SOUTHWEST NOVA SCOTIA FORESTED WETLANDS

Forested Wetlands in Atlantic Canada Workshop Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Kespukwitk Conservation Collaborative

March 12, 2019

The intent of this initiative is to work collaboratively to strategically identify, prioritize, and ultimately implement and

monitor, effective conservation actions to address priority threats using an integrated two-eyed seeing approach

Kespukwitk Conservation Collaborative

Two-eyed seeing: Etuaptmumk

Etuaptmumk is the Mi'kmaq word for Two-Eyed Seeing introduced by a Mi'kmaq Elder from

Eskasoni First Nation, Albert Marshall. It refers to learning to see with one eye the strengths of

Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, and with the other eye the strengths of western

knowledges and ways of knowing, and to learn to use both eyes together to gain a clearer

understanding of the world. A Two-Eyed Seeing approach is one way to integrate, and develop a

greater understanding of, and appreciation for Indigenous worldviews

Graphic arts students at ANSD school in Miramichi

https://screenshotscdn.firefoxusercontent.com/images/ac59be4b-7fcf-443a-81a0-788a08a0d6f8.png

Kespukwitk Conservation Collaborative

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• Significant and unique assemblage of biodiversity

features: - 354 priority species: SAR,

MB, S1/S2 spp.

- 56 COSEWIC SAR; CH for 18 SAR; Action Plan for 23

SAR

• Area: 1.6 million Ha (29% of NS): - 65% Private - 31% Provincial Crown - 3% Federal Crown

Southwest Nova Scotia

• Kespukwitk (Ges-pug-witg) - Mi’kmaq district closely aligned with SWNS

• SWNS partners poised for integrated conservation action identification, implementation and enhanced collaboration

◻ Developed by leading organizations & agencies

◻ Open source

◻ Common language & framework

◻ Used around the world • Gov’t Wildlife Agencies • Protected Areas • Bilateral Biodiversity Funding • Private Donor Funding • Academic Training

The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation

The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation

A framework to explore:

◻ How are species and ecosystems doing?

◻ Are we taking the right actions to conserve them?

◻ Are we doing them well?

◻ Are our actions leading to the desired result?

◻ If not, what do we need to do to adapt our strategies?

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Scope:

Southwest Nova

Scotia, also known as

Kespukwitk

SWNS Conceptual Model of Conservation Targets

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Conservation Targets:

Broad ecosystems

that represent and

encompass the full

suite of biodiversity in

SWNS

SWNS Conceptual Model of Conservation Targets

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Nested Targets:

Important elements of

biodiversity (species,

communities, or

ecological systems)

that the team wants to

emphasize within the

conservation targets

SWNS Conceptual Model of Conservation Targets

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The importance of human-

wellbeing benefits and ecosystem

services considerations has been

emphasized by the Kespukwitk

Conservation Collaborative

SWNS Conceptual Model of Conservation Targets

Netukulimk:

Within a Mi’kmaw

world view,

ecological targets

and human

wellbeing would not

be separated – they

would be part of the

target together at

the center

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SWNS Conceptual Model of Conservation Targets

Conservation Target Case Studies

◻ Case Studies to pilot approach:

⬜ Forested Wetlands ⬜ Coastal Islands ⬜ Acadian Forest – Hemlock Wooly Adelgid

◻ Selected based on their ability to test an integrated approach

⬜ Range of targets and methods

◻ Subject area working groups

⬜ Establish common understanding of the conservation context and status of the target

⬜ Identify important knowledge gaps

⬜ Identify and prioritize key conservation strategies

Nested Targets

Subject Area Expert

Working Group

Information Gathering Process

◻ Preliminary information was gathered from a small number of regional experts (n = 8)

◻ Input was summarized and presented by WebEx

◻ Input from the WebEx was incorporated and presented at the workshop

◻ Feedback and discussion from workshop was incorporated and is presented here (32 participants)

March 20-21 Forested Wetlands Workshop

OBJECTIVES

❑ Build our common understanding of forested wetlands (FW) in Southwest Nova Scotia (SWNS): ❑ Define FW in SWNS, and identify potential nested targets

❑ Ecosystem services & human wellbeing benefits

❑ Indicators of FW health

❑ Threats & drivers

❑ Identify strategies to conserve FW ❑ Prioritize

❑ Specify theories of change (results chains)

❑ Develop objectives & indicators

❑ Specify monitoring needs

✓

✓ ✓

✓

✓

✓ ✓

What are forested wetlands in SWNS?

◻ Agreement that we are talking about more than just treed swamps

◻ Diversity:

⬜ Swamps (treed/tall shrub)

⬜ Treed/tall shrub peatlands

⬜ Vernal pools

Proposed Working definition: Wetlands with 30% or more cover of woody species > 2m (tall shrubs & trees)

◻ Uncertainties:

⬜ Include floodplains? Or are these covered by ‘Riparian & floodplain systems’ target?

⬜ Include peatlands with lower threshold of cover (e.g., 5-30%)?

Forested Wetlands: Attributes

◻ Forested wetlands were identified as important ecological systems that represent significant biodiversity in Southwest Nova Scotia

QUESTION

◻ What are some important attributes of forested wetlands in SWNS?

◻ Large proportion of the (forested) landscape

◻ Preponderance of deadwood

◻ High insect productivity

◻ High species diversity

◻ Fire refugia

◻ Structurally complex

◻ Old growth

◻ SAR habitat

◻ Habitat connectivity/corridors

◻ Source of water/moisture even in dry periods

◻ Important hydrologic connections with adjacent landscape and groundwater

Where are they?

QUESTIONS

◻ What do we know about the distribution of forested wetlands in Southwest Nova Scotia?

◻ NOT well-mapped, especially swamps

◻ Estimated to be 5-10% of SWNS landscape

◻ Need LiDAR and better models

◻ Opportunity for synthesis of many different projects

◻ Has implications for all threats

Initial Land Tenure Mapping

Land Tenure Area (ha.) %

Federal Lands 1,422 3

Provincial Crown 18,190 43

Other 22,389 53

Total 42,001 100

Land Conservation Area (ha.) %

Federal Protected Areas 1,414 3

Provincial Protected Areas 6,458 15

Private Conserved Lands 230 1

Unprotected 33,899 81

Total 42,001 100

◻ From NS DNR wetland inventory layer (2013)

◻ Only includes ‘Shrub swamp’ and ‘treed swamp’

◻ 2.6% of SWNS

◻ From NS DNR recent analysis, more like 7%

Indicators

QUESTION

◻ How do we measure/assess the health of forested wetlands in Southwest Nova Scotia?

◻ Agreement that more work is needed to ID best indicators

◻ Areal extent: Temporal & spatial change

◻ Hydrological regime

◻ Amount of deadwood/large deadwood

◻ Species/community metrics (#, diversity, biomass)

◻ Tree growth rate

◻ Presence/abundance of exotic species

◻ Forest continuity (lichen diversity & abundance, functional groups like geophytes, ant-dispersed species or slow-growing trailing species)

◻ Presence/absence of orchids

◻ WESP-AC monitoring at regular intervals

◻ Rare species (e.g., blue cohosh, southern twayblade)

Threats

QUESTION

◻ What are the dominant threats to forested wetlands in Southwest Nova Scotia?

◻ Incompatible forestry practices

◻ Climate change

◻ Roads

◻ Invasive Species

◻ Hydroelectric Damming

◻ Long-range Transport of Air Pollutants (e.g., acid precipitation, mercury)

◻ Incompatible Agricultural Activities

◻ Residential/Cottage Development

◻ Industrial Development (e.g., mines, quarries)

◻ Off-Highway Vehicle Use

◻ Pesticides

DEFINITION

◻ Primarily human activities that immediately degrade forested wetlands

Relative Threat Ranking & Rating

Direct Threats Threat Rating

Forestry Harvesting Practices High

Habitat Shifting and Alteration (Climate Change) Medium

Roads Medium

Invasive Non-native Species Medium

Agricultural Activities Medium

Resid