Five-year review of progress towards the protection and recovery of Ontario’s species at risk - 2017

Introduction

Overview

To fulfill the legislative commitments of the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA), the Government of Ontario has published the 2017 Five-Year Review of Progress Towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk, that includes progress reports for six species at risk, and highlights recent activities by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF or “Ministry”) in its role as leader of the province’s species at risk program.

Under section 11(11) of the ESA, the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (Minister) must ensure that a review of progress towards the protection and recovery of a species is conducted not later than five years from the publication of the government response statement (GRS) for that species. The review provides an opportunity for the government to report on its progress in supporting the protection and recovery of a species, including progress on implementing actions set out in the GRS. In doing so, the review may help to identify implementation gaps or other opportunities for adjusting actions to help achieve the recovery goal for the species.

The first review of progress towards the protection and recovery of a species was the 2014 State of the Woodland Caribou Resource Report, followed by the publishing of Five-Year Reviews of Progress Towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk in 2015 and 2016.

A review of progress towards protection and recovery is now required for the six species that had GRS published by MNRF in 2012: two plant species (Four-leaved Milkweed and Horsetail Spike-rush), one reptile species (Eastern Hog-nosed Snake), and three insect species (Bogbean Buckmoth, Laura’s Clubtail – a dragonfly – and Rusty-patched Bumble Bee).

The 2017 Review of Progress Towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk consists of two parts: this Introduction chapter, that provides an update of recent Ministry activities as they relate to Ontario’s species at risk program, and a detailed progress report for each of the six species listed above. A comprehensive overview of Ontario’s Species at Risk Program, Species at Risk Program Status (2008-2015), is also available online.

Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List

On June 2, 2017, Ontario Regulation 230/08 was amended to make changes to the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List as recommended to the Minister by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) in their report. One section of the amendment was to remove Pygmy Pocket Moss from the SARO List, as it is now considered to be more widespread than previously thought.

Five species were added to the SARO List: two insect species (Hoptree Borer and Nine-spotted Lady Beetle), two unisexual salamander species (Unisexual Ambystoma – Jefferson Salamander dependent population and Unisexual Ambystoma – Small-mouthed Salamander dependent population) and a fish species (River Darter – Great Lakes St. Lawrence population) as endangered; Lake Huron Grasshopper as threatened; and the Northern Sunfish as a species of special concern.

The provincial record of species at risk

Ministry staff at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) track Ontario’s species at risk by collecting, reviewing and managing species information that is incorporated into the comprehensive provincial database known as Land Information Ontario (LIO). As of October 2017, LIO contained more than 358,658 observations and information on over 39,308 occurrences of species at risk in Ontario.

Recovery strategies and management plans

As of December 2017, MNRF has successfully completed development of recovery strategies for 127 species at risk. Progress is being made toward the development of recovery strategies for an additional 41 endangered and threatened species. The Government of Ontario is cooperating with federal agencies on the development of the majority of these strategies, and strategically prioritizing development of recovery strategies under the ESA for the remaining species.

The Government of Ontario has also developed management plans under the ESA for 10 special concern species.

Government response statements

The Ministry publishes a government response statement (GRS) to identify and communicate how the Government of Ontario will support the recovery of a species; the statement is a policy response to the scientific advice provided in the species’ recovery strategy. A GRS includes the government’s recovery goal for the species, and the actions it will lead or support to help achieve that goal.

Safe Harbour policy

Safe Harbour is a regulatory tool to encourage property owners to create or enhance habitat for species at risk for a set period of time, while giving them the legal assurance that they can use the land for other purposes when that set period of time is over and certain conditions are met. In 2017, the Ministry finalized a policy on creating or enhancing safe harbour habitat under the ESA. The policy does the following:

• Describes the permits and agreements used to establish Safe Harbour habitat;
• Provides guidance for establishing appropriate conditions for Safe Harbour permits and agreements; and
• Provides direction on the implementation of Safe Harbour permits and agreements.

Research and monitoring

The Ministry conducts research and monitoring for aquatic and terrestrial species at risk in Ontario to inform policy and resource management decision-making. Newly-published MNRF research demonstrates the growing interest in both landscape-level ecosystem management and the effects of climate change on species and habitats. For example:

• The endangered Redside Dace is a small colourful minnow that inhabits pools and slow-moving sections of streams; the majority of the Canadian population is found in the densely populated Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and neighbouring municipalities. In a recently-published study, Scott M. Reid and Sarah Parna of MNRF’s Aquatic Research and Monitoring Section selected hydrometric data for six GTA watersheds to determine long-term (1966 to 2013) trends in stream flow condition (quantity and variability) for Redside Dace populations of differing conservation status. Streams where Redside Dace populations have been extirpated or are in decline were generally located in more heavily developed watersheds, and were found to have experienced significant increases in stream flow variability and magnitude of high flow events over time. In these watersheds, groundwater input that helps stabilize stream flow had also decreased. Through the study results, it was also determined that streams with healthy Redside Dace populations have more stable spring and summer flows and greater inputs from groundwater. The results underscore the importance of sub-watershed planning and effective mitigation strategies, such as best management practices for stormwater management.
• Rob Rempel, research scientist with the Spatial Ecology Program, Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research (CNFER), led a study to explore useful tools for and impediments to assessing how climate change affects the vulnerability of migratory birds. Researchers focused on three species (Eastern Meadowlark, Wood Thrush and Hooded Warbler) with the study area being the Canadian and U.S. watersheds of the Great Lakes Basin. Using the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI), an approach for integrating lines of climate change evidence, they learned that Eastern Meadowlark and Wood Thrush appear to be highly vulnerable to climate change, with Hooded Warbler less vulnerable. Several impediments to binational assessments of climate change vulnerability were determined including jurisdictional boundary issues, border-related climate data gaps, and critical habitat factors left out of analyses. The study authors recommended increasing cross-border collaboration to improve assessments and develop conservation strategies.

Compliance monitoring and enforcement activities

The Ministry is responsible for administering and enforcing the ESA and its regulations. Compliance monitoring and enforcement are critical to the successful implementation of the Act, and are included as government-led actions in all GRS. Investigations under the ESA have resulted in a number of convictions since the Act came into force in 2008.

MNRF enforcement staff continued in 2017 to focus their effort on outreach. The goal is to encourage compliance by increasing the public’s knowledge of Ontario’s species at risk and their habitats, and building awareness of illegal activities such as commercial exploitation that target certain species, as well as activities that may cause unintentional harm to species and habitats. Areas of awareness have included the illegal collection, trade and trafficking of Ontario turtles; illegal harvesting and sale of wild American Ginseng; and the illegal harvest and commercialization of Lake Sturgeon and the caviar trade in its eggs.

Supporting public participation in species at risk stewardship activities

The Ministry promotes and supports landowner and public participation in a broad range of stewardship activities through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The program provides financial support to enable individuals and organizations to get directly involved in protecting and recovering Ontario’s species at risk.

Species at risk resources update

Best management practices

In 2017, the Ministry developed two new best management practice documents for species at risk that are available in the Species at Risk Online Guides and Resources Toolbox:

• Best Management Practices for Excluding Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts from Buildings and Structures; and
• Best Management Practices for the Protection, Creation and Maintenance of Bank Swallow Habitat in Ontario.

Other provincial legislation and programs related to species at risk

Amendment to Ontario Regulation 670/98 under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to close the Snapping Turtle season

Snapping Turtle is listed as Special Concern on the SARO List. It is Ontario’s largest turtle and faces many threats, including habitat loss and degradation, road mortality, legal and illegal harvesting, persecution and fishing by-catch. Like other turtle species, the Snapping Turtle has a low reproductive rate, and the loss of mature adult turtles, especially females, can cause a significant decline in local populations. In December 2016, the government of Ontario closed the snapping turtle harvesting season to reduce turtle mortality and help maintain populations of this species in Ontario.

Implementing the Invasive Species Act

Invasive species pose a threat to many Ontario species at risk. For example, two species (Four-leaved Milkweed and Horsetail Spike-rush) reported on in the 2017 Five-Year Review are threatened by an invasive plant species known as European Common Reed (Phragmites australis ssp. australis). In 2016, this non-native plant was listed in regulation as a restricted species under Ontario’s Invasive Species Act, 2015. In June 2017, MNRF received approval from Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for emergency registration of a particular herbicide to contribute to control efforts for European Common Reed. The herbicide was used in aquatic areas within Rondeau Provincial Park and in the Long Point area; the emergency registration reflects the urgent need to address the increasing threat of this invasive plant on a variety of species at risk and their habitats at these locations.

To increase public awareness about the impacts of invasive species and the pathways that enable their spread, MNRF has established a partnership with the Federation of Ontario Cottage Associations to increase awareness of the threats posed by invasive species within the cottage-owner community. This builds on existing partnerships with the Invasive Species Centre, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and the Ontario Invasive Plant Council.

Wetlands conservation strategy

Wetlands are among the most productive and diverse habitats on Earth and form an important part of Ontario’s landscape. From the swamps and marshes in the southern part of the province to the vast peatlands in the north, wetlands play a vital role in supporting Ontario’s rich biodiversity, including numerous species at risk, and providing essential ecosystem services on which Ontarians depend for health and well-being.

In July 2017, Ontario’s Wetlands Conservation Strategy was announced. The Strategy represents a 15-year blueprint to improve the conservation of wetlands across the province, providing a conceptual framework for conserving Ontario’s wetlands, as well as a list of actions the Ontario government will undertake to ensure progress.

A comprehensive suite of actions that the Ontario government is taking, or will take, to conserve wetlands is a critical part of the Strategy. These actions include:

• improving Ontario’s wetland inventory and mapping as a cornerstone of the strategy;
• developing policies and tools to prevent the net loss of Ontario’s wetlands; and
• improving evaluation of the significance of Ontario’s wetlands.

Climate change strategy – Naturally Resilient

Climate change, as a single force, or in combination with other stressors, may pose an important emerging threat for many of Ontario’s species at risk. On October 25, 2017, Naturally Resilient: MNRF’s Natural Resource Climate Adaptation Strategy (2017-2021) was posted to Ontario’s Environmental Registry.

Naturally Resilient is a five-year strategy intended to focus MNRF’s climate change adaptation efforts on key vulnerabilities, such as species at risk, and guide the Ministry in taking actions to continue delivery of its mandate as conditions change.

The strategy is organized around five goals for the types of actions MNRF is pursuing:

1. Mainstream Adaptation;
2. Build Resilience and Biodiversity;
3. Increase Science, Research and Knowledge;
4. Increase Awareness and Motivation; and
5. Optimize Services and Response.

As the strategy is implemented, MNRF is committed to working with partners in Ontario and other jurisdictions, as well as First Nations and Métis communities and organizations, to foster collaboration, coordinated action and information sharing that will enhance progress towards the goals of Naturally Resilient and support broader provincial climate change initiatives.

For additional information on the progress that has been made at the species at risk program level, please refer to the Species at Risk Program Status (2008 - 2015).