A Life Science Inventory and Evaluation of Rondeau Provincial Park \ Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Ontario Parks 2012 Webpage title: Life Science Inventory and Evaluation of Rondeau Provincial Park Webpage description: This document contains a detailed life science inventory evaluation of Rondeau Provincial Park's flora and fauna. | 2 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................... 7 Purpose of Report ....................................................................................................... 7 Report Organization .................................................................................................... 8 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 1: Regional and Physical Background .......................................................... 10 1.1 Location .............................................................................................................. 10 1.1.1 Mapping ......................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Regional Context ................................................................................................ 12 1.2.1 Ecozone, Ecoregion and Ecodistrict .............................................................. 12 1.2.2 Forest Region ................................................................................................ 13 1.2.3 Adjacent Land Use and Summary of Regional Natural History Features ....... 17 1.3 Geology, Physiography and Soils ....................................................................... 20 1.3.1 Bedrock .......................................................................................................... 20 1.3.2 Surficial Geology and Physiography .............................................................. 21 1.3.3 The Formation of Pointe aux Pins .................................................................. 22 1.3.4 Erosion of Rondeau’s South Beach ............................................................... 30 1.3.5 Overlying Soils ............................................................................................... 32 1.4 Hydrology ............................................................................................................ 34 1.5 Climate ................................................................................................................ 35 Chapter 2: Site Establishment and Management ....................................................... 38 2.1 Site Context ........................................................................................................ 38 2.1.1 Regulated Park Area ...................................................................................... 38 2.1.2 Classification .................................................................................................. 39 2.1.3 Size ................................................................................................................ 40 2.2 Historical and Current Management ................................................................... 42 | 1 2.2.1 Establishment History .................................................................................... 42 2.2.2 Management Policy Framework .................................................................... 44 2.2.3 Park Zoning ................................................................................................... 45 2.2.4 Park Use ........................................................................................................ 48 Chapter 3: Current and Historical Vegetation Considerations .................................... 49 3.1 Excessive Numbers of White-tailed Deer ............................................................ 49 3.1.1 The Rondeau Deer Population ...................................................................... 49 3.1.2 The Effects of a High Deer Population ........................................................... 51 3.1.3 Other Management Options Considered ....................................................... 55 3.1.4 Current Deer Management Policy in Rondeau Provincial Park ...................... 57 3.2 Fire and Fire Suppression ................................................................................... 60 3.2.1 Determining the Location of Oak Savannah and Woodland Communities in Rondeau ................................................................................................................. 61 3.2.2 Determination of Areas Appropriate for Prescribed Burning .......................... 65 3.3 Other Influences on Vegetation Communities ..................................................... 67 3.3.1 Logging and Clearing ..................................................................................... 67 3.3.2 Grazing .......................................................................................................... 69 3.3.3 Dutch Elm Disease ........................................................................................ 69 3.3.4 Planting of Trees, Shrubs and Garden Plants ................................................ 69 3.3.5 Windthrow ...................................................................................................... 71 3.3.6 Other Influences............................................................................................. 72 3.4 Previous Vegetation Surveys .............................................................................. 72 3.4.1 Ralph Carman 1928 ....................................................................................... 72 3.4.2 Charles Bartlett 1958 ..................................................................................... 76 3.4.3 Gary Bradfield 1972 ....................................................................................... 79 3.4.4 Matsy Kenney 1974 ....................................................................................... 81 3.4.5 T.S. Dai, D.G. Stevens and D.W. Smith 1975 ................................................ 84 | 2 3.4.6 Paul Pratt 1975 .............................................................................................. 90 3.4.7 Edward Haggith 1982 .................................................................................... 95 Chapter 4: Methods .................................................................................................... 96 4.1 Current Field Investigations ................................................................................ 97 4.1.1 Ecological Land Classification and Botanical Surveys ................................... 97 4.1.2 Small Mammal Trapping Survey .................................................................... 98 4.1.3 Breeding Bird Surveys ................................................................................... 99 4.1.4 Salamander Coverboard Survey .................................................................. 104 4.2 Other Monitoring or Inventory Projects.............................................................. 105 4.2.1 Turtle Studies ............................................................................................... 105 4.2.2 Fowler’s Toad .............................................................................................. 106 4.2.3 Butterfly Count ............................................................................................. 106 4.2.4 Opportunistic or Incidental Data ................................................................... 106 4.3 Other Ecological Inventory or Research Projects .............................................. 106 4.3.1 Breeding Bird Atlas ...................................................................................... 106 4.3.2 Marsh Bird Monitoring Program ................................................................... 107 4.3.3 External Research ....................................................................................... 108 Chapter 5: Life Science Features – Vegetation Communities .................................. 108 5.1 Community Descriptions - Terrestrial Systems (Natural and Naturalized) ........ 129 5.1.1 Shoreline Class (SH) ................................................................................... 130 5.1.2 Sand Barren and Dune Class (SB) .............................................................. 131 5.1.3 Meadow Class (ME) ..................................................................................... 134 5.1.4 Thicket Class (TH) ....................................................................................... 136 5.1.5 Savannah Class (SV) ................................................................................... 139 5.1.6 Woodland Class (WO) ................................................................................. 142 5.1.7 Forest Class (FO) ........................................................................................ 146 5.2 Community Descriptions - Terrestrial Systems (Cultural) .................................. 151 | 3 5.2.1 Constructed Class (CV) ............................................................................... 152 5.3 Community Descriptions - Wetland Systems .................................................... 153 5.3.1 Swamp Class (SW) .....................................................................................