38 Plant Species at Risk Accounts in Prince George Timber Supply Area
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38 PLANT SPECIES AT RISK ACCOUNTS IN PRINCE GEORGE TIMBER SUPPLY AREA FIA PROJECT 2668067 Prepared for: Canadian Forest Products Ltd. 5162 Northwood Pulpmill Road Prince George, B.C. V2L 4W2 Attn: Bruce Bradley Prepared by: Timberline Natural Resource Group Ltd. 1512 97 th Avenue Dawson Creek, BC V1G 1N7 March 2008 1 Acknowlegements The authors of these accounts, Mecah Klem, Jen Atkins, Korey Green and Dan Bernier would like to thank Bruce Bradley and the PG FIA licensee group for funding this project. We would also like to acknowledge the work by Timberline staff on related projects – their research and previous related technical reports were useful for completing these accounts in an efficient and comprehensive manner. Gilbert Proulx of Alpha Wildlife Research and Management is also thanked for his contribution to other components of this collaborative project. 2 Table of Contents: Introduction ................................................................................................... 5 Alpine cliff fern .............................................................................................. 6 American sweet-flag ...................................................................................... 8 Arctic rush ................................................................................................... 10 Austrian draba ............................................................................................ 12 Back’s sedge ................................................................................................. 14 Bald sedge .................................................................................................... 16 Bog adder’s-mouth orchid ......................................................................... 18 Bog rush ....................................................................................................... 20 Bourgeau’s milk-vetch ................................................................................ 22 Crested wood fern ....................................................................................... 24 Cryptic paw.................................................................................................. 26 Dark lamb’s-quarters ................................................................................. 28 Davis’ locoweed ........................................................................................... 30 Elegant Jacob’s-ladder ............................................................................... 32 Fernald’s false manna ................................................................................. 34 Kruckeberg’s holly fern.............................................................................. 36 Many-headed sedge ..................................................................................... 38 Meadow arnica ............................................................................................ 40 Northern bog bedstraw ............................................................................... 42 Northern Jacob’s ladder ............................................................................. 44 Plains butterweed ........................................................................................ 46 3 Pointed broom sedge ................................................................................... 48 Pygmy waterlily ........................................................................................... 50 Rivergrass .................................................................................................... 52 Riverbank anemone .................................................................................... 54 Sheathing pondweed ................................................................................... 56 Slender mannagrass .................................................................................... 58 Small-flowered lousewort ........................................................................... 60 Sprengel’s sedge .......................................................................................... 62 Swollen beaked sedge .................................................................................. 64 Tender sedge ................................................................................................ 66 Two-coloured sedge ..................................................................................... 68 Water bur-reed ............................................................................................ 70 Water marigold ........................................................................................... 72 Western dogbane ......................................................................................... 74 White adder’s-mouth orchid ...................................................................... 76 White wintergreen ....................................................................................... 78 Whitebark pine ............................................................................................ 80 References .................................................................................................... 82 4 Introduction The 38 plant species accounts presented in this report have been written as part of a larger project that includes all species at risk and plant communities at risk in the Prince George Timber Supply Area (PGTSA). They are presented originally in this report due to scheduling and contractual requirements. They will be included in a future report that includes all flora, fauna and plant communities at risk in the PGTSA. 5 Alpine cliff fern Woodsia alpine Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species Plantae Filicinophyta Filicopsida Filicales Dryopteridaceae Woodsia alpina Description: Alpine cliff fern is a deciduous perennial that emerges in small groups from a short horizontal rhizome. The leaves are narrow and spear shaped, 3-20 cm long, and 0.5-3 cm wide. Leaves are paired, have shallow serrated edges, and are of typical fern shape. Sporangia are present on the underside of the leaf and are rounded and hair like, ~1 mm wide. Habitat: The alpine cliff fern is found in high elevation montane and subalpine zones, especially amongst rock outcrops that are calcareous in formation. Distribution: This plant occurs through out the northern region of North American and continues across the circumpolar north into Europe and Asia. It has been recorded in every province in Canada except Alberta, and also occurs in a number of northern states including Minnesota, Maine, and Vermont. In British Columbia alpine cliff is relatively rare but has been recorded at a number of locations in the province. BEC Units: SBSdw, SWBmk Forest District: DJA (District of Fort St. James) Threats and Concerns: The main threats to this species are oil and gas exploration, mining, forest harvesting, and road construction, which may occur in or adjacent to preferred habitat. As this species occurs primarily at higher elevations this may help to reduce the likelihood of it being affected by commercial activities. The increased use of subalpine and alpine areas by motorized recreation users may also pose a growing threat. Summary of the status for the alpine cliff fern in BC, Canada and the globe. (BC Conservation Data Centre 2008): BC List BC Global COSEWIC Blue S2S3 G4 - 6 Habitat Management Recommendations: Current management guidelines for plant species at risk in the PGTSA are focused at the stand level. If a potential plant species at risk is located, it is recommended that the area have ribbon placed around it, photos taken and field cards filled out with the exact location recorded. This information should then be passed on to the designated species at risk coordinator. Both the plant species at risk and habitat they occur in should be protected. The current management strategies for plant species at risk follow the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy (IWMS) set out by the BC Government. They are as follows: establish a core area around a known element occurrence with a 30-50 m wide buffer establish a management zone around the core area that is 150-200 m wide around the buffer do not harvest within the core area, unless harvesting is aimed specifically at improving the habitat for the particular rare plant species deactivate temporary roads after use, do not allow road or trail construction upslope or within the element occurrence restrict access to high elevation areas with the use of gates and trenches where roads already exist or are necessary, ensure road is not changing the hydrology of element occurrence habitat ensure road maintenance activities do not alter, damage, or destroy the element occurrence if seeding occurs, use native species (prevent spread of exotic plant species) Further Information and Links: • British Columbia Conservation Data Centre http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cdc/ • E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia: http://www.eflora.bc.ca/ • Identified Wildlife Management Strategy – BC Ministry Of Environment. http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/frpa/iwms/index.html • Nature Serve Explorer: http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/index.htm • USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database: http://plants.usda.gov/ 7 American sweet-flag Acorus americanus Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species Plantae Anthophyta Monocotyledoneae Arales Acoraceae Acorus americanus Description: American sweet-flag is a perennial