Open HouseBackgroundThis project received environmental clearance through the completion of an Environmental Study Report (ESR) for Terry Fox Drive between Eagleson Road and March Road in 2000, and an EA Addendum in April 2007 that addressed development plans for this sector of Kanata. The Construction of this priority infrastructure project will be funded under the Building Canada Stimulus Program which is jointly funded by the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments. The detailed design and supporting studies have been underway since March 2009, funded by the City of Ottawa. Objectives of the Open House
Endangered SpeciesButternutEndangered DescriptionBelonging to the walnut family, this species is rarely more than 30 m tall and 90 cm in diameter. The bark of a young tree is grey and smooth, becoming irregularly ridged as the tree matures. The Butternut has compound leaves made up of 11 to 17 leaflets arranged in a feather-like pattern opposite to one another. Each leaflet is approximately 9 to 15 cms long and almost stalk-less. This tree produces edible nuts, each containing a single seed in a rigid shell with jagged edges and covered by a green and hairy husk.
DistributionNative to northeastern and north central North America, the Butternut is widespread in Canada; conservative estimates place approximately 13,000 trees in southwestern Ontario as far north as the Bruce Peninsula. BiologyButternut trees rarely exceed a lifespan greater than 75 years. The trees start to produce nuts around 20 years of age and produce a good crop every 2-3 years until maximum production occurs between 30-60 years of age. The tree flowers from April to June and is very sensitive to spring frost events. The pollinated fruits may develop individually or in clusters of 2-5 fruits and reach maturity during September or October. The fruits typically remain on the tree until after the leaves have fallen. The seeds are generally dispersed by water squirrels or other small rodents. The species may also multiply by sprouts produced by young stumps. ThreatsThe primary threat to this species is the high rate of infection and resulting mortality from Butternut canker. This is a serious fungal disease that can kill a tree within a few years by entering the tree via cracks or wounds in the bark and multiplying rapidly, killing everything above the canker. Fungus spores are transported in wet weather and spread quickly. Surveys in eastern Ontario show that most trees have been infected. Blanding’s TurtleThreatened DescriptionThe Blanding’s Turtle is easily distinguishable by its bright yellow lower jaw, throat and lower shell. Adults have a domed and smooth upper shell that can be up to 27 cms in length and is usually black or dark brown with tan to yellow lines or spots randomly scattered that appear after two years of age. The markings tend to fade as the turtle ages.
BiologyThese turtles can survive inn the wild for more than 75 years. In Canada, females mature as late as 25 years. Every two or three years they produce a clutch of three tom 19 eggs, which are typically laid in June and hatch in late September or early October. Eggs incubated below 22 degrees Celsius or above 32 degrees Celsius will not develop properly and the embryo mortality rate for this species is naturally high in the Canadian climate. ThreatsThis species is declining due to reduced nesting success as a result of predation and cool summer temperatures. Their habitat has been degraded as a result of the development and alterations of wetlands. The road network that criss-crosses this turtle’s habitat has isolated the subpopulations and increased female and hatching mortality because females often attempt to nest on gravel roads or on shoulders of paved roads. Loss of these mature, nesting females greatly reduces the long-term success of the subpopulations due to the delayed age of maturity, low reproductive output and extreme longevity. Critical HabitatThe Blanding Turtle is primarily an aquatic species and inhabits lakes, streams and wetlands. In the winter it is generally found in permanent pools 1 m deep or in slow-flowing streams. In the spring, summer and fall, it prefers shallow wetland areas with abundant vegetation. Juveniles tend to prefer shoreline areas with thick aquatic vegetation while adults are generally found in open or partially vegetated sites. Adults spend significant portions of time travelling in terrestrial environments between wetlands to find sites for sun exposure and nesting. They have been known to travel up to 7 km in search of food or a mate. The species usually nests in dry conifer or mixed hardwood forests, up top 410 m from a body of water. Females tend to prefer partially vegetated sites such as fields or roadways and dig their nests in loose substrates including sand, gravel, and cobblestone. American GinsengEndangered DescriptionAmerican Ginseng is a perennial herb that measures 20-70 cm in height. The plant is rooted similar to a carrot. The stem ends in several compound leaves and a central flower. The flower is greenish-white and develops into bright red berries. Each plant may have more than one stem.
BiologyAmerican Ginseng is long-lived and only begins flowering between the ages of 3-8. Buds are formed on the rhizome of the plant in late summer/early fall and this will give rise to a new stem the following spring. Flowering begins in June and continues until August. The fruit typically develops in July and ripens by September. This plant reproduces primarily through seeds and dispersal done by birds. Ginseng seeds lie dormant for 18-22 months before germinating. The Minimum Viable Population Size for Ginseng is estimated to be about 170 plants; each seed has only a0.55 per cent chance of reaching maturity. DistributionIn Ontario the range of American Ginseng extends across Southern Ontario with concentration occurring along the Niagara escarpment and the eastern edge of the Precambrian Shield. As of 2000 there were 65 records of American Ginseng in Ontario Critical HabitatIn Canada, American Ginseng grows in rich, moist and undisturbed mature deciduous forests in areas of neutral soil, such as over limestone or marble bedrock. Colonies can often be found near the bottom of gently south-facing slopes where the microhabitat is warm and well-drained. ThreatsHarvesting, logging and clearing of land for agriculture and development are the primary identified factors for the significant decrease of American Ginseng. Golden-Winged WarblerThreatened DescriptionThe golden-winged warbler is a small songbird measuring 11 cm long. It is recognizable bits grey back, white belly, yellow forehead and a yellow patch on its wings. Males have black feathers around their eyes and throat while these feathers are grey on females.
BiologyGolden-winged warblers usually breed at one year of age and can continue until nine years of age. Couples build nests on the ground, at the base of a plant and produce 2-6 eggs a year. During the breeding season they are insectivores, eating caterpillars, moths, winged insects and spiders. Golden-winged warblers are known to breed with blue-winged warblers, giving rise to a hybrid known as a Brewster warbler or a Lawrence warbler. DistributionIn Ontario, golden-winged warblers are found in southern Ontario, as far North as the Rainy River district near Lake of the Woods. Approximately 18 per cent of the world’s population breed in Canada with a large portion nesting in Ontario. The bird overwinters in Central America and northern South America. Critical HabitatIn their breeding areas, golden-winged warblers inhabit areas of early successional vegetation, and are often found in dry uplands, swamp forests and marshes. They have shown preferences for public utility right-of-ways, recently logged areas on the edge of fields and beaver ponds. ThreatsThe main threat to the golden-winged warbler are the decreases in early successional scrub habitat within the breeding range and hybridization with the blue-winged warbler, as the latter’s range extends north and overlaps with that of the golden-winged warbler. The eggs and chicks also fall victim to various predators such as raccoons, foxes, squirrels, mice, snakes, etc. Predators or nest abandonment is believed to cause 45 per cent of nesting failure.
Shirley’s Brook RealignmentApproximately 700 m of Shirley’s Brook is impacted by the Terry Fox Drive work and future planned urban development. Shirley’s Brook originates in the South March Highland Provincially Significant Wetland and outlets to planned urban development land through flat, forested swamp. This impacts critical turtle habitats. A culvert will be required to divert flow under the CNR. Wildlife PassageWildlife passages will provide wet and dry crossroads for reptiles, amphibians, fish and small mammals. Urbanization plans have eliminated the need for large mammal crossings.
Next StepsFollowing the Open House we will:
|
CON047190