Eastern Shore Archipelago: Conservation and Scientific Assessment Field Studies of a Range of Sea Islands on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia from Clam Harbour to Taylor Head Monday, March 5 2012 Contributors: Nick Hill, Bob Guscott, Tom Neily, Peter Green, Tom Windeyer, Chris Pepper and David Currie 1 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Purpose of the Work ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 NSNT Mandate ................................................................................................................................. 7 1.3 Contents of Report ........................................................................................................................... 7 2. SITE DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 8 2.1 Physical Characteristics .................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Community History ........................................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Ship Harbour National Park and Eastern Shore Seaside Park System .............................................. 9 2.4 Community Profile ............................................................................................................................ 9 2.5 Ownership and Land Use ................................................................................................................ 10 2.6 Climatic Features ............................................................................................................................ 14 2.6.1 Climate..................................................................................................................................... 14 2.6.2 Extreme Weather Events ......................................................................................................... 15 2.7 Ecological Land Classification (NS Department of Natural Resources) .......................................... 17 2.8 Natural Landscape Themes (NS Environment, Protected Areas Branch) ....................................... 21 2.9 Colin Stewart Forest Forum ............................................................................................................ 24 2.10 Twelve Percent Lands for Review ................................................................................................... 25 3. FIELD SURVEY METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 27 3.1 Logistics .......................................................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Sub‐National Ranking System ......................................................................................................... 28 3.3 Forest Survey Methods .................................................................................................................. 28 3.4 Plant Survey Methods .................................................................................................................... 29 3.5 Bird Survey Methods ...................................................................................................................... 31 3.6 Other Species .................................................................................................................................. 32 4. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................. 33 4.1 Ecological Context of the Eastern Shore Focus Area ...................................................................... 33 4.2 Ecosystems of the Coast ................................................................................................................. 34 4.2.1 Exposed Shoreline ................................................................................................................... 34 4.2.2 Salt marsh Shoreline ................................................................................................................ 36 4.2.3 Coastal Shrublands .................................................................................................................. 36 4.2.4 Coastal Forest .......................................................................................................................... 37 4.3 Ecosystems of the Islands Interiors ................................................................................................ 38 4.3.1 Bogs ......................................................................................................................................... 38 4.3.2 Treed bog................................................................................................................................. 38 4.3.3 Barrens .................................................................................................................................... 38 4.3.4 Inland Forest ............................................................................................................................ 38 4.4 Forest Species Summary ................................................................................................................. 39 4.4.1 Forests of the Eastern Shore ................................................................................................... 39 4.4.2 Forest Study Results ................................................................................................................ 42 4.4.3 Forest Vegetation Plot Data .................................................................................................... 46 4.4.4 Fire Disturbance ...................................................................................................................... 52 4.5 Plant Summary ............................................................................................................................... 53 4.5.1 Rare species and rare habitat .................................................................................................. 53 4.5.2 Plant Survey Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 58 4.6 Bird Survey Summary ..................................................................................................................... 59 4.6.1 NSNT Bird Survey ..................................................................................................................... 59 2 4.6.2 Other Bird Surveys ................................................................................................................... 59 4.7 Incidental Observations .................................................................................................................. 60 4.7.1 Borgles Island .......................................................................................................................... 60 4.7.2 Gerard Island ........................................................................................................................... 60 4.7.3 Harry’s Cove/Cranberry Island ................................................................................................ 60 4.7.4 Geomorphology and Landscape .............................................................................................. 61 4.8 Overall Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 61 4.9 Recommendations for additional work .......................................................................................... 62 4.9.1 Aquatic and Wetland Studies .................................................................................................. 62 4.9.2 Avian Studies ........................................................................................................................... 62 4.9.3 Plant Species ............................................................................................................................ 63 4.9.4 Boreal Organisms and Communities ....................................................................................... 63 5. RATIONALE FOR CONSERVATION .................................................................................... 64 5.1 Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 64 5.2 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 67 6. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 69 7. COMPONENT STUDIES .................................................................................................... 73 Plant Species List for Surveyed Islands .................................................................................................... 73 A. Borgles (Charles) Island and Middle Island .................................................................................... 80 A.1 General ...................................................................................................................................