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Welcome to Wetland Evaluation

Welcome to Wetland Evaluation . Break down. Presentation on ELC and OWES Break Field exercise will consist of (1h-1.5): Performing a soil survey Delineate a wetland boundary using plants Wetland community groups Break What your wetland is worth. Why are Wetlands Important?.

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Welcome to Wetland Evaluation

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  1. Welcome to Wetland Evaluation

  2. Break down • Presentation on ELC and OWES • Break • Field exercise will consist of (1h-1.5): • Performing a soil survey • Delineate a wetland boundary using plants • Wetland community groups • Break • What your wetland is worth

  3. Why are Wetlands Important?

  4. They are the heart of the ecosystem! • All things need water to survive • Food hub • Reproduction hub • Most biologically diverse areas of Ontario

  5. Water Management • Flood prevention • Filters sediments and chemicals • Recharge areas for ground water (Drinking Water)

  6. Why We Evaluate Wetlands • Categorize landscape • Relativity to other wetlands • Environmental impact assessments • Municipal and Provincial planning • Quantifying Significant • Determine value based on environmental and economical qualities

  7. Benefits to Evaluation • Protect Existing Wetland • 72% of the wetlands present prior to European settlement have been destroyed in Southern Ontario. • Interest • Know what's on you property • Track changes and heath of your environment • Tax Break • The Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program offers 100 % tax exemption of PSWs • Land must be at least 1/5 of a hectare (1/2 acre) in size.

  8. Controversy • The Provincial Policy Statement prohibits development and site alteration in and adjacent (PSWs). Problems • Assessment can impact neighbor • Exemptions allow for infrastructure works, agriculture and some resource extraction activities • MNR is responsible for evaluation approval

  9. ELC Components

  10. ELC Example Image: TRCA, 2013

  11. OWES Components A numerical ranking of wetland values or functions 1. Biological Component: productivity and habitat diversity 2. Social Component: direct human including economically valuable products, recreational activities and educational uses 3. Hydrological Component: water-related values, such as the reduction of flood peaks and contributions to groundwater recharge and discharge, and water quality improvements. 4. Special Features Component: geographic rarity of wetlands, rare species, ecosystem age, and habitat quality for wildlife

  12. Are You Significant? PSW defined as any evaluated wetland that scores: • 600+ total • 200+ in Biological Component or Special Features Component • Note each category capped at 250 points

  13. Easy Points Special Features 200 points gets you PSW stats RARITY • Wetlands Type (80 points) • Endangered or Threatened Species Breeding (250 points) • Endangered or Threatened Species Feeding Habitat (150 points) SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OR HABITAT(25 to 150 points) • Colonial Waterbirds • Waterfowl Staging and Moulting • Migratory Passerine, Shorebird or Raptor Stopover • Ungulate Habitat • Fish Habitat

  14. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2013 • Red-necked Grebe • Black-crowned Night Heron • Black Tern • Common Tern • Caspian Tern • (smaller) • Great Egret • Great Blue Heron • scored for nesting occurrences, only Photo: Philip Jeffrey Photo: Mdf CC Photo: Badjoby CC

  15. International concern under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Goal of 640,000 breeding birds in the original breeding ground survey area.

  16. Delineation Wetland boundaries uses the “50% wetland vegetation” rule is used. (BIRDS EYE VIEW or Relative Cover)

  17. Categorize Your Wetland • Community Type • Wetland Type • Dominate vegetation type >25%

  18. Wetland Types • M = marsh • W = open water marsh • S = swamp • F = fen • B = bog

  19. Swamp (100 to 200yrs) • Swamps are wooded wetlands with 25% cover or more of trees or tall shrubs and standing water What about Ephemeral pools?

  20. Trees of silver maple, hybrid soft maple, white elm, black/green ash and yellow birch are among the best indicators of a deciduous swamp Photo : UFORA Black spruce, eastern hemlock, and tamarack indicate conifer swamps. Photo: Ben Kimball

  21. M-Marsh W-Open Water Marsh(10-15yrs) Marsh: communities dominated by narrow-leaved emergents, robust emergents, broad-leaved emergentsor herbs Open water marsh: communities dominated by submergents, floating plants or un-vegetated open water <1m deep • Marshes are wet. Standing or slowly moving water. No dominant trees species. Do not completely dry up.

  22. W Vs. M Pictures

  23. Marsh Indicator Species W - Marsh • Myriophyllum sp. Water-milfoil • Potamogeton sp. Pondweed • Nuphar or Nymphaea sp. Water-lily M-Marsh • Carexemoryi Riverbank Sedge • Typha sp. Cattail • (also in swamps) Photo: Christian Fischer Photo: André Karwath Photo: User:Bogdan CC Photo: Marcus, Joseph A.

  24. Fen (+500yrs) • Live tree cover can’t exceed 25%. • Peat-filled, chiefly Sphagnum. • Fens can be dominated by sedges, grasses, and low shrubs, e.g., sweet gale (Myricagale).

  25. Fen species • Sphagnum moss sp. • Scheuchzeria sp. Pod-grass • Drosera sp. Sundew • Orchids James Lindsey at Ecology of Commanster James Lindsey at Ecology of Commanster Photo: Jacopo Werther

  26. Bog (+1000yrs) • Peat-filled, chiefly Sphagnum. • Not diverse usually less than 14 species of vascular plants with over 25% cover • Surface water and peat are strongly acidic (pH 4.7) and deficient in mineral nutrients. Note: Do not use harvested peat for gardening!

  27. Vegetation Forms Trees: >6m Tall shrubs: 1-6m Low shrubs: <1 m

  28. Example Sheet • What looks 25% (absolute cover) • f,*ne water lily (f) • su*, f, ne pondweed (su) • Wetland Type (M<W<F<B<S) • Map Code: suW1 • Soil • % Fish Habitat ?

  29. Field Work • Soil • Plant ID • Delineation • Community Groups • On your own

  30. What is your Wetland Worth?Biological Component • Productivity Growing Degree Days

  31. Biodiversity • 1.1.2 Wetland Type • 1.1.3 Site Type • 1.2.1 Number of Wetland Types

  32. 1.2.2 Vegetation Communities

  33. 1.2.3 Diversity of Surrounding Habitat • 1.2.4 Proximity to Other Wetlands • 1.2.5 Number of Interspersions • 1.2.6 Open Water Type • 1.3 Size

  34. Biological Component Final Score:

  35. What is your Wetland Worth?Social Component Economically Valuable Products • 2.1.1 Wood Products • 2.1.2 Lowbush Cranberry • 2.1.3 Wild Rice • 2.1.4 Commercial Fishing (Bait/Coarse) • 2.1.5 Furbearers

  36. 2.2 Recreational Activities Landscape Aesthetics • 2.3.1 Distinctness • 2.3.2 Absence of Human Disturbance Education and Public • 2.4.1 Uses • 2.3.2 Facilities and Programs • 2.4.3 Research and Studies

  37. 2.5 Proximity to Human Settlement • 2.6 Ownership • 2.7 Size in relation to Social Component • Add 2.1, 2.2 and 2.5 / Total Wetland Size • 2.8 Aboriginal Values Social Component Score:

  38. References • All photos not sited on slides are property of Adopt-A-Pond • All material taken from • 1st ed. 2013. Northern Manuel Ontario Wetland Evaluation System. 978-1-4606-0203-4 PDF • Ecological Land Classification SCSS Field Guide FG-02, Ministry of Natural Resources

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