AN EVALUATION OF THE WETLAND AND UPLAND HABITATS AND ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN CANAAN VALLEY CANAAN VALLEY TASK FORCE SUBMl'l*IED BY: EDWIN D. MICHAEL, PH.D. PROFESSOR OF WILDLIFEMANAGEI\fENT DIVISION OF FORESTRY WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY MORGANTOWN, WV 26506 December 1993 TABLB OP' CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION 6 OBJECTIVES 6 PROCEDURES 6 THE STUDY AREA Canaan Valley .... ..... 7 Southern Canaan Valley .... 8 Development and Land Use 8 Existing Environment Hydrology ........ 9 Plant Communities .... 11 1. Northern hardwoods . 11 2. Conifers ... 11 3. Aspen groves . 11 4. Alder thickets 12 5. Ecotone 12 6. Shrub savannah 12 7. Spiraea 13 8. Krummholz 13 9. Bogs ..... 13 10. Beaver ponds 13 11. Agriculture . l4 Vegetation of Southern Canaan Valley Wetlands 14 Rare and Endangered Plant Species 16 Vertebrate Animals 16 1. Fishes .. 16 2. Amphibians 18 3. Reptiles 19 4. Birds 20 5. Mammals 24 Rare and Endangered Animal Species 25 Game Animals 27 Cultural Values 28 Aesthetic Values 31 1. Landform contrast 31 2. Land-use contrast 31 3. Wetland-type diversity 32 4. Internal wetland contrast 32 5. Wetland size ... 32 6. Landform diversity .... 32 DISCUSSION Streams 32 Springs and Spring Seeps 34 Lakes . 35 Wetland Habitats 35 ii Wildlife 36 Management Potential 38 Off-road Vehicle Use 42 Fragmentation . 42 Cultural Values 44 Educational Values SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AREA OF CONCERN FOR FULFILLMENT OF THE CANAAN VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 1979 EIS OBJECTIVES 46 CONCLUSIONS .. 47 LITERATURE CITED 52 TABLES 54 FIGURES 88 iii LIST OF TABLES 1. Property ownerships of Canaan Valley ... ..... 8 2. Land use ('in acres) within the acquisition boundaries of the ncrthern and southern ends of Canaan Valley, which are being considered for inclusion within the proposed Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge 9 3. A comparison of land cover classifications in the northern and southern ends of Canaan Valley ........... 55 4. Comparisons of acreages of habitat types among 4 areas of Canaan Valley . ...........56 S. Comparisons of number of stands of each habitat type occurring within 4 areas of Canaan Valley 58 6. Herbaceous plants of southern Canaan Valley wetlands 60 7. Shrubs of southern Canaan Valley wetlands 66 8. Trees of southern Canaan Valley wetlands . 68 9. Vascular plant Species of Special Concern known to occur or likely to occur in the Area of Concern . 69 10. Preferred habitats of plant Species of Special Concern known to occur in the Area of Concern ..... •••.•.••••••70 11. Species of fishes kuown to occur or likely to occur in the Area of Concern ....... ......71 12. Fish species composition in Freeland Run, collected by backpack electrofishing ........•..72 13. Species of amphibians known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern . ... ..73 14. Species of reptiles known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of concern .. • . 74 15. Preferred habitats of amphibians known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern •••• 75 16. Preferred habitats of reptiles known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern ••75 17. Distribution of amphibians and reptiles at 3 locations in the Area of Concern; based on surveys and habitat evaluation . .... .......76 18. Species of birds known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern .. ... .. 77 19. Preferred habitats of birds known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern ..80 iv 20. Birds characteristic of the Allegheny Mountain Avifaunal region that nest in the Area of Concern . 83 21. Species of mammals known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern . 84 22. Preferred habitats of mammals known to occur or expected to occur in the Area of Concern 85 23. Vertebrate species on the u. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Threatened and Endangered or WVDNR Special Concern, Scientific Interest, or Status Undetermined lists and that are likely to occur in the Area of Concern ..... 86 24. Game animals known to occur or e.xpected to occur in the Area of Concern . 87 V LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Geographic location of the project area (Southern Canaan Valley) in relation to Canaan Valley State Park, Timberline, and northern Canaan Valley 89 2. Composition by habitat within the Area of Concern 90 3. Relative abundance of each habitat type in the Area of Concern as a percentage of the total acreage of that habitat type in Canaan Valley .. ... 91 4. Map showing the locations of intensive vegetation surveys in the Area of Concern ..... 92 5. Map showing the locations of intensive amphibian-reptiles surveys in the Area of Concern . 93 6. Number of bird species by habitat type in Canaan Valley .... 94 7. Average density of breeding birds by habitat type in Canaan Valley . 95 vi This report was compiled and edited by Dr. Edwin D. Michael and various sections were prepared by the following individuals: Robert Behling, Ph.D.: Professor of Geology, West Virginia University. Section prepared: Hydrology Steve Bolar: Superintendent, Canaan Valley State Park Section prepared: Hydrology and Fishes Sandra Brown, M.S.: Research Associate, Wildlife Consulting Services. Sections prepared: Birds and Habitats William Grafton, M.S.: Wildlife Extension Specialist, West Virginia University. Section prepared: Plants and Plant Communities Steve Hollenhorst, Ph.D.: Associate Professor of Recreation, West Virginia University. Section prepared: Recreation Edwin Michael, Ph.D.: Professor of Wildlife Management, West Virginia University. Sections prepared: Mammals and Game Animals Thomas Pauley, Ph.D.: Professor of Biological Sciences, Marshall University. Sections prepared: Amphibians and Reptiles William Perry, Ph.D.: Assistant Professor Fisheries, West Virginia University. Section prepared: Fishes Linda Smith: Research Associate, Wildlife Consulting Services. Sections prepared: Aesthetic, Educational, and cultural Values vii BXBCUTIVE SUMMARY AN BVALUATION OP' THE WETLAND AND UPLAND HABITATS AND ASSOCIATED WILDLIPB RBSOURCBS IN SOUTHERN CANA.AN VALLEY SUBMITTED TO: Canaan Valley Task Force through the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service SUBMITTED BY: Edwin D. Michael Professor of Wildlife Management West Virginia University December 31, 1993 The Canaan Valley Task Force was created in July, 1990, to resolve various issues involving Canaan Valley, Tucker County, WV. The primary goal of the Task Force was to ensure long-term environmental protection of Canaan Valley while allowing for economic growth. The Task Force is comprised of representatives from federal, state, and local government; business interests; environmental and recreational interests; landowner groups; and the public. Wildlife and wildlife habitats are major components of the natural environment, and these resources have been key issues in many discussions involving protection of Canaan Valley. Protection and management of wildlife and their habitats must begin with identification of the existing resources and their distribution within Canaan Valley. The primary goal of this report is to evaluate wetland and upland habitats and associated wildlife values in the southern end of Canaan Valley. This report will describe the ecology and hydrology of southern Canaan Valley. PROCEDURES All existing information on the ecology and hydrology of Canaan Valley was reviewed, and this compendium of information formed the foundation for subsequent evaluations and comparisons. Field surveys were limited to those necessary to confirm or refute existing information. The individuals responsible for preparing this report have all conducted extensive field studies in Canaan Valley. AREA OF CONCERN Canaan Valley (approximately 35,000 acres} is situated in Tucker County, WV, and the Area of Concern (approximately 6,140 acres) discussed in this report is located in the southeastern end of Canaan Valley. The term "southern Canaan Valley" will be used to indicate the Area of Concern, Canaan Valley State Park, Timberline Association, Inc., and the developed portions of Timberline Four­ Seasons Resort plus the commercial development along Rt. 32 and the southern portion of Cortland Road. Although adjacent to both state-owned and federally­ owned land, all of the Area of Concern is privately owned. WV State Route 32 forms the western boundary of the Area of Concern and Freeland Run Road (State Road 37) forms a portion of the southern boundary. Land use within the Area of Concern includes agriculture, forestry, recreation, urban-developed, ucilities, and undeveloped natural habitats such as old field, hawthorn savannah, alder thicket, spirea thicket, aspen grove, wet meadow/bog, conifer forest, northern hardwood forest, and beaver pond complex. Habitat types are similar for the northern and southern ends of Canaan Valley, but the interspersion and acreages of each major type are different. The diversity of plant communities in the Area of Concern supports equally. diverse wildlife populations. At least 275 species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are known to occur or are expected to occur in the Area of Concern. 1 DISCUSSION Most areas of Canaan Valley contain a variety of hydrological features, including springs, streams, and wetlands. The springs of southern Canaan valley are not totally unlike those of the northern end, but do have different ecological values. Large springs that flow year-round and do not freeze in winter occur at only a few sites in Canaan Valley. Two of these occur in the southern end of Canaan Valley and one of these is within