Butternut

Species information

The following is a report on progress made towards the protection and recovery of Butternut (Juglans cinerea) in Ontario, from 2007 to 2018, based on species-specific policy. This report meets the legislative requirement for a review of progress under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA or “the Act”). Butternut is listed as endangered on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List under the ESA.

Butternut has been classified as a species at risk in Ontario, since 2004. It was originally classified as endangered (in 2004), and retained its ‘endangered’ status under the ESA, when it came into force in 2008.

The species-specific policy for Butternut, known as the Government Response Statement (GRS), was published in 2014, and includes the government’s recovery goal for the species, and the actions and priorities it leads or supports to help achieve that goal. The GRS considers science advice provided in the recovery strategy when developing and prioritizing recovery actions for the species. As legislated in the Act, the purpose of this Review is to report on progress made towards implementing the protection and recovery actions in the GRS. The Review can also help identify opportunities to adjust and adapt the implementation of protection and recovery actions to achieve the recovery goal for the species.

Butternut Canker (Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum) is the primary threat to the survival of Butternut populations in Ontario. Butternut Canker is a fungal disease that kills trees of any size by restricting the flow of water and nutrients. Further information about Butternut, including the threats that it faces and actions being taken to help protect and recover this species, is available on Government of Ontario webpage for Butternut. A summary of progress made towards the protection and recovery of Butternut, and an annual update on the species at risk program, are available on the Review of Progress towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk webpage.

Snapshot

Progress towards the protection and recovery of Butternut

• The long-term recovery goal for Butternut in Ontario, as stated in the Government Response Statement (GRS), is to “maintain existing populations, or increase them, such that they are self-sustaining throughout the species' current range in Ontario”
• Progress has been made towards implementing all government-led actions listed in the GRS. Progress has also been made towards meeting all government-supported recovery objectives, and implementing the majority of the associated actions. Examples of progress include:
  • Developing and expanding the Butternut Assessment Guidelines: Assessment of Butternut Tree Health for the Purposes of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 in 2011 and 2014, respectively, to provide more detailed guidance
  • Establishing the Butternut Health Assessor (BHA) workshop training and evaluation materials and assessment reporting tools, and maintaining the list of assessors in good standing up to date
  • Having designated BHAs evaluate the health of Butternut trees across the species’ range in southern Ontario, and identify trees that may be resistant to Butternut Canker;
  • Establishing facilities to archive genetic material from healthy (possibly resistant to canker) Butternut trees with funding support from the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, and collecting and propagating seeds from healthy trees, to produce Butternut seedlings for planting
• In alignment with the GRS, more work is required to:
  • Develop and implement a standardized survey and monitoring protocol for Butternut
  • Continue to investigate whether there is genetic or environmental basis to Butternut Canker resistance
  • Determine whether Butternut hybrids have a genetic resistance to Butternut Canker and whether this information may assist Butternut recovery in Ontario

Occurrence and distribution

• Butternut is widely distributed across southern and eastern Ontario, with an estimated range of approximately 76,100 square kilometres based on recent observations of the species, and an additional 5,900 square kilometres based on historical observations.
• The Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received approximately 15,000 records of Butternut, based on observations made between 1820 and 2018.
• Since 2008, the species has been observed in locations where the species was previously not known to occur, and at locations which were previously thought to be historical. The status of some local populations^{footnote 1[1]} or occurrences changed from extant to historical^{footnote 2[2]} based on the dates that these populations were last observed. Based on up to date information, the species’ extant distribution is estimated to encompass a greater area (enlarged by 33,100 square kilometres) than was known in 2008.

Government-supported stewardship projects

• Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, the Government of Ontario has enabled its stewardship partners to conduct 74 projects that have supported the protection and recovery of Butternut. Eight projects ($237,960) focused exclusively on Butternut, while the other 66 projects ($2,620,483) focused on multiple species at risk, including Butternut.
• The government’s support helped its stewardship partners to involve 4,274 individuals who volunteered 68,887 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for species at risk, including Butternut. The estimated value of these voluntary contributions, as well as additional funding and in-kind support, is $4,955,417.
• Stewardship partners reported that through their actions 5,747 hectares of habitat were enhanced for Butternut and other species at risk that inhabit the same ecosystem.
• Stewardship partners reported providing outreach on multiple species at risk, including Butternut, to 586,585 individuals.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

• The Government of Ontario has issued 86 permits (as of October 2019) for this species. Of the 86 permits, four ‘human health or safety’ permits were issued under clause 17(2)(a), seven ‘protection or recovery’ permits were issued under clause 17(2)(b), and 75 ‘overall benefit’ permits were issued under clause 17(2)(c), of the ESA.
• Seventy-one agreements were entered into for Butternut. These agreements were enabled through Ontario Regulation 242/08 (prior to the July 1, 2013 amendment).
• Four-hundred and seventy one activities have been registered for the species. Most of the activities were registered under the ‘Butternut’ (section 23.7) and ‘Threats to health and safety, not imminent’ (section 23.18) sections of Ontario Regulation 242/08, under the ESA.

Reporting on progress towards the protection and recovery of Butternut

The implementation of government-led and government-supported actions demonstrates progress towards reaching the desired objectives and the recovery goal set out in the GRS.

Progress towards implementing government-led actions

Progress has been made towards implementing all government-led actions. Common actions for the government to lead as it works toward achieving a species’ recovery goal include:

• Educate other agencies and authorities involved in planning and environmental assessment processes on the protection requirements under the ESA.
• Encourage the submission of Butternut occurrence data to the government's central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC).
• Undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario.
• Protect Butternut trees and their habitat through the ESA.
• Support conservation, agency, municipal and industry partners, and Indigenous communities and organizations to undertake activities to protect and recover Butternut. Support will be provided through funding, agreements, permits (including conditions) and/or advisory services.
• Establish and communicate annual priority actions for government support in order to encourage collaboration and reduce duplication of efforts.

Ontario Parks protects habitat for Butternut in 26 parks across southeastern Ontario, and provides outreach and education activities through discovery programming at select Parks. Ontario Parks staff have also documented new Butternut observations within the parks in the last five years, through regular surveys and monitoring.

Additionally, the government has directly undertaken the following species-specific actions:

• Continue to apply provincial direction for Crown forestry practices in areas occupied by Butternut.
• Continue to apply section 23.7 of Ontario Regulation 242/08 and monitor its implementation. The government will re-assess the direction provided in this Regulation within five years, through the review of progress made towards protecting and recovering Butternut. The review will evaluate whether the implementation of the Regulation continues to align with the government's goal for the recovery of Butternut in Ontario.
• Maintain the government Butternut Assessment Guidelines: Assessment of Butternut Tree Health for the Purposes of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 and the list of designated Butternut Health Assessors^{footnote 3[3]} (BHA) that are in good standing.
• Set standards for the training of BHAs and coordinate training in collaboration with partners.
• Co-operate with federal partners where appropriate to support their implementation of the protection and recovery actions identified in the Recovery Strategy for the Butternut (Juglans cinerea) in Canada by Environment Canada.

The implementation of section 23.7 of Ontario Regulation 242/08 has been and continues to be monitored by the Government of Ontario. Through an audit of registrations, it was determined that registrants reported on the monitoring and tending activities they had completed, such as checking soil moisture levels, watering during periods of low rainfall, installing tree guards to protect Butternut seedlings from wildlife browsing, and mowing vegetation around the seedlings to prevent shading. Results of monitoring records submitted to the government indicate a high rate of seedling survival at the end of the required monitoring and tending period. Additional studies of the health conditions of replacement seedlings would help to determine their long-term survival rate and whether the implementation of the Regulation continues to align with the government's goal for the recovery of Butternut in Ontario.

Key progress made towards implementing the above-listed actions is described in the following sections.

Guides and resources

The Butternut Assessment Guidelines: Assessment of Butternut Tree Health for the Purposes of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 was initially developed in 2011 and was replaced by an expanded version in December 2014. These guidelines provide direction to government staff and designated BHAs on how to conduct a Butternut health assessment for the purposes of the ESA^{footnote 4[4]} . Standardized training and evaluation materials for the BHA course, and a new BHA Field Guide, were prepared to update the existing course materials with additional information about the Regulation. Sixteen BHA training workshops have been delivered by the Forest Gene Conservation Association (FGCA), on behalf of the government, since the Regulation came into force in 2013. The list of designated BHAs in good standing is kept up to date, in collaboration with BHA workshop instructors.

In the context of forestry operations on Crown land in Ontario, the Forest Management Guide for Conserving Biodiversity at the Stand and Site Scales is used by forest managers when planning and implementing forestry operations. It provides direction on standards, guidelines and best management practices for maintaining and reporting healthy Butternut trees, removing trees infected by Butternut Canker, and developing stand conditions suitable for Butternut regeneration.

Occurrence and distribution

Butternut is widely distributed across southern and eastern Ontario. Given the species’ broad distribution and the high volume of records submitted, the species’ occurrence information has been assessed at a landscape scale using 10 by 10 kilometre grid “squares” to approximate the species’ distribution. The squares were used to estimate where the species has been observed within the past 20 years, and where the species is considered historical. Using this approach, the species has been recently observed in 761 squares, and there are 59 additional squares that contain historical observations of the species. This equates to an estimated range of approximately 76,100 square kilometres based on recent observations of the species, and an additional 5,900 square kilometres based on historical observations.

The Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received approximately 15,000 records of Butternut, based on observations made between 1820 and 2018. Since 2008, Butternut has been observed in 331 squares, where the species was previously not known to occur, and confirmed in  253 squares, 23 of which were previously thought to contain historical records. Fifty-nine squares are now considered to contain only historical records as a result of the date on which the species was last observed. Based on up-to-date information, the species’ extant distribution is estimated to encompass a greater area (enlarged by 33,100 square kilometres) than was known in 2008. This enlargement of the species’ estimated distribution is most likely the result of increased search effort and education about Butternut, and represents increased knowledge on the distribution of the species rather than an increase in the total population. Status reports for the species (COSEWIC 2017 and COSSARO 2017) state that Butternut continues to decline due to high infection rates by Butternut Canker, low seedling survival rates, and limited recruitment into mature age classes.

It is possible that there are observations of Butternut that have not been submitted to the government. Encouraging the submission of observations of this species is included in the GRS as a government-led action. Submission of species observations increases our knowledge of where they occur and can play an important role in assessing the viability of species populations.

Everyone is encouraged, or may be required by an authorization or approval, to submit observations of Butternut, and any other species at risk, to the NHIC for incorporation into the provincial record of observations. Observations may now be submitted to NHIC via the Rare Species of Ontario project in iNaturalist.

• 15,000
  observations of this species were submitted to the NHIC since 2008

Government-supported stewardship projects

An important government-led action in the GRS for Butternut is to support partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the species. Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program the government has supported 74 projects designed to contribute to the protection and recovery of Butternut^{footnote 5[5]}. Eight of these projects ($237,960) focused exclusively on the species, while the other 66 projects ($2,620,483) focused on multiple species at risk, including Butternut. In addition to government funding, partners focusing exclusively on Butternut reported they were successful in securing additional funding and in-kind support ($417,390) from other sources, as did partners with projects designed to benefit multiple species at risk, including Butternut ($4,538,027). These amounts include additional funding and in-kind support in the form of time and expertise provided by volunteers.

Stewardship partners reported that provincial funding helped them to secure in-kind support by involving 273 individuals who volunteered 1,082 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities that focused exclusively on Butternut, which has an estimated value of $48,495. As well, 4,001 individuals volunteered 67,805 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for multiple species at risk, including Butternut, which has an estimated value of $1,626,386. Partners reported that through both their efforts and those of their volunteers to implement actions contained in the GRS, they were successful in enhancing 5,747 hectares of habitat that will benefit multiple species at risk, including Butternut. In addition, stewardship partners reported providing focused outreach on Butternut to 9,912 individuals, as well as ecosystem-based outreach on multiple species, including Butternut, to 576,673 individuals.

The remainder of this section highlights two projects supported through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program.

A number of high priority actions have been implemented by the Forest Gene Conservation Association (FGCA) through multiple projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program from 2008 to 2014. Through these projects, FGCA carried out extensive public outreach to raise awareness about the effects of Butternut Canker and the value of conserving all Butternut trees, especially the ones that exhibit traits associated with tolerance of, or resistance to Butternut Canker. With help from dedicated volunteers, woodlot owners and conservation organizations across southern Ontario, FGCA located thousands of Butternut trees, including hundreds that showed signs of vigour despite probable exposure to Butternut Canker. FGCA hosted workshops, distributed educational materials at woodlot events and visited landowners’ properties to encourage landowners to find and conserve healthy Butternut trees. These projects support the high priority action to promote awareness about Butternut and actions that can be taken to support the growth and recruitment of healthy Butternut trees in woodlots.

In addition to their efforts to locate and promote the conservation of Butternut trees in situ (i.e., where the trees occur), the FGCA established a long-term Butternut archive program with support from the Species at Risk Stewardship Program from 2011 to 2013. Archiving Butternut involves the cloning of “putatively resistant” Butternut trees (those that appear to tolerate or resist infection by Butternut Canker) by grafting their genetic material onto potted rootstock (a stem with an established root system in a planting pot). To do this, the FGCA grafts scions (twigs) from putatively resistant Butternut onto potted rootstock, tends the grafts in climate-controlled conditions and then plants the seedlings outdoors and continues to tend the grafts in seed orchards. The FGCA’s goal is to archive 500 trees, of which they have archived over 100, to date. The FGCA manages five seed orchards (also called archives) distributed across Butternut’s range, with two in Kemptville, two west of Barrie, and one southwest of Kitchener. The FGCA distributes seed and seedlings from these orchards for planting in Ontario.

The FGCA and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority also work with their local partners to promote seed collection from healthy Butternut trees. The parent trees are DNA tested by the Ontario Forest Research Institute to confirm that they are Butternut and not hybrids. In years with a good seed crop, the FGCA grows and distributes several hundred seedlings per year for stewardship projects and replacement planting requirements. Similarly, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority grows and distributes several thousand Butternut seedlings per year. These projects contribute to the implementation of the government-supported action to collect and archive genetic material from Butternut trees that may contribute to the recovery of the species.

Species at Risk Stewardship Program

• 
  74

  projects included Butternut

• 
  $237,960

  for Butternut exclusively

• 
  $2,620,483

  for multi-species projects that included Butternut

• 
  $417,390

  in additional funding and in-kind support

• 
  4,274

  volunteers

• 
  68,887

  volunteer hours

• 
  576,673

  people received outreach

• 
  5,747

  hectares of habitat enhanced

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

Supporting partners through permits and their associated conditions is an important government-led action.

The Province of Ontario has developed an approach to protect and recover Butternut while balancing implementation of the ESA with various activities on the landscape. To support this approach, a Butternut health assessment is conducted to assess the degree to which a Butternut tree has been affected by Butternut Canker. In the results of the health assessment, a Butternut Health Assessor will assign each tree to one of three categories, based on criteria established by the government, which are described in the Butternut Assessment Guidelines. The categories serve as a framework for classifying each tree’s ability to contribute to the protection or recovery of the species and its utility in determining possible sources of resistance to Butternut Canker. The province has created a regulation under the ESA (Ontario Regulation 242/08) to exempt application of the Act to Butternut trees, depending on the category of the tree. Activities that will impact Category 2 and 3 trees require an authorization (for example, a permit), while activities that will affect Category 1 trees do not require ESA authorizations.

• A Category 1 designation means the tree is affected by Butternut Canker to such an advanced degree that retaining the tree would not support the protection or recovery of Butternut trees in the area in which the tree is located.
• A Category 2 designation means the tree is not affected by Butternut Canker or is affected but the degree to which it is affected is not too advanced and retaining the tree could support the protection or recovery of Butternut trees in the area in which the tree is located.
• A Category 3 designation means the tree is demonstrating signs of resistance or tolerance of infection by Butternut Canker and therefore may be useful in determining how to prevent or resist infection to support the protection or recovery of Butternut.

In order to apply protections where they are needed most and to reduce burden to Ontarians, the government has streamlined the authorization process for Butternut trees. As Category 1 trees are affected by Butternut Canker to such an advanced degree that retaining the tree would not contribute to the protection or recovery of the species, any activity that would impact a Category 1 designated tree does not require an ESA authorization, following a 30-day period after the BHA report is submitted to the government. As Category 2 and 3 trees are deemed valuable to support the protection and recovery of Butternut trees, Ontario is providing stringent protections where they are needed most for Category 2 and 3 trees by requiring authorizations for activities that will affect them, i.e. as demonstrated through the following ESA authorizations.

Eighty-six permits have been issued for Butternut since the species has been protected under the ESA. Of the 86 permits, four were issued as ‘human health or safety’ (17(2)(a)) permits, seven as ‘protection or recovery’ (17(2)(b)) permits, and 75 as ‘overall benefit’ (17(2)(c)) permits.

‘Protection or recovery’ permits are issued if the purpose of the activity is to assist in the protection or recovery of a species at risk. Of the seven ‘protection or recovery’ permits, five were issued exclusively for Butternut, and two were issued for multiple species, including Butternut. These permits enabled a variety of organizations to undertake activities such as initiating a seed collection and propagation program and surveys to determine population size, status and assess site specific threats.

Seventy-five ‘overall benefit’ permits were issued for Butternut. Of the 75 permits, 67 were issued exclusively for Butternut, and eight were issued for multiple species, including Butternut. Several of the conditions included in the permits were designed to implement government-supported actions identified in the GRS for Butternut, including:

• Planting, tending and monitoring replacement Butternut seedlings, and planting native companion seedlings to emulate natural Butternut habitat conditions
• Improving habitat conditions for Butternut trees remaining at the site by reducing the crown closure above and around the trees to reduce competition and promote Butternut health and seed production
• Collecting, grafting and archiving genetic material (scions) from Butternut trees that demonstrate likely resistance to the Butternut Canker disease
• Supporting a landowner outreach program to locate and monitor putatively resistant Butternut trees (those that appear to tolerate or resist infection by Butternut Canker) in Ontario

Other conditions designed to minimize adverse effects include:

• Installing fencing to avoid impacts to Butternut trees that are outside project footprints
• Transplanting Butternut to suitable habitat, if feasible
• Providing training to construction staff on species identification and protection information
• Retaining qualified professionals to carry out conditions of permits

More detailed information regarding ‘overall benefit’ permits is available through the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

Seventy-one agreements were entered into for Butternut. These agreements were enabled through Ontario Regulation 242/08 (prior to the July 1, 2013 amendment). Conditions of the agreements involve implementing actions in the mitigation plan, including, but not limited to:

• Maintaining a clearly marked and fenced buffer zone around the Butternut trees
• Attempting to transplant as many Butternut seedlings affected by construction as possible
• Planting replacement Butternut and companion tree species in designated areas to emulate natural habitat conditions, in accordance with approved planting plans

Four-hundred and seventy-one activities that may affect Butternut or its habitat have been registered under the following sections of Ontario Regulation 242/08 of the ESA. The registrations require the registrant to comply with all conditions of the Regulation, as laid out in the relevant sections.

• ‘Butternut’ (section 23.7) – 211 activities were registered under this section, which requires the registrant person to comply with all conditions of the Regulation, such as having the health of the Butternut trees assessed by a BHA, submitting the assessor’s report to the government and enabling an opportunity for examination of the trees during the 30-day period that follows, registering the activity to remove 10 or fewer Category 2 Butternut trees with the government, planting replacement Butternut seedlings and companion trees and shrubs, and completing tending and monitoring activities according to the rules set out in the Regulation.
• ‘Threats to health and safety, not imminent’ (section 23.18)  – 225  activities were registered under this section which requires the registrant to comply with all conditions of the Regulation, including taking reasonable steps to minimize the adverse effects of the activity on the species, such as installing barriers to create a protective zone if the activity may be completed without harming members of the species, or if feasible, relocating members of the species to suitable habitat.
• ‘Drainage works’ (section 23.9), ‘Early exploration mining’ (section 23.10), ‘Ecosystem protection’ (section 23.11), ‘Transition – development ongoing when species first listed, etc.’ (section 23.13), ‘Pits and quarries’ (section 23.14), ‘Species protection, recovery activities’ (section 23.17); and ‘Wind facilities’ (section 23.20) – 35 activities were registered under these sections which require the registrant to comply with all conditions of the Regulation, such as the requirements to prepare a mitigation plan, and to take reasonable steps to minimize the adverse effects of the activity on the species.

• 4
  health or safety permit
• 7
  protection or recovery permits
• 75
  overall benefit permits

• 71
  agreements
• 471
  registrations

Progress towards implementing government-supported actions

Government-supported actions are organized under overarching recovery objectives. Progress has been made towards achieving all government-supported recovery objectives, and implementing the majority of the associated actions that are identified in the GRS for Butternut.

Under this objective, considerable progress has been made towards implementing Action No. 1 and Action No. 2. Progress towards implementing the first action has been made through multiple projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program and through conditions of ESA authorizations and activities registered under the Butternut section of Ontario Regulation 242/08. Stewardship partners and volunteers undertook considerable effort to locate Butternut trees throughout its range in Ontario, assess the health of each individual tree and monitor the health of putatively resistant Butternut trees. The conditions of authorizations and registered activities include requirements to submit detailed data on the health of the affected Butternut trees to the government, and to complete beneficial actions for the species, such as planting Butternut seedlings and archiving genetic material from putatively resistant trees.

Progress towards Action No. 2 has been achieved through a project supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. A Traditional Knowledge Assessment was conducted to gather knowledge of species at risk, including Butternut, at Alderville First Nation. Project leaders assessed current and historical knowledge of species at risk on the Reserve among members of Alderville First Nation. Additionally, information  on trends in the abundance of species, and changes in land use, was gathered. The knowledge gathered was used to recommend locations for further study, and provided to Alderville Chief and Council with for consideration in community conservation and development planning.

Under this objective, progress has been made towards implementing Action No. 3 by the development of the standardized process for conducting Butternut health assessments, which identifies trees that may be resistant to Butternut Canker. Progress has also been made through implementation and refinement of the health assessment process. The process includes collection of data on habitat conditions such as soil drainage, depth and texture, the vegetation community and whether competing species are shading Butternut trees at the site.

Under this objective, considerable progress has been made towards implementing Action No. 7 and Action No. 8, through several projects funded by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. These include landowner outreach workshops, woodlot visits by stewardship partners and the development of Butternut seed collection programs and archiving facilities in Ontario.

Summary of progress towards meeting the recovery goal

The recovery goal for Butternut is to “maintain existing populations, or increase them, such that they are self-sustaining throughout the species' current range in Ontario.” Effort made towards implementing the government-led and government-supported actions has helped to make progress towards this goal. The provincial record of observations indicates that efforts to increase awareness of the species have been effective as the NHIC has received 15,000 records, and Butternut’s distribution is now estimated to encompass a greater area than was known in 2008 (enlarged by 33,100 square kilometres). Government-supported activities have raised public awareness and landowner support for assessing and monitoring the health of Butternut on their properties, and actions to support growth and recruitment of Butternut in their woodlots. Stewardship partners have established seed collection and propagation programs and facilities to archive the genetic material of putatively resistant Butternut trees.

Recommendations

This Review of Progress can be used to help identify whether adjustments to the implementation of GRS actions are needed to achieve the protection and recovery of the species. Based on progress to date, the overall direction provided in the GRS for Butternut, particularly the implementation of actions identified as high priority in the GRS, should continue to guide protection and recovery of the species.

Although varying levels of progress have been made towards implementing the GRS actions for Butternut, further work is needed to fully implement these actions and contribute to the ongoing protection and recovery of this species. For example, although progress has been made towards implementing the action to investigate whether there is genetic or environmental basis to Butternut Canker resistance, further work is required to fully implement this action. Future work would include assessment of the genetic diversity of the Ontario Butternut population and the influence of environmental conditions on resistance to Butternut Canker, as well as investigating possible methods to increase resistance. Additional information on the health conditions of replacement seedlings would help to determine their long-term survival rate and whether the implementation of section 23.7 of Ontario Regulation 242/08 continues to align with the government’s recovery goal.

Additionally, relative to actions that have received a higher level of implementation, the following actions have received less implementation, and may be prioritized in future work towards the protection and recovery of the species:

Protecting and recovering Butternut will continue to be a shared responsibility that will require the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities. Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The government can also advise if any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required to undertake a project. By working together, we can continue to make progress towards protecting and recovering Butternut in Ontario.

References

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 2017. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Butternut (Juglans cinerea) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xiii + 74 pp. (Species at Risk Public Registry website).

Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO). 2017. Ontario Species at Risk Evaluation Report for Butternut (Juglans cinerea). November 2017. (COSSARO website).