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Species of Management Concern & Sites of Biological Significance

Contractor Annual General Training and Prework

Houston

May 3, 2019

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SoMC Guidebook – Updated 2019

  • Designed to provide enough information to identify a species
  • Provides key immediate and follow-up management actions
  • Not a comprehensive list of management guidelines – further consultation with your Canfor Supervisor is needed
  • Species focused list

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Species of Management Concern

  • This document speaks to 3 different conservation listings:
    • BC Listing: According to a species provincial conservation status
      • Red-listed
      • Blue-listed
      • Yellow-listed
    • COSEWIC: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
    • SARA: Federal Species At Risk Act
      • Identified Wildlife Management Strategy (IWMS)

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Wildlife Habitat Features

  • These are features that have been identified and have proposed legislated protection
  • Currently NO features in the Morice TSA/Houston DFA that fall under this GAR order
    • Potentially 1 will be enacted soon – Morice Mountain Goat Lick
    • Management strategies are applied at the planning level and do not affect field work

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Photo: J. Deal

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High Value Snags

  • High Value Snags are standing dead trees with the following:
    • One of the following species:
      • Fd, Sx, or Western Red Cedar, >40cm dbh and >5m tall
      • At or Ac, >30cm dbh and >5m tall
    • Wildlife tree class 2-8
    • Have evidence of wildlife sign or potential use

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Sites of Biological Significance

  • Site of biological significance is….
    • A site that occurs on the DFA that are potentially impacted by forestry planning and practices, and require special management to ensure that their habitat value is maintained
  • Purpose:
    • Comply with certification and legal requirements and SFMP objectives/strategies
    • Maintain effective function and wildlife use of Sites of Biological Significance

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Site of Biological Significance

Species that use Sites of Biological Significance overlap with the Species of Management Concern Guide, but are also used by species that are not of concern.

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Criteria for a site of biological significance:

    • Provincial or Federal Species-at-Risk (BC Listing, COSEWIC, SARA)
    • Regionally rare or uncommon species that are sensitive to forestry operations
    • Species of local concern to the public, stakeholders, or First Nations
    • Migratory birds protected under the Migratory Bird Convention Act

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Sites of Biological Significance�

Can include:

  • Rare ecosystems
  • Red and blue-listed plant communities
  • Hot or thermal springs
  • Raptor stick nests or cavity nests
  • Great Blue Heron nests and rookeries
  • Nests of any red or blue-listed bird or species
  • Carnivore dens
  • Wallows and licks
  • Ephemeral ponds (vernal pools)
  • High- and moderate-value avalanche paths
  • Bat hibernaculum and maternity roosts

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What is Your Role?

Document sighting by

taking a photo or writing

a detailed description

Document location by

taking a GPS point or

noting the location on a map

Confirm sighting using

field guides

or training supplement

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Notify Canfor

contact

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Supporting Documents

  • Houston SoMC Guidebook - 2019
  • SWP - Sites of Biological Significance SWP
    • Includes definition of “significant”
  • Sites of Biological Significance Tracking Field Card
  • Migratory Birds SWP & Prework Notes
  • Red and Blue-listed Plant Communities
  • Stick Nest ID and Management Guide
  • Ground Den Identification Guide
  • Karst Management Handbook

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Questions?

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