TFN 2017 CFMP Activity Report Report Designed By: Off to Market, Inc
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CottonwoodMonitoring Flats Project 2017 Activity Report & Assessment Data March, 2018 Report prepared by: Jason Ramsay-Brown, CFMP Primary Administrator Report reviewed by: Stephen Smith, Gavin Miller, Charles Bruce-Thompson, Nancy Dengler Reference as: TFN 2017 CFMP Activity Report Report Designed By: Off to Market, Inc. http://offtomarket.ca 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION. 3 APPENDIX B: COMPILED FAUNA DATA .....37 PROJECT OVERVIEW . 3 COMPLETE DATA SET (ALL PLOTS) . 37 STUDY AREA . 3 COMPLETE DATA SET (BY DATE) . 38 METHODOLOGY & PROTOCOLS . 4 LOCATIONS OF BEAVER ACTIVITY . 39 SUMMARY OF RESULTS ....................5 APPENDIX C: HUMAN USE DATA ..........39 FLORA SPECIES AT COTTONWOOD FLATS . 5 APPENDIX D: ASSESSMENT AND FAUNA SPECIES AT COTTONWOOD FLATS . 6 SESSION NOTES . 40 HUMAN USE AT COTTONWOOD FLATS . 7 MS1: MONITORING SESSION #1 . 40 2018 RECOMMENDATIONS .................8 VEG1: VEGETATION ASSESSMENT #1 . 40 SITE RECOMMENDATIONS . 8 MS2: MONITORING SESSION #2 . 41 PROTOCOL ADJUSTMENTS . 8 MS3: MONITORING SESSION #3 . 41 MONITORING ACTIVITIES . 9 MS4: MONITORING SESSION #4 . 42 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT . 9 VEG2: VEGETATION ASSESSMENT #2 . 42 RESTORATION & STEWARDSHIP . 10 MS5: MONITORING SESSION #5 . 43 APPENDICES ............................11 MS6: MONITORING SESSION #6 . 43 APPENDIX A: COMPILED FLORA DATA .....11 PLOT 1 . 12 PLOT 2 . 14 PLOT 3 . 16 PLOT 4 . 18 PLOT 5 . 20 PLOT 6 . 22 PLOT 7 . 24 PLOT 8 . 27 PLOT 9 . 29 PLOT 10 . 31 COMPLETE DATA SET (ALL PLOTS) . 33 INTRODUCTION PROJECT OVERVIEW The Cottonwood Flats Monitoring Project (CFMP) is a partnership between the City of Toronto’s Natural Environment and Community Programs (NECP) section of Urban Forestry and the Toronto Field Naturalists (TFN) . Its primary goal is to create and curate an inventory of animal and vegetation biodiversity at Cottonwood Flats (see “Study Area”) which, over time, will be used to assess overall trends in species richness and abundance . A secondary objective for the project is to facilitate community engagement and outreach . Project protocols (see “Methodology & Protocols”) were designed and developed by TFN in 2016, and approved for use by NECP in January, 2017 . TFN has committed to running the project for a three-year period which began in April, 2017 . The project will be reassessed in 2019/2020 . STUDY AREA Cottonwood Flats is an approximately 4-hectare parcel of floodplain, elevated by an anthropogenic fill base, that is located on a post-industrial site along the eastern banks of the Lower Don River near Crothers Woods . The site was once home to a rockwool factory, was used as a disposal site for concrete debris, and until recently served as a primary site for dumping snow plowed from city streets . Between 2009 and 2014, the City of Toronto, TRCA, Task Force to Bring Back the Don, and Schollen and Company created and executed a restoration plan intended primarily to provide habitat for ground- nesting birds . A key feature of this plan was an approximately one acre songbird meadow, fully enclosed by permanent fencing, meant to help secure the area from trampling, off-leash dogs, and other potential threats . 3 METHODOLOGY & PROTOCOLS Cottonwood Flats is too large an area to monitor and assess in its entirety . Instead, ten 20m x 20m permanent plots have been defined that are the focus of monitoring and assessment efforts . These plots have been delineated by pin flags in each corner to aid on-site discovery . Plot locations were selected based on existing natural features, human traffic patterns, and the post- industrial legacy of the site . Site activities abide by specific protocols developed by TFN in consultation with NECP, and modelled on similar protocols used by organizations like TRCA and EMAN so as to maximize compatibility with other standard data collection methods . Annually, volunteers conduct six site Monitoring Sessions, the purpose of which is to identify animal species (primarily birds), and flora in bloom or seed . Each session begins with a ten minute “Bird Circle” observation, during which two or three stationary observers log all animal activity within a 50m circle encompassing plots 1,2,3, & 4, and the entirety of the fenced-in Songbird Meadow . Following this, two to four volunteers devote a minimum of five minutes of continuous observation time to logging all animal activity in each plot . An additional observer visits all plots independently to document flora in bloom or seed . Further, two Vegetation Assessments are conducted each year, during which the emphasis is on flora identification . During these assessments there is no Bird Circle observation period, but one volunteer continues to devote five minutes of continuous observation time to each plot for the purpose of logging animal activity . Meanwhile, two to five volunteers devote a total two hours each to flora identification, working alone or in co- operation with one another, as proves most effective . During all eight sessions and assessments, a volunteer photographer is responsible for documenting interesting discoveries, general activities, and attending to routine photo monitoring as prescribed by the City of Toronto . Concurrently, a CFMP Site Ambassador, situated by the trail that connects the Lower Don Recreational Trail to nearby Sun Valley/Crothers Woods, engages with any members of the public curious about project activities . The Site Ambassador answers questions, distributes TFN and City of Toronto brochures, and keeps records on human visitation and use of Cottonwood Flats . 4 SUMMARY OF RESULTS Flora Species at Cottonwood Flats The study area is dominated by Exotic Cool- season Grass Graminoid Meadow (CUM1-b) and Exotic Forb Meadow (CUM1-c) . A portion of the site is successional semi-woody habitat, which includes the riparian zone along the Don River . The developing vegetation structure indicates it is headed towards a vegetation community typical of the Lower Don Valley - Fresh-Moist Cottonwood Tall Treed Woodland (CUW1-A4) Plot observations identified a total of 92 species of vascular plants during the 2017 season (see Appendix A) . These included 28 native species (both naturally-occurring and planted) and 64 exotic species (69 .5%) . 7 additional plants were identified only to the level of Genus . Of interest, 14 species catalogued (4 native, 10 exotic) are not present in Beechwood Wetland and Cottonwood Flats Terrestrial Biological Inventory and Assessment (TRCA, 2010) . Native tree canopy in the plots is generally dominated by Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) . Cottonwood propagation is evident, particularly in plots 6 & 9 (Veg1, Stephen Smith) . Most cottonwoods were observed to be in generally good health, although some exhibited deformation of the branch tips due to gall mites (Veg1, Stephen Smith; MS5, Jim Grass) . Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) is the dominant tree species found in plot 3, but also has significant presence in plot 8 . Green ash here range from 30cm to 4 .5m in height . While no obvious indication of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) was discovered, dieback from vole girdling was seen in plot 3 (Veg2, Stephen Smith), and half of those in plot 6 produced no buds (MS3, Ken Sproule) . Tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima) is the dominant native at the herbaceous layer . Plot 7, the only plot that touches upon the Don River, also supports notable populations of riverbank grape (Vitis riparia), white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima), and riverbank wild rye (Elymus riparius) . For the most part, however, all plots are dominated by exotic or invasive herbs . Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) is the most populous invasive catalogued, covering 5% to 30% of all plots . White sweet clover (Melilotus albus) is similarly abundant in many plots, particularly 4, 5, & 6 . Dog-strangling vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum) was catalogued in seven of the ten plots, with plot cover ranging from 7 .5% to 10% where discovered . Of notable concern, despite its relatively small population, is the discovery of Asian bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) in plot 7 . This invasive plant was not listed in Beechwood Wetland and Cottonwood Flats Terrestrial Biological Inventory and Assessment (TRCA, 2010) but its potential introduction is mentioned therein with note as to the impact it would have on local American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) populations . While greater burdock (Arctium lappa) is not yet of particular concern in the study area, it is worth mentioning that volunteers discovered the skeletal remains of a small songbird (likely a black-capped chickadee) entangled in the burdock present in plot 7 (Veg1, Ken Sproule) . 5 FAUNA SPECIES AT COTTONWOOD FLATS 18 species of birds were cataloged during the 2017 season . Red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), American robins (Turdus migratorius), and American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) were the most often sighted birds . While the majority of sightings were made during Bird Circle observation, these species were frequently spotted during plot observation as well . Only 2 nests were discovered in the study area: both built by American robins, but neither located in our plots (MS1, Ken Morin; MS3, Lillian Natalizio) . There was ample evidence that male & female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) were co-habitating many of the bird boxes located in the study area, particularly those located in/near plots 1, 6, & 8 (MS3, Anne Powell, Carol Sellers, Jason Ramsay-Brown; MS4, Charles Bruce-Thompson, Jason Ramsay-Brown) . No juveniles were seen, but one volunteer was