Monitoring to Address the Response of Turtles and Snakes to the Outcomes of Phragmites Australis Management at the Big Creek and Long Point National Wildlife Areas

Background

Environment and Climate Change Canada-Canadian Wildlife Service (ECCC-CWS) is responsible for the protection of species at risk (SAR) and their Critical Habitat on federally owned lands under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Under the authority of the Canada Wildlife Act, ECCC-CWS establishes National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) for the purposes of conservation, research, and interpretation. NWAs are managed to maintain the ecological integrity of the site for the benefit of migratory birds, SAR, and other wildlife of national importance and in accordance with the conservation objectives set out in its management plan.

Big Creek and Long Point NWAs are located within ECCC-CWS Ontario Region’s Long Point Walsingham Forest (LPWF) Priority Place, where the invasive species Phragmites australis is highlighted as a primary threat. Implementing a program to reduce the extent of Phragmites by 90% is an objective of the Integrated Conservation Action Plan (ICAP) for the Priority Place, as well as the Management Plans for the NWAs. Management of Phragmites is necessary to sustain and improve habitat and populations of SAR, migratory birds and resident flora and fauna.

Over the course of the project, ECCC-CWS plans to manage 90% of the Phragmites at the Big Creek National NWA (BCNWA) and Long Point NWA (LPNWA). Management activities, including herbicide application, mowing, rolling and burning, must co-occur with wildlife monitoring to track and report on the response of species and habitats to management. In addition, monitoring enables the implementation of adaptive management, a key component of the ICAP. Approximately 10ha of Phragmites were managed within Brown’s Marsh (BCNWA) and Long Pond and Otter Pond (LPNWA) in 2019, and approximately 150ha were managed within BCNWA and Thoroughfare Unit (LPNWA) in 2020.

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this Contract is to evaluate the outcomes of non-native Phragmites management on SAR turtles and snakes. Outcomes will be evaluated by assessing variation in relative abundance and habitat use before and after management action, and compared with control and reference plots. In addition to informing the Phragmites management project, these surveys will provide ECCC-CWS with needed information to inform Critical Habitat and Action Plans (requirements under the Species at Risk Act) for Threatened and Endangered turtle and snake species at these sites.

Monitoring activities must be designed to address the following research question:

What is the impact of non-native Phragmites management on turtle and snake relative abundance and habitat use?

To address the research question, ECCC-CWS requires the collection of turtle and snake monitoring data at two NWAs. Data collection must occur in 2021 and 2022, at the locations and using the methods described in the objectives below:

1. Evaluate the relative abundance and habitat use of turtles and snakes following the management of Phragmites within Brown's Marsh of BCNWA and Long Pond of LPNWA, through Visual Encounter Surveys (VES);
2. Evaluate the change in relative abundance and habitat use of turtles and snakes prior to and following the management of Phragmites within Squire's Ridge of LPNWA, through a combination of VES and Mark-Recapture (MR); and
3. Evaluate relative abundance and habitat use of turtles and snakes following the management of Phragmites within the Big Creek Unit of BCNWA, through a combination of VES, MR and radio-telemetry.