ruscom River, and Little Creek ..................................... 71 5.4.1 Study Area..................................................... 71 5.4.2 Existing Habitat................................................. 71 5.4.2.1Forest Habitat............................................ 80 5.4.2.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 81 5.4.2.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 81 5.4.2.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 82 5.4.3 Habitat Restoration Opportunities ................................... 82 5.4.3.1Forest Habitat............................................ 91 5.4.3.2Riparian Habitat.......................................... 91 5.4.3.3 Wetland Habitat .......................................... 91 5.4.3.4 Tallgrass Prairie, Savanna, and Alvar ......................... 91 5.5 Entire Region......................................................... 92 5.5.1 Study Area..................................................... 92 5.5.2
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