Manitoba s Submission Guidelines for Peatland Management Plans

Transcription

1 Manitoba s Submission Guidelines for Peatland Management Plans Peatland Management Guidebook Forestry and Peatlands Branch Manitoba Sustainable Development

2 First Published: September 2017 Review by: 2022 Last Revised: Released by: Forestry and Peatlands Branch Manitoba Sustainable Development The Peatland Practices Committee is acknowledged for their contributions. Copies of this publication are available online at: Or contact: Forestry and Peatlands Branch Manitoba Sustainable Development 200 Saulteaux Crescent Box 70 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3W Comments and recommendations on guidelines can be sent to:

3 Table of Contents Glossary of Terms... iii List of Acronyms. iv List of Table and Map Requirements... iv 1.0 Introduction Purpose The Peatland Management Plan Introduction Corporate Overview...2 Corporate Planning Objectives Economic Development Future Provincial Interests 2.3 Operations Overview... 2 Required Approvals Licence and Sub-Area Boundaries Harvesting Schedule Harvest Area and Bulk Peat Estimates Structures 2.4 Pre-Harvest Activities... 4 Timber Removal Site Access Drainage Works 2.5 Fire Protocols Residual Peat Depths Sensitive Sites and Species Protocols... 6 Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September 2017 ii

4 Glossary of Terms Bulk peat Crown consultation Department Director Donor site Ecoregion Engagement Native plant species Non-Target Species Peat Peat Harvesting Peatland Perimeter Disturbance Progressive recovery Reclamation Recovery Recovery site Residual peat Restoration Sedge Operations Seed zones Species at risk Sphagnum Operations Sub-area Wetland Bog Fen Swamp Marsh Open Water the peat material that is harvested from the Crown peatland The Crown s legal duty to consult with Indigenous peoples under section 35 of the Constitution Act of Canada when any proposed provincial law, regulation, decision or action may infringe upon or adversely affect the exercise of an Indigenous or Treaty right. Manitoba Sustainable Development the director of the Forestry and Peatlands Branch a site where typical peatland vegetation (including Sphagnum moss other biological material from vascular and nonvascular plant species) will be collected for the recovery of harvested Crown peatlands as defined by the Manitoba Conservation Data Centre A process that may be conducted by the government or proponent to inform and engage communities in early plan development, gather community interests and concerns, and mitigate and accommodate those concerns where possible before Crown consultation. Proponent engagement can inform, but not replace, the Crown s legal duty to consult. species indigenous to Manitoba or the ecoregion in which the recovery site is located species that are not found or desirable in the targeted recovery ecosystem (e.g., cattails within a restored bog) partially decomposed organic material, with greater than 30% (dry mass) organic matter content, that has sedentarily accumulated under saturated conditions. Horticultural users typically define peat as having greater than 50% organic content. the action of extracting peat from the land as a natural resource an organic wetland with a minimum of 40 centimetres of accumulated peat, as defined by the Canadian Wetland Classification System. the area bordering the harvested peatland that is impacted by harvesting operations (e.g., water table drawdown, timber removal) recovery that is concurrent and progresses with development and ongoing operations recovery activities that return the peatland to a different ecosystem class or use the restoration, reclamation or change of land use of a PHL after harvesting operational sites within a sub-area identified in the progressive recovery schedule peat left in-situ above the mineral layer once harvesting has ceased recovery activities that return the peatland to a functional peat accumulating ecosystem producers of sedge peat products, typically harvested from fens plant breeding zones based on climate, vegetation and physiography as defined by SARA, The Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act producers of moss (Sphagnum) peat products, typically harvested from bogs An area of Crown peatland established by the holder in their PHL application. This is only applicable if multiple peatlands are included within a single PHL. land that is saturated for long enough that organisms and processes have adapted to the wet conditions, as defined by the Canadian Wetland Classification System peatland that receives water and nutrients from precipitation (ombrogenous), typically dominated by Sphagnum moss, but can be shrubby and/or treed peatland receiving water and nutrients from groundwater and/or surface water (minerogenous), typically more productive and ecologically diverse than bogs treed wetlands with fluctuating water tables, forming on mineral soil or peat mineral wetland, usually adjacent to open water, with fluctuating water tables and emergent or flood tolerant vegetation wetland with generally permanent standing water (less than 2 metres deep) and submerged or floating aquatic vegetation Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September 2017 iii

5 List of Acronyms EAL IRMT PERG PEP PHL PMP PRP Environment Act Licence Integrated Resource Management Team Peatland Ecology Research Group Peat Exploration Permit Peat Harvest Licence Peatland Management Plan Peatland Recovery Plan List of Table and Map Requirements Table-1 Table-2 Table-3 Map-1 Map-2 Map-3 Map-4 Map-5 Required licences and permits Harvesting timeline Estimated annual harvest areas, bulk peat volumes and royalties Future provincial peat interests Small-scale map of PHL area Large-scale maps of sub-areas Drainage works Pre-harvest peat depths and proposed residual depths Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September 2017 iv

6 1.0 Introduction The commercial development of Crown peatlands under peat harvest licences (PHL) is monitored and managed through the peatland management plan (PMP). The PMP promotes responsible economic development through proactive resource planning and long-term peat resource management strategies. The regulatory requirements for the PMP are set out in The Peatland Stewardship Act and Regulations, which came into force on June 15, We recognize that this guide will require revisions as our knowledge of peatland management and recovery methods in Manitoba evolves, and with changing peat harvesting practices and technology. 1.1 Purpose The purpose of this guide is to ensure the responsible harvesting of Manitoba s peatlands to balance economic development and ecosystem values. This document outlines the minimum requirements of the proponent. The PMP will provide the following: an overview of the proponent s economic development plans details on the harvesting schedule and areas site specific development plans and protocols information on the rationale and decision-making process 2.0 The Peatland Management Plan The PMP will include the following major components: 1. Introduction 2. Corporate Overview 3. Operations Overview 4. Pre-Harvest Activities 5. Fire Protocols 6. Residual Peat Depths 7. Sensitive Sites and Species Protocols The proponent is required to submit a complete PMP for each PHL application. The following sections outline the content requirements of the PMP and should be completed in full unless otherwise specified or agreed upon by Manitoba Sustainable Development. The PMP will include information at the corporate, PHL and individual sub-area levels. NOTE: The content and requirements for the PMP differs for PHLs issued on June 15, See Appendix III of the Peat Harvest Licensing Guide for details. 2.1 Introduction The introduction to the PMP will provide a description of the PHL area and set the local, regional and provincial context. This section will reference the proponent s engagement plan, the scoped Indigenous communities and relevant stakeholder groups, and the area s known land uses and interests. This section will explain the purpose of the PMP, summarizing key issues and considerations associated with the PHL, including mitigation measures. Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September

7 2.2 Corporate Overview This section will contain an overview of the company, including a discussion of corporate policies, mandate and operating goals. Corporate Planning Objectives The proponent will provide information about the company s current and proposed operations in Manitoba, specifically the role of this PHL in the larger corporate context. Economic Development This section will identify the economic opportunities this PHL will provide, including: an estimate of the number of local full-time and part-time or seasonal employment opportunities directly created by this PHL. If known, provide employment estimates by PHL operations (e.g., processing facility, equipment operators and project management). any other economic development opportunities created in the province as a result of this new development (i.e., vendors and suppliers) the primary economic sectors where opportunities will be created economic development and partnership opportunities with Indigenous communities Future Provincial Interests In this section, the proponent will provide information on future economic development goals in the province and estimated development timelines. If known, the proponent will provide a map of the following (Map-1): areas of future peat development interests and locations of peat exploration permits that are currently held by the company approximate locations of future processing facilities, if known or applicable 2.3 Operations Overview The content in this section will be at the PHL scale, incorporating information from all sub-areas. Required Approvals The proponent will complete Table-1 with a list of licences and permits they will require, including anticipated application timelines. A list of required approvals and issuing authorities can be found in Appendix II of the Peat Harvest Licensing Guide. Table-1: Required licences and permits Licence/Permit Issuing Authority Application Timeline Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September

8 Licence and Sub-Area Boundaries The proponent will provide a map (Map-2) of the full extent of the proposed PHL area, including all subareas. Additionally, a larger scale map of each sub-area is required (Map-3 a, b, c ). These maps will represent the PHL area agreed upon by the department and the region s Integrated Resource Management Team (see the Peat Harvest Licensing Guide for more details on the submission process) during the application process. The maps will include the area, in hectares (three decimal places), of each sub-area and the reference grid, indicating the quarter, section, township and range, for the mapped area. Harvesting Schedule The proponent will describe the order in which harvesting will progress between sub-areas, if applicable, including the anticipated life span and harvesting start and end years for each sub-area. Complete Table-2 illustrating the proposed harvesting timeline for the PHL. Table-2: Harvesting timeline Sub-area A Sub-area B Sub-area C Life Span of PHL e.g. Year 1-15 Year Year Year Year NOTE: This table is only an example template.table-2 should be modified as needed to reflect the proponent s timeline. Harvest Area and Bulk Peat Estimates The proponent will provide an annual estimate of the areas prepared for harvest, the areas harvested and the proposed volume of bulk peat harvested from each sub-area in Table-3. Estimates are required for the full term of the PHL, but are only required from sub-areas that will be active within that period. Estimates will be reported for subsequent years and active sub-areas upon renewal of the PHL. On Map-3, the proponent will include the estimated total harvest area for each sub-area, divided into the projected prepared areas by year, as identified in Table-3. A digital mapping file of the estimated harvest area must be provided whenever possible. The proponent must describe the method used to calculate harvested bulk peat volumes and conversion to meters cubed (m 3 ). Table-3: Estimated annual harvest areas, bulk peat volumes and royalties Sub-area A Prepared Area (ha)* Harvest Area (ha)* Bulk Peat (m 3 )** Royalties Year Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September

9 Sub-area B Prepared Area (ha) Harvest Area (ha) Bulk Peat (m 3 ) Royalties Sub-area C Prepared Area (ha) Harvest Area (ha) Bulk Peat (m 3 ) Year Royalties * Proponent can round to the nearest 5 hectares ** Proponent can round to the nearest 10,000 m 3 NOTE: This table is only an example template.table-3 should be modified as needed to reflect the proponent s timeline. Structures The proponent will include the following information for each applicable sub-area, if known, on Map-3: estimated locations and sizes of all proposed temporary and permanent structures proposed processing facilities, if applicable estimated locations of storage areas and parking lots Identify the sub-areas from which bulk peat will be processed at the proposed facility, if applicable, including peat brought in from any areas outside the PHL. If an existing processing facility will be used to process peat from this PHL, indicate the location of the facility. Include estimated timelines of when structures will be erected on the PHL and the number of years the structures will be in operation. The construction of any permanent structures will require a peat surface lease (see the Peat Harvest Licensing Guide). NOTE: The proponent must contact the regional municipality and the Office of the Fire Commissioner before beginning construction of any structures. Proponents must abide by the bylaws of the regional municipality in which structures are located. 2.4 Pre-Harvest Activities This section will be completed for each sub-area within the PHL. Timber Removal This section will include the proposed timber harvest method, including who will be administering the harvest (i.e., company, contractor or government). Timber should only be harvested during winter months while the ground is frozen to minimize damage to the timber and peat resources. The proponent should reference Map-3 to illustrate the estimated timber removal areas and sequence. The proponent will include a plan for use or sale of productive and non-productive (biomass) timber, as well as plans in the event of excess timber. Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September

10 NOTE: Regional Foresters can be contacted for more information and to arrange timber removal. Regional Foresters require notice by early fall to assist in the scheduling of timber removal during the winter. Timber permits and dues are set out in the Forest Use and Management Regulation under The Forest Act. Site Access The proponent will include the following information for each sub-area on Map-3: proposed locations of site access points, new roads, gates and signage, including road length and road class locations and road class of existing roads used for site access alternative and prioritized site access options The proponent will also include rationale for chosen site access and road locations. The proponent will provide a description of proposed road construction methods, the type of use and estimated traffic volumes. The proponent will also outline the current and proposed management strategies for existing and new roads and how best management practices will be applied. Stream and wetland crossings, including wetland type, will be identified and water management techniques to maintain hydrologic connectivity will be presented (i.e., Resource Roads and Wetlands: A Guide for Planning, Construction and Maintenance). NOTE: See the Forestry Road Management Guidelines, including guidelines for terrestrial buffers, riparian areas and stream crossing, for more information on resource road classification and management strategies. Drainage Works The proponent will provide a map of each sub-area with the following information (Map-4): proposed locations of main drainage ditches and sedimentation ponds, including estimated flow directions location of proposed discharge points alternative and prioritized drainage and discharge options The proponent will include the rationale for chosen discharge locations and plans to mitigate potential impacts to the water quality and flow rates of natural systems (e.g. sediment loading, flooding). 2.5 Fire Protocols This section will identify protocols for fire risk mitigation and response, including: protocols to reduce fire hazards on site stockpile protocols to reduce risk of fire response to wildfire in the vicinity of, or on the PHL NOTE: See The Wildfires Act for minimum requirements in Manitoba. The proponent can contact the regional municipality and the Office of the Fire Commissioner for site-specific information. Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September

11 2.6 Residual Peat Depths The proponent will provide the following information for each sub-area: pre-harvest peat depths (the proponent can reference their peat exploration report) proposed residual peat depths, indicating if residual depths will differ across the site a map or schematic showing pre-harvest and proposed residual peat depths in relation to the mineral layer (Map-5). Identify and characterize layers of the peat profile (e.g., Von Post value and peat type). if applicable, indicate where the PHL overlaps with a mineral quarry lease Proposed residual peat depths must be based on current peat harvesting and recovery, best management practices and research. Proponents will provide an explanation as to how proposed depths will support, and not impede, peatland recovery objectives and operations set out in the proponent s peatland recovery plan. Proponents will include protocols for monitoring peat depths during harvest and ensuring approved minimum residual depths are not exceeded. Residual peat depth guidelines differ for sphagnum and sedge operations: Sphagnum Operations proponents will provide rationale for proposed residual peat depths less than one metre residual peat depths left on site after harvesting must be no less than half a metre at any one point (unless otherwise agreed upon by the department) Sedge Operations where the average peat depth is greater than one metre, proponents will provide rationale for proposed residual peat depths less than half a metre in areas of the PHL where the pre-disturbance average peat depth is less than or equal to one meter, proponents may be permitted to leave no residual peat after harvesting NOTE: If sedge peat harvesting is expected to occur once sphagnum peat harvesting is complete in the PHL area, the proponent must meet with the department to discuss protocols for dual peat harvesting. 2.7 Sensitive Sites and Species Protocols This section will outline the proponent s plans to survey for species at risk, heritage sites or cultural features within the PHL and protocols to be followed if they are found during harvesting operations. The proponent will include proposed contacts and resources, including those identified in the proponent s engagement plan, to identify and accommodate the features mentioned above (i.e., Manitoba Conservation Data Center, Historic Resources Branch). NOTE: Surveys and assessments of the sites and species mentioned previously, as well as mitigation measures, are conditions of the Environment Act licence and will be addressed during the environmental impact assessment process. Peatland Management Plan Guidelines September