Sustainable Resource Management Plan

Biodiversity Chapter for Meager Landscape Unit

July 2004

Prepared by:

• Jim Roberts
• Harry Gill

GIS Analyst Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Coast Region

Bernice Patterson

B&B Forestry Consultant to: C.R.B. Logging Co. Ltd. Squamish - Pemberton
Land Use Planner Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Coast Region

Lucy Stad, R.P.F.

Planning Forester Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Coast Region

Greg George, R.P. Bio.

Forest Ecosystem Specialist Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Coast Region

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 1

2.0 Landscape Unit Objectives 3.0 Landscape Unit Description
13
3.1 Biophysical Description
3

3.2 Significant Resource Values
4

4.0 Biodiversity Management Goals and Strategies
4.1 General Biodiversity Management Goals 4.2 Specific Biodiversity Management Goals and Strategies
4.21 Biodiversity Management Goals
7788
4.22 Biodiversity Management Strategies
4.3 OGMA Boundary Mapping
99

• 4.4 Auditing Wildlife Tree Retention
• 9

5.0 Mitigation of Timber Supply Impacts
5.1 OGMA Amendment Procedures
9
10

List of Tables Table 1Table 2

• Required Levels for Old Seral Representation
• 2

2
Non-contributing, Constrained THLB and Unconstrained THLB Components of Meager LU OGMAs

Table 3

• Wildlife Species of Specific Management Concern
• 4

List of Appendices Appendix I: Biodiversity Emphasis Option Ranking Criteria Appendix II: Public Consultation Summary Appendix III: Acronyms
11 19 20 21 27
Appendix IV: OGMA Summary and Rationale Description Appendix V: Preliminary Comments/Rating for OGMAs

• Meager LU Plan
• i

1.0 Introduction

This report provides background information used during the preparation of the Sustainable Resource Management Plan and associated proposed legal objectives for the Meager Landscape Unit (LU). Specifically, this report forms the biodiversity conservation chapter of the plan. A description of the landscape unit, discussion on significant resource values, and an Old Growth Management Area (OGMA) summary and rationale are provided.

Biological diversity or biodiversity is defined as: ‘the diversity of plants, animals and other living organisms in all their forms and levels of organization, and includes the diversity of genes, species and ecosystems as well as the evolutionary and functional processes that link them’¹. British Columbia is the most

biologically diverse province in Canada. In British Columbia, 115 species or subspecies of known vertebrates and 364 vascular plants are listed for legal designation as threatened or endangered². The continuing loss of biological diversity will have a major impact on the health and functions of ecosystems and the quality of life in the province (Resources Inventory Committee, 1998).

Planning for OGMA and Wildlife Tree Patch (WTP) is recognized as a high priority for the province. LU Planning is an important component of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia (FPC) which allows legal establishment of objectives to address landscape level biodiversity values. Implementation of this initiative is intended to help sustain certain biodiversity values. Managing for biodiversity through retention of old growth forests is not only important for wildlife, but can also provide important benefits to ecosystem management, protection of water quality and preservation of other natural resources. Although not all elements of biodiversity can be, or need to be, maintained on every hectare, a broad geographic distribution of old growth ecosystems is intended to help sustain the genetic and functional diversity of native species across their historic ranges.

The Squamish Forest District has completed draft LU boundaries and assigned draft Biodiversity Emphasis Options (BEO) in accordance with the direction provided by government. There are 20 LUs within this district. Through a ranking process (see Appendix I) the Meager LU was rated as an Intermediate BEO. Current government direction requires that priority biodiversity provisions, including the delineation of Old Growth Management Areas and wildlife tree retention (WTR), be undertaken immediately. This work was completed by the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM) and C.R.B. Logging Co. Ltd. with input provided by Ministry of Forests (MOF) and Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP) as well as from other forest Licensees. Funding was provided by the Forest Investment Account and MSRM.

Input from First Nations was gathered during consultation between MSRM and individual First Nations. Comment from the public and other agencies was sought during the 60 day public review and comment period. A summary of public comments is included in Appendix II. Refer to the attached legal map for the location of OGMAs.

Supporting documentation regarding government policy, planning processes and biodiversity concepts

are provided in the 1995 Biodiversity Guidebook, the 1999 Landscape Unit Planning Guide (LUPG), the Vancouver Forest Region Landscape Unit Planning Strategy (1999), as well as Sustainable Resource Management Planning Framework: A Landscape-level Strategy for Resource Development.

2.0 Landscape Unit Objectives

Landscape Unit objectives are legally established within the framework of the FPC and as such become Higher Level Plan objectives. Other operational plans must be consistent with these objectives.

¹ Definition of biodiversity is from page 2 of the Forest Practices Code Biodiversity Guidebook (September, 1995). ² BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer. 2003. Victoria, British Columbia. Available at: http://srmapps.gov.bc.ca/apps/eswp/ Meager LU Plan
1

The Meager LU received an Intermediate BEO through the biodiversity value ranking and BEO assignment processes completed earlier (see Appendix I). Table 1 lists the percentages of the LUs productive forest area by natural disturbance type (NDT) required for old seral representation. The target figures listed in Table 1 are derived from Appendix 2 of the LUPG. The percentages of cutblock area required for WTR for each BEC subzone are shown in Table A of the Legal Objectives.

• Table 1.
• Required Levels for Old Seral Representation

LUPG Old Seral Representation
BEC

Variant¹
Target³

ha

NDT²
%
CWHds1 CWHms1 MHmm2
NDT 2 NDT 2 NDT 1

>9 >9 >19
>261 >633 >709

¹CWHds1: Coastal Western Hemlock zone, southern dry submaritime variant CWHms1: Coastal Western Hemlock zone, southern moist submaritime variant MHmm2: Mountain Hemlock zone, leeward moist maritime variant ²NDT = Natural Disturbance Type. Refer to LUPG, Appendix 2. ³% of total productive forest area within BEC variant, as per LUPG.

Old seral representation targets listed above have been met through the delineation of OGMAs throughout the Meager LU. Refer to the attached Meager LU map for the location of OGMAs, to Appendix IV for OGMA statistics and attributes, and to Table 2 for a breakdown of non-contributing (NC), constrained Timber Harvesting Land base (THLB) and unconstrained THLB components.

Table 2. Non-contributing, Constrained THLB and Unconstrained THLB Components of
Meager LU OGMAs.

• Total Old Seral
• Constrained

THLB³ in OGMA*
Non–Contributing² Area in
OGMA
Unconstrained THLB in OGMA⁴
Representation
BEC

Variant

1

Park Ha
Other Ha

• Ha
• %
• %
• Ha
• %
• Ha
• %

CWHds1 CWHms1 MHmm2

TOTALS
265.9 640.8 716.5
1623.2

• 0
• 0

1.6 6.8
106.7 40.1 113.0 501.9 78.3 116.0
42.5 18.1
0.1
46.2 12.6 12.2

71.0

17.4
2.0 1.7
10.3 48.5

58.8

• 655.0 91.4
• 0.8

• 3.6 1263.6 77.8 229.8
• 14.2
• 4.4

Note: any differences in totals are due to rounding *45 ha of the total 230 ha in constrained THLB are part of the THLB. The remaining 192 ha are considered NC.
123
This represents the actual amount established based on targets from Table 1. Non-Contributing Area in OGMA = productive forest land that does not contribute to the AAC. Constrained THLB in OGMA = Timber Harvesting Land Base that cannot fully contribute to the AAC due to site sensitivity or the need to manage for other resource values.

• 4
• Unconstrained THLB in OGMA = THLB area (productive forest land) that is available for harvesting

Note: Objectives apply only to Provincial forest lands. Protected areas and other Crown forest lands outside of Provincial forest may contribute to old seral representation but the LU Objectives do not apply to these areas.

Meager LU Plan
2

3.0 Landscape Unit Description

3.1 Biophysical Description

The Meager LU covers a total area of 50,990 hectares and is located on the west side of the Lillooet River, northwest of Pemberton. The LU encompasses several watersheds that flow into Lillooet River. Larger named watersheds include Meager Creek, South Creek and Perkins Creek, along with a few smaller unnamed stream systems.

Of the total LU area, 13,711 ha (27%) are within the Crown forested land base, and 5,235 ha of Crown forest is within the THLB. The remaining 37,279 ha (73%) are non-forested or non-Crown (rock, alpine tundra, water) and have been excluded from any OGMA contributions and calculations. A portion of the Upper Lillooet Protected Area is located within the Meager LU. Access to the landscape unit is provided from both the west and east side of the Lillooet River via Forest Service Road.

The Meager Landscape Unit lies within the Coast Mountains and Islands Physiographic Region, the Pacific Ranges Ecoregion and the Southern Pacific Ranges ecosection. Climatic conditions are best described by elevational gradients. At lower elevations summers are warm and dry, while winters are moist and cool with moderate snowfall. Mid elevations are characterized by moist, cool winters with relatively heavy snowfall and cool but relatively dry summers. High elevation climate is characterized by long, moist, cold winters with high snowfall and short, cool, moist summers.

The LU is comprised of four BEC subzones/variants: Coastal Western Hemlock southern dry submaritime (CWHds1); Coastal Western Hemlock southern moist submaritime (CWHms1); Mountain Hemlock leeward moist maritime (MHmm2); and Alpine Tundra (ATp). These four BEC subzones/variants represent three NDTs: CWHds1 and CWHms1 in NDT 2; MHmm2 in NDT1; and ATp in NDT 5 (alpine tundra and subalpine parkland).

NDT 2 forest ecosystems are influenced by infrequent stand-initiating events and historically were usually even-aged, but extended post-fire regeneration periods produced some stands with uneven-aged characteristics. Approximately 73% of the productive forest area in Meager LU is within NDT 2. NDT 1 forest ecosystems are influenced by rare stand-initiating events and historically were generally unevenaged or multi-storied uneven aged, with regeneration occurring in gaps created by the death of individual trees or small patches of trees. Approximately 27% of the productive forest area of the Meager LU is within NDT 1. NDT 5 ecosystems are not considered productive forest since they occur above or immediately below the alpine tree line and are characterised by short and harsh growing seasons.

At lower elevations, within NDT 2, the Meager LU has sustained substantial levels of disturbance. Forested stands on lower elevation productive sites (typically on slopes with low to moderate gradients within the CWH) have been disturbed by past timber harvesting, fire and forest health issues. The relatively low levels of old seral forest remaining within the lower elevation BEC variants reflects this disturbance history. Despite these factors, the Meager LU can meet most of the old growth representation targets within productive forests predominantly from the non-contributing (NC) land base.

A significant portion of the LU is located within the Meager Creek Volcanic Complex, which is the site of the most recent volcanic eruption in southern Canada (+/-2400 years ago). This complex contains five major peaks (Mount Job, Capricorn, Mount Meager, Pylon and Devastation) and five major glaciers (Capricorn, Pylon, Devastation, Job and Meager). Hot and cold mineral springs are present in the LU with Meager Creek Hotsprings being well known. The Meager Creek watershed is well known for its occurrences of massive debris torrents along major creeks channels, which periodically scour the valley floors, and lower sidewalls of the main valley and the majority of the tributaries. Reference is still made to the Devastation Slide (1975) and the Hotsprings debris flow (1984). The most recent event was the Capricorn debris flow (1998) where an estimated 1.2 million cubic meters flowed down the creek, cutting off access and blocking Meager Creek.

Meager LU Plan
3

3.2 Significant Resource Values

The LU supports a range of natural resource values and features, and a diversity of social and cultural values and influences. While there is no private land within the LU, there are two types of forest tenure present (Forest License and Timber Licence). Even though the LU is located away from large urban centres, the area does support Commercial backcountry recreation and the Meager Creek Hotsprings attracts many visitors. These factors all increase the complexity of resource management within the Meager LU.

Fish, Wildlife and Biodiversity: Nineteen wildlife species of specific management concern are

known or suspected to be present with the Meager LU. These include RED-listed, BLUE-listed or Yellowlisted and regionally important species; or other species at risk called Identified Wildlife under the Forest Practice Code. Table 3 provides a summary of these wildlife species.

• Table 3.
• Wildlife Species of Specific Management Concern

Additional Comments
Likelihood of Presence²

• Species
• Status¹

• Rubber Boa
• Yellow-listed

BLUE-listed

• Identified Wildlife
• Confirmed present

Confirmed present Low to Moderate Confirmed present
High

• Tailed frog
• Identified Wildlife

American bittern Great blue heron Green heron Trumpeter swan Harlequin duck Spotted owl
BLUE-listed BLUE-listed
Identified Wildlife
---

• BLUE-listed
• ---

• BLUE-listed
• Regionally important

Regionally important
---
Confirmed present

• High
• Yellow-listed

• RED-listed
• High

• Bald eagle
• Yellow-listed

RED- and BLUE- listed subspecies RED- and BLUE- listed subspecies
RED-listed
Regionally important
---
Confirmed present

• Moderate
• Peregrine falcon

• Northern goshawk
• Identified Wildlife
• Confirmed present

Keen’s long-eared myotis Townsend’s big-eared bat Trowbridge shrew Moose
Identified Wildlife Identified Wildlife
High

• RED-listed
• Low

• BLUE-listed
• Identified Wildlife
• Moderate

Yellow-listed Yellow-listed Yellow-listed BLUE-listed
Regionally important Regionally important Regionally important Identified Wildlife
Confirmed present Confirmed present Confirmed present Confirmed present Confirmed present
Mountain goat Black-tailed deer Grizzly bear

• Wolverine
• Yellow-listed
• Regionally important

1

Status from the British Columbia Conservation Data Centre (CDC). Yellow-listed species is any indigenous species or subspecies (taxa) which is not at risk in British Columbia. The CDC tracks some Yellow listed taxa, which are vulnerable during times of seasonal concentration (e.g. breeding colonies). BLUE-listed species includes any indigenous species or subspecies considered to be Vulnerable in British Columbia. Vulnerable taxa are of special concern because of characteristics that make them particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events. Blue-listed taxa are at risk, but are not Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened. RED-listed species is any indigenous species or subspecies considered to be Extirpated, Endangered, or Threatened in British Columbia. Extirpated taxa no longer exist in the wild in British Columbia, but do occur elsewhere. Endangered taxa are facing imminent extirpation or extinction. Threatened taxa are likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed. Red-listed taxa include those that have been, or are being, evaluated for these designations.

Meager LU Plan
4

2

Professional judgement regarding likelihood of presence based on species distribution and habitat requirements.

Of these 19 wildlife species, four species were given specific consideration during the OGMA delineation process. This included mountain goats, grizzly bears, eagles and moose.

Mountain goat winter range habitat has been identified by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MELP, now called MWLAP) in suitable areas throughout the Meager LU, based upon inventory work conducted in the 1990s. Legal designation of these areas as Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) has been completed under Section 69 of the FPC Operational Planning Regulation. Mountain goat winter range habitat polygons, spatially defined on 1:20000 reference maps, were considered during OGMA delineation, to pursue overlap of OGMAs with constrained areas.