11.B.7 - CW OCTOBER 14, 2014 Page 1 of 121 Attachment 3 The Middlesex Natural Heritage Study A Natural Heritage Study to Identify Significant Woodland Patches in Middlesex County Prepared by: Upper Thames River Conservation Authority in cooperation with the Middlesex Natural Heritage Study Steering Committee Final Draft July 2003 11.B.7 - CW OCTOBER 14,T h 2014 e M i d d l e s e xPage N a t 2 u ofr a 121l H e r i t a g e S t u d yAttachment 3 Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................... i List of Tables .................................................................................................................................................................. ii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................................... iii 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project Coordination ...................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Project phases ................................................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Budget ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Study Area ................................................................................................................................................................ 3 3. Methods .................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Selection of Sites for Inventory ..................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Landowner Contact ........................................................................................................................................ 6 3.3 Field Survey Methods ................................................................................................................................... 6 3.3.1 vascular plants ....................................................................................................................... 6 3.3.2 vegetation communities ........................................................................................................ 6 3.3.3 woodland patch type ............................................................................................................. 7 3.4 Field Data Entry and Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 8 3.4.1 database .................................................................................................................................. 8 3.5 Mapping and Geographical Information System Analysis .......................................................................... 8 3.5.1 update woodland patch layer ................................................................................................ 8 3.5.2 change in forest composition ................................................................................................ 9 3.5.3 spatial parameters .................................................................................................................. 9 3.6 Statistical Analysis ........................................................................................................................................10 4. Results and Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 11 4.1 Woodland Physiography .............................................................................................................................. 11 4.2 Landowner Contact ...................................................................................................................................... 12 4.3 Change in Forest Composition .....................................................................................................................12 4.4 Field Survey Findings .................................................................................................................................. 13 4.4.1 vascular plants ..................................................................................................................... 13 4.4.2 vegetation communities .......................................................................................................18 4.4.3 woodland patch type ............................................................................................................23 4.5 Results of Mapping and GIS Analysis ........................................................................................................ 23 4.5.1 woodland patch size .............................................................................................................23 4.5.2 woodland patch interior .......................................................................................................23 4.5.3 forest connectivity ................................................................................................................23 4.6 Results of the Statistical Analysis ................................................................................................................26 4.6.1 native species richness .........................................................................................................26 4.6.2 non-native species richness ................................................................................................. 27 4.6.3 weediness ............................................................................................................................. 28 4.6.4 mean conservatism coefficient ............................................................................................28 4.6.5 basal area ..............................................................................................................................30 4.7 Summary of Key Results and Recommendations .......................................................................................30 42i 11.B.7 - CW OCTOBER 14,T h 2014 e M i d d l e s e xPage N a t 3 u ofr a 121l H e r i t a g e S t u d yAttachment 3 5. Identification of Significant Woodland Patches ............................................................................................... 32 5.1 Rationale for Landscape Criteria .................................................................................................................32 5.2 Development of Landscape Criteria ............................................................................................................33 5.2.1 criterion 1 ............................................................................................................................. 33 5.2.2 criterion 2 ............................................................................................................................. 33 5.2.3 criterion 3 ............................................................................................................................. 34 5.2.4 criterion 4 ............................................................................................................................. 35 5.2.5 criterion 5 ............................................................................................................................. 35 5.2.6 criterion 6 ............................................................................................................................. 36 5.3 Identification of Significant Woodlands ..................................................................................................... 36 5.4 Summary of Key Points and Recommendations ........................................................................................ 37 6. Implementation ..................................................................................................................................................... 38 6.1 Implementation Tools ...................................................................................................................................38 6.2 Land Use Planning ....................................................................................................................................... 38 7. References .............................................................................................................................................................. 39 8. Appendices Appendix 1 Landowner Contact Package .......................................................................................... A1-1 Appendix 2 Standard Field Data Forms ............................................................................................. A2-1 Appendix 3 Glossary ........................................................................................................................... A3-1 Appendix 4 Database Relationship Diagram ....................................................................................