PEEL-CALEDON Significant Woodlands. Significant Wildlife Habitat. and STUDY DRAFT REPORT. for Public Comment

Transcription

1 PEEL-CALEDON Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat STUDY DRAFT REPORT for Public Comment OCTOBER 2008

2 PEEL - CALEDON SIGNIFICANT WOODLANDS AND SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT STUDY DRAFT REPORT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS October 2008 Cover Page Photo Credits: (1) Monarch butterfly (Margot Ursic) (2) Buttonbush in a bog (Karl Konze) (3) Red fox - wildlife habitat / corridor (Karl Konze) (4) Bird's nest (Karl Konze) (5) Green frog at Credit Springs (Karl Konze) (5) Background photo of wetland and woodland on the Niagara Escarpment in Caledon (Marsha Paley).

3 North-South Environmental Inc. Mirek Sharp Brent Tegler Sarah Mainguy Sarah Piett Margot Ursic Karl Konze Ian Richards Heather Pankhurst Paul Lowes Consultant Study Team Region of Peel and Town of Caledon Study Team Core Management Team (CMT) Leilani Lee-Yates (Region of Peel) Marsha Paley (Town of Caledon) Mark Head (Region of Peel) Municipal Stakeholder Working Group (MSWG) Christina Lo (City of Brampton) Susan Jorgenson (City of Brampton) Eva Kliwer (City of Mississauga) Technical Advisory Team (TAT) Josh Campbell(Credit Valley Conservation) Scott Sampson (Credit Valley Conservation) Aviva Patel (Credit Valley Conservation) Bob Morris (Credit Valley Conservation) Dave Burnett (Toronto and Region Conservation) Dena Lewis (Toronto and Region Conservation) Theresa Fancy (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) Anne Marie Laurence (Niagara Escarpment Commission) David Sit (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) Mike Kim (Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal) Alex Blasko (Ministry of the Environment) North-South Environmental Inc. page i

4 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION Study Purpose and Objectives Project Management and Consultations Scope of Study Legislative and Policy Context Provincial Planning Initiatives Region of Peel Official Plan Town of Caledon Official Plan Rare Species Legislation and Rankings STUDY PROCESS Review of Background Information Reports and Interviews Digital Data and Mapping Consultation Process Key Principles for Criteria Evaluation Criteria Selection for Significant Woodlands Criteria Selection for Significant Wildlife Habitat STUDY AREA SETTING Region of Peel Town of Caledon Overview of Natural Heritage Features and Designated Areas OTHER MUNICIPAL STUDIES Significant Woodlands: Summary of Interviews with Other Municipalities Significant Wildlife Habitat (SWH): Other Municipal Studies and Interviews with Selected Experts SIGNIFICANT WOODLANDS Considerations for the Development of Criteria for Significant Woodlands Defining Woodlands Development of Significant Woodlands Recommended Criteria Woodland Patch Size Interior Forest Age and Late Successional Woodlands Slope Quality Linkage Proximity Representation (Community) Representation (Age) Ecological Functions Surface Water Quality and Quantity Groundwater Quality Diversity of Communities and Species Existing Designations North-South Environmental Inc. page ii

5 Significant Species and Communities Economic/Social Value Floristic Quality Index Significant Landforms Summary of Criteria Recommended for Identifying Significant Woodlands SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT (SWH) Approach for Identifying Significant Wildlife Habitat (SWH) Criteria Key Exemptions Related to Significant Wildlife Habitat (SWH) Challenges and Limitations in Developing Criteria for Significant Wildlife Habitat (SWH) Defining Significant Wildlife Habitat (SWH) Overview of Candidate Criteria and Draft Recommendations Criterion A1: Deer Wintering Area Criterion A2: Colonial Bird Nesting Sites Criterion A3: Waterfowl Nesting Habitat Criterion A4i: Landbird Migratory Stopover Areas Criterion A4ii: Migratory Bat Stopover Areas Criterion A4iii: Migratory Butterfly Stopover Areas Criterion A4iv: Waterfowl Stopover (or Staging) Areas (Terrestrial) Criterion A4v: Waterfowl Stopover (or Staging) Areas (Aquatic) Criterion A4vi: Migratory Shorebird Stopover Areas Criterion A5: Raptor Wintering Areas Criterion A6: Snake Hibernacula Criterion A7: Bat Maternal Roosts and Hibernacula Criterion A8: Bullfrog Concentration Areas Criterion A9: Wild Turkey Winter Range Criterion A10: Turkey Vulture Summer Roosting Areas Criterion B1: Rare Vegetation Communities Criterion B2: Forests Providing a High Diversity of Habitats Criterion B3: Old-growth or Mature Forest Stands Criterion B4: Foraging Areas with Abundant Mast Criterion B5: Highly Diverse Areas Criterion B6: Cliffs and Caves Criterion B7: Seeps and Springs Criterion B8i: Amphibian Breeding Habitat (Forested Sites) Criterion B8ii: Amphibian Breeding Habitat (Non-forested Sites) Criterion B9: Turtle Nesting Habitat and Turtle Overwintering Areas Criterion B10: Habitat for Area-sensitive Species Forest Interior Breeding Bird Species Criterion B11: Habitat for Open Country and Early Successional Breeding Bird Species Criterion B12: Habitat for Wetland Breeding Bird Species Criterion B13i: Raptor Nesting Habitat (Raptors Associated with Wetlands, Ponds, and Rivers) Criterion B13ii: Raptor Nesting Habitat (Raptors Associated with Woodland Habitats) North-South Environmental Inc. page iii

6 Criterion B14: Mink, River Otter, Marten, and Fisher Denning Sites Criterion B15: Mineral Licks Category C: Habitats for Species of Conservation Concern Criterion C1: Species Identified as Nationally Endangered or Threatened by COSEWIC which are Not Protected in Regulation under Ontario s Endangered Species Act Criterion C2: Species Identified as Special Concern Based on Species at Risk in Ontario List that is Periodically Updated by OMNR Criterion C3: Species that are Listed as Rare (S1 S3) or Historical in Ontario Based on Records Kept by the Natural Heritage Information Centre in Peterborough Criterion C4: Species whose Populations Appear to be Experiencing Substantial Declines in Ontario Criterion C5: Species that have a high percentage of their global population in Ontario and are rare or uncommon in the Region of Peel / Town of Caledon Criterion C6: Species that are rare within the Region of Peel or Town of Caledon, even though they may not be provincially rare Criterion C7: Species that are Subjects of Recovery Programs Criterion C8: Species Considered Important to The Region of Peel/Town of Caledon, Based on Recommendations from the Conservation Advisory Committee Criterion D: Animal Movement Corridors Concluding Remarks CONCLUSIONS DEFINITIONS LITERATURE CITED List of Tables Table 1: Forest cover for municipalities in the Region of Peel (all woodlands > 0.5 ha) Table 2: Approximate area & number of forests patches smaller than 0.5 ha for municipalities 32 Table 3: Number and area of forest in different size classes (all woodlands > 0.5 ha) Table 4: Number and area of forest interior* in different size classes Table 5: Forest cover in physiographic units & plan areas within the Town of Caledon Table 6: Summary of natural heritage features, areas, regions and policy designations Table 7: Complete list of candidate criteria considered for significant wildlife habitat Table 8: Summary of recommendations related to the candidate criteria for significant wildlife habitat Table 9: Overview of consultant recommendations related to the proposed thresholds for significant wildlife habitat Table 10. Peak shorebird numbers and cutoff numbers in the GTA as of the year Table 11. Vegetation community targets for Ecodistricts 6E-7 and 7E Table 12: Population density and forest requirement information for area-sensitive forest-interior breeding bird species occurring in the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon North-South Environmental Inc. page iv

7 List of Figures Figure 1: Region of Peel and Town of Caledon study area... 2 Figure 2: Policy and planning areas in the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon... 8 Figure 3: The Physiography of the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon Figure 4: Conservation authority (watershed) boundaries Figure 5: The Urban and Rural Systems in the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon Figure 6: Woodlands in Peel Region and the Town of Caledon Appendices APPENDIX 1: Definition of Woodlands APPENDIX 2: Summary of Data Sources Reviewed APPENDIX 3: Summary of Significant Woodlands Criteria Used by Other Municipalities & Recommended in Technical Documents in Southern Ontario APPENDIX 4: Summary of Interviews with Experts on Significant Wildlife Habitat APPENDIX 5: Old growth Forest Associations and Age-of-Onset APPENDIX 6: Corridor Sizes Required By Different Groups Of Wildlife North-South Environmental Inc. page v

8 Executive Summary The Peel - Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study report provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis of criteria and thresholds for identifying significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat in the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon. Initially, a long list of candidate draft criteria was assembled for significant woodlands through a review of work undertaken by other municipalities in southern Ontario, government and non-government agencies, along with a review of the scientific literature. The advantages and disadvantages of each candidate draft criterion for significant woodlands are discussed along with the input received from the Municipal Staff Working Group/Technical Advisory Team, and consultations with stakeholders, the public and Town of Caledon Council. The Significant Wildlife Habitat Technical Guide (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) 2000) served as the foundation from which to select candidate draft criteria for identifying significant wildlife habitat. This document was selected because it was prepared by the OMNR, the primary agency responsible for protecting natural heritage features in the province, and because it is provincewide in scope. As a result, the list of draft criteria for significant wildlife habitat is very broad and encompasses a wide range of features and functions. All of the recommended criteria and thresholds have been presented to stakeholders, the public and the Town of Caledon Council for review and comment. Based on the consultations and analyses, the study recommends draft criteria and thresholds for identifying significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat in the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon. The study report characterizes the existing woodland cover in the Region and the Town. Table 1 (below) clearly shows that the Town of Caledon supports the highest woodland cover in the Region (31.5% woodland cover), and that the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga have a similar forest cover of approximately 7%. The report also provides an analysis of the size distribution of woodlands in the Region and by each local municipality (see Table 3 in the report) and the extent of interior forest (see table 4 in the report). All these analyses were undertaken using data provided by the Region, the Town, the Conservation Authorities and the OMNR. There was no field work component to this study, all the information used being from existing data sources. Table 1: Forest cover for municipalities in the Region of Peel (all woodlands > 0.5 ha) Municipality Forest Cover in each Contribution to No. of Forest Municipality Regional Forest Patches ha (%) Cover (%) Mean Patch Size Peel 25,867; (20.6%) 100% 1,127* 23.0 Caledon 21,954, (31.5%) 84.9% Brampton 1,972, (7.3%) 7.6% Mississauga 1,940, (6.7%) 7.5% * Note that for woodlands that straddle municipal boundaries, portions of the same woodland will be counted in each municipality. Thus the sum of the number of patches for the three municipalities will not add up to the number of patches for the entire Region. Section 5 of the report, addressing significant woodlands, discussed a total of 18 draft criteria and thresholds, and recommends a final suite of six for identifying significant woodlands as identified below. Woodlands on the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) are subject to the policies of the ORM Conservation Plan. The ORM Conservation Plan gives municipalities the right to North-South Environmental Inc. page vi

9 identify additional significant woodlands, however, whether this is desirable needs to be established in the review of natural heritage policies being undertaken through the Peel Region Official Plan Review (PROPR) and Town of Caledon Planning Policy Conformity (PPC) exercises. As such, the Region and/or Town may wish to apply these criteria to the Oak Ridges Moraine. Criteria for Identifying Significant Woodlands Woodlands outside of the ORM planning boundaries satisfying any one of the following criteria should be considered significant: 1. With respect to woodland size (application of recommended thresholds to the Regional and Town scales may be determined through the policy development phase for the Region s and Town s Official Plan review exercises): Option 1: Recommendation based on Urban-Rural System Distinction Woodlands satisfying the following size criteria should be considered significant: i. Urban System (i.e., within the 2031 urban boundaries for the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga): all woodlands larger than 4 ha in size; ii. Rural System (i.e., the Rural System that comprises all of the Town of Caledon): all woodlands larger than 16 ha. Option 2: Recommendation based on Physiography/Historical Land Use Woodlands satisfying the following size criteria should be considered significant: i. areas on and above (west of) the Niagara Escarpment: all woodlands greater than 16 ha in size; ii. Rural and Urban System below the Niagara Escarpment: all woodlands greater than 4 ha. 2. woodlands, or inclusions in woodlands, (>0.5 ha) that are older than 90 years (Regional and Town threshold). 3. It is recommended that any woodland (>0.5 ha) identified as supporting a linkage function, as determined through a natural heritage study approved by the Region or Town, be considered significant (Regional and Town threshold). 4. woodlands (>0.5 ha) within 100 m of another significant feature (Regional and Town threshold). 5. woodlands within 30 m of a watercourse, surface water feature or evaluated wetland (Regional and Town threshold). 6. woodlands that supports any of the following (Regional and Town threshold): North-South Environmental Inc. page vii

10 i. any G1, G2, G3, S1, S2, or S3 plant or animal species, or community as designated by NHIC; or ii. any species designated by COSEWIC or COSSARO as Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern. iii. The following forest communities: Dry Fresh White Pine Red Pine Coniferous Forest Type (FOC1-2) Dry Fresh White Pine Sugar Maple Forest Ecosite (FOM 2-2) Dry Fresh White Pine Oak Mixed Forest Type (FOM2-1) Moist Fresh Hemlock Sugar Maple Mixed Forest Type (FOM 6-1) Dry Fresh Red Oak Deciduous Forest Type (FOD1-1) Dry Fresh White Oak Deciduous Forest Type (FOD1-2) Dry-Fresh Mixed Oak Deciduous Forest Type (FOD 1-4) Dry-Fresh Oak-Hickory Deciduous Forest Type (FOD 2-2) Dry-Fresh Hickory Deciduous Forest Type (FOD 2-3) Fresh Sugar Maple-Black Maple Deciduous Forest (FOD 6-2) Section 6 of the report recommends 39 draft criteria for identifying significant wildlife habitat in the Region of Peel and 37 in the Town of Caledon. Of the 39 Regional draft criteria, 28 have suggested thresholds and of the 37 Town draft criteria, 26 have thresholds recommended. The remaining criteria do not at this time have any thresholds recommended for them. A summary of the recommended draft criteria for significant wildlife habitat is provided below in Table 8. Table 8: Summary of recommendations related to the candidate criteria for significant wildlife habitat. Recommendations apply equally to the Town of Caledon and the Region of Peel unless specified otherwise. SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT CRITERIA recommended with a threshold recommended without a threshold not recommended A1. Deer wintering area A2. Colonial bird nesting sites (e.g., heronry, gull colony) A3. Waterfowl nesting habitat A4i. Migratory Landbird Stopover Areas RM PEEL A4i. Migratory Landbird Stopover Areas TOWN OF CALEDON A4ii. Migratory Bat Stopover Areas A4iii. Migratory Butterfly Stopover Areas RM PEEL North-South Environmental Inc. page viii

11 SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT CRITERIA recommended with a threshold recommended without a threshold not recommended A4iii. Migratory Butterfly Stopover Areas TOWN OF CALEDON A4iv. Migratory Waterfowl Stopover and/or Staging (Terrestrial) A4v. Migratory Waterfowl Stopover and/or Staging (Aquatic) A4vi. Migratory Shorebird Stopover Areas A5. Raptor wintering areas (i.e., used for feeding and/or roosting) A6. Snake hibernacula A7. Bat maternal roosts and hibernacula A8. Bullfrog concentration areas (see details under B8ii) A9. Wild Turkey winter range A10. Turkey Vulture summer roosting areas B1. Rare vegetation communities B2. Forests providing a high diversity of habitats (captured by Significant Woodlands) B3. Old-growth or mature forest stands (captured by Significant Woodlands) B4. Foraging areas with abundant mast (i.e., nut bearing trees) B5. Highly diverse areas B6. Cliffs and caves B7. Seeps and springs B8i. Amphibian breeding habitat - Forested sites (e.g., vernal pools) B8ii. Amphibian breeding habitat - Non-forested sites (e.g., marshes) B9. Turtle nesting habitat and turtle overwintering areas B10. Habitat for area-sensitive forest interior breeding bird species North-South Environmental Inc. page ix

12 SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT CRITERIA recommended with a threshold recommended without a threshold not recommended B11. Habitat for open country and early successional breeding bird species B12. Habitat for wetland breeding bird species B13i. Raptor nesting habitat - wetlands, ponds, and rivers B13ii. Raptor nesting habitat - woodland habitats B14. Mink, River Otter, Marten, and Fisher denning sites B15. Mineral licks C1. Species identified as nationally Endangered or Threatened by COSEWIC, which are not protected in regulation under Ontario s Endangered Species Act. C2. Species identified as Special Concern based on Species at Risk in Ontario List that is periodically updated by OMNR. C3. Species that are listed as rare (S1 S3) or historical in Ontario based on records kept by the Natural Heritage Information Centre in Peterborough. C4. Species whose populations appear to be experiencing substantial declines in Ontario. C5. Species that have a high percentage of their global population in Ontario and are rare or uncommon in the Regional Municipality of Peel / Town of Caledon. C6. Species that are rare within the Regional Municipality of Peel/Town of Caledon, even though they may not be provincially rare (? Plant list is available; may be able to develop a preliminary list for wildlife from conservation authority data as part of this study) C7. Species that are subjects of recovery programs. C8. Species considered important to the Regional Municipality of Peel / Town of Caledon, based on recommendations from a local Conservation Advisory Committee. North-South Environmental Inc. page x

13 SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT CRITERIA recommended with a threshold recommended without a threshold not recommended D. ANIMAL MOVEMENT CORRIDORS Comment sheets (7 pages) are provided on the following pages. These can be removed for submission to the Region of Peel or Town of Caledon, as directed on the comment sheet. North-South Environmental Inc. page xi

14 The following sheets are to be used to provide comments on the Peel Caledon: Significant Woodlands & Significant Wildlife Habitat Study, DRAFT REPORT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT (September 2008). We invite you to provide general comments on the report, as well as specific comments on the recommended draft criteria and thresholds for significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat for the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon. You will need to refer to the report for background and details related to the criteria selection and threshold development. You may provide your contact information. It will not be given to any other party and will be used only for follow-up purposes related to this project 1. Name Address Postal Code Phone Name of affiliated group(s), school or agency if applicable Please return your comments to: Leilani Lee-Yates or Marsha Paley Principal Planner Senior Policy Planner/Project Mgr. Region of Peel Town of Caledon T , ext T , ext F F by December 12 th, Notice With Respect To the Collection of Personal Information Personal Information collected as a result of this stakeholder consultation is being collected pursuant to the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.p.13 and will be retained, used, disclosed and disposed of in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.m.56. All names, addresses, opinions and comments collected will be used to assist in making a decision on this planning matter. Questions regarding this collection may be directed to the Director, Planning Policy and Research Division, Environmental, Transportation and Planning Services, 10 Peel Centre Drive, 6th Floor, Brampton, Ontario, L6T 4B9. North-South Environmental Inc. page xii

15 GENERAL COMMENTS: North-South Environmental Inc. page xiii

16 RECOMMENDED SIGNIFICANT WOODLANDS CRITERIA & THRESHOLDS* Specific Comments SIZE - Option 1: i. Urban System (i.e., within the 2031 urban boundaries for the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga): all woodlands larger than 4 ha in size; ii. Rural System (i.e., the Rural System comprises all of the Town of Caledon): all woodlands larger than 16 ha. SIZE - Option 2: i. areas on and above (west of) the Niagara Escarpment: all woodlands greater than 16 ha in size; ii. rural and urban system below the Niagara Escarpment: all woodlands greater than 4 ha. Age / Old Growth: Woodlands, or inclusions in woodlands, >0.5 ha in size and older than 90 years. Linkage: Any woodland (>0.5 ha) identified as supporting a linkage function, as determined through a natural heritage study approved by the Region or Town. Proximity: Woodlands (>0.5 ha) within 100 m of another significant feature. North-South Environmental Inc. page xiv

17 RECOMMENDED SIGNIFICANT WOODLANDS CRITERIA & THRESHOLDS* Specific Comments Water Quality: Woodlands within 30 m of a watercourse, surface water feature or evaluated wetland. Significant Species and Communities: Woodlands that support any globally or provincially rare species or vegetation communities, as well as some regionally rare communities, as listed in the report. Woodlands outside of the Oak Ridges Moraine planning boundaries satisfying any one of the criteria are recommended as being considered significant in both the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon. SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITAT CRITERIA (Details on thresholds are provided in the Draft Report, Section 6) Specific Comments A. SEASONAL CONCENTRATION AREAS A1. Deer wintering area A2. Colonial bird nesting sites (e.g. heronry, gull colony) A3. Waterfowl nesting habitat A5. Raptor wintering areas (i.e. used for feeding and/or roosting) North-South Environmental Inc. page xv

18 A. SEASONAL CONCENTRATION AREAS A4. Migratory stopover (or staging) areas i. Landbirds ii. Bats iii. Butterflies iv. Waterfowl (Terrestrial) v. Waterfowl (Aquatic) vi. Shorebirds Note: A4i and A4iii not applicable to the Town of Caledon. A6. Snake hibernacula A7. Bat maternal roosts and hibernacula A8. Bullfrog concentration areas Consultants consider this covered by B8ii (Amphibian breeding habitat non-forested sites). A9. Wild Turkey winter range Not recommended by the consulting team. A10. Turkey Vulture summer roosting areas B. RARE VEGETATION COMMUNITIES or SPECIALIZED HABITATS FOR WILDLIFE Specific Comments B1. Rare vegetation communities B2. Forests providing a high diversity of habitats B3. Old-growth or mature forest stands Consultants consider this covered by Significant Woodlands. Consultants consider this covered by Significant Woodlands. North-South Environmental Inc. page xvi

19 B. RARE VEGETATION COMMUNITIES or SPECIALIZED HABITATS FOR WILDLIFE Specific Comments B4. Foraging areas with abundant mast (i.e. fruit-bearing trees or shrubs) B5. Highly diverse areas B6. Cliffs and caves B7. Seeps and springs B8. Amphibian breeding habitat i. Forested sites (e.g. vernal pools) ii. Non-forested sites (e.g. marshes) B9. Turtle nesting habitat and turtle overwintering areas B10. Habitat for area-sensitive forest interior breeding bird species B11. Habitat for open country and early successional breeding bird species B12. Habitat for wetland breeding bird species B13. Raptor nesting habitat i. Raptors assoc. w/ wetlands /ponds / rivers ii. Raptors assoc. w/ woodland habitats B14. Mink, River Otter, Marten, and Fisher denning sites B15. Mineral licks Not recommended by the consulting team. North-South Environmental Inc. page xvii

20 C. HABITAT FOR SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN CRITERIA Specific Comments C1. Species identified as nationally Endangered or Threatened by COSEWIC, which are not protected in regulation under Ontario s Endangered Species Act. C2. Species identified as Special Concern based on Species at Risk in Ontario List that is periodically updated by OMNR. C3. Species that are listed as rare (S1 S3) or historical in Ontario based on records kept by the Natural Heritage Information Centre in Peterborough. C4. Species whose populations appear to be experiencing substantial declines in Ontario. C5. Species that have a high percentage of their global population in Ontario and are rare or uncommon in the Regional Municipality of Peel / Town of Caledon. C6. Species that are rare within the Regional Municipality of Peel/Town of Caledon, even though they may not be provincially rare. C7. Species that are subjects of recovery programs (e.g., Black Duck). C8. Species considered important to Peel and/or Caledon based on recommendations from a local Conservation Advisory Committee. D. ANIMAL MOVEMENT CORRIDORS Comments 1. Primary: Inter-regional movement corridors following major physiographic features 2. Secondary: Regional movement corridors (e.g., along natural linear features such as river valleys,) 3. Tertiary: Local movement corridors (e.g., hedgerows, riparian strips) North-South Environmental Inc. page xviii

21 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Region, through its Natural Heritage Policy Review component of the Peel Region Official Plan Review (PROPR), and the Town of Caledon, through its Provincial Policy Conformity (PPC) exercise, have identified the need to undertake the Peel - Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study. The study area is shown in Figure 1. The purpose of this study is to formulate criteria and thresholds for the identification of these features, and provide direction for the development of appropriate policies that will conform with provincial planning directions. While both the Region of Peel s and the Town of Caledon s Official Plans currently contain policies regarding woodlands, these policies require review given recent provincial directions and new technical guidance. As well, neither plan contains specific policy addressing significant wildlife habitat. Notably, the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon are the first municipalities in Ontario to explore criteria and threshold development for significant wildlife habitat at the jurisdictional-wide level, even though other municipalities may eventually undertake a similar exercise to conform to the PPS. In doing so, the Region and Town are demonstrating leadership to ensure the development of well-informed significant wildlife habitat Official Plan policies. The Peel-Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study can serve as a case study for future significant wildlife habitat studies conducted by other municipalities. It is anticipated that this study will assist the Region and Town in refining the provincial significant wildlife habitat guidelines to make them specific to Peel and Caledon, to the greatest extent possible. This Peel - Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study is a technical study that recommends criteria and thresholds for significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat to inform the development of policies that will be considered through the Region s PROPR Natural Heritage Policy Review and the Town of Caledon s PPC exercise. While the approach taken for this study necessarily focuses on the significance of specific natural heritage features and areas, and in some cases the presence or absence of specific indicators of habitat, it is important to remember that this study assumes that these components will ultimately be protected within the context of the Region s broader natural heritage system, known as the Greenlands System. While the protection of significant woodlands and significant wildlife will contribute to the resilience of a natural heritage system, the protection of these features alone would likely be inadequate for their long-term conservation. Protection of other natural heritage components (e.g., significant wetlands, significant valleylands) as well as of ecological corridors and linkages form a resilient and sustainable system that comprehensively protects natural heritage features. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that the purpose of this study is to determine what is significant in terms of both woodlands and wildlife habitat in both the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon, rather than identify all the potential components of a natural heritage system. Guidance from the Province states that for significant wildlife habitat this means capturing what is ecologically important in terms of features, functions, representation or amount, and contributing to the quality and diversity of an identifiable geographic area or natural heritage system (OMNR 2000). North-South Environmental Inc. page 1

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23 Given that a large proportion of the Region s natural heritage features are located in Caledon, the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon decided to undertake this study as a joint technical study in order to (a) share resources and improve efficiencies, and (b) develop a consistent methodology for identifying and evaluating significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat at both the Regional and Town scales. In January of 2008 a consultant team led by North-South Environmental Inc. (ecologists), with assistance from (ecological consulting and design), and Sorensen Gravely Lowes (planners) were retained to undertake this study. The same team has been retained to undertake the Region s PROPR Natural Heritage Policy Review, under the leadership of, which will facilitate the integration of input and recommendations from this study into policy. Stakeholder and public consultations have also been undertaken as part of this technical study and a summary of comments received and responses are provided under separate cover. These include a summary of comments received from stakeholders, the public and Caledon Council. Further consultation is planned during the policy development phase for both the Region s and Town s Official Plan Reviews. It is recognized that science is only one component of good planning, albeit an important one that deserves substantial weighting. This study focuses on the technical aspects of the identification of significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat, and does not attempt to integrate other planning issues into the development of the criteria and thresholds. It is anticipated that any other planning requirements will be addressed through the policy development phase for both the Region and the Town. Throughout this study, the terms woodland and forest are used synonymously in a general sense to refer to features that contain trees. These terms, as well as savannah, also have more limited technical meanings and this is discussed in Section Study Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide a technical basis for evaluating the scope of policy revisions to the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon Official Plans required to conform to recent provincial policy. Policy requirements for significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat have been set out in policy statements issued under the Planning Act since 1997, the most recent being the Provincial Policy Statement which came into effect on March 1, Provincial guidance (through reference manuals, guidelines and on-line resources) is provided to assist municipalities when interpreting the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) and developing policy. Technical studies, like this, are a mechanism for developing municipal approaches for the identification of significant natural heritage features and areas that follow this provincial guidance and also incorporate input from local municipal staff, relevant experts, stakeholders, and the public. The Peel- Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study, together with the Region s and Town s policy reviews, have the purpose of bringing the North-South Environmental Inc. page 3

24 Regional and Town Official Plans into conformity with provincial policy requirements. In other words, the study aims to provide a made in Peel and a made in Caledon response to the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) in regard to significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat. Some of the comments from stakeholders and Caledon councilors received during this study process have expressed a concern that this study presents yet another new potential policy layer for landowners to contend with (a summary of all stakeholder comments is available under separate cover). However, it is important to understand that the need to identify both significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat is already established by the Province in existing policy applicable to both the Town and Region. What this study provides is a defensible criteriabased approach for identification of significance on a Region and Town-wide basis that will hopefully clarify the rules and process for all stakeholders, and ensure fairness by allowing for consistent application throughout the respective jurisdictions. The specific tasks and deliverables of the Peel Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study (abbreviated from the study Terms of Reference) are: 1. To review and assess relevant background documents regarding significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat in the southern Ontario context; 2. To compile and assess existing data and mapping sources with respect to woodlands and wildlife habitat in Peel/Caledon, develop an integrated information database and (where feasible) digital mapping, and identify significant data gaps; 3. To prepare a background summary of science-based approaches for defining and mapping significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat in Peel/Caledon, including draft mapping for significant woodlands; and, 4. To prepare a final study report summarizing the results of steps 1-3 and the results of the public consultations, recommending criteria for defining significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat in the Region of Peel and Town of Caledon Official Plans, and providing an integrated information database and mapping platform to support the technical recommendations of the study and subsequent development of policy recommendations. It was recognized from the outset that there are very different data requirements for determining significant woodlands than identifying significant wildlife habitat. The information to enable mapping of most woodlands and identify most of those that may be significant is available and it should be possible to map the majority of their locations. However, there is insufficient information at this time to facilitate mapping of significant wildlife habitat on a Region-wide or Town-wide basis. Significant woodland analyses can be undertaken at a landscape scale and include mapping, because of better data availability and the subsequent fuller understanding of woodlands in general at the Regional and Town scales. However, significant wildlife habitat will need to be determined at the site level through natural heritage studies such as environmental impact studies, subwatershed studies, secondary plans, etc. Lastly, the criteria and thresholds recommended in this report are based on the current policy framework and state of the science. Also, decisions on criteria and thresholds, particularly for North-South Environmental Inc. page 4

25 the significant wildlife habitat, are based in part on the available data regarding the woodlands and wildlife of the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon. The criteria and thresholds will need to be periodically re-examined and possibly refined as these things change in the future. 1.2 Project Management and Consultations The study is being managed by a Core Management Team consisting of a lead staff member from the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon, as well as the Regional lead for the PROPR Natural Heritage Policy Review. The Core Management Team has been responsible for providing direction to the study consultant and managing the overall study process. In addition to ongoing consultation with the Core Management Team, the study process included meetings with a Municipal Staff Working Group, consisting of members of the Core Management Team (as noted above) and staff from the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga, and a Technical Advisory Team, consisting of representatives from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC), Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) and Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal (MPIR). Stakeholder and public consultations have also been undertaken to provide opportunities for input early in the process (i.e., to the selection and development of criteria for significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat prior to policy development) (see comment summaries provided under separate cover). Representatives from key stakeholder groups were invited to provide their input on preliminary criteria on April 7, 2008 and draft criteria and mapping on June 17, Caledon Council was presented with the preliminary criteria on April 15, 2008, and given the opportunity to comment on draft recommended criteria and draft mapping on May 13, Regional and area municipal staff also held public open houses on June 24 (Caledon), June 25 (Brampton) and June 26 (Mississauga) to gain broader public input on the draft recommended criteria and draft mapping, prior to study finalization. An initial draft report was provided to stakeholders to obtain preliminary comments prior to releasing this draft for public input. The draft report has also been presented to Region of Peel Council and the Town of Caledon Council. This report will be finalized in late-2008/early Scope of Study The Peel - Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study, along with the Region s PROPR Natural Heritage Policy Review and the Town of Caledon s PPC exercise will develop criteria, thresholds and policy for Regionally and Town-specific significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat within the Region and Town respectively in accordance with policy requirements in the Provincial Policy Statement (2005). Development of significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat criteria for areas where provincial plans, such as the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (OMMAH 2002), already provide sufficient guidance and criteria is beyond the scope of the study. At present, this only includes areas within the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area. North-South Environmental Inc. page 5

26 Although there is protection for significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat within Key Natural Heritage Features (KNHFs) within the Greenbelt Plan (OMMAH 2005), no guidelines providing definitions and thresholds are currently available. Until such guidelines are made available for the Greenbelt Plan, it is recommended that the policies and definitions of the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) PPS should be used. Policy of the Greenbelt Plan states that KNHFs beyond the Natural Heritage System within the Protected Countryside are to be defined pursuant to, and subject to the policies of, the Provincial Policy Statement (2005). The Provincial Policy Statement (2005), in Section 8, Definitions, allows municipal approaches for the determination of significance. Once implementing guidelines for the Greenbelt Plan are available, Regional and Town staff will need to consider whether the recommendations of this current study are consistent with the guidance from the Province through the Greenbelt Plan technical guidelines. Finally, the Peel - Caledon Significant Woodlands and Significant Wildlife Habitat Study will not recommend criteria for defining locally significant woodlands and locally significant wildlife habitat within the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga as these municipalities are not undertaking joint studies with the Region or Town. Policies, criteria and thresholds within the Cities of Brampton and Mississauga will continue to be governed by their respective Official Plan policies, although they will need to adopt policies consistent with, or if they choose, more restrictive than, the Regional policies that will be developed through the PROPR Natural Heritage Policy Review and not this study. Consideration of the differences in scale between the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon was considered in the development of criteria and thresholds, acknowledging the possibility that they may be different for the two jurisdictions. This issue is further discussed in Section Legislative and Policy Context Section 26(1) of the Planning Act R.S.O. 1990, Ch. p.13, which was amended by the Planning and Conservation Land Statute Law Amendment Act, (2006), requires a municipality to revise its Official Plan to ensure it conforms to Provincial plans, policies and legislation no later than every five years. This study is one of several technical updates that will assist the Region and Town in developing policy to achieve conformity with new provincial planning directions that have been enacted in recent years. Specifically, these new provincial planning directions flow from: 1. The Provincial Policy Statement (2005) (MMAH 2005), which came into effect on March 1, 2005; 2. Bill 135, The Greenbelt Act, which received Royal Assent on February 24, 2005 and the Greenbelt Plan, which took effect December 14, 2004; 3. Bill 51, The Planning and Conservation Land Statute Law Amendment Act, which received Royal Assent on October 19, 2006; and, 4. Bill 136, The Places To Grow Act, which received Royal Assent on June 13, 2005, and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (referred to as the Places to Grow Plan in this report), which took effect June 16, North-South Environmental Inc. page 6

27 The Region through PROPR and the Town through their provincial policy conformity exercises have initiated their respective five-year reviews of their Official Plans. As part of this five-year review, the Region and Town are bringing their Official Plans into conformity with the above legislation and plans. Under the Places to Grow Act (2005), municipalities must achieve Official Plan conformity with the Places to Grow Plan by June 16, The Provincial Policy Statement (2005) and the Greenbelt Act (2005) are discussed below specifically in terms of how they deal with significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat. The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act (2001) and the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act (1973) also cover a significant area in the Region of Peel and the Town of Caledon. Consequently they are also discussed below in terms of their relevance to identifying significant woodlands and significant wildlife habitat in both these jurisdictions. The planning areas for the Niagara Escarpment Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Plan and the Greenbelt Plan are shown on Figure Provincial Planning Initiatives Provincial Policy Statement (2005) Section 2.1 (Natural Heritage) of the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) states that: Development and site alteration shall not be permitted in: a) significant habitat of endangered species and threatened species; b) significant wetlands in Ecoregions 5E, 6E and 7E; and c) significant coastal wetlands Development and site alteration shall not be permitted in: a) significant wetlands in the Canadian Shield north of Ecoregions 5E, 6E, & 7E; b) significant woodlands south and east of the Canadian Shield; c) significant valleylands south and east of the Canadian Shield; d) significant wildlife habitat; and e) significant areas of natural and scientific interest unless it has been demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the natural features or their ecological functions. The intent of this study is to provide technical direction specifically in relation to (b) and (d), while still being cognizant of the Region and the Town s intention that these discrete features form part of the natural heritage system in Peel, known as the Greenlands System. The Natural Heritage Reference Manual (OMNR 1999) provides some technical guidance for municipalities with respect to each of these natural heritage features. Although this manual was developed in support of the 1997 Provincial Policy Statement (which has now been superseded), it continues to be the most current guidance until a revised manual 2 is released. 2 A revised manual is currently being prepared by the Province and the MNR was represented on the Technical Advisory Team to advise on consistency with provincial direction. North-South Environmental Inc. page 7

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29 The Provincial Policy Statement (2005) defines significant woodlands as follows: an area which is ecologically important in terms of features such as species composition, age of trees and stand history; functionally important due to its contribution to the broader landscape because of its location, size or due to the amount of forest cover in the planning area; or economically important due to site quality, species composition, or past management history;. While it is a planning authority s responsibility to determine which woodlands are significant, key considerations (or criteria) identified are: woodland size, ecological functions (e.g., shape, proximity to other woodlands / habitats, linkages, diversity), uncommon woodlands, and woodland economic and social values. The Provincial Policy Statement (2005) defines wildlife habitat as follows: areas where plants, animals, and other organisms live, and find adequate amounts of food, water, shelter, and space needed to sustain their populations. Specific wildlife habitats of concern may include areas where species concentrate at a vulnerable point in their annual or life cycle; and areas which are important to migratory or non-migratory species. It also defines significance in general for other features and areas referred to in policy 2.1, ecologically important in terms of features, functions, representation or amount, and contributing to the quality and diversity of an identifiable geographic area or natural heritage system. As with significant woodlands, it is a planning authority s responsibility to determine which wildlife habitats are significant, although further guidance is provided in the significant wildlife habitat Technical Guidelines (OMNR 2000) and the related on-line Decision Support System (available at Several important points made in the Natural Heritage Reference Manual (OMNR 1999) include: what constitutes significant wildlife habitat across the Province will vary because of differences in distribution of wildlife species as well as the amount and quality of remaining habitat; the identification of significant wildlife habitat is typically best undertaken after other natural heritage features have been identified; and where possible, significance should be based on documented evidence of use of a particular habitat. The Significant Wildlife Habitat Technical Guidelines (OMNR 2000) use the same definition of significance for wildlife habitat as the Provincial Policy Statement (2005) as noted above, and further states (as does the Provincial Policy Statement (2005)) that: Criteria for determining significance may be recommended by the Province, but municipal approaches that achieve the same objective may also be used. The provincial guidelines outline four major categories of significant wildlife habitat to be considered and provide a brief rationale for each. These are summarized below. North-South Environmental Inc. page 9