Yukon Ecosystem and Landscape Classification and Mapping
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Yukon Ecological and Landscape Classification and Mapping Guidelines VERSION 1.0 Government Yukon Ecological and Landscape Classification and Mapping Guidelines VERSION 1.0 ISBN: 978-1-55362-767-8 Citation Environment Yukon. 2016. Flynn, N. and Francis. S., editors. Yukon Ecological and Landscape Classification and Mapping Guidelines. Version 1.0. Whitehorse (YT): Department of Environment, Government of Yukon. Photos and illustrations are copyrighted to the Government of Yukon unless otherwise noted and should not be reproduced for individual benefit. Please contact the photographer or institution directly (credit is along the side of the image). Notification of errors or omissions should be directed to the ELC Coordinator. Editors’ affiliation Nadele Flynn, Coordinator, Ecological and Landscape Classification Program, Fish and Wildlife Branch, Department of Environment, Government of Yukon Whitehorse, Yukon Shawn Francis, S. Francis Consulting Inc. Drumheller, Alberta Copies of this report, including a digital version, are available: Ecological and Landscape Classification (ELC) Program Fish and Wildlife Branch, Department of Environment, Government of Yukon Box 2703 (V-5), Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6 867-667-3081 elc@gov.yk.ca For more information on the ELC program and other publications, visit www.env.gov.yk.ca/elc. © 2016 Government of Yukon When using information from this report, please cite fully and correctly. Front cover photo: Overview of McLean Creek, a small tributary of the Yukon River, representative of the Boreal Low Southern Lakes subzone (BOLsl), Whitehorse, Yukon (photo by H. Ashthorn). © Government of Yukon ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Over the years, the development of Yukon ELC program has greatly benefited by the expertise of several key individuals and organizations. We would like to acknowledge the contribution of John Grods over the last 20 years and whose team developed the Broad Ecosystem Unit concepts presented in these guidelines. We also thank the team at Silvatech Consulting Ltd. who, on behalf of Yukon government, produced a tactical and strategic plan in 2007 — synthesizing ELC concepts under consideration. Development of the ELC program and this report benefited from the research and standards reports produced over the years by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range, Research Branch. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Terry Conville, Del Meidinger, John Meikle, Don Reid, Val Loewen, Lisa Knight, Anne-Marie Roberts who provided advice on the technical aspects of the guidelines report. We would like to thank Jennifer Lee, Steve Caram, Keith Maguire, Christina Guillemette and John Ryder who provided perspectives on the application of these guidelines in the environmental assessment process. We also acknowledge the contribution of case study material by Anne Marie Roberts, Sam Skinner, Don Reid, Shawn Francis, Terry Conville, Tania Tripp and Jackie Churchill. Hannah Grey and Gerry Perrier compiled all maps. Text editing was completed by Patricia Halladay of Whitehorse. Initial layout and design of the document was completed by Michelle Zieske of Outcrop Ltd. We thank current and past members of the ELC Supervisory Committee Cassandra Kelly, Tim Sellars, Kirstie Simpson, Marc Meyer, Bill Beard, Beth Hawkings and Karen Clyde for their guidance and support in the development of the ELC Guidelines. Financial support for preparation of this report was provided by Government of Yukon and Mining and Petroleum Environmental Research Group. • Beard, B., Forest Management Branch, Department • Maguire, K., Yukon Environmental & Socio-economic of Energy, Mines and Resources, Whitehorse, Yukon Assessment Board, Whitehorse, Yukon • Caram, S., Yukon Environmental & Socio-economic • Meikle, John, Technical Advisor, Whitehorse, Yukon Assessment Board, Whitehorse, Yukon • Meidinger, D., Meidinger Ecological Consultants, B.C. • Churchill, J., Madrone Environmental Services Ltd. • Meyer, M., Forest Management Branch, Department of B.C. Energy, Mines and Resources, Whitehorse, Yukon • Clyde, K., Fish and Wildlife Branch, Department of • Reid, D., Wildlife Conservation Society, Whitehorse, Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon Yukon • Conville, T., Stantec Consulting, B.C. • Roberts, A.M., A. Roberts Ecological Consulting, • Guillemette, C., Yukon Environmental and Socio- Smithers, B.C. economic Assessment Board, Teslin, Yukon • Ryder, J. Environmental Programs Branch, Department • Hawkings, B., Information Management & of Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon Technology (IMT) Branch, Department of • Sellars, T., Policy, Planning & Aboriginal Relations Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon Branch, Department of Environment, Whitehorse, • Kelly, C., Policy, Planning & Aboriginal Relations Yukon Branch, Department of Environment, Whitehorse, • Simpson, K., Corporate Policy and Planning Branch, Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, • Knight, L. Access Consulting Ltd., Whitehorse, Yukon Whitehorse, Yukon • Lee, J. Development Assessment Branch, Executive • Skinner, S., Land Use Planner, Yukon Land Use Council Office, Whitehorse, Yukon Planning Council, Whitehorse, Yukon • Loewen, V., Fish and Wildlife Branch, Department of • Tripp, T., Madrone Environmental Services Ltd., B.C. Environment, Whitehorse, Yukon TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................... 1 5 DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT ....33 1.1 BACKGROUND ..........................................................1 5.1 FIELD DATA COLLECTION ........................................ 33 1.2 PURPOSE ................................................................. 2 5.2 FIELD DATA STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL ...................... 33 1.3 HOW TO USE THESE GUIDELINES ............................... 2 5.3 SPATIAL DATA STANDARDS ..................................... 34 2 THE YUKON ELC PROGRAM ........................3 6 CONDUCTING AN ELC MAPPING PROJECT ..37 6.1 CONTACTS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION .......... 37 3 YUKON ELC FRAMEWORKS ........................5 3.1 YUKON BIOCLIMATE ECOSYSTEM 7 MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS .................39 CLASSIFICATION FRAMEWORK ....................... 5 7.1 YUKON BIOCLIMATE FRAMEWORK .......................... 39 3.1.1 Classification ........................................... 7 7.2 NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK .................... 40 3.1.1.1 Bioclimate classification ............................ 7 3.1.1.2 Site classification .....................................10 8 REFERENCES .......................................... 41 3.1.1.3 Vegetation Classification ..........................10 3.1.2 Names and Codes .................................. 11 APPENDix 1 – GLOSSARY ................................43 3.1.2.1 Vegetation Unit Names and Codes ............ 11 3.1.2.2 Bioclimate Unit .......................................12 APPENDIX 2 – CASE STUDIES ..........................49 3.1.3 Mapping ................................................14 3.1.3.1 Bioclimate zones and subzones .................14 Case Study 1: Ecoregions Of Yukon ...............................51 3.1.3.2 Broad ecosystems ...................................14 Case Study 2: Wetland Mapping, Southern Lakes ........... 53 3.1.3.3 Local ecosystems.....................................14 Case Study 3: Habitat Suitability Mapping, 3.1.4 Status of YBEC ........................................16 Peel Watershed ...................................... 57 3.2 NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF CANADA ..16 Case Study 4: Winter Range Of The Little Rancheria 3.2.1 Overview ...............................................16 Caribou Herd, Southeast Yukon ................61 3.2.1.1 Ecozones ...............................................17 Case Study 5: Local Ecosystem Mapping, 3.2.1.2 Ecoregions .............................................17 City Of Whitehorse ................................. 63 3.2.1.3 Ecodistricts .............................................17 Case Study 6: Predictive Ecosystem Mapping, Proposed Alaska Pipeline Project .............. 65 3.2.2 Status of the NEF .....................................17 Case Study 7: Baseline Studies, 4 ecOLOGICAL MAPPING GUIDELINES ........ 19 Selwyn Project ....................................... 67 4.1 MAPPING METHODS ................................................19 4.1.1 Types of Ecosystem Maps .........................19 4.1.1.1 Manual Ecosystem Mapping .....................19 4.1.1.2 Modelled Ecosystem Mapping ................. 20 4.1.1.3 Hybrid Ecosystem Mapping ..................... 20 4.1.2 Mapping Scale and Intended Use ............. 20 4.1.3 Representing Map Features: Polygons Versus Grids ............................ 22 4.1.4 Map Unit Size ......................................... 22 4.1.5 Field Sampling ....................................... 23 4.1.6 Map Accuracy ........................................ 25 4.2 MAPPING ECOSYSTEM UNITS .................................. 25 4.2.1 Bioterrain Mapping ................................ 25 4.2.2 Broad Ecosystem Units ............................ 27 4.2.2.1 Mapping ............................................... 30 4.2.3 Local Ecosystem Units ............................. 30 YUKON ECOLOGICAL AND LANDSCAPE CLASSIFIcatION GUIDELINES | VERSION 1.0 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES Figure 1. Structure of the Yukon Bioclimate Ecosystem Table 1. Overview of Yukon bioclimate zones 8 Classification system 6 Table 2. Alpha characters: Figure 2. Ecosite coding format used for naming an treed and non-treed association codes 11 ecosite within the Yukon Bioclimate