American Columbo Government Response Statement

American Columbo is a perennial herb with a single stem that may grow up to two to three metres in height. Stem leaves grow in groups of usually four to five leaves and flowers are composed of four greenish-yellow petals with purplish spots. In Canada, the species is restricted to southern Ontario.

Protecting and recovering species at risk in Ontario

Species at risk recovery is a key part of protecting Ontario’s biodiversity. Biodiversity – the variety of living organisms on Earth – provides us with clean air and water, food, fibre, medicine and other resources that we need to survive.

The Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA) is the Government of Ontario’s legislative commitment to protecting and recovering species at risk and their habitats. As soon as a species is listed as extirpated, endangered or threatened under the ESA, it is automatically protected from harm or harassment. Also, immediately upon listing, the habitats of endangered and threatened species are protected from damage or destruction.

Under the ESA, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (the Ministry) must ensure that a recovery strategy is prepared for each species that is listed as endangered or threatened. A recovery strategy provides science-based advice to government on what is required to achieve recovery of a species.

Government response statements

Within nine months after a recovery strategy is prepared, the ESA requires the Ministry to publish a statement summarizing the government’s intended actions and priorities in response to the recovery strategy. The recovery strategy for the American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) in Ontario was completed on November 22, 2013.

The response statement is the government’s policy response to the scientific advice provided in the recovery strategy. All recommendations provided in the recovery strategy were considered and this response statement identifies those that are considered to be appropriate and necessary for the protection and recovery of the species. In addition to the strategy, the response statement is based on input from stakeholders, other jurisdictions, Aboriginal communities and members of the public. It reflects the best available traditional, local and scientific knowledge at this time and may be adapted if new information becomes available. In implementing the actions in the response statement, the ESA allows the Ministry to determine what is feasible, taking into account social and economic factors.

Moving forward to protect and recover American Columbo

The American Columbo is listed as an endangered species under the ESA, which protects both the plant and its habitat. The ESA prohibits harm or harassment of the species and damage or destruction of its habitat without authorization. Such authorization would require that conditions established by the Ministry be met.

The American Columbo ranges across central and eastern North America. In Canada, American Columbo is restricted to southern Ontario. Approximately 14 populations of American Columbo continue to exist in the areas of Hamilton, Halton, Brant and Niagara. Nine populations are considered to no longer exist, including one population documented in 1896 near Sarnia. One additional population has been documented; however, it is unknown whether this population continues to exist today. Significant survey effort has been concentrated in the areas of Hamilton and Halton, where approximately half of existing populations occur. Most populations in the areas of Hamilton and Halton have shown a stable to increasing population, due in part to increased search effort and the discovery of new subpopulations. The total Ontario population has been estimated at 7,633 individuals, the majority of which are found on private land and along utility and transportation corridors.

American Columbo is a perennial herb that grows in upland deciduous forests, woodlands and savannas, and shrub thickets. It can tolerate a range of soil conditions, but prefers wooded areas with openings or patchy tree cover. American Columbo will flower only once and then die. It may spend many years in a non-reproductive state until it flowers and produces seed. Dispersal is facilitated mainly by gravity, and may also be facilitated by water and wind. Speed dispersal patterns and distances are not known. Information about the species life history, such as the timing of flowering, seed production, and seedling establishment, is poorly understood. Major threats to the species are habitat loss and fragmentation, which have historically caused population losses. Other important threats to the species recovery are invasive plants, succession and canopy closure, habitat degradation and erosion, and impacts from management of utility and transportation corridors, which may include trampling and crushing by heavy equipment, and chemical use.

The recovery approach for American Columbo is focused on managing the species’ habitat using best practices to date, and filling key knowledge gaps about its populations, reproduction, and life history to inform ongoing recovery efforts. Results from recent habitat management and survey work indicate that continued support for these actions is likely to contribute to the recovery of American Columbo. Management of the species’ habitat in Brant County, including brush cutting and prescribed burning, resulted in increased seedling recruitment; while survey efforts undertaken since 2006 have discovered new populations accounting, in part, for an 80 percent increase to the known population count. Additional survey efforts in suitable habitat may again discover more populations of American Columbo.

The government’s goal for the recovery of American Columbo is to maintain the current population levels at existing locations in Ontario, and enable natural increases.

Protecting and recovering species at risk is a shared responsibility. No single agency or organization has the knowledge, authority or financial resources to protect and recover all of Ontario’s species at risk. Successful recovery requires inter-governmental co-operation and the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities.

In developing the government response statement, the Ministry considered what actions are feasible for the government to lead directly and what actions are feasible for the government to support its conservation partners to undertake.

Government-led actions

To help protect and recover the American Columbo, the government will directly undertake the following actions:

• Continue to implement the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan to address the invasive species (e.g., Dog-strangling Vine (Cynanchum rossicum)) that threaten American Columbo.
• Educate other agencies and authorities involved in planning and environmental assessment processes on the protection requirements under the ESA.
• Encourage the submission of American Columbo data to the Ministry’s central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre.
• Undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario.
• Protect the American Columbo and its habitat through the ESA.
• Support conservation, agency, municipal and industry partners, and Aboriginal communities and organizations to undertake activities to protect and recover the American Columbo. Support will be provided where appropriate through funding, agreements, permits with appropriate conditions, and/or advisory services.
• Encourage collaboration, and establish and communicate annual priority actions for government support in order to reduce duplication of efforts.

Government-supported actions

The government endorses the following actions as being necessary for the protection and recovery of American Columbo. Actions identified as “high” will be given priority consideration for funding under the ESA. Where reasonable, the government will also consider the priority assigned to these actions when reviewing and issuing authorizations under the Endangered Species Act. Other organizations are encouraged to consider these priorities when developing projects or mitigation plans related to species at risk. The government will focus its support on these high-priority actions over the next five years.

Focus area: Protection and management

Objective: Improve American Columbo habitat and increase knowledge about the species and its habitat.

Actions:

1. (High) Implement management practices to reduce threats to American Columbo and maintain suitable habitat conditions at the sites where it currently occurs, with consideration to other rare species. Monitor the effectiveness of actions taken and revise as appropriate based on the best available information. Actions may include:
   • maintaining moderately open canopy conditions;
   • removing invasive species; and,
   • increasing habitat connectivity.

Focus area: Monitoring and research

Objective: Increase knowledge about American Columbo distribution, abundance, and reproduction in Ontario.

Actions:

2. (High) Develop and implement a standardized monitoring protocol for all existing populations, to be conducted on a regular basis, to assess:
   • population numbers, demographics, and health;
   • reproductive success;
   • habitat characteristics such as vegetation type; and,
   • habitat conditions and presence of threats.
3. Identify areas of suitable habitat and conduct standardized surveys to try to detect new populations within the species’ range.
4. Research life history characteristics that will inform the species recovery, which may include:
   • length of reproductive cycle;
   • factors that stimulate flowering;
   • demographics and persistence until reproduction;
   • seed dispersal, germination, recruitment, and predation; and,
   • response to threats.

Focus area: Awareness

Objective: Promote awareness about American Columbo and ways to minimize threats to the species and its habitat.

Actions:

5. Develop and distribute outreach materials to landowners and land managers that highlight the threats to American Columbo and actions that landowners and land managers can undertake, such as preventing chemical contamination, soil erosion, and trampling, to support recovery.

Implementing actions

Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Fund, Species at Risk Research Fund for Ontario, or the Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program. Conservation partners are encouraged to discuss project proposals related to the actions in this response statement with the Ministry. The Ministry can also advise if any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required to undertake the project.

Implementation of the actions may be subject to changing priorities across the multitude of species at risk, available resources and the capacity of partners to undertake recovery activities. Where appropriate, the implementation of actions for multiple species will be coordinated across government response statements.

Reviewing progress

The ESA requires the Ministry to conduct a review of progress towards protecting and recovering a species not later than five years from the publication of this response statement. The review will help identify if adjustments are needed to achieve the protection and recovery of American Columbo.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all those who participated in the development of the Recovery Strategy for the American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis) in Ontario for their dedication to protecting and recovering species at risk.

For additional information:

Visit the species at risk website at ontario.ca/speciesatrisk
Contact your MNRF district office
Contact the Natural Resources Information and Support Centre
1-800-667-1940
TTY: 1-866-686-6072
NRISC@ontario.ca
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry website