Burns Bog Ecosystem Review Synthesis Report for Burns Bog, Fraser River Delta, South-western British Columbia, Canada March 2000 Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Burns Bog ecosystem review Includes bibliographical references: p. ISBN 0-7726-4191-9 1. Bog ecology - British Columbia - Delta. I. Hebda, Richard Joseph, 1950- . II. British Columbia. Environmental Assessment Office. QH541.5.B63B87 2000 577.68'7'0971133 C00-960112-0 Suggested Reference Hebda, R.J., K. Gustavson, K. Golinski and A.M. Calder, 2000. Burns Bog Ecosystem Review Synthesis Report for Burns Bog, Fraser River Delta, South-western British Columbia, Canada. Environmental Assessment Office, Victoria, BC. i Burns Bog Ecosystem Review Synthesis Report March 2000 Prepared by: Environmental Assessment Office Province of British Columbia Written by: Richard J. Hebda Kent Gustavson Karen Golinski Alan M. Calder Document Credits The Burns Bog Ecosystem Review Synthesis Report was written by a team of scientists under the direction of the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office. Dr. Richard J. Hebda led the Review and oversaw the writing of the complete document. Dr. Kent Gustavson (Gustavson Ecological Resource Consulting), Karen Golinski and Alan M. Calder provided major contributions to the Report and reviewed the document in its entirety. Lisa Tallon was responsible for coordinating the compilation of the document. Simon Norris and Susan Westmacott assembled and constructed the maps. Shari Steinbach provided review and administrative support. Principle authorship of individual sections is as follows: 1.0 Introduction............................................................................................ Gustavson, Calder 2.0 Raised Bog Development and Hydrology ............................................................. Golinski 3.0 Study Area and Regional Context ..........................................................Hebda, Gustavson 4.0 Biophysical Characteristics of Burns Bog..............................................Hebda, Gustavson 5.0 Results of Integration Studies.................................................Hebda, Gustavson, Golinski 6.0 Analysis and Synthesis ..............................................................................................Hebda 7.0 Key Findings and Conclusions ..................................................................................Hebda ii Acknowledgements The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) gratefully acknowledges the generous and dedicated support and advice of the agencies, organizations and individuals that supported and contributed to the Burns Bog Ecosystem Review. We wish to thank, Delta Fraser Properties Partnership (DFPP) and their consultants, particularly Jeff Herold and Glenn Stewart, for their ongoing participation in support of the review process. The kind support and co-operation of the Corporation of Delta, especially Verne Kucy and Rob Rithaler, is greatly appreciated. In addition, we thank Gregory McDade, Q.C., Advisor to the Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks, for his thoughtful advice and for facilitating the Burns Bog Ecosystem Review public involvement process. The co-operation and assistance of the Corporation of Delta, the City of Vancouver, the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the Fraser River Estuary Management Program, the Fraser River Port Authority, Environment Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the BC Ministries of Environment, Lands and Parks (MELP), Agriculture and Food, Transportation and Highways, and Small Business, Tourism and Culture, and the Royal British Columbia Museum were critical to the review and completion of the technical studies. The committed efforts of the various consultant teams who contributed to the supporting studies are also appreciated. We also thank the many scientists and experts who contributed considerable time, effort, and expertise in participating in a series of the Technical Review Meetings. Thank you for your participation, your instructive contributions during the sessions, and your willingness to provide further counsel. Thank you also for your thoughtful answers to questions from members of the public. In addition, the EAO wishes to thank the members of the public and organizations who made submissions and participated in the workshops and meetings for their efforts in the public interest. In particular we thank the Burns Bog Conservation Society for their support and participation in the review process. Finally, the EAO wishes to thank all those involved in the preparation and review of the Synthesis Report. In particular, we thank the Land Use Coordination Office for their analytical and mapping support, as well as those who kindly agreed to review key sections of the document. Burns Bog Ecosystem Review Team (EAO) Richard Hebda, Alan Calder, Lisa Tallon, Shari Steinbach, Daphne Stancil and Susan Ellis. Synthesis Report Peer Review Team Dr. Joe Antos (University of Victoria), Dr. Antoni Damman (Kansas State University), Dr. Paul Glaser (University of Minnesota), Dr. John Jeglum (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Dave Nagorsen (Royal British Columbia Museum), Dr. Geoff Scudder (University of British Columbia). Dr Eric Taylor (Atmospheric Environment Service), Dr. Pat Monahan (Monahan Petroleum Consulting), Dr. Sergei Yazvenko (LGL Limited). iii MELP Lower Mainland Regional Office staff Tony Barnard, Brian Clark, Dave Dunbar, Jack Evans, Liz Freyman, Duane Jesson, Rob Knight, Tom Plath, Marvin Rosenau, Mel Turner and Marc Zubel. Technical Review Meeting Participants Allan Banner (BC Ministry of Forests), Ken Brock (Canadian Wildlife Service), John Christy (Oregon Heritage Program/The Nature Conservancy), Brian Clark (MELP), Allan Dakin (Piteau Associates Engineering Ltd.), Dr. Antoni Damman (Kansas State University), Klaus Dierssen (University of Kiel, Germany), Dave Dunbar (MELP), Don Eastman (University of Victoria), Paul Glaser (University of Minnesota), John Jeglum (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Charlotte MacAlister (University of Newcastle), Colin Levings (Fisheries and Oceans Canada), Ian McTaggart-Cowan, Dave Nagorsen (Royal BC Museum), Hans Roemer (MELP), Richard Rothwell (University of Alberta), Geoff Scudder (University of British Columbia), Jamie Smith (University of British Columbia), Scott Smith (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), Glenn Stewart (ENKON Environmental Limited), Charles Tarnocai (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), Eric Taylor (Environment Canada), Terry Taylor, Dale Vitt (University of Alberta), Doyle Wells (Natural Resources Canada) and Marc Zubel (MELP). Environmental Assessment Office Sheila Wynn, Patty Shelton, Paul Finkel, Joanne McGachie, Martyn Glassman, Lynn Ostle, Janet Rogers, Margaret Achadinha, Crista Osman, Tawnya Ritco, Cheryl Weiss, Diana Elliott, Tamara Armstrong, Sharon Lacoste, Yassamin Abhar, Donna Santori and the EAO Registry staff. Consultants to the EAO Don DeMill, ENKON Information Systems, Karen Golinski and Nick Page, Kent Gustavson (Gustavson Ecological Resource Consulting), Patricia Howie and Erika Britney (Praxis Pacific), Richard Sims and Jeff Mattheson (EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd.) and Sergei Yazvenko (LGL Limited). Land Use Coordination Office David Johns, Don Howes, Simon Norris, Susan Westmacott, Linda Hartley, Janet McIntosh and Judy Nicholson. Consultants supporting the Burns Bog Ecosystem Review John Lambert, Ryanne Metcalf, Larry Turchenek, Prashant Kumar and John Wiens (AGRA Earth and Environmental); Dennis Knopp and L. Larkin (BC's Wild Heritage Consultants); Oluna and Adolf Ceska; Richard Collier; Sheldon Helbert and John Balfour (EBA Engineering Consultants); Niko Zorkin and Michael McClorg (ENKON Information Systems); Martin Gebauer and Ken Summers (Enviro-Pacific Consulting), Ze'ev Gedalof (Flat Earth Neogeographics); R.G. Humphries and T. Oke (Levelton Engineering Ltd.); Jan Teversham, Ksenia Barton and Bryan Tasaka (Madrone Consultants Ltd.); McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd.; Mark Fraker, Claudio Bianchini, K. Anré McIntosh, Ian Robertson (Robertson Environmental Services); Rex Kenner and Karen Needham (Spencer Entomological Museum, UBC); Dale Vitt, Linda Halsey and Jennifer Doubt (University of Alberta); Mike Whelen (M.A. Whelen and Associates Ltd.). iv Executive Summary Burns Bog is a raised bog ecosystem covering approximately 3,000 ha of the Fraser River delta between the south arm of the Fraser River and Boundary Bay. On June 1, 1999, the Government of British Columbia and Delta Fraser Properties Partnership – the owners of 2,200 ha of land within the Bog - agreed to undertake an ecosystem review to gain a full understanding of what is needed to preserve the ecological integrity of Burns Bog. The purpose of the Burns Bog Ecosystem Review (the Review) was to determine the factors crucial to preserving Burns Bog as a viable ecosystem, such as the hydrology, geology, flora and fauna. The BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) was charged with managing the review process. The public and stakeholders contributed to developing the nature and scope of the studies undertaken. Gregory McDade, Q.C., Advisor to the Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks, facilitated public involvement throughout the review process. The public participated in reviewing study progress, and in Technical Review Meetings involving local, regional and international scientific experts. All project materials were accessible through the EAO Project Registry,