Appendix P Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat

300 Pages·2014·9.34 MB·English

Appendix P
Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat

Application for an Environmental Assessment
Certificate
Appendix P
Technical Data Report

PRINCE RUPERT GAS WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MAY 2014
TRANSMISSION PROJECT REVISION: 1
APPENDIX P – TECHNICAL DATA REPORT PAGE i OF xiv

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AANDC ............................................................... Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
Ah ....................................................................................................................................... Alpine Heath
AIC ..............................................................................................................Akaike Information Criterion
AIR .............................................................................................. Application Information Requirements
Am .................................................................................................................................. Alpine Meadow
ARU ....................................................................................................................... acoustic recorder unit
AT ...................................................................................................................................... Alpine Tundra
BAFA ............................................................................................................. Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine
BAM ....................................................................................................... Boreal Avian Modelling Project
BAU ............................................................................................................... Babine Upland ecosection
BC ................................................................................................................................. British Columbia
BC BBA .............................................................................................................. BC Breeding Bird Atlas
BC CDC ............................................................................. British Columbia Conservation Data Centre
BC MFLNRO ............... British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
BC MOE ................................................................................. British Columbia Ministry of Environment
BC MOFR................................................................... British Columbia Ministry of Forestry and Range
BEC zone ....................................................................... Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification Zone
BEI .............................................................................................................. Broad Ecosystem Inventory
BWBS .................................................................................................... Boreal White and Black Spruce
CBC ....................................................................................................................... Christmas Bird Count
CDS ....................................................................................................... conventional distance sampling
CF .................................................................................................................................... cultivated field
CI ............................................................................................................................... confidence interval
CLUDI ................................................................................... Coast Land Use Decision Implementation
CMA ................................................................................................... Coastal Mountain-heather Alpine
COSEWIC ................................................ Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
CRU ......................................................................................................... Cranberry Upland ecosection
CWH .............................................................................................................. Coastal Western Hemlock
CWD ....................................................................................................................... coarse woody debris
dbh .................................................................................................................. diameter at breast height
DU ............................................................................................................................... Designatable Unit
EAC .............................................................................................. environmental assessment certificate
PRINCE RUPERT GAS WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MAY 2014
TRANSMISSION PROJECT REVISION: 1
APPENDIX P – TECHNICAL DATA REPORT PAGE ii OF xiv

Ed .................................................................................................................................. estuary meadow
EDR ................................................................................................................. effective detection radius
Em .................................................................................................................................... estuary marsh
ERM .............................................................................................. ecosystem-based resource mapping
ESSF ................................................................................................ Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir
ESW ......................................................................................................................... effective strip width
FHWG ..................................................................................................... Fisher Habitat Working Group
Fl ............................................................................................................................ low-bench floodplain
Fm .......................................................................................................................... mid-bench floodplain
GBAA ..................................................................................................... Grizzly Bear Assessment Area
GBPU ......................................................................................................... Grizzly Bear Population Unit
GWM .............................................................................................................. general wildlife measures
ha .............................................................................................................................................. hectares
HAF .................................................................................................................. Hart Foothills ecosection
HAP ............................................................................................................. Halfway Plateau ecosection
HSI ...................................................................................................................... habitat suitability index
ICH ................................................................................................................... Interior Cedar - Hemlock
IBA ........................................................................................................................... Important Bird Area
IBP ...................................................................................................................... indicated breeding pair
KI ......................................................................................................................................... key indicator
KIR ............................................................................................................... Kitimat Ranges ecosection
km ........................................................................................................................................... kilometres
KP ..................................................................................................................................... kilometer post
LA ...................................................................................................................................................... lake
LSA ................................................................................................................................ local study area
LRMP ........................................................................................ Land and Resource Management Plan
MAP ............................................................................................................ Manson Plateau ecosection
MCP .........................................................................................................McGregor Plateau ecosection
MEM ...................................................................................................... Meziadin Mountains ecosection
MH ............................................................................................................................. Mountain Hemlock
mm ......................................................................................................................................... millimetres
MMT .......................................................................................................... mitigation management table
MPB ....................................................................................................................... mountain pine beetle
PRINCE RUPERT GAS WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MAY 2014
TRANSMISSION PROJECT REVISION: 1
APPENDIX P – TECHNICAL DATA REPORT PAGE iii OF xiv

MR1 ................................................................................................................................ Marine Route 1
MR2 ................................................................................................................................ Marine Route 2
MR5 ................................................................................................................................ Marine Route 5
NAB ..................................................................................................................... Nass Basin ecosection
NABBS ........................................................................................ North American Breeding Bird Survey
NAM ............................................................................................................ Nass Mountains ecosection
NBC ............................................................................................................... Nass Bay Connector route
NCF ........................................................................................................ North Coast Fjords ecosection
NEL .......................................................................................................... Nechako Lowland ecosection
NHR .................................................................................................. Northern Hart Ranges ecosection
NSM ......................................................................................... Northern Skeena Mountains ecosection
NT ......................................................................................................................... Nasoga Tunnel route
PAT .............................................................................................................. Parsnip Trench ecosection
PD ................................................................................................................................................... pond
PEF .............................................................................................................. Peace Foothills ecosection
PEL .............................................................................................................. Peace Lowland ecosection
PNCIMA ................................................................... Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area
ppm ................................................................................................................................ parts per million
PR ..................................................................................................................................... Pipeline route
Project ......................................................................................... LNG Canada Export Terminal Project
PRPA ......................................................................................................... Prince Rupert Port Authority
RSA .......................................................................................................................... regional study area
RIG ...................................................................................................... Recovery Implementation Group
RO ....................................................................................................................................... rock outcrop
ROW .................................................................................................................................... right-of-way
RW ................................................................................................................................................... rural
SARA ....................................................................................................................... Species at Risk Act
SBPS .............................................................................................................. Sub-boreal Pine – Spruce
SBR .......................................................................................... Southern Boundary Ranges ecosection
SBS ........................................................................................................................... Sub-boreal Spruce
Sc ........................................................................................................................... subalpine shrub carr
Sk ...........................................................................................................................................krummholz
SRMP .................................................................................... Sustainable Resource Management Plan
PRINCE RUPERT GAS WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MAY 2014
TRANSMISSION PROJECT REVISION: 1
APPENDIX P – TECHNICAL DATA REPORT PAGE iv OF xiv

SSM ........................................................................................ Southern Skeena Mountains ecosection
SWB ........................................................................................................................ Spruce-Willow-Birch
TDR ..................................................................................................................... Technical Data Report
TEM ......................................................................................................... terrestrial ecosystem mapping
TRIM .................................................................................. Terrain Resource Information Management
TSA ........................................................................................................................... timber supply area
Ur ................................................................................................................................... urban/suburban
USGS .................................................................................................. United States Geological Survey
UTM .........................................................................................................u niversal transverse mercator
UWR ................................................................................................................... Ungulate Winter Range
VC ............................................................................................................................ Valued Component
Vh .................................................................................................................................. Avalanche Herb
vm1 .............................................................................................................. very wet maritime subzone
VRI ......................................................................................................... vegetation resources inventory
Vs .................................................................................................................................. avalanche shrub
Vt ................................................................................................................................... avalanche treed
Wb ........................................................................................................................................ bog wetland
Wf .......................................................................................................................................... fen wetland
WHA ....................................................................................................................... Wildlife Habitat Area
Wm ................................................................................................................................... marsh wetland
WMU .............................................................................................................. Wildlife Management Unit
Ws .................................................................................................................................. swamp wetland
WSI ................................................................................................................ Wildlife Species Inventory
Ww ................................................................................................................................. shallow wetland
Xh ..................................................................................................................................... disclimax herb
Xs ................................................................................................................................... disclimax shrub
PRINCE RUPERT GAS WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MAY 2014
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APPENDIX P – TECHNICAL DATA REPORT PAGE v OF xiv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1  Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 
1.1  Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 1 
2  Study Areas ............................................................................................................................ 2 
2.1  Local Study Area ............................................................................................................ 2 
2.2  Regional Study Area ...................................................................................................... 3 
2.3  Administrative Boundaries ............................................................................................. 3 
3  Project Setting and Characterization ................................................................................... 6 
3.1  Physical Setting .............................................................................................................. 6 
3.2  Wildlife Setting ............................................................................................................... 7 
4  Review of Existing Data ........................................................................................................ 9 
4.1  Selection of Indicators .................................................................................................... 9 
4.2  Mitigation Measures ..................................................................................................... 22 
4.3  Literature and Data Review ......................................................................................... 22 
4.3.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 22 
4.3.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 23 
4.3.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 36 
5  Field Studies ......................................................................................................................... 37 
5.1  Remote Cameras ......................................................................................................... 37 
5.1.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 37 
5.1.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 40 
5.1.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 46 
5.2  Breeding Waterfowl Surveys ........................................................................................ 47 
5.2.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 47 
5.2.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 48 
5.2.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 53 
5.3  Fall Migration Waterfowl Surveys ................................................................................ 53 
5.3.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 53 
5.3.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 54 
5.3.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 59 
5.4  Raptors, Trumpeter Swan and Great Blue Heron ........................................................ 59 
5.4.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 59 
5.4.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 60 
5.4.2.1  Bald Eagle ..................................................................................... 60 
5.4.2.2  Osprey ........................................................................................... 60 
5.4.2.3  Trumpeter Swan ............................................................................ 60
PRINCE RUPERT GAS WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MAY 2014
TRANSMISSION PROJECT REVISION: 1
APPENDIX P – TECHNICAL DATA REPORT PAGE vi OF xiv

5.4.2.4  Great Blue Heron .......................................................................... 60 
5.4.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 62 
5.5  Yellow Rail and American Bittern ................................................................................. 62 
5.5.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 62 
5.5.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 63 
5.5.2.1  Yellow Rail and American Bittern .................................................. 64 
5.5.2.2  Songbirds ...................................................................................... 64 
5.5.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 68 
5.6  Breeding Bird Surveys ................................................................................................. 68 
5.6.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 69 
5.6.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 72 
5.6.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 76 
5.7  Pond-Dwelling Amphibians .......................................................................................... 76 
5.7.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 77 
5.7.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 77 
5.7.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 79 
5.8  Coastal Tailed Frog ...................................................................................................... 80 
5.8.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 80 
5.8.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 81 
5.8.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 83 
5.9  Marine Bird Surveys ..................................................................................................... 84 
5.9.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 84 
5.9.1.1  Prince Rupert Port Authority Marine Bird Surveys ........................ 85 
5.9.1.2  Vessel Transect Surveys .............................................................. 85 
5.9.1.3  Density Estimation ........................................................................ 86 
5.9.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 87 
5.9.2.1  Vessel Transect Surveys .............................................................. 87 
5.9.2.2  Survey Conditions ......................................................................... 89 
5.9.2.3  Density Estimation ........................................................................ 89 
5.9.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 91 
5.10  Wildlife Habitat Suitability ............................................................................................. 92 
5.10.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 92 
5.10.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 94 
5.10.3  Discussion ..................................................................................................... 95 
5.11  Incidental Observations................................................................................................ 95 
5.11.1  Methods ......................................................................................................... 95 
5.11.2  Results ........................................................................................................... 95