WILDLIFE CORRIDOR PROTECTION & ENHANCEMENT PLAN Action Plan #5 March 2015 Cover Photo Credits (clockwise from left): Lou Wise, I. Maciver, CLOCA, G. Ernest Wildlife Corridor Protection & Enhancement Plan March 2015 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Purpose of the Wildlife Corridors Protection and Enhancement Plan .......................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Context of this Plan and Watershed Planning ............................................................................................................................................... 5 CLOCA Action Plans ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Planning Context .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 2. IDENTIFYING AND EVALUATING WILDLIFE CORRIDORS ........................................................................................................................................ 8 2.1 Characteristics of Healthy Wildlife Corridors ................................................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 Types of Wildlife Corridors........................................................................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Wildlife Corridor Disturbances ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.4 Identifying Movement Corridors and the Barriers Within Them (Methodology) ....................................................................................... 15 3. IMPROVING WILDLIFE CORRIDORS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.1 Corridor Protection, Restoration, and Removal of Barriers......................................................................................................................... 19 Protecting Natural Cover ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Restoring Natural Cover ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Removing Barriers ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 3.2 Cooperation with Area Municipalities and Utility/Infrastructure Providers ............................................................................................... 23 3.3 Best Management Practices and Land Stewardship .................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4 Evaluation, Monitoring and 5-Year Reviews ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Wildlife Corridor Protection & Enhancement Plan March 2015 4. WATERSHED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - LYNDE CREEK ................................................................................................................... 26 4.1 Analysis and Findings ................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Corridor Gaps ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Corridor Barriers .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 5. WATERSHED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - OSHAWA CREEK ............................................................................................................... 32 5.1 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 32 Corridor Gaps ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Corridor Barriers .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 6. WATERSHED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - BLACK/HARMONY/ FAREWELL CREEK ............................................................................. 38 6.1 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 38 Corridor Gaps ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Corridor Barriers .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 7. WATERSHED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS – BOWMANVILLE/SOPER CREEK ........................................................................................ 44 7.1 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Corridor Gaps ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Corridor Barriers .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48 8. WATERSHED FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS – SMALL WATERSHEDS ...................................................................................................... 50 8.1 Analysis and Findings ................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Corridor Gaps – Small Watersheds ...................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Wildlife Corridor Protection & Enhancement Plan March 2015 Corridor Gaps – Robinson and Tooley Creek Watersheds ................................................................................................................................... 53 Corridor Barriers .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 58 Corridor Barriers – Robinson and Tooley Creek Watersheds .............................................................................................................................. 60 9. DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 9.1 Corridor Gaps ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 9.2 Corridor Barriers .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 9.3 Implementing the Plan ................................................................................................................................................................................. 62 10. GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66 11. REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 70 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: