Developing an Integrated Lake Ontario Shoreline Strategy: What is Being Learned? A.D.Latornell Conference November 18th, 2011

Transcription

1 Developing an Integrated Lake Ontario Shoreline Strategy: What is Being Learned? A.D.Latornell Conference November 18th, 2011

2 Study Objectives Lake Ontario Integrated Shoreline Strategy aimed at: Providing guidance to local, regional, and provincial governments in planning future restoration initiatives, developments with respect to enhancing existing and potential natural heritage features and functions Supporting the function of this significant bioregional corridor, the study will include a specific focus on opportunities for the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems along the shoreline

3 Study Area: Regional

4 Study Area: Local

5 Concurrent Studies Provincial/Federal Great Lakes initiatives IJC water level regulation changes Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) Lake Ontario Biodiversity Strategy: Credit Priority Action Site Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Update Canada Ontario Agreement Other initiatives: implementation at local level Source Water Protection

6 Concurrent Studies CVC Natural Heritage System: Landscape Scale Analysis Lakeview Waterfront Connection City of Mississauga Strategic Plan: Our Future Mississauga Official Plan (Port Credit and Lakeview District Policy Reviews) Mississauga Waterfront Parks Strategy Credit River Parks Strategy Inspiration Lakeview Natural Heritage System Strategy

7 Shoreline Characteristics Includes several uncommon habitat types Rattray Marsh: only remaining large coastal baymouth bar wetland between Oshawa and Burlington Cobble beach: 1.5 km (only 35 km or 3% total shoreline left in Lake Ontario*) Carolinian Life Zone Important migratory stopover habitat (birds, bats, butterflies) About 43% shoreline publiclyowned *

8 Shoreline Characteristics Key site for Atlantic Salmon restoration American Eel and other species of conservation concern also found in Study Area Linkages inland to 14 other smaller watersheds (and Credit River) that drain directly into Lake Ontario and Iroquois Beach

9 Key Threats: Current and Historic Water Quality Credit #1 source of TP to Cdn Side Exotic, Invasive, or Intro Spp Round Gobies Dreissenid Mussels Habitat Loss and Degradation Reduced habitat diversity (e.g. stonehooking) Shoreline hardening (~ 80%) Sediment starved Habitat fragmentation Impervious cover and flooding Coastal processes (e.g. piers) Climate Change Photo Credit: ABL Stonehooker

10 LOISS: Approach Phased Study Approach Background Review and Data Gap Analysis ( ) Individual Reports drafted for all disciplines Identification of extensive list of Knowledge Gaps Technical Steering Committee (Mississauga; Peel; MNR; MOE; EC; DFO) established (2010) Characterization and Impact Analysis ( ) Phase initiated: Identified Knowledge Gaps being addressed Communications Strategy launched: Spring 2011 Implementation Plan (initiate in 2012+)

11 Terrestrial Natural Heritage Carolinian Forest Zone Forest Cover low and fragmented (8.7%) Wetland cover (< 1%) Migratory Stopover Habitat Diversity of migratory songbirds (esp warblers) Acadian Flycatcher (END) Pair of Prothonotary Warblers (END) Shorebird habitat limited along the lakeshore Bat Survey Bat activity recorded from all sample stations but data not yet analyzed

12 Terrestrial Natural Heritage Turtle Survey Rattray Marsh contains relatively high population of Snapping Turtles Documented presence and breeding of Map Turtles in the Credit River. Breeding Amphibian Survey Low diversity of species and low abundance. Species typical of highly urbanized areas.

13 Aquatic Natural Heritage Fisheries 55 fish species (12 introduced) Coastal wetlands dominated by common carp Surveys Lower Credit River highest number of species and most productive site in watershed due to lake migrants major migratory salmon and trout fishery (but no lake trout) Nearshore boat electrofishing Highlights: American Eels (SAR), Atlantic Salmon, 1st Bluegill, White Perch and many Smallmouth Bass Beach seining Emerald Shiners most numerous Round Goby dominated a few sites Longnose Dace found more often than e-fishing but still in low numbers

14 Aquatic Natural Heritage Benthic Invertebrates Nearshore Lake Ontario habitats were characterized (ponar grab) Lake Ontario tributaries were characterized (CVC kick and sweep methodology). Sampled at the first suitable reach upstream of the Lake

15 Water Quality Credit River (largest) has greatest effect on water quality within Study Area Contributes majority of phosphorus, suspended solids, and nitrates 90% of ammonia is contributed by smaller urbanized watersheds Total Phosphorus decreasing in GL but dissolved P increasing (cycling by mussels) Surveys (Data not analyzed) Water Quality Monitoring On-shore monitoring at the mouth of the watercourses Off-shore transect sampling Water Quality Modeling On-shore modeling to simulate pollutant discharges to the Lake (HSP-F) Off and near shore modeling for Lake hydro and pollutant dynamics

16 Hydrology and Hydraulics Typical urban streams (flooding and erosion) All Hydrology and Hydraulics proposed works deferred including: Missing flow data Complete list of overtopped structures and flooded buildings

17 Fluvial Geomorphology All Fluvial Geomorphology proposed works deferred including: Quantification of sediment loading to various tributaries Assessments to determine feasibility of daylighting/restoration of various tributaries

18 Hydrogeology Primarily Lake Iroquois sand plain Recharge and quality potentially affected by urbanization Two spot baseflow measurement events During dry conditions to estimate groundwater contributions to stream flow Findings Stream flows ranged from less than 1 litre per second to more than 30 litres per second across Study Area Caution when analyzing data to rule out other inputs to flow

19 Coastal Processes Wind generated waves and water levels have the greatest effect on coastal processes Littoral sediment transport rates ( non drift zone ), largely as a result of shoreline hardening, historic stonehooking, and breakwaters 12 sites established for baseline recession monitoring in various shoreline environments. Historical (1931 to 2009) aerial photographic assessment estimated an erosion rate of 0.3 m/yr for unprotected shorelines Cross-shore bathymetric surveys and underwater video of substrate

20 Surveys: Perception Completed door to door, parks, and online (close to 700) Preliminary survey results: Importance Very important Water quality (80%) Walking trails (77%) Connected parks/natural areas (71%) Natural shoreline (69%) Presence of wildlife (68%) Perceived problems Pollution and waste: industrial (73%) and household (61%) Urban development (72%) Invasive species (44%) Breakwalls and other structures (only 28%) Importance of Wildlife General Wildlife Birds Insects Reptiles & Amphibians Mam mals Fish 3.6% 5.7% 2.1% 1.0% 37.5% 50.0%

21 Surveys: Perception Level of satisfaction with the shoreline natural elements Yes (% Response) No % Response Do not know (% Response) Water Quality 47.9% 36.5% 15.6% Availability of Fish 27.9% 10.4% 61.7% Trees and Meadows 91.9% 5.4% 2.7% Wetlands 74.2% 6.0% 19.8% Natural Shoreline (Sand, Cobble, or Bluffs) 74.6% 19.2% 6.3% Walking/Hiking Trails 89.0% 6.9% 4.2% Presence of Wildlife 81.5% 10.2% 8.3% Areas Left in a Natural Condition (Non-Manicured Green Space) 81.5% 14.2% 4.4% Parks Linked Together By Green Spaces and Trails 78.5% 11.5% 10.0% Despite generally high level of satisfaction with shoreline natural elements, 79% of respondents thought that there was a need to create a more natural shoreline

22 Communications Strategy Retained external communications consultant List of Priority Tactics: Phased Implementation Census of representative stakeholder groups/individuals Video with 3D pre-visualization (In Prep) Narrated by Robert Bateman Factsheets and Media Releases (priority issues) Series of Workshops Ratepayers groups Priority corporate landowners along shoreline Credit Valley Lions Club

23 LOISS: Implementation CASE STUDY

24 Implementation: Case Study Holcim Canada: Biodiversity Management System Cement and building material suppliers with market presence in over 70 countries, and large land holdings. Holcim has partnered with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to develop a biodiversity management system to be implemented on a global scale. Mississauga Cement Plant located within LOISS study area working in partnership with CVC Greening Corporate Grounds and Water Resources (Pollution Prevention, Low Impact Development, etc)

25 Continental Scale: North America Saving Our Shared Birds, Partners in Flight Tri-National Vision for Landbird Conservation

26 Basin Scale: Lake Ontario Study Area

27 Study Scale: LOISS

28 Site Scale: Dufferin (Holcim)

29 What We Are Learning Mitigation of identified threats and priority restoration opportunities must occur at all scales local, regional/watershed, and basinwide PARTNERSHIPS KEY Historical agency focus on legislation and enforcement needs to shift to innovative partnerships and stewardship PARTNERSHIPS KEY

30 What We Are Learning Baseline understanding of biophysical and chemical features and functions IMPORTANT Access to and identification of data key shortcoming DATABASE Interagency and Academic partnerships with key messaging that building relationships and trust takes time and effort COMMUNICATION AND TIME

31 What We Are Learning Baseline understanding of social and cultural norms and understandings CRITICAL Survey of representative stakeholders with key messaging don t want to see another Advisory Committee TARGETED WORKSHOPS Survey of general public/users of study area: key findings RESTORATION AT A RANGE OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL SCALES

32 THANK YOU Our conservation success depends on human behaviour first, second, third and last. Conservation is as much about sociology, psychology, cultural studies and the humanities as it is about biology and ecology. It is about politics as much as it is about climate science. It is about industry, finance and economics as much as it is about NGOs and philanthropy. It is about people as much as about nature. And it should be about aspirations and improvement more, much more, than about guilt and austerity. - Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia, IUCN