A Systematic Approach to Restoring Native Species

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1 A Systematic Approach to Restoring Native Species John D. Hall, Hamilton Harbour RAP Coordinator with input from G. Barrett, Canadian Wildlife Service C.M. Brousseau, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), V. Cairns and K. Minns, DFO Emeritus T. Theÿsmeÿer, Royal Botanical Gardens 2007

2 What Motivated This Presentation? A review of 78 habitat projects showed: Habitat projects have been poorly documented Success measured as habitat change not biological benefit Only 5% of fisheries projects reported increase in fish production Authors recommended improved: Assessment Monitoring Documentation, and Communication of results Smokorowski et al., 1998

3 Why Do We Need a Systematic Approach To Native Species Restoration? Many restoration / enhancement projects adopt an Adaptive Management Approach Adaptive Management requires the testing of hypotheses and monitoring of results; it is a feedback loop that promotes desired outcomes

4 Step 1. Develop Quantifiable Restoration Goals / Targets What is possible Realistic goals Understanding stressors Easily measurable ecosystem community targets

5 Step 2. Develop Hypotheses and an Approach to Test Hypotheses Testable hypotheses based on habitat and critical life stages Develop quantifiable measures of success Use models to evaluate options and identify critical unknowns

6 Step 3. Develop a Long Term Systematic Monitoring Program Establish pre-restoration restoration conditions Set parameters and measure Link to adaptive management decision making process

7 Systematic Approach Develop Quantifiable Restoration Goals / Targets Develop Hypotheses and an Approach to Test Hypotheses Develop a Long-term Systematic Monitoring Program Adaptive Management

8 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration Project Sites in Hamilton Harbour

9 Case Study #1. Hamilton Harbour Fish Community

10 Develop Quantifiable Restoration Goals / Targets Pike habitat used to determine potential for restoration HARBOUR INFILLING Used comparative studies with Bay of Quinte and Severn Sound

11 Hamilton Harbour Pike Habitat supply Population Base Orig Curr Rest 5 0 Base Orig Curr Rest Spawn Fry One+ Biomass Production

12 Develop Hypotheses and an Approach to Test Hypotheses Expert workshop Adaptive management

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14 Develop a Long-term Systematic Monitoring Program Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) IBI: integrates biological indicators into a single index of ecosystem health. A simple and highly sensitive method for monitoring changes in ecosystems. IBI*: the original IBI is adjusted for offshore fish numbers and biomass by exclusion. Minns et al. 1994

15 Hamilton Harbour: IBI and IBI* Scores over Time IBI Targets: IBI (55-60) IBI*(50-60) YEAR IBI ADJIBI

16 Percent biomass of Native Fish over time NATBIOP YEAR

17 Ecosystem Modelling Ecosystem Model for Hamilton Harbour Trophic Structure of HH Food Web Habitat-Linked Fish Population Models Fish Habitat Geo-Database Plankton & Benthos Evaluation Offshore Fish Acoustics Nearshore Fish Sampling Macrophyte Survey & Modelling Habitat Survey & Classification

18 Case Study #2. Colonial Nesting Bird Restoration

19 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration at Northeastern Shoreline

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21 Tenants! Caspian terns

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23 More tenants! Double-crested cormorants

24 Herring Gull, Common Tern, Caspian Tern and Black-crowned crowned Night Heron Nests Hamilton Harbour * RAP Targets: HERG = 350 pairs COTE = 600 pairs CATE = 200 pairs BCNH = 200 pairs = RAP Target 0 Herring Gull Common Tern Caspian Tern Black-crowned Night-Heron *- approx. number due to many nest failures and take-overs and subsequent re-nesting attempts

25 Case Study #3. Cootes Paradise Marsh Restoration

26 Marsh Vision Restore the area as a functioning coastal wetland fully connected to its watershed and the Harbour. Vegetation key to marsh restoration Stressors Carp Water quality Lake Ontario water level fluctuation

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36 Cootes Paradise circa 1927 Cootes Paradise 1980 Cootes Paradise 2006

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39 A A Systematic Approach to Restoring Native Species Step by Step Process Involve experts, stakeholders and government at same table Work at ecosystem level not species level Use science to direct goals, targets and projects Model to predict outcomes before building Monitor and feed back into adaptive management system

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