Drooping Trillium Government Response Statement

Drooping Trillium is a perennial herb in the lily family. It has a sturdy upright stem that stands 15 to 60 centimetres tall, and a single flowering stalk at the junction of three leaves that sharply curves and grows 3 to 12 centimetres downward. The flower is normally white but can be reddish or maroon.

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 (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 Drooping Trillium (Trillium flexipes) was published on June 15, 2012 (http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Species/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_092938.html).

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 Drooping Trillium

Drooping Trillium 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.

Drooping Trillium has been assessed as a globally secure species that has not been found to be common in Ontario. The only two known existing occurrences of Drooping Trillium in Canada are in Middlesex and Elgin counties in southwestern Ontario. Five populations are known to have been extirpated from southern Ontario, likely due to habitat alteration and fragmentation. The main threats to these populations are habitat loss or degradation associated with incompatible forestry practices, recreational trail use, invasive species, and alterations in soil hydrology. The species grows in rich beech-maple, oak-hickory or mixed deciduous swamps and floodplain forests. The potential threats of collecting for horticultural uses, diseases, pests, and herbivory by deer have also been noted. Drooping Trillium populations at the two currently occupied sites appear to be viable. Additionally, substantial levels of habitat alteration at many of the species' historical locations make recovery in those areas unlikely. As a result, recovery efforts are focused on retaining and improving the viability of the existing population occurrences in Ontario.

The government’s goal for the recovery of Drooping Trillium is to maintain self- sustaining populations at existing locations and encourage natural increases in population levels within the species' current range in Ontario.

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 Drooping Trillium, the government will directly undertake the following actions:

• Develop a survey protocol to be used by proponents and partners to survey for the presence of Drooping Trillium.
• Educate other agencies and authorities involved in planning and environmental assessment processes on the protection requirements under the ESA.
• Encourage the submission of Drooping Trillium 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 Drooping Trillium and its habitat through the ESA.
• Support conservation, agency, municipal, industry partners and Aboriginal communities to undertake activities to protect and recover Drooping Support will be provided where appropriate through funding, agreements, permits (including conditions) and advisory services.
• Establish and communicate annual priority actions for government support in order to encourage collaboration and reduce duplication of efforts.

Government-supported actions

The government endorses the following actions as being necessary for the protection and recovery of Drooping Trillium. Actions identified as "high" will be given priority consideration for funding or for authorizations under the ESA. The government will focus its support on these high-priority actions over the next five years.

Focus Area:

Protection and Management

Objective:

Protect and manage Drooping Trillium habitat.

Actions:

1. (High) Develop and promote best management practices to encourage appropriate forest, watershed, and trail management for Drooping Trillium by landowners and land managers.
2. Develop outreach materials that highlight the significance, vulnerability and threats to Drooping Trillium (e.g., illegal collection) and distribute these materials to horticultural clubs, landscaping companies, plant nurseries, Aboriginal communities, municipalities, and other key stakeholders.

Focus Area:

Inventory and Monitoring

Objective:

Assess the health and abundance of Drooping Trillium populations and habitat.

Actions:

3. (High) Conduct standardized survey and monitoring for Drooping Trillium to:
   • monitor population size and habitat conditions;
   • assess threats at existing and key historic sites; and
   • identify occurrences in suitable or historic habitat.

Focus Area:

Research

Objective:

Improve knowledge of the species' biology, ecology, habitat, and threats.

Actions:

4. Investigate habitat requirements at existing sites, including water quality, hydrologic regime, soils, and light levels.
5. Research and address impacts of invasive plant species (e.g., Garlic Mustard) and exotic earthworms.
6. Research population dynamics, seed productivity, fertility, pollination and long-range dispersal mechanisms of Drooping Trillium in Ontario.

The focus of recovery efforts is on maintaining the existing viable populations of Drooping Trillium and encouraging natural increases. The relocating of Drooping Trillium from its current locations may have significant adverse effects on the remaining population and its ability to naturally increase.

The planting of a species at risk without appropriate precautions may have potential negative impacts on the target species, the broader ecosystem, or other activities in the surrounding area. To be successful, these projects require long-term financial and technical commitments to monitoring, managing, and evaluating the site. Avoiding and preventing adverse impacts should be the first priority.

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, Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program or Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement 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 co-ordinated 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 the Drooping Trillium.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all those who participated in the development of the "Recovery Strategy for the Drooping Trillium (Trillium flexipes) in Ontario" for their dedication to protecting and recovering species at risk.