PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF LAROSE FOREST USSELL R MAI 2008 RESCOTTAND P OUNTIES OF OUNTIESOF C NITED U Protection and Development Plan of Larose Forest United Counties of Prescott et Russell PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF LAROSE FOREST United Counties of Prescott and Russell Scientific and Technical Report Mai 2008 Client United Counties of Prescott and Russell 59, rue Court St., C.P./P.O Box 304 L’Orignal, (Ontario) K0B 1K0 Tel.: 613- 675-4661, 1-800-667-6307 Fax.: 613- 675-1007 Responsible person: Mr. Louis Prévost, MICU, UPE, Director Consultants Horizon Multiressource inc. 387, rue Lafleur, Lachute (Québec), J8H 1R2 Telephone: 450- 562-3223 Fax : 450- 562-9361 Responsible person: Mr. André Goulet, Forest Eng., R.P.F., M.Sc. ii Protection and Development Plan of Larose Forest United Counties of Prescott et Russell PART1: PORTRAITOF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT iii Protection and Development Plan of Larose Forest United Counties of Prescott et Russell TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................................................. VIII LIST OF FIGURES....................................................................................................................................X LIST OF FIGURES....................................................................................................................................X LIST OF APPENDICES .........................................................................................................................XII SUMMARY............................................................................................................................................ XIII CONTEXT ...................................................................................................................................................1 PART 1 : PORTRAIT OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................2 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA ................................................................................................................3 PARTNERS ......................................................................................................................................................3 1 METHODS................................................................................................................................................5 1.1 INVENTORY OF RESOURCES AND AVAILABLE INFORMATION .....................................................................5 1.2 INVENTORY METHODS ..............................................................................................................................6 1.3 PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS ..............................................................................................................7 Stage 1: Publication of a press release and presentation of the project........................................................7 Stage 2: Presentation of part 1 of the PDP: diagnostic.................................................................................7 Stage 3: Thematic exchange session..............................................................................................................7 Stage 4: Presentation of the PDP, parts 1 and 2...........................................................................................7 2 HISTORY OF LAROSE FOREST.........................................................................................................8 3 DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ABIOTIC COMPONENTS IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT....................................................................................................................9 3.1 CLIMATOLOGY .........................................................................................................................................9 3.1.1 Temperature and precipitation .............................................................................................................9 3.1.2 Impact of temperature on local biophysical components....................................................................10 3.2 SOILS AND GEOMORPHOLOGY .................................................................................................................11 3.2.1 Source rock.........................................................................................................................................11 3.2.2 Surface deposits..................................................................................................................................11 3.3 ALTITUDE AND LANDFORM .....................................................................................................................13 3.3.1 Erosion risks.......................................................................................................................................13 3.4 HYDROGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................................15 3.4.1 Drainage basins..................................................................................................................................15 3.4.2 Wetlands .............................................................................................................................................15 3.4.3 Watercourses ......................................................................................................................................21 3.5 LANDSCAPES ..........................................................................................................................................26 3.5.1 Landscapes units and micro-landscapes.............................................................................................26 3.5.2 Road landscapes .................................................................................................................................27 3.5.3 Natural landscapes of interest and heritage landscapes ...................................................................28 3.5.4 Physical access to the site and signage ..............................................................................................30 4 DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BIOTIC COMPONENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................................................31 4.1 FOREST AND FOREST STANDS ..................................................................................................................31 4.1.1 Inventory methods...............................................................................................................................31 4.1.2 Species groups ....................................................................................................................................32 4.1.3 Forest stocking....................................................................................................................................34 iv Protection and Development Plan of Larose Forest United Counties of Prescott et Russell 4.1.4 Density of forest stands.......................................................................................................................34 4.1.5 Health of forest stands........................................................................................................................35 4.2 BOTANY ..................................................................................................................................................38 4.3 NON -TIMBER FOREST COMPONENTS ........................................................................................................38 4.3.1 Sugar maple growing potential...........................................................................................................39 4.3.2 Mushroom picking .............................................................................................................................41 4.3.3 Cultivation of ginseng in the forest....................................................................................................41 4.3.4 Harvesting of Canada yew..................................................................................................................42 4.4 WILDLIFE HABITAT AND WILDLIFE .........................................................................................................44 4.4.1 Regional context evaluation................................................................................................................44 4.4.2 Greater wildlife...................................................................................................................................47 4.3.3 Small wildlife ......................................................................................................................................54 4.3.4 Habitat potential for other species .....................................................................................................57 4.3.5 Habitat sectors with high wildlife potential........................................................................................60 5. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT...................................................................................................................62 5.1 RESULTS OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION .......................................................................................................62