Ministry of Environment “Mid Coast District”

Ministry of Environment “Mid Coast District” Revisiting Review and Comment and Project Introduction

Objective: Obtain specific information related to GAR test (particularly 2 (1))

Overview Review and comment: Marbled Murrelet (MAMU) Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA) proposal (Pre) Review and comment: Tailed frog WHA proposal (Pre) Review and comment: Moose amendments to Deer Winter Range Government Actions Regulation (GAR) tests for all relevant species Overview of potential Grizzly bear initiative Intro to Northern Goshawk initiative

Marbled Murrelet (MAMU)Biological Rationale Stratification based on binomial and Hobbs model. Air photo verification based on Burger 2004. ALL WHA have been field verified 2-3 times (by species experts).

Consistency with Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) and Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) • Identified Wildlife Management Strategy (IWMS) • Section 7 notice • Marbled Murrelet are a focal species under the Draft Legal Order 14 (5) • EBM/LRMP/Government to Government (G2G)

MAMU summary statistics 23 polygons Total area in WHA: 4228 ha Impact on Timber Harvesting Landbase (THLB): 0 ha

Additional action proposed for: • N = 16 polygons • Total area in WHA: 2133 ha • Impact on THLB: (only 1 WHA with potential impact) MAMU summary statistics

Proposed MAMU General Wildlife Measures (GWM) • Access • No roads unless no other practicable option exists • Harvesting and silviculture • Do not harvest or salvage • Windfirmness • Pesticides • Do not use pesticides. • Recreation • Do not develop recreational structures, trails, or facilities.

Tailed Frog: approach to proposed GAR action • Project is at delineation stage • Early involvement of agreement holders • Advantage: maximized input opportunity • Need location data from all stakeholders

Consistency with LRMP/EBM • Tailed Frog are a focal species under objective 14 (5) of the draft legal order • Habitats are covered under objective 12 • IWMS

Tailed FrogBiological Rationale • Sampling approach (based on RISC): • Reconnaissance assessments to establish presence (Time Constraint Search) • Detailed habitat assessments for selected streams (Time Constraint Search/ Area Constraint Search) • Streams selected based on characteristics determined in IWMS • Management considerations: • Basin approach • Avoid potential WHA with large % in contributing landbase

Summary Statistics Preliminary results N= 91 polygons down to now N = 62 Total area = 26697 ha

GWM concept • Non-contributing • Do not harvest or salvage • Contributing • Maintain hydrological, climatic, habitat conditions • Leave CWD • Room for innovation

Moose Biological Rationale • Congruent with Provincial Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) Strategy • Stratified based on spatially explicit model • Field verification of areas completed (field work initiated in 1986)

Consistency with LRMP/EBMand other enactments • Overlap: Draft legal order 9 (High Value Fish Habitat), 10 (fish streams, lakes, wetlands), 11 (forested swamps), 13 (active fluvial units), and 14 (5). • Provincial UWR strategy • Established deer winter range orders • Established grizzly bear WHA

Moose summary stats Moose: Total WR area: 13539 ha Overlap with established deer WR and grizzly WHA: 77 % (10408 ha); other 23 % mostly floodplain, Dean Protected Area

Management implications • Overlap with deer, grizzly, and floodplains • Specified Areas • Amendment to established deer WR order • GWM strategy: • Similar to deer • 20-25% forest cover retention over 141 years (per Landscape Unit) • Retention of a set of forage species

Sandhill Crane: Pre-Review and Comment stage Biological Rationale: Field verification on nesting and roosting sites completed in 2007. Approach based on Identified Wildlife Management Strategy Summary statistics: N= 12 polygons (one WHA with 27 ha impact on THLB) Total area = 1240 ha

Test 1: Special management GAR 10(2) Existing FRPA,govmnt actions, other enactments? Test 2: Consistent with established objectives GAR 2 (1a) Consistent w various objectives Consistent with draft legal order/LRMP (9, 10, 11, 13, 14) IWMS and government policy District matrix considered Test 3: Not unduly reduce the supply of timber GAR 2 (1b) Consistent with timber supply policy WHA located outside THLB (TSR 2) Consistent with IWMS, Murrelet policy Test 4: Public benefits GAR 2 (1c) FN, public, etc. IWMS, G2G, listed under SARA GAR tests GAR test Considerations? Further detail

Test 4: Material adverse impacts on delivered wood costs (GAR 2 (1c) Info from affected agreement holders Section 7 notice in place since 2004 Proposed WHA located outside of THLB wherever possible, Need agreement holder input Test 4: Undue constraint on ability of agreement holder (GAR 2(1c) Info from affected agreement holders Section 7 notice in place since 2004 Proposed WHA located outside of THLB wherever possible, Need agreement holder input Test 4: Public benefits outweigh any material adverse effects and undue constraints (GAR 2(1c) Info from affected agreement holders Result of review and comment sessions GAR test Considerations? Further detail

Northern Goshawk:overview of potential approach • Spatially explicit model developed by provincial recovery team (entire coast) • Includes nesting, foraging, and territorial outputs • Model field verified on Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island • Inventory and habitat work on Mid Coastongoing • Specified area concept

Proposed Grizzly bear Initiative • Field verification and mapping of class 1 and 2 habitat completed (2 decades of field work) • Tree Farm License (TFL) 39 Block 5 habitat polygons delineated for MP8 • Specified Areas proposed for: Class 1 and 2 habitat

Proposed Grizzly bear Initiative Wildlife Habitat Features (WHF) proposed for: • Mark trees, trails, daybeds • (WHF for other species) • Legal Objective 16 (2): Biodiversity stand level retention

THANK YOU

Ministry of Environment “Mid Coast District”