Appendix 15-A Terrestrial Wildlife and Vegetation Baseline Report HARPER CREEK PROJECT Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate / Environmental Impact Statement Harper Creek Mine Project Terrestrial Wildlife and Vegetation Baseline Report Prepared for Harper Creek Mining Corp. c/o Yellowhead Mining Inc. 730 – 800 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6C 2V6 Prepared by: This image cannot currently be displayed. Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. 112-9547 152 Street Surrey, BC V3R 5Y5 August 2014 Harper Creek Mine Project Terrestrial Baseline Report DISCLAIMER This report was prepared exclusively for Harper Creek Mining Corporation (HCMC) by Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. The quality of information, conclusions and estimates contained herein is consistent with the level of effort expended and is based on: i) information on the Project activities, facilities, and workforce available at the time of preparation; ii) data collected by Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. and its subconsultants, and/or supplied by outside sources; and iii) the assumptions, conditions and qualifications set forth in this report. This report is intended for use by HCMC only, subject to the terms and conditions of its contract with Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. Any other use or reliance on this report by any third party is at that party’s sole risk. This image cannot currently be displayed. Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. Page ii Harper Creek Mine Project Terrestrial Baseline Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Harper Creek Project (the Project) is a proposed open pit copper mine located in south- central British Columbia (BC), approximately 150 km northeast by road from Kamloops. The Project has an estimated 28-year mine life based on a process plant throughput of 70,000 tonnes per day. The Proponent, Harper Creek Mining Corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yellowhead Mining Inc., which is a public BC junior mineral development company trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. A baseline assessment of Terrestrial Wildlife and Vegetation was conducted to describe conditions within the mine study area, in support of the Application for an Environmental Assessment (EA) Certificate under the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act (BC EAA) and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Baseline studies were guided by the requirements defined in the Approved Project Application Information Requirements (AIR) issued October 21, 2011, along with input from government, First Nations, and other stakeholders. Methods focused on quantifying or qualitatively describing wildlife and vegetation resources in the Project study area. Twenty-eight Valued Components (VCs) were identified as the focus of terrestrial baseline studies. A combination of general and species-specific field surveys, ecosystem mapping, habitat suitability mapping, literature review and discussions with experts was used to determine presence and distribution within the Project study area. Forty rare plants were observed within the Local Study Area (LSA) during baseline studies for the Project, including nine vascular plant species, six mosses and 25 lichens. None of these species were SARA -listed. Two vascular plant species and one moss species were identified that are believed to be newly-described to science, while four lichens were discovered that have not been recorded in BC previously. Many of these were located at the Project site area, within wetlands and subalpine meadow habitats at higher elevations in the LSA. Calcareous cliffs in the valley bottom near Vavenby also contained many of the rare lichen and moss species. Three Ecological Communities at Risk (ECAR) were identified within the LSA using Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping (TEM). One of these was relatively common at lower elevations of the LSA, while the remaining two ECAR were limited in distribution and only found at higher elevations, within and adjacent to the Project site area. Wetlands were mapped throughout the LSA using the TEM. Eight wetland site series were identified: five fens and three swamps. A total of 208.7 ha of wetlands were mapped, with the majority of wetland in the LSA being located at higher elevations near the Project site area, including within the proposed TMF footprint. Water-sedge / peat-moss wetlands (Wf03) were the most common wetland site series. Wetland distribution was also placed within a regional context through an analysis of wetlands within Vegetation Resource Inventory (VRI) mapping for the RSA. The LSA is composed of about 1.8% wetlands when compared to 0.8% within the RSA. This image cannot currently be displayed. Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. Page iii Harper Creek Mine Project Terrestrial Baseline Report Old-growth forests were mapped using the TEM. Approximately 28% of the LSA was mapped as old-growth forest, much of which is found at higher elevations. However much of the LSA is also composed of forest that was likely logged in the past 40 years. The interspersion of cutblocks with old-growth forest has left the LSA very fragmented. Butteflies, damselflies and dragonflies were surveyed in the LSA using netting surveys. During netting surveys, 42 butterfly species, three damselfly species and nine dragonfly species were observed. No species of conservation concern were identified. Road encounter surveys, pond surveys, larval surveys, and habitat suitability mapping were all conducted to identify western toad presence and distribution within the LSA. Western toads were found to occur throughout the LSA, and appear to be relatively common throughout. Breeding sites were confirmed during pond surveys at higher elevations, within the Project site area and in particular within the TMF. Suitable habitat was mapped at all elevations, and it is expected that breeding also takes place at lower elevations within the LSA. Barn Swallows presence and distribution within the LSA was assessed using a combination breeding bird surveys and habitat suitability mapping. This species was concentrated at low elevations along the North Thompson River, in proximity to the town of Vavenby. Common Nighthawks were surveyed using call-playback methods to elicit responses from territorial males. Common Nighthawks were observed during baseline surveys to occur at low elevations, mainly over farm fields along the valley bottom of the North Thompson River. Olive-sided Flycatcher presence and distribution within the LSA was assessed using breeding bird surveys and habitat suitability mapping. Individuals and suitable habitat occur throughout the LSA, wherever forest opening edges are found. Bald Eagles were surveyed using eagle nest surveys and habitat suitability mapping. One active eagle nest was observed on the western edge of the LSA, along the valley bottom of the North Thompson River. Additional suitable nesting habitat was identified along the valley bottom as well. Northern Goshawks were surveyed using call-playback methods. Though none were observed during targeted surveys, two were observed incidentally during other baseline studies within the LSA. Suitable nesting habitat was identified primarily at lower elevations, but no nest sites were observed. Five bat species were identified as VCs for the baseline assessment. Three of these were confirmed to be present within the LSA using acoustic detection and capture methods: fringed myotis, little brown myotis, and northern myotis. Fringed myotis appears to exist in low densities within the LSA, while little brown myotis and northern myotis are much more common and found throughout. The remaining two bat species, Townsend’s big-eared bat and western small-footed myotis, were not observed and may not be present. To assess the LSA for grizzly bear, habitat suitability was mapped for the species, surveys were conducted to identify den sites in suitable habitat in the RSA, and a road density analysis was performed. One den site was located and suitable habitat was identified for spring, summer and This image cannot currently be displayed. Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd. Page iv Harper Creek Mine Project Terrestrial Baseline Report fall. Spring habitat was found to be the most limiting foraging habitat, and the LSA does not appear to contain any suitable denning habitat. Two grizzly bear tracks were observed incidentally during other baseline surveys. Although grizzlies are present, road densities are high, which likely limit grizzly use in this area. Moose use of the LSA was assessed using habitat suitability mapping and snow-tracking surveys. Moose distribution within the LSA appears to be seasonally-dependent. During the winter, snow conditions typically limit moose to lower-elevations. During the growing season, moose distribution is expected to be less-concentrated, spreading throughout the LSA. Security/thermal habitat is common in the LSA and likely not limiting. However moderate value growing season forage habitats, according to the habitat suitability mapping, may be more restricted. Mountain caribou were assessed within the LSA using habitat suitability mapping, snow-tracking surveys and road density analysis. Based on historic and recent observations, mountain caribou appear to use the LSA infrequently. Although the LSA contains suitable habitat for most seasons of potential use, it has been heavily fragmented by road construction and forest harvesting for years which is likely the primary cause of infrequent use. Mule deer use of the LSA was assessed using snow-tracking surveys. Mule deer