Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree (Magnolia Acuminata) in Ontario
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Photo: Allen Woodliffe Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata) in Ontario Ontario Recovery Strategy Series Recovery strategy prepared under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 September 2010 Ministry of Natural Resources About the Ontario Recovery Strategy Series This series presents the collection of recovery strategies that are prepared or adopted as advice to the Province of Ontario on the recommended approach to recover species at risk. The Province ensures the preparation of recovery strategies to meet its commitments to recover species at risk under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA, 2007) and the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada. What is recovery? What’s next? Recovery of species at risk is the process by which the Nine months after the completion of a recovery strategy decline of an endangered, threatened, or extirpated a government response statement will be published species is arrested or reversed, and threats are which summarizes the actions that the Government of removed or reduced to improve the likelihood of a Ontario intends to take in response to the strategy. The species’ persistence in the wild. implementation of recovery strategies depends on the continued cooperation and actions of government agencies, individuals, communities, land users, and What is a recovery strategy? conservationists. Under the ESA, 2007, a recovery strategy provides the best available scientific knowledge on what is required For more information to achieve recovery of a species. A recovery strategy outlines the habitat needs and the threats to the To learn more about species at risk recovery in Ontario, survival and recovery of the species. It also makes please visit the Ministry of Natural Resources Species at recommendations on the objectives for protection and Risk webpage at: www.ontario.ca/speciesatrisk recovery, the approaches to achieve those objectives, and the area that should be considered in the development of a habitat regulation. Sections 11 to 15 of the ESA, 2007 outline the required content and timelines for developing recovery strategies published in this series. Recovery strategies are required to be prepared for endangered and threatened species within one or two years respectively of the species being added to the Species at Risk in Ontario list. There is a transition period of five years (until June 30, 2013) to develop recovery strategies for those species listed as endangered or threatened in the schedules of the ESA, 2007. Recovery strategies are required to be prepared for extirpated species only if reintroduction is considered feasible. Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree in Ontario RECOMMENDED CITATION Ambrose, J. & D. Kirk. 2010. Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata) in Ontario. Ontario Recovery Strategy Series. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario. ii + 4 pp. + Appendix viii + 24 pp. + addenda. Cover illustration: Allen Woodliffe © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2010 ISBN 978-1-4435-4002-5 (PDF) Content (excluding the cover illustration) may be used without permission, with appropriate credit to the source. Cette publication hautement spécialisée Recovery strategies prepared under the Endangered Species Act, 2007, n’est disponible qu’en Anglais en vertu du Règlement 411/97 qui en exempte l’application de la Loi sur les services en français. Pour obtenir de l’aide en français, veuillez communiquer avec Pamela Wesley au ministère des Richesses naturelles au 705-755-1661. i Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree in Ontario ii Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree in Ontario ADOPTION OF RECOVERY STRATEGY The Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA 2007) requires the Minister of Natural Resources to ensure recovery strategies are prepared for all species listed as endangered or threatened on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List. Under the ESA 2007, a species’ recovery strategy may incorporate all or part of an existing plan that relates to that species (s.15). Cucumber Tree is listed as endangered on the SARO List. The species is also listed as endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act. The Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree in Ontario was prepared prior to June 30, 2008 to meet the Ontario government’s commitments under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada. The recovery strategy was published in 2007 to the SARA Public Registry to meet the requirements of the federal Species at Risk Act. This recovery strategy is hereby adopted under the ESA 2007. With the additions indicated below, the enclosed strategy meets all of the content requirements outlined in the ESA 2007. 1.0 Area for Consideration in Developing a Habitat Regulation Under the ESA 2007, a recovery strategy must include a recommendation to the Minister of Natural Resources on the area that should be considered in developing a habitat regulation. A habitat regulation is a legal instrument that prescribes an area that will be protected as the habitat of the species. The recommendation provided below by the author will be one of many sources considered by the Minister when developing the habitat regulation for this species. Section 13.2 of the recovery strategy provides a partial identification of critical habitat (as defined under the Species at Risk Act). Identification of critical habitat is not a component of a recovery strategy prepared under the ESA 2007. However, it is recommended that the areas of critical habitat identified in Section 13.2 be considered when developing a habitat regulation under the ESA 2007. 1 Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree in Ontario 2 Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree in Ontario APPENDIX 3 Recovery Strategy for the Cucumber Tree in Ontario 4 Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada Photo by Donald Kirk May 2007 Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada May 2007 Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada May 2007 Under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (1996), the federal, provincial, and territorial governments agreed to work together on legislation, programs, and policies to protect wildlife species at risk throughout Canada. In the spirit of cooperation of the Accord, the Government of Ontario has given permission to the Government of Canada to adopt the Recovery strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada under Section 44 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Details are provided in the addenda of this document. This recovery strategy is the recovery strategy of the Minister of the Environment of Canada for this species. May 2007 ii Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada May 2007 Recommended Citation Ambrose, J. & D. Kirk. 2007. Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources by the Cucumber Tree Recovery Team, viii + 24pp. + addenda. Additional copies: Additional copies can be downloaded from the SARA Public Registry (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/) Cover photo: Donald Kirk Également disponible en français sous le titre « Programme de rétablissement du magnolia acuminé (Magnolia acuminata L.) au Canada » Content (excluding the illustrations) may be used without permission, with appropriate credit to the source. iii Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada May 2007 Responsible Jurisdictions Cucumber Tree occurs in the province of Ontario, and the recovery strategy was developed by the province. The Canadian Wildlife Service - Ontario Region, on behalf of the competent minister (the Minister of the Environment), cooperated in the development of the recovery strategy Recovery Team Members and Associated Specialists Donald Kirk (Chair) Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources John D. Ambrose Botanical Consultant Dave Holmes Long Point Region Conservation Authority Peter Kevan University of Guelph Richard Reader University of Guelph Allen Woodliffe Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Associated Specialists Ken Elliott Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Mary Gartshore Ecological Consultant Dennis Joyce Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Steve Scheers Municipality of Norfolk County iv Recovery Strategy for Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata L.) in Canada May 2007 Acknowledgements Members of the Recovery Team wish to acknowledge the many landowners who provided information and access to their properties during the recent mapping projects which provided current baseline population information for this recovery strategy. Jeff Robinson of the Canadian Wildlife Service provided detailed information on a recent inventory of the Long Point population. The Natural Heritage Information Centre in Peterborough provided copies of their current Element Occurrence records. Melinda Thompson and Tanya Suggitt provided much technical assistance in the form of database management and GIS support. Rebecca Hay provided valuable assistance in ensuring all internal and peer review comments were incorporated into the document. Preface The Cucumber Tree is under the management jurisdiction of the Ontario provincial government and Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service – Ontario Region). The Species at Risk Act (SARA, Section 37) requires the competent Minister to prepare a recovery strategy for all listed extirpated, endangered or threatened species. SARA Section 44(1) allows the Minister to adopt an existing plan for the species if it meets the requirements under