CITY OF BRANTFORD OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW ENVIRONMENTAL DATA REPORT

Transcription

1 CITY OF BRANTFORD OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW ENVIRONMENTAL DATA REPORT Prepared for: City of Brantford Prepared by: ESG International Inc. 361 Southgate Drive Guelph, Ontario N1G 3M July 12, 2001

2 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As part of the Official Plan Review for the City of Brantford, an assessment of the natural features in the City was undertaken. This involved a review of existing information and fieldwork. Results were then analyzed for their significance and policies for natural heritage features were recommended for inclusion in the Official Plan. A considerable amount of background information was available. Data on fish species distribution was available from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Royal Ontario Museum, and from detailed work conducted in the D Aubigny Creek watershed. A wealth of information was available on plants. Wasyl Bakowsky of the Natural Heritage Information Centre had conducted extensive study on the flora of Brantford, as have Ilsa Kraemer and the Brantford Field Naturalists. The Brantford Field Naturalists, local citizens, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the various atlas projects that have been completed provided much information on wildlife. Fieldwork conducted during this study included mapping of vegetation communities, and botanical and wildlife studies. The Ecological Land Classification system was applied to all vegetation communities in the City, including areas previously inventoried, to provide uniform coverage throughout the City. Detailed botanical studies were conducted in key areas identified in the Terms of Reference in addition to other areas that were of high quality. Wildlife inventories focused on breeding bird surveys in larger and high quality areas. The City supports a very high diversity of habitats and species, many of which are significant. The City is in the Carolinian Zone, so has many species near the northern extent of their range. Rare and remnant habitats occur in the City such as fens, tallgrass prairies, and savannah-like areas. A few of the woodlands are very mature and support wildlife species associated with older growth areas. Due to the diversity of habitats and the rarity of some of them, there is a wide variety of species and many of them are significant. Background information and the fieldwork revealed a total of 980 species: 682 plants, 74 butterflies, 46 fish, 12 amphibians, 13 reptiles, 127 birds (including 75 breeding species), and 26 mammals. A higher than normal proportion of the species are significant. In all, 198 significant species were documented, or 20.2% of all species observed. The City supports 2 globally significant species, 11 nationally significant species, 53 provincially significant species, 36 regionally significant species, and 96 locally significant species. Despite the high numbers of significant species and habitats, these are concentrated in a few areas in the City, leaving considerable opportunities for development. As part of this study, policies were prepared for the Official Plan to guide development in and adjacent to natural areas. In certain types of natural areas, development is not permitted. Guidelines were also prepared for preparation of Impact Assessments to evaluate impacts of development on natural areas. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12, i

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4 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study benefited from the input of many people. Valuable direction was provided by Peter Atcheson, Don Radford, and Matt Reniers of the City s Community Development Department. Their input greatly improved the report and the mapping. Wasyl Bakowsky of the Natural Heritage Information Centre provided electronic databases of plant species that he has documented in the City. In addition, he made suggestions on which plant species should be considered regionally and locally rare. Ilsa Kraemer provided information on rare species distribution in the City and commented on earlier drafts of the report. In addition, she offered lists of plant species observed in different natural areas. Duane Brown of the Grand River Conservation Authority suggested improvements to the report and gave us background information on fish and wildlife species found in the City. He also provided records collected by the Brantford Field Naturalists Club. Don Carr provided information on wildlife species he had observed in the Northwest area. Members of the Environment and Wetland Focus Group gave valuable input on significant areas in the City and what direction environmental policies should take. They were: Noel Almond, Duane Brown, Garry Dubecki, Gwen Howlett, Garry Rand, and Catherine Verrall. Finally, members of the public gave valuable opinions during the public review process. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12, iii

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6 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...III 1.0 INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Study Goals and Objectives of the Natural Environment Component Study Approach Background Information Field Study Mapping and Analysis BACKGROUND INFORMATION OVERVIEW OF THE PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF NATURAL HABITATS Woodlands Size Representation Maturity Presence of Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitat Presence of Species of Conservation Concern Presence of Seasonal Concentrations of Wildlife Contribution to Other Natural Heritage Features Wetlands Prairies Savannahs Policy Implications Associated with Natural Heritage Features INVENTORY RESULTS Soils and Terrain Physiography Soils Fish Habitat Grand River Fisheries D=Aubigny Creek Mohawk Lake Fairchild Creek Vegetation Communities Forest Wetland Cultural Vegetation Community Complexes Plants Wildlife...45 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12, v

7 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 6.0 SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS AND FEATURES Significant Wetlands Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest Significant Portions of the Habitat of Endangered and Threatened Species Significant Woodlands Fish Habitat Significant Wildlife Habitat Seasonal Concentration Areas Migration Corridors Rare or Specialized Habitats Species of Conservation Concern Summary LITERATURE CITED...75 TABLES Table 1: Mapped Soils in the City of Brantford...19 Table 2: Vegetation Associations in the City of Brantford...39 Table 3: Nationally Significant Species In The City Of Brantford...68 Table 4: Provincially Significant Species in the City of Brantford...69 Table 5: Regionally Significant Species in the City of Brantford...70 Table 6: Locally Significant Species in the City of Brantford...72 FIGURES Figure 1. City of Brantford, Ontario Index Map...3 Figure 2. Aquatic Resources...21 Figure 3a. Vegetation Communities...25 Figure 3b. Vegetation Communities...27 Figure 3c. Vegetation Communities...29 Figure 3d. Vegetation Communities...31 Figure 3e. Vegetation Communities...33 Figure 3f. Vegetation Communities...35 Figure 3g. Vegetation Communities...37 Figure 4. Identified Important Life Science Sites...49 Figure 5a. Significant Natural Areas...51 Figure 5b. Significant Natural Areas...53 Figure 5c. Significant Natural Areas...55 Figure 5d. Significant Natural Areas...57 Figure 5e. Significant Natural Areas...59 Figure 5f. Significant Natural Areas...61 APPENDICES Appendix A: Appendix B: Appendix C: Fish Species Documented in the City of Brantford Plant Species Documented in the City of Brantford Wildlife Species Documented in the City of Brantford vi Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

8 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of the Study The City of Brantford Official Plan was approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs on November 4, Since then, numerous amendments have been approved by City Council and the Minister to accommodate development proposals and to address specific policy issues. At a public meeting held in April 1999, members of the public along with planning staff identified the need for a review of the Official Plan. Unlike many Official Plan Reviews, which are often broadly-based, this Review is focused on a small group of specific, scoped issues. This document deals with issues that pertain to the natural environment. The scope of the natural environ ment component of the Official Plan Review consists of two main issues: an environmental inventory for potential development areas for which the Official Plan does not require environmental inventories prior to development; and the identification and protection of significant woodlots and other natural areas. The purpose of the natural environment study is to provide specific recommendations for amendments to the Plan, based on the results of the study program. The recommendations, following review by the Official Plan Review Committee and concurrence in principle, shall be presented to a public meeting as formal proposals for amendment of the Official Plan. Figure 1 shows the location of the City of Brantford and details of the City. It also indicates the seven sections that the City was broken done into for the purposes of showing more detailed information. 1.2 Goals and Objectives of the Natural Environment Component There is a need for environmental inventories of natural areas which are not adequately addressed in the Official Plan. The primary objective of the inventories is to identify areas of sensitive natural features, including woodlots, wetlands and remnant prairies, which would be held out of development. This will require the establishment of criteria to evaluate the relative significance of natural environment features. This report also provides a preliminary overview of the policy framework needed to guide development in the vicinity of the sensitive natural features, based on studies evaluating the impacts of specific development proposals. Several key themes and issues were brought forward during the focus group discussions: The Official Plan must reflect the community s objectives and vision for protecting the natural environment. It can also serve as a tool for educating residents, developers and land owners about the City s natural heritage, and the level of protection required. Natural areas must be identified and prioritized through numerous criteria such as size, rarity of species, surrounding context, and degree of importance to other natural ecosystems. These criteria will also reflect the community s vision of what is important and worth preserving. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

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11 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Public education is key to promoting an environmental ethic. Involving residents in their natural environment can heighten knowledge, concern and appreciation for the environment. Environmental groups as well as volunteer and community organizations will play a key role in undertaking these programs. At the same time the City may also have a role to play in coordinating these activities and disseminating information. Natural areas that are to be preserved must be identified in the Official Plan, and protected against inappropriate development. But this only solves part of the problem. Too many users may degrade a sensitive natural area. Participants had mixed feelings about this issue. It is important to educate people about the environment, and the best way to do this is to experience nature first hand. But natural areas can be extremely sensitive and easily damaged. Generally the advantages of making people aware of the environment through direct contact seem to outweigh the disadvantages, except for a few very rare or sensitive ecosystems. The desire to protect natural areas must be balanced with the rights of private landowners. Environmental protection can have important economic benefits. Improving the water quality of the Grand River has brought fishing back as a tourist attraction; healthy natural areas can contribute greatly to the quality of life and health of the community. 1.3 Study Approach Background Information Existing information on natural environment features in the City was compiled from the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC), the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), local resource people, focus groups, atlases, watershed studies, and various planning documents such as Secondary Plans and impact assessments. NHIC and OMNR provided information on the locations of significant species and natural areas (e.g. Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, evaluated wetlands). Local resource people and focus groups helped refine the areas designated for study and contributed anecdotal information regarding rare species, unusual species concentrations, and historical occurrences Field Study Analysis of air photographs and background information was used to provide initial delineation of vegetation polygons in the study areas. All non-cultural units >0.8 ha (woodlands, wetlands and known prairie sites) were identified. Field visits were conducted to assess community composition, confirm community boundaries and map rare species. Community types were classified according to the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) System for Southern Ontario (Lee et al., 1998). Further analysis, including detailed botanical inventories, was conducted in vegetation units with high quality flora or a relatively undisturbed understory and ground cover. The inventories were carried out by systematically covering the unit on foot to ensure a thorough survey of species and communities. Inventories of spring ephemerals and early-blooming species required surveys during the spring of Nomenclature of plant species in this report follows Oldham et al. (1995) for common names and Morton and Venn (1990) for scientific names. Inventories of wildlife were compiled from Ontario atlases and from distinctive signs during field visits. Targeted surveys of specific groups of wildlife (e.g. breeding birds, reptiles and amphibians) were inventoried during the spring and early summer of Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

12 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Following is a list of dates that fieldwork was conducted in support of the Official Plan Review: September 10, 1999 ELC, plant and wildlife inventory September 22, 1999 ELC, plant inventory September 27, 1999 ELC, plant inventory September 30, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 2, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 5, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 6, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 8, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 9, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 12, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 13, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 14, ELC, plant inventory October 15, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 17, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 19, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 20, 1999 ELC, plant and wildlife inventory October 21, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 22, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 25, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 26, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 27, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 29, 1999 ELC, plant inventory October 30, 1999 ELC, plant inventory November 8, 1999 plant inventory and prairie mapping December 8, 1999 wildlife inventory June 4, 2000 plant and wildlife inventory, breeding bird survey June 18, 2000 plant and wildlife inventory, breeding bird survey June 23, 2000 plant and wildlife inventory, breeding bird survey July 8, 2000 plant and wildlife inventory, breeding bird survey July 9, 2000 plant and wildlife inventory, breeding bird survey July 12, 2000 plant and wildlife inventory, breeding bird survey 6 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

13 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC Mapping and Analysis Air photographs at a scale of 1:8000, provided by the City of Brantford, were used during field surveys. The information collected was transferred to a base map also provided by the City of Brantford. The base map was split into seven sections to map detailed vegetation communities. The provincial status of plant species was verified in Oldham (1999). Status of wildlife and draft rankings of vegetation communities were provided by the NHIC. Status rankings for both plants and wildlife are primarily based on the number of occurrences in Ontario. Regional significance and significance in the context of the City of Brantford are discussed in Section 4. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

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15 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 2.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION Natural environment information was compiled from various sources. Planning documents included: Environmental Study Report - Garden Avenue, Proposed Highway 403 to Lynden Road McCormick Rankin. This study covered an area surrounding the Highway 403 and Garden Avenue interchange just east of the City boundary. In general, vegetation communities in this area exhibited relatively low botanical quality due to their history of disturbance. None of the woodland communities are unique; all are represented elsewhere in the region and no nationally or provincially significant species were encountered. City of Brantford Northwest Industrial Area Study M. M. Dillon Ltd. This document described the natural environment of the Northwest Industrial Area south of Highway 403 to the Grand River. Vegetation units were mapped but poorly described. Locations of four provincially significant plants and a potentially significant wetland were mapped. D=Aubigny Creek Master Watershed Plan Paragon Engineering Ltd. and Ecologistics Ltd. This study provides excellent fisheries information for this coldwater creek. No significant species of flora or fauna were encountered in the watershed. Vegetation communities were mapped but not described in detail. Shellard Lane Secondary Planning Study Proctor and Redfern Ltd. This study covered an area to the north of Shellard lane and south of the Toronto Hamilton and Buffalo Railway. Of 185 plant species (including 54 wetland species) recorded in the study area, only pignut hickory is provincially significant. Six woodlots and several wetlands are mapped and described in general terms. Woodlot Assessment ESG International. This document describes four woodlots east and west of Conklin Road, south of Shellard Lane in the southwest corner of the City. Two significant vegetation communities and one provincially significant tree species were encountered. Glenwood Forest Tree Management Plan Planning and Engineering Initiatives Ltd. This plan described the tree composition of part of one wooded ravine south of Glenwood Drive and east of Echo Villa Avenue. Information on vegetation communities and significant species from these planning documents was incorporated into the inventory maps and community descriptions where appropriate. In general, areas covered by these studies were visited at least once during the Official Plan Review study, in order to ensure a consistent approach. Government resources included: Natural Heritage Information Centre database. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided additional detailed information on the locations of provincially and nationally significant plant and wildlife species in the City of Brantford. City of Brantford botanical database W. D. Bakowsky, unpublished. This database contains specific locations on twenty-nine significant species and detailed inventories of approximately 290 other common species in the City. A Review and Assessment of Prairie, Oak Savannah and Woodland in Site Regions 7 and 6 (Southern Region) (Draft) W.D. Bakowsky and J.L. Riley. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Fisheries information and wetland evaluations. Fish Sampling in the Grand River, E. Holm and D. Boehm, Royal Ontario Museum. Provides data on fish species caught at the Cockshutt Bridge. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

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17 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 3.0 OVERVIEW OF THE PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) was issued under Section 3 of the Planning Act, and came into effect on May 22, It is recommended that planning authorities?shall have regard to@ policy statements issued under the Planning Act. The PPS presented policies on development and land use patterns, resources, and public health and safety. This report deals with the policies associated with resources, and specifically those associated with natural heritage resources. Other resource policies deal with agriculture, mineral resources, water quality and quantity, and cultural heritage and archaeological resources. These other resources are being dealt with by other components of the Brantford Official Plan Review. However, certain aspects of water quality and quantity are dealt with in this report, as they are important to the functioning of fish habitat and certain wetland communities. Seven types of natural heritage features were defined by the PPS: significant wetlands; significant portions of the habitat of endangered and threatened species; fish habitat; significant woodlands; significant valleylands; significant Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs); and, significant wildlife habitat. In the first two types of natural heritage features, development and site alteration will not be permitted south and east of the Canadian Shield. Development and site alteration may be permitted on lands adjacent to significant wetlands and the portions of the habitat of endangered and threatened species if it is demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the natural features or the ecological functions for which the area was identified. Development may be permitted in and adjacent to the other five types of natural heritage features provided that there will be no negative impacts on the features and functions for which the area was identified. Significance of wetlands and ANSIs is determined by the province according to standardized evaluation procedures. Thus, the wetlands and ANSIs as discussed above are provincially significant. In addition to identifying provincially significant habitats and areas in the Official Plan, the planning authority may designate other wetlands and ANSIs significant if they have limited representation within the planning area or are of high quality within the context of the municipality. Endangered and threatened species are identified by the OMNR. For certain species, OMNR has defined what constitutes the significant portion of their habitat. For other species, this will have to be determined through consultation with OMNR. Fish habitat is the only natural heritage feature that is not prefixed by the adjective significant. This is because fish habitat is protected under the federal Fisheries Act, and all fish habitat is considered equal. When dealing with fish habitat, proponents must demonstrate that there will be no net loss of fish production as a result of development or site alteration. A number of agencies may designate fish habitat. For many areas, this has Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

18 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. been done by the OMNR. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has ultimate responsibility for fish habitat, and may define what constitutes fish habitat in specific sites. In the Brantford area, the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has an agreement with DFO and acts on its behalf. Significant woodlands, significant valleylands, and significant wildlife habitat should be defined and designated by the planning authority. General guidelines for determining significance of these features are presented in the Natural Heritage Reference Manual for Policy 2.3 of the Provincial Policy Statement (OMNR, 1999). It is conceivable that adjacent municipalities will have different criteria for determining which of these natural heritage features should be considered significant. This is because the relative significance of features is dependent upon the amount and quality of natural areas within the municipality. Criteria suggested by the Natural Heritage Reference Manual for designating significant woodlands include woodland size, shape, proximity to other woodlands or natural features, linkages, species diversity, uncommon characteristics, and economic and social values. In the case of woodland size, the suggested criteria change depending on the amount of forest cover in the planning area. For instance, where there is less than 5% forest cover, it is suggested that woodlands 2 ha in area or larger should be considered significant, compared to 4 ha in areas with 5 to 15% forest cover, and 40 ha for areas with 15 to 30% forest cover. Recommended criteria for designating significant valleylands include prominence as a distinctive landform, degree of naturalness, importance of its ecological functions, restoration potential, and historical and cultural values. Significant wildlife habitat is one of the more complicated natural heritage features to identify and evaluate. There are four general types of significant wildlife: migration corridors, seasonal concentration areas, rare or specialized habitat, and species of conservation concern. These are discussed in more detail below. Migration corridors are areas that are traditionally used by wildlife to move to one habitat from another. This is usually in response to different seasonal habitat requirements. Some examples are trails used by deer to move to wintering areas, and areas used by amphibians between breeding and summering habitat. Seasonal concentration areas are those sites where large numbers of a species gather together at one time of the year, or where several species congregate. The following is a partial list of numerous potential examples: deer yards, amphibian breeding ponds, snake and bat hibernacula, waterfowl staging and moulting areas, raptor roosts, bird nesting colonies, shorebird staging areas, and passerine migration concentrations. Only the best examples of these concentration areas are usually designated as significant wildlife habitat. If a species is at risk, or if a large proportion of the population may be lost if the habitat is destroyed, all examples of certain seasonal concentration areas might be protected. Rare or specialized habitat is two separate components. Rare habitats are those with vegetation communities that are considered rare in the province. Generally, community types with SRANKS of S1 to S3, as defined by the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC), could qualify. It is assumed that these habitats are at risk and that they are also likely to support additional wildlife species that are considered significant. Specialized habitats are microhabitats that are critical to some wildlife species. Potential examples include moose aquatic feeding areas, salt licks for ungulates, and groundwater seeps for Wild Turkeys. The biggest group is species of conservation concern. This includes four types of species: those that are rare, those whose populations are significantly declining, those that have been identified as being at risk to certain common activities, and those with relatively large populations in Ontario compared to the remainder of the globe. 12 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

19 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Rare species are considered at five levels: globally rare, nationally rare (with designations by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada [COSEWIC]), provincially rare, regionally rare (at the Site Region level; Site Region 7 in this case), and locally rare (in the municipality or Site District). This is also the order of priority that should be attached to the importance of maintaining species. Species that are demonstrating a statistically significant decline over an extended period of time may be considered significant wildlife. Generally, good data are available only for birds, and only for certain groups of birds. Some species have been identified as being susceptible to certain practices, and their presence may result in an area being designated significant wildlife habitat. Examples include species vulnerable to forest fragmentation and species such as woodland raptors that may be vulnerable to forest management or human disturbance. The final group of species of conservation concern includes species that have a high proportion of their global population in Ontario. Although they may be common in Ontario, they are found in low numbers in other jurisdictions. The Natural Heritage Reference Manual presented several criteria and guidelines for designating significant wildlife habitat. There are two other documents that can be used to help decide what areas and features should be considered significant wildlife habitat. These are the Significant Wildlife Habitat Technical Guide and the Significant Wildlife Habitat Decision Support System. These documents are still in draft format, but were used as reference material for this study. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

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21 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 4.0 CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF NATURAL HABITATS This section of the report presents preliminary criteria for determining which natural areas in the City of Brantford should be considered significant. Because there are different types of habitats in the City with widely varying characteristics, different criteria were used for each of the primary habitats: woodlands, wetlands, prairies, and savannahs. 4.1 Woodlands Natural woodlands are scarce in the developed portion of the City, and most of the remaining areas are small and fragmented. However, there are large forests associated with the Grand River valley and the headwaters of D=Aubigny Creek. Woodlands were evaluated based on size, representation, maturity, presence of rare vegetation communities or specialized habitat, presence of species of conservation concern, presence of seasonal concentrations of wildlife, contribution to other natural features and cultural values. These criteria are discussed below for determining significance of woodlands in Brantford Size The Natural Heritage Reference Manual suggests that size is an important criterion in identifying woodlands most important in a planning region. It is a well-established fact that larger woodlands support a higher diversity of species than smaller ones. In addition, large woodlands have the potential to support areasensitive species and species that are vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of habitat fragmentation. Suggested standards for size offered in the Natural Heritage Reference Manual vary depending upon the percent coverage of woodlands in the planning area. As the amount of overall forest cover declines in a landscape, smaller woodlots become more ecologically significant. Where woodlands cover 5 to 15% of the landscape, it is suggested that woodlands 4 ha in size or larger should be considered for significance. Where woodlands cover less than 5% of the planning area, woodlands 2 ha in area or larger should be considered for significance. In the City of Brantford, there is a total of approximately 669 ha of natural woodland cover. This excludes wooded areas that have a manicured understory, such as some parks and cemeteries. The total area of these types of woodlands is 70 ha, with a grand total of 739 ha of forest cover in the City. The area of the City is 7267 ha, so the percentage of natural forest cover is 9.2%, and the percentage of total forest cover is 10.2%. In that the amount of natural forest cover is above the threshold of 5%, it is recommended that woodlands 4 ha in area of larger be considered significant in Brantford. The standard of 4 ha in size for a planning area with over 5% forest cover is consistent with the guidelines presented in the Natural Heritage Reference Manual for Policy 2.3 of the Provincial Policy Statement. In addition, it should be recognized that the City of Brantford is a wholly urban growth area surrounded by the largely rural County of Brant, which has 21.6% forest cover (Riley and Mohr, 1994). When calculating size of individual woodlands, openings 20 m wide or less were not considered large enough to split the woodland into two discrete units. Cultural woodlands and plantations associated with natural woodlands were included in the calculation of area unless they did not contribute to the natural functions of the woodland as a whole. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

22 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC Representation This refers to the presence of different types of forest in the City and their distribution. Each major type of natural forest community should be well represented in the City. Representation was based on the dominant tree species in the community. For instance, there are five types of dry-fresh sugar maple communities defined in the City (sugar maple, sugar maple-oak, sugar maple-hickory, sugar maple-black cherry, sugar maple-white ash). For the purposes of representation, these would all be considered sugar maple stands unless there were highly significant differences in the stands. Certain forest types were not considered for the representation criteria. These include cultural woodlands, plantations, and vegetation communities that are generally of low quality, such as Manitoba maple dominated stands. For forest types that are well-represented (common) in the City, significance will be determined using other criteria. However, for forest types that are rare in the City, representation will be an important criterion. In this case, even relatively poor examples of certain woodland types may be significant if they are the only ones present Maturity Older forests support more wildlife species than younger ones, and also tend to have a richer flora. As woodlands mature, they have more age classes and structural layers of vegetation, thereby providing a higher diversity of habitat. Older stands also usually have trees with cavities in them, fallen logs on the forest floor, and decaying trees. All of these provide microhabitats for a variety of woodland wildlife species. Any stands 100 years or older in the City of Brantford should be considered significant Presence of Rare Vegetation Communities or Specialized Habitat Woodlands containing rare vegetation communities as defined by the NHIC should be considered significant. These are listed by Bakowsky (1994), and communities with provincial SRANKS of S1 (extremely rare, fewer than five occurrences), S2 (very rare, between 5-20 occurrences) or S3 (rare to uncommon, usually between occurrences) should be considered significant. Communities with an SRANK of S3S4, indicating that they may be rare to uncommon in the province, will be assessed to see if they meet other criteria. Vegetation communities that are rare within the City will be considered under representation as opposed to rarity. Woodlands that contain specialized habitats may be considered significant. Whether these woodlands are designated significant will depend on the quality of the specialized habitat and whether it is performing a significant wildlife habitat function. For instance, seeps and springs could qualify as significant wildlife habitat. The decision to designate them as specialized habitat might depend on factors as amount of water flow, whether they support or contribute to plant species having specific habitat requirements, whether they support species of conservation concern, whether they contribute baseflow to streams supporting fish habitat, and whether they are used by wildlife species during critical periods, such as by wintering Wild Turkeys. Other possible specialized habitats may include woodland pools used by breeding salamanders, and woodlands with large numbers of snags that provide habitat for cavity-dependent species. 16 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

23 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC Presence of Species of Conservation Concern Woodlands supporting species of conservation concern may be considered significant. Highest priority will be given to species of global, national, and provincial significance, followed by regionally and locally rare species. There may be insufficient data to adequately assess local significance. The database provided by Bakowsky and information collected during this study will help to define species that are of local significance. Species of conservation concern may include species that are not rare. Examples include area-sensitive species and raptors that nest in woodlands. To qualify, the woodland should be viable habitat for the species present and there should be a high probability that the species will continue to inhabit the woodland. There may be some provincially significant species that are relatively widespread in the City. In this event, the best examples and most viable populations should be considered significant Presence of Seasonal Concentrations of Wildlife This could include deer wintering areas, Wild Turkey winter range, swallow nesting colonies, and amphibian breeding areas. Less likely concentrations of wildlife in the City are natural bat hibernacula, reptile hibernacula, and bird concentrations. The relative significance of each of these features would be assessed on an individual basis Contribution to Other Natural Heritage Features Certain woodlands may contribute to or be part of other significant natural heritage features. For instance, a woodland may be part of a valleyland, provide riparian habitat for watercourses (fish habitat), or be adjacent to a wetland and enhance the wetland=s functions. These should also be assessed individually for importance. 4.2 Wetlands Provincially significant wetlands will receive the highest level of protection and will become part of the City=s natural heritage system. Other wetlands within the City may also be considered significant. Important criteria, similar to those for woodlands, are representation, size, presence of other natural heritage features, and quality. From a quality perspective, all fens and treed swamps should be included in the natural heritage system. Some of the more common wetland types, such as meadow marshes and thicket swamps will be assessed individually on criteria such as representation, size, and presence of other features and functions. 4.3 Prairies All prairies that contain a suite of prairie-indicator plant species should be considered significant. Although there is no provincial evaluation system for prairies, less than 1% of the original prairie habitat remains in Ontario. Therefore, all prairies with a natural flora should be maintained, especially those that are dominated by or contain provincially significant plant species. Some of these habitats are considered provincially rare, and should be protected. There are also prairie remnants in the City that consist primarily of big bluestem, with few other prairie indicator plant species. Whether these areas should be protected will depend on a number of factors. The most important criterion will be if they have potential for rehabilitation. High priority will be given to those Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

24 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. sites that may be restored to more natural conditions. Less priority will be given to prairie remnants that consist solely of scattered plants of big bluestem. 4.4 Savannahs Savannahs are areas of open-grown, scattered trees with less than 60% tree coverage. Dominant trees are usually black oak, chinquapin oak, or other oak species. The understory of true savannah is dominated by species that are typical of tall-grass prairie. Similar to prairies, less than 1% of the original savannahs still persist in Ontario. Many of these are considered provincially rare vegetation communities, and those that qualify as significant vegetation communities should be protected in the City. There are areas where the overstory is typical of savannah conditions, but the understory is not. These will be assessed for significance on an individual basis. Emphasis will be based on parameters such as quality of the overstory (dominant species, age, spacing) and the potential for rehabilitating the understory. 4.5 Policy Implications Associated with Natural Heritage Features It is recommended that development not be permitted in the City in four types of natural heritage features. These include provincially significant wetlands, the significant portions of endangered and threatened species, provincially significant prairies, and provincially significant savannahs. When development is proposed for lands adjacent to these features, proponents should prepare an Impact Assessment (IA) to demonstrate that there will be no negative impacts on the features and functions for which the area was designated. The extent of adjacent lands varies. For provincially significant wetlands it is 120 m; it is 50 m for prairies and savannahs, and 30 m for fish habitat. For endangered and threatened species, adjacent lands are a minimum of 50 m, but the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources should be contacted any time an endangered or threatened species is involved. Based on the particular habitat requirements of the species in question, a different extent of adjacent lands may be identified. For other natural features that are identified in the natural heritage system, it is recommended that development be permitted in and adjacent to them, but only if it can be demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the features and functions of the area. The above policy suggestions are consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement. Most of the existing policies in the City of Brantford=s Official Policy also reflect the above suggestions and the Provincial Policy Statement. 18 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review - City of Brantford July 12,

25 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 5.0 INVENTORY RESULTS 5.1 Soils and Terrain Physiography Brantford is located at the northern extremity of the Norfolk sand plain physiographic region. The sands and silts of this region were deposited as a delta in glacial Lakes Whittlesey and Warren. Sand beds within the Norfolk sand plain can be as deep as 25 metres, but generally silt or clay strata or beds of boulder clay occur within 10 metres. The sandy soils of this region are important for agricultural production, particularly for high value crops such as tobacco and ginseng. However, they require proper management to protect them from excessive erosion Soils The soils underlying the former Brantford city limits are not mapped in the Soils of Brant County report. Most of the soils of the northwest expansion area developed from sandy glaciolacustrine sediments. This area is dominated by Fox and Brant soils, with pockets of Tuscola, Brantford, Burford, Teeswater, and Caledon soils. The soils of the Shellard Lane expansion area are also not mapped, however the lands surrounding the area are generally comprised of Brant, Brantford, Beverly, and Toledo soils. These soils developed from sand and silt or clay and silt glaciolacustrine plains. Table 1 summarizes the parent material and drainage of the soils mapped within the City of Brantford. Table 1: Mapped Soils in the City of Brantford Soil Parent Material Drainage Beverly Silty clay loam and silty clay glaciolacustrine plains Imperfectly drained Brant Silt loam or very fine sandy loam glaciolacustrine plains Well drained Brantford Silty clay loam and silty clay glaciolacustrine plains Moderately well drained Burford Glaciofluvial gravel and gravelly sand outwash plains and terraces Rapidly drained Caledon Sandy fluvial veneer cm thick overlying gravelly glaciofluvial deposits Well drained Fox Glaciofluvial sand outwash plains and terraces, modified by eolian activity Rapidly drained Teeswater Silt loam or loam cm deep overlying glaciofluvial gravel and gravelly sand outwash Well drained plains and terraces Toledo Silty clay loam or silty clay glaciolucustrine plains Poorly drained Tuscola Silt loam or very fine sandy loam glaciolacustrine plains Imperfectly drained 5.2 Fish Habitat Considerable information is available on the fisheries in the City of Brantford. Data are available from the OMNR, the Royal Ontario Museum, the GRCA, watershed studies, and consultant reports. The main resources investigated were Hoh m and Boehm (1997), Portt and Coker (1999), Timmerman (1991), Gore & Storrie Limited (1995), Abbey et al. (1991), Cooke (1994), Nash (1991), O=Farrell and Miller (1998), Roff (undated), CH2M Gore & Storrie Limited (1998), Sandilands (1972), and Mason (1975). Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

26 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. The City of Brantford has a very rich diversity of fish habitat and fish species. A total of 46 fish species have been found within the City limits, and a list of these species is presented in Appendix A. Figure 2 shows the primary areas of fish habitat within the City. The fish species present are indicative of the high quality and diversity of habitat. Many of the species are intolerant of pollution and require coldwater habitat. Others are warmwater specialists, and many of these are important game species. In addition to the species that require relatively pristine conditions, the usual suite of pollution -tolerant species is present. As discussed further in Section 6, several of the fish present are species of conservation concern. Two are globally significant (greater redhorse and eastern sand darter) and three are of national significance (silver shiner, greenside darter, and black redhorse). CH2M Gore & Storrie (1998) reported black bullhead in Mohawk Lake, and this species would be locally, if not regionally, significant. Unfortunately, the identification of this species was not verified, and the report may be erroneous. The author of this report did not find the common brown bullhead, yet all other studies reported brown bullhead and not black bullhead. Nonetheless, we have included black bullhead on the list of species found in the City, but further work will be required to verify if this is correct. There are four main areas of fish habitat in the City: the Grand River, D=Aubigny Creek, Mohawk Lake, and Fairchild Creek. In addition, there are several un-named tributaries that drain directly into the Grand River. These are discussed under the Grand River Grand River Fisheries The Grand River through the City of Brantford is excellent fish habitat. It supports not only warmwater and coldwater species, but also migratory runs of salmonids from Lake Erie. All of the significant fish species mentioned above occur in the Grand River. The river supports at least 35 of the 46 fish species that occur in the City, which is a relatively high diversity. Most important are the facts that it supports rare species as well as important warmwater and coldwater fish species. Appendix A indicates the fish species that have been documented in the river. All of these may be expected to occur in the river throughout the City, except for the eastern sand darter, which may be restricted to the area around the Cockshutt Bridge. The river in Brantford is unique in that it provides habitat for warmwater and coldwater species simultaneously. The baseflow coming from upstream areas is warm, and this creates habitat for the major warmwater game species in the area. These include northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. All of these species spawn in the river within the City, and the spawning areas contribute to production of these species over a large reach of the river. In addition to the major warmwater game fish, there are numerous panfish species present. These include pumpkinseed, bluegill, rock bass, black crappie, and yellow perch. There are also some large coarse fish that can provide angling opportunities such as carp, common sucker, northern hog sucker, and four species of redhorse. Brown bullheads are common, and many people enjoy catching and eating this species. The Grand River in Brantford also supports resident populations of coldwater species, especially rainbow trout. This is due to extensive groundwater discharge and upwelling in the bottom of the river. In addition, there are numerous coldwater streams running down the steep banks in the annexed lands and the Northwest Industrial Area. The steep banks and the areas of coarse sand and gravel are critical to maintaining the water temperature regime of the Grand River through Brantford. Most of the small tributaries flowing down the banks into the river probably do not support fish because of the steep topography. 20 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

27

28 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. OMNR biologists have measured July water temperatures at the bottom of the Grand River in the vicinity of the Northwest Industrial Area, and found temperatures to be 8 degrees Celsius. This temperature is consistent with that of groundwater in southern Ontario, and was also the same temperature as the streams flowing down the bank. Upwelling within the river allows these coldwater fish species to spawn in the river, and it also provides a coldwater refugium in the summer. In winter, the lower strata of the river will be warmer than the rest, providing more productive habitat for all species. The upper areas of the Grand River in the City are unusual in that they provide two layers of habitat based on temperature. In summer, the lower level is cold and the warmer water flows over top of it. This allows coldwater fish species to spawn and maintain their metabolism in the lower portion of the river, while warmwater species can inhabit the top layer of water. In winter, warm water will be discharged into the bottom of the river, and this reduces stress for all fish species and may enhance feeding conditions. It is likely that there is an autumn migration of salmonid fish species through Brantford, although this has not been well documented. In the early 1970s, the former Lorne Dam was considered a major impediment to the upstream movement of rainbow trout and coho salmon. Lake-run specimens of these species were reported below the dam, and occasionally they were caught as far upstream as the Penman=s Dam in Paris. Since then, the Lorne Dam has been removed, and fish ladders have been added to downstream dams at Caledonia and Dunnville, thus facilitating upstream movement of salmon and rainbow trout. Salmonids are much more prevalent in Lake Erie now, and these species undoubtedly move through Brantford in the Grand River. Fish populations in the Grand River at Brantford have the potential to become a significant attraction. Coldwater fisheries were recently established in the Grand River in the vicinity of Fergus. The quality of this fishery is recognized provincially, and it also attracts many international anglers. With appropriate management and marketing, the City of Brantford could benefit from the angling opportunities that the Grand River offers D= Aubigny Creek D=Aubigny Creek is a tributary of the Grand River that drains much of the southwestern portion of the City of Brantford. This is also high quality fish habitat that has both coldwater and warmwater fish habitat. Most of the upper portions of the watershed are coldwater habitat and support native populations of brook trout. Brown trout and rainbow trout also occur in the creek, although the presence of these species may be detrimental to the native salmonid species. Near its mouth, it supports some warmwater species such as smallmouth bass and the nationally vulnerable greenside darter. A total of 17 fish species has been documented in the creek. Local conservationists and agencies have completed numerous habitat management improvements on this watercourse. D=Aubigny Creek is a significant fisheries resource, as coldwater streams with self-sustaining populations of brook trout are scarce at this latitude. It is susceptible to factors that may decrease the quantity of groundwater recharge and discharge or that might degrade groundwater quality. Also, it could be susceptible to overfishing, so is best kept as a local resource Mohawk Lake Mohawk Lake and the associated old canal system are warmwater fish habitat. The lake has poor water quality as a result of past land use practices. The fish assemblage is dominated by warmwater, pollutiontolerant species such as carp, suckers, bullheads, and a variety of minnow species. Nonetheless, it does support some game and panfish species such as smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, bluegill, Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

29 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. black crappie, and yellow perch. The lake may therefore provide some angling opportunities, but it is uncertain if the fish are suitable for consumption. A total of 17 fish species has been reported from the Mohawk Lake system. Two of these, the golden shiner and fathead minnow, have not been reported elsewhere in the City. The lake, therefore, contributes to fish species diversity in the City Fairchild Creek Fairchild Creek is a relatively small watercourse, although it has a large drainage area that originates near Cambridge and Sheffield. Overall, it is a warmwater stream that carries a heavy silt burden, so the species present are those that are tolerant of high temperatures and high nutrient concentrations. The main stream, however, does support small populations of game species such as northern pike and walleye (pers. obs.). In the northern and eastern portions of the City, there are small tributaries that are part of the Fairchild Creek system. Most of these are drainage ditches or roadside ditches. Despite this, they support an assemblage of fish dominated by minnows and suckers. One of the more important functions of these tributaries is to provide baseflow to the main stream which supports more significant fish habitat. The tributaries within the City should not be allowed to degrade, as this would be in contravention of the Fisheries Act. 5.3 Vegetation Communities Field investigations conducted for this report identified 116 vegetation communities within 16 general vegetation associations: coniferous forest, mixed forest, deciduous forest, coniferous swamp, mixed swamp, deciduous swamp, thicket swamp, open fen, meadow marsh, shallow marsh, submerged shallow aquatic, cultural plantation, cultural woodland, cultural thicket, cultural meadow, and tall grass prairie. These vegetation communities, based on the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) system (Lee et al., 1998), are shown for each quadrant in Figures 3 a to 3g and listed in Table 2. A summary of each vegetation association follows. Scientific names for all plant species mentioned in the text and recorded in the City appear in Appendix B. 24 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

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31

32

33

34

35

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37 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Table 2: Forest Deciduous Forest Vegetation Associations in the City of Brantford FOD 1 FOD 1-1 dry-fresh oak-black cherry FOD 1-4 a: dry-fresh mixed oak b: dry-fresh mixed oak c: dry-fresh mixed oak-sugar maple (old growth) FOD 2 FOD 2-2 dry-fresh oak-hickory FOD 2-3 dry-fresh hickory-maple FOD 2-4 dry-fresh oak-hardwood FOD 3 FOD 3-1 a: dry-fresh poplar FOD 4 FOD 4 b: dry-fresh poplar-manitoba maple a: dry-fresh Manitoba maple b: dry-fresh Manitoba maple c: dry-fresh Manitoba maple-cottonwood d: dry-fresh Norway maple-manitoba maple FOD 4-1 dry-fresh beech FOD 4-2 a: dry-fresh white ash-manitoba maple b: dry-fresh white ash-black locust c: dry-fresh white ash-black cherry d: dry-fresh white ash-basswood e: dry-fresh white ash-red oak FOD 4-3 dry-fresh hackberry-oak FOD 4-4 dry-fresh black walnut-white oak FOD 5 FOD 5-1 dry-fresh sugar maple FOD 5-2 dry-fresh sugar maple-beech FOD 5-3 dry-fresh sugar maple-oak FOD 5-5 dry-fresh sugar maple-hickory FOD 5-6 dry-fresh sugar maple-basswood FOD 5-7 dry-fresh sugar maple-black cherry FOD 5-8 dry-fresh sugar maple-white ash FOD 6 FOD 6-2 fresh-moist sugar maple-black maple FOD 6-5 fresh-moist sugar maple-hardwood FOD 7 FOD 7-1 a: fresh-moist white elm lowland FOD 7-2 b: fresh-moist white elm-hardwood a: fresh-moist ash-yellow birch lowland b: fresh-moist ash-bur oak lowland c: fresh-moist ash-hop hornbeam d: fresh-moist ash e: fresh-moist ash-hardwood FOD 7-3 fresh-moist willow-ash lowland FOD 7-4 fresh-moist black walnut-white ash lowland FOD 8 FOD 8-1 a: fresh-moist cottonwood-ash b: fresh-moist cottonwood-willow c: fresh-moist poplar-ash FOD 9 FOD 9-3 fresh-moist bur oak deciduous forest FOD 10 FOD 10-1 a: fresh-moist Manitoba maple-white elm b: fresh-moist Manitoba maple-white elm c: fresh-moist Manitoba maple-hackberry lowland d: fresh-moist Manitoba maple-black walnut e: fresh-moist Manitoba maple lowland Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

38 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Table 2: Vegetation Associations in the City of Brantford Mixed Forest FOM 2 FOM 2-1 a: dry-fresh white pine-oak b: dry-fresh oak-white pine FOM 2-2 dry-fresh white pine-sugar maple FOM 4 FOM 4-3 dry-fresh white ash-white cedar FOM 5 FOM 5-2 dry-fresh poplar FOM 7 FOM 7-2 fresh-moist white cedar-yellow birch Coniferous Forest FOC 2 FOC 2-2 dry-fresh white cedar Wetland Marsh MAS MAS 3-1 cattail organic shallow marsh MAM MAM 2 aster-goldenrod mineral meadow marsh MAM 2-2 reed canary grass mineral meadow marsh MAM 2-11 cattail mineral meadow marsh SAS SAS 1 submerged shallow aquatic Swamp SWT 2 SWT 2-2 willow mineral thicket swamp SWT 2-7 ninebark-gray dogwood mineral/organic thicket swamp SWT 3 SWT 3-5 red-osier dogwood organic thicket swamp SWT 3-10 gray dogwood organic thicket swamp SWC 3 SWC 3-1 white cedar organic coniferous swamp SWD 1 SWD 1-1 swamp white oak mineral/organic deciduous swamp SWD 3 SWD 3-4 Manitoba maple mineral deciduous swamp SWD 4 SWD 4-1 a: willow organic deciduous swamp b: willow-manitoba maple deciduous swamp c: willow organic/mineral deciduous swamp d: willow organic deciduous swamp e: willow mineral deciduous swamp SWD 4-4 yellow birch mineral/organic deciduous swamp SWD 5 SWD 5-2 a: red ash organic deciduous swamp b: red ash organic deciduous swamp c: red ash-red maple organic deciduous swamp SWM 1 SWM 1-1 white cedar-willow mineral mixed swamp SWM 4 SWM 4-1 a: white cedar-willow organic mixed swamp b: white cedar-yellow birch organic mixed swamp Fen FEO 1 prairie open fen 40 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

39 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Table 2: Vegetation Associations in the City of Brantford Cultural Thicket CUT 1 CUT 1 white elm-apple CUT 1-4 gray dogwood b: gray dogwood-alternate-leaved dogwood CUT 1-7 sandbar willow-crack willow CUT 1-8 cottonwood CUT 1-9 Manitoba maple CUT 1-10 Manitoba maple-black walnut CUT 1-11 white elm-hawthorn Meadow CUM 1-1 dry-fresh brome grass CUM 1-2 dry-fresh aster-goldenrod CUM 1-3 fresh-moist goldenrod-teasel Plantation CUP 1 CUP 1 mixed deciduous CUP1-11 black locust CUP 3 CUP 3-1 red pine CUP 3-2 white pine b: white pine-scots pine CUP 3-3 Scots pine-norway spruce CUP 3-6 European larch-red pine Woodland CUW 1 CUW 1-3 black walnut-oak a: black walnut-bur oak b: black walnut - ash CUW 1-4 black locust-black walnut CUW 1-5 poplar-black walnut CUW 1-6 crack willow-cottonwood CUW 1-7 Manitoba maple-black walnut CUW 1-8 Manitoba maple-cottonwood CUW 1-9 poplar-white elm b: poplar-ash c: poplar-willow CUW 1-10 cottonwood CUW 1-11 willow-black walnut CUW 1-12 apple-black walnut HR 1 HR 1 oak-sugar maple hedgerow Prairie TPO 1 TPO 1 a: tall grass graminoid prairie (diverse community) b: tall grass prairie (big bluestem only) Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

40 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC Forest Coniferous Forest (FOC) Only one area of natural coniferous forest has been identified within the study area. This unit is dominated by white cedar and is part of the large contiguous forest located between the abandoned railways south of Pleasant Ridge Road. This FOC is complexed with an organic white cedar swamp (SWC) as the general area is a mosaic of the two community types consisting of patches of mineral soils and seepage areas with wet organic soils. Mixed Forest (FOM) There are five mixed forest units occurring mostly on dry to fresh soils. The coniferous species on these sites are generally white pine and white cedar, some of which have possibly been planted. However, the associated trees species, sub-canopy and understory are natural components to these communities. Other mixed forest units such as those along the Grand River north and south of Highway 403 are communities of natural origin. There is one unit with fresh-moist soils dominated by white cedar and hemlock near the west end of Shellard Lane. Deciduous Forest (FOD) This community type is the most dominant vegetation type within the study area with over forty representative units. These forested areas vary greatly in age, ecological function, botanical quality and sensitivity. Woodlots of more significance are found west of Golf Road, south of Power Line Road along the east side of the Grand River and between the abandoned railways south of Pleasant Ridge Road. These areas in particular support a variety of forest communities, in some cases with very diverse tree species composition, and constitute relatively large and contiguous natural areas. Other significant units are isolated patches of forest surrounded by farmland or residential areas. Some of these forests are quite mature or contain rare species such as pignut hickory. These forests are located north and south of Shellard Lane, between Ava Road and the Grand River and south of Glenwood Drive. The remaining units are generally younger to intermediate forests. Lowland Manitoba maple forests are very common on previously disturbed riparian areas along the Grand River. Two significant forest community types of varying quality were identified. These were hackberry-dominated forests and black walnut lowland forests Wetland Coniferous Swamp (SWC) As with the coniferous forest area, the only coniferous swamp community has been complexed with the FOC. Within this complex, areas of SWC become more dominant further down slope where seepage areas are more frequent, eventually becoming entirely an organic SWC at the toe of the slope. Mixed Swamp (SWM) All three mixed swamp units were found to have at least fifty percent white cedar and in two cases occurred on organic soils. Associated trees were willows and yellow birch with red-osier or gray dogwood being the dominant shrubs. The small unit north of Mohawk Road has mineral soils and has had past disturbance as it lies along a channelized area. The remaining units are more natural communities containing greater botanical variety as well as some seepage areas. 42 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

41 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Deciduous Swamp (SWD) The majority of the deciduous swamp communities are found in the area west of Golf Road. These units are found primarily along a watercourse that begins on the east side of Golf Road and runs west under Golf Road before turning south towards Hardy Road. These deciduous swamps range from mineral to various depths of organic soils. A dug pond and beaver pond has flooded some areas resulting in the SWD units varying in health, age and function. Thicket Swamp (SWT) Four general types of SWT were found during the study. Gray dogwood and red-osier dogwood shrub cover was the most common with organic depths varying greatly and many areas having mineral soils. Such units were common between the abandoned railways south of Pleasant Ridge Road. This area is located at the base of a valley land and receives much water through run-off and seepage. In addition, the two railways act as berms impeding the flow of water and thus promoting these vegetation communities. Open Fen (FEO) Two open fen communities were identified west of Oak Park Road south of Highway These significant communities are known as perched fens and contain a variety of S1, S2 and S3 provincially rare plant species such as rough dropseed, soft-leaf muhly, and dwarf chinquapin oak. Meadow Marsh (MAM) Three types of mineral meadow marsh occur within the city limits. Herbaceous cover varies from goldenrods and asters to reed-canary grass. Most of these units are small, less than two hectares, and are often found in low-lying agricultural areas too wet to farm. The largest MAM located during the field investigations is along the abandoned railway north of Shellard Lane. Shallow Marsh (MAS) The one shallow marsh identified is located south of Hardy Road west of the golf course. This unit is dominated by cattails and patches of gray dogwood, and has various depths of organic soils. A small stream runs through the unit. Submerged Shallow Aquatic (SAS) A few isolated shallow aquatic areas were found throughout the study area. Some are of anthropogenic origin while others are possibly kettle lakes (ponds) most of which were found to have relatively high water levels at the time of the field visit despite recent drought conditions Cultural Cultural Plantation (CUP) There are a number of CUP units occurring throughout the city. The largest concentration of these communities is found on the Brantford Waterworks property and west of Oak Park Road near the Grand River. These plantations vary in health and age and have mostly lower ecological function. Cultural Woodland (CUW) There are ten different types of CUW units scattered throughout the city limits. Poplar and black walnut are the most common tree species with tree cover varying from sparse to patchy, often associated with dense Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

42 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. shrub cover. These areas are generally found on abandoned agricultural lands, old aggregate extraction areas, and adjacent to established forests. Cultural Thicket (CUT) The most common cultural thicket units are dominated by gray dogwood and occur on dry-fresh to freshmoist soils. Many of these communities have very dense shrub cover, up to 100% in some areas, and contain small scattered patches of cultural woodland. There is a high concentration of these communities near the abandoned railways south of Colborne Street and Pleasant Ridge Road. Other areas, such as the CUT north of Hardy Road support remnant prairie species in open dry areas. Cultural Meadow (CUM) Cultural meadow areas are common between the 403 and Power Line Road as well as north and south of Shellard Lane Road. Most of the units are dominated by smooth brome grass, orchard grass or asters and goldenrods. Some CUM contain remnant prairie areas Vegetation Community Complexes There are eight vegetation units that have two different community descriptions as these areas are a mosaic of different vegetation types where separating them with defined boundaries is difficult. Most often this is due to undulating topography or other factors that have created variable moisture regimes resulting in forest communities mixed in with swamp areas. 5.4 Plants Bakowsky=s database (unpublished) listed the locations of 32 nationally and/or provincially significant species within the City of Brantford. Many of these species were found in multiple locations. One species is threatened in Canada. Discussions with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided information on three additional species significant at the national or provincial levels. No additional provincially or nationally significant species were discovered during the fieldwork conducted for the Official Plan review. The background information received from Bakowsky and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources resulted in a total of 37 significant plant species: 4 of these are nationally significant and 33 are provincially significant (see Section and Tables 3 and 4). A complete list of plants observed in the study area is presented in Appendix B. In total 682 species were recorded, a very high diversity which reflects the presence of many uncommon and rare habitat types. Over 73% of the species recorded are native species, well above the provincial average of 67%. This is another indicator that the flora of the City is of high quality. In Ontario, the City of Brantford is probably second only to Windsor in the number of significant species that it provides habitat for. Regionally significant species are those that are rare throughout Site Region 7. Site Regions are the main forest regions in Ontario (of which there are seven), and Brantford is in Site Region 7. This Site Region is generally known as the Carolinian Forest. It includes southwestern Ontario north to a line running approximately from Grand Bend through Cambridge to Hamilton. To qualify as regionally significant, a plant must be rare in Essex, Kent, Elgin, Lambton, southern Huron, southern Middlesex, southern Oxford, and Brant counties. Regional rarity was determined by consulting Riley (1989) and Oldham (1993) for lists of rare species in the old Southwestern and Central Regions of OMNR. 44 Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

43 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. Locally rare species are those that are rare within the City of Brantford, or within the Site District that the City is located in. Insufficient data are available for the Site District, so determinations of local significance must be based on the geographic boundaries of the City. Species found in three or fewer locations within the City were considered locally significant. Species with a high Coefficient of Conservation (CC) were also considered locally significant. The CC is an indication of the habitat breadth of native plant species. Species with a high CC have very specific habitat requirements and are most susceptible to changes in microhabitat. Examples include species that occur only in bogs, fens, prairies, and other specialized habitats. Species with a low CC occur in a wide range of habitats and are less likely to be affected by habitat changes. An example is common milkweed that has a CC of 0. For the purposes of this study, plants with a CC value of 8 to 10 (on a scale of 0 to 10) were considered locally significant. Some exceptions were made for species that are very common and widespread in the City, such as hackberry, which occurs in many backyards in the urban area as well as in natural areas. 5.5 Wildlife Information on wildlife distribution is available from volunteer atlases of butterflies, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians that have been compiled for Ontario. In total, 93 species of breeding birds (Cadman et al., 1987), 24 species of reptiles and amphibians (Lamond, 1994; Weller and Oldham, 1988) and 25 species of mammals (Dobbyn, 1994) have been recorded in the two 10 by 10 km squares that include the City of Brantford. All the species are designated as S5, very common and demonstrably secure in Ontario, or S4, common and apparently secure in Ontario, except for the following four species: Red-headed Woodpecker (S3 in Ontario, Vulnerable in Canada), Orchard Oriole (S3), Queen Snake (S2 in Ontario, Threatened in Ontario and Canada) and Eastern Hognose Snake (S3 in Ontario, Vulnerable in Canada). The specific locations of species occurrences are not available from wildlife atlases; all that is known is that these species were found somewhere within the squares. Therefore, some of these species may not occur in the City. The presence or absence of these significant species was investigated during the 2000 field season. Considerable information on wildlife was obtained from the Brant Field Naturalists and local residents through focus group meetings. These data were included in the wildlife inventory. Discussions with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources provided information on the locations of eight additional significant species. A complete list of wildlife compiled from all sources is provided in Appendix C. A total of 252 wildlife species were documented in the City, and this includes only verified records for the City except for 2 reptiles, 20 breeding birds, and 7 mammals that were reported from the atlases only. In total, 74 butterfly, 12 amphibian, 13 reptile, 127 bird, and 26 mammal species have been found in or immediately adjacent to the City. The bird list includes 75 bird species that apparently breed within the City. Little information is available on migrant and wintering birds in the City, so the list of birds could easily be augmented by several species. Nonetheless, the City supports a high diversity of wildlife species, including many that are significant. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

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45 ESG INTERNATIONAL INC. 6.0 SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS AND FEATURES Natural areas in the City were evaluated based on the criteria outlined in Section 4. Areas were classified as sites where no development is permitted, or sites where development may be permitted if it can be demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the features and functions for which the area was designated. Natural areas within the City are depicted on Figures 5a to 5f, along with an explanation of why they were designated and whether or not development may be permitted. Note that no significant features were found in Section 3 (the northcentral portion of the City), so no figure is provided for this area. 6.1 Significant Wetlands There are three evaluated wetlands within the City limits. One, the Brantford Northwest wetland complex, is provincially significant. Two others, the Brantford Floodplain wetland and the Mohawk Lake wetland complex, are not. The Brantford Northwest wetland complex is made up of three hydrologically connected individual wetlands (the former Brantford Northwest Terraces and Brantford Northwest Golf Course Wetlands) comprising 32.1 ha of swamp, marsh and fen. The site is palustrine, with permanent or intermittent outflow, and the soils are 63% organic and 37% clay, loam or silt. This wetland complex supports two provincially significant plant species and six regionally significant species of plants and wildlife. It has regional significance for whitetailed deer. The Brantford Floodplain wetland is the Brantford Perched Prairie Fen, recommended as an ANSI by Bakowsky and Riley (1993). This prairie fen is discussed in the context of prairie and savannah sites in section 6.2. The Mohawk Lake wetland complex consists of five individual wetlands of swamp and marsh, totalling 8.4 ha in size. The wetland is largely isolated and overlies mineral (non-organic) soils. No significant features or species were observed. However, the wetland complex does provide locally important habitat for common species of fish and wildlife. Locations of wetlands are shown in blue on Figures 3 a to 3g. 6.2 Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest There are no Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs) in the City of Brantford. Several Life Science Sites are listed with the Natural Heritage Information Centre. Four hectares of prairie and savannah communities located in and near the western limits of the City are designated as the Brantford Prairies and Savannah Life Science Site. It has been recommended as an ANSI by Bakowsky and Riley (1993). This feature includes the Brantford Golf and Country Club, Brantford Railway, TCG Railway and Brantford Perched Prairie Fen. These represent one of the most significant areas of prairie and savannah relics in southern Ontario, with a number of unique communities present. Vegetation management, through mechanical thinning of woody species or preferably controlled burns must be conducted or these communities will disappear (Bakowsky and Riley, 1993). A second prairie Life Science Site, the Brantford Trench Prairie, is located along a trench excavated for the CN Railway to the east of the Brantford Prairies and Savannah Life Science Site. Environmental Data Report, Official Plan Review City of Brantford July 12,

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