Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan

M u n d y T r i b u t a r y 2 City of Coquitlam Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan Terrestrial Habitat - North Figure 2.11 Mundy Lake Mundy Extent of Invasive Presence 1 - Lake C Large M Lost Medium Lake Small M u Area of Intact Vegetation n d y Mundy T 2 r k - i b e C u e r t M a C r y y d 3 n u M 1 y 3 r - a C t u M b i r T y d n u Chines M Scott/Hoy Map Extent 4 Lost - SCALE 1:8,000 Lake C M Mundy 0 75 150 300 Meters ² Lougheed Map Drawing Information: City of Coquitlam, Dillon Consulting Limited, ESRI Base Layers, Wetland Coquitlam 2 Province of British Columbia Reserve Como Map Created By: ECH Map Checked By: KJ/NG 5 Map Projection: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 10N Mundy - Port Coquitlam C C M oquit la m R i v e Lost r 1 y r a M t C-6 Fraser u 7 PROJECT: 14-9299 b C- M i M -8 Fraser Fraser u r C nd T M STATUS: DRAFT y y v e r C d DATE: 1/19/2015 F r a s e r R i r n ee u k M File Location: G:\GIS\149299 - Mundy Creek\Figure 2.11 - Terrestrial Habitat - North.mxd MC-6 MC-7 MC-8 MC-5 Mundy Tributary 1 MC-10 MC-9 MC-11 City of Coquitlam MC-14 Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan The Sheep MC-15 Paddocks Mundy Creek MC-16 Terrestrial Habitat - South MC-12 MC-17 Figure 2.12 MC-13 Extent of Invasive Presence Large Medium Small Area of Intact Vegetation Inaccessible Area Along Highway Mundy MC-18 Mundy Creek Habitat Compensation MC-19 Chines Scott/Hoy Lost Lake SCALE 1:72,145 Mundy 0 75 150 300 Meters ² Lougheed Map Extent Coquitlam 2 Map Drawing Information: City of Coquitlam, Dillon Consulting Limited, ESRI Base Layers, Wetland Province of British Columbia Como Reserve Map Created By: ECH Map Checked By: KJ/NG Mundy Map Projection: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 10N Port Coquitlam C oquit la m R i v e Lost r Dawes Hill Creek Fraser PROJECT: 14-9299 Fraser Fraser STATUS: DRAFT F r a s e r R i v e r DATE: 1/9/2015 File Location: G:\GIS\149299 - Mundy Creek\Figure 2.12 - Terrestrial Habitat - South.mxd Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan In addition to the forested blocks, other terrestrial habitat within the watershed largely consists of landscaped residential properties. The extent and composition of this habitat varies considerably. Some properties maintain large areas of vegetation which include native vegetation, non-native plant species, or a mixture of the two. Some properties are largely devoid of habitat value with lawn and ornamental shrubs being the primary vegetation. Regardless, given the size and lack of connectivity to larger sections of intact vegetation, these areas have limited value and can be expected to be primarily used by common wildlife habitat generalists that are well-adapted to urban/suburban environments. Table 2.6 list the common plant species observed within the watershed. Table 2.6: Common Plant Species of the Mundy Creek Watershed COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME TREE SPECIES Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga Menziesii Western Redcedar Thuja Plicata Western Hemlock Tsuga Heterophylla Bigleaf Maple Acer Macrophyllum Red Alder Alnus Rubra Sitka Spruce Picea Sitchensis Shore Pine Pinus Contorta Var. Contorta Pacific Yew Taxus Brevifolia Paper Birch Betula Papyrifera Black Cottonwood Populus Trichocarpa Pacific Crab Apple Malus Fusca SHRUB SPECIES Vine Maple Acer Circinatum Salmonberry Rubus Spectabilis Cherry Laurel Prunus Laurocerasus Red Huckleberry Vaccinium Parvifolium Beaked Hazelnut Corylus Cornuta Thimbleberry Rubus Parviflorus Red Elderberry Sambucus Racemosa Red-Osier Dogwood Cornus Stolonifera Himalayan Blackberry Rubus Discolour Mountain Ash Sorbus Sp. Twinflower Japanese Knotweed Polygonum Cuspidatum Linnaea Borealis HERBACEIOUS AND OTHER SPECIES Bracken Fern Pteridium Aquilinum Deer Fern Blechnum Spicant Sword Fern Polysitchum Munitum Lady Fern Athyrium Filix-Femina Herb Robert Geranium Robertianum Horsetail Equisetum Sp. Buttercup Sp. Ranunculus Sp. Yellow Lamium Lamium Galeobdolon Large-Leaved Avens Geum Macrophyllum Piggyback Plant Tolmiea Menziesii English Ivy Hedera Helix English Holly Ilex Aquifolium Comfrey Sp. Symphytum Sp. Small-Flowered Impatiens Impatiens Parviflora P a g e | 45 Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan Mundy Park The upper portion of the Mundy Creek watershed contains the watershed’s most significant terrestrial habitat, Mundy Park. Mundy Park is an urban park with dense vegetation and walking trails throughout. According to the Friends of Mundy Park Heritage Society, the original old-growth forest was logged in the 1920s. In addition to western hemlock and western redcedar, the original forest in Mundy Park also included significant areas of Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir. The secondary growth species consist of a mixture of deciduous woodland and coniferous forest. During the detailed field assessment, it was observed that the terrestrial habitat was comprised of approximately 60% deciduous species and 40% coniferous species. Common deciduous trees observed include bigleaf maple and red alder. The most common coniferous species observed include the western redcedar, western hemlock, and Douglas-fir. The forest canopy is made up of the mature conifer trees while the understory is made up of the younger conifers, deciduous trees, shrubs and herbaceous species. Dense understory is most common along pathways and areas with an open canopy and opportunity for sunlight. In areas where the mature conifers are densely situated, the understory is fairly sparse. Remnants from the old growth forest were observed throughout the park as decaying stumps and nurse logs. Also observed were numerous standing dead trees and snags. The understory is comprised of mostly native shrubs (e.g., salmonberry, thimbleberry, red elderberry) and native herbaceous species (e.g., various ferns). Invasive species do not appear to be abundant throughout the park, however, several patches were observed along disturbed areas around outer edges of the park. Mundy Ravine The Mundy Creek ravine is a narrow, linear vegetated area surrounding Mundy Creek. The ravine contains many of the same terrestrial vegetation as Mundy Park; however, invasive species are far more abundant throughout the understory. The terrestrial vegetation throughout the ravine is a mixture of deciduous woodland and coniferous forest. During the detailed assessment, it was observed that the terrestrial habitat was composed of approximately 75% deciduous species and 25% coniferous species. Within the ravine, large patches of invasive species were observed with native shrubs (e.g., salmonberry, thimbleberry, various ferns) scattered throughout. English ivy was the predominant species observed throughout the terrestrial understory for much of the ravine. Hickey Street Reservoir Park The Hickey Street Reservoir Park contains predominantly deciduous trees and shrubs with some coniferous trees scattered throughout. The park contains several tennis courts lined with ornamental shrubs and manicured grass. During the detailed field assessment, it was observed that the terrestrial habitat was composed of approximately 80% deciduous species and 20% coniferous species. Himalayan blackberry was the predominant species observed throughout the understory and in particular lining the parking lot and outer boundaries of the park. P a g e | 46 Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan Dawes Hill Park Dawes Hill Park also contains predominantly deciduous trees and shrubs with coniferous trees scattered throughout. The park contains a playground located in the northwest corner. It was observed that the terrestrial habitat is composed of approximately 80% deciduous and 20% coniferous species. The Sheep Paddocks The terrestrial habitat surrounding the Sheep Paddocks consists of primarily low-lying sun tolerant shrubs (e.g., salmonberry, fireweed, and hardhack), grasses and some deciduous trees (e.g., paper birch, alders, and black cottonwood). 2.2.4.2 Invasive Plant Species Invasive plants were found in greater abundance within the lower reaches of the Mundy Creek watershed where it is a more urbanized and disturbed environment. Similar to the riparian areas, common understory invasive vegetation included English ivy and Himalayan blackberry. Invasive plant species are prevalent throughout the terrestrial understory. The following plant species were observed within the intact forested blocks and are considered to be invasive: . Himalayan blackberry; . English ivy; . Yellow lamium; . Cherry laurel; . Japanese knotweed; and . English holly. The length and extent of coverage of invasive species within the forested blocks is varied. Large swaths of English ivy and Himalayan blackberry were commonly found where anthropogenic disturbance was most obvious (e.g., access pathways for maintenance, culverts, roads, unsanctioned trails, bridges). In other areas, invasive presence is more moderate with species such as yellow lamium intermixed with English ivy. Coverage was low in some areas with only sporadic occurrence of small patches or single plants. Invasive plants occurring in smaller patches tended to be cherry laurel, Japanese knotweed, and English holly. Please note that the invasive species presence indicated on Figures 2.11 and 2.12 are not intended to be an exhaustive inventory. 2.2.4.3 Wildlife Wildlife habitat within Mundy Park is suitable for a diverse range of species while wildlife habitat within the portion of the watershed located south of Mundy Park has been significantly impacted by residential development. As a result, wildlife utilization within the more developed sections of the watershed is likely restricted to species that are adapted to urban environments such as coyotes, rodents and raccoons or species that can easily disperse across the roadway network such as birds. There are exceptions however, as a black bear was recently observed in the Mundy Creek ravine south of Mundy Park. P a g e | 47 Mundy Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan For the most part, wildlife presence within the industrial/commercial areas south of Highway 1 and Lougheed Highway is expected to be severely limited due to a lack of significant habitat.

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