CVC Sustainable Forest Management Plan 2021-2040
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CVC Sustainable Forest Management Plan 2021-2040 September 2020
Credit Valley Conservation Board of Directors Resolution #78/20: Approval of CVC Sustainable Forest Management Plan Date: September 11, 2020 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the report entitled “CVC Sustainable Forest Management Plan” be received and appended to the minutes of this meeting as Schedule ‘D’; and THAT the Board of Directors approve the CVC Sustainable Forest Management Plan; and THAT CVC staff be directed to begin implementing the objectives and actions laid out within the Sustainable Forest Management Plan as part of annual work planning; and THAT staff be directed to pursue various fundraising opportunities to enable full implementation of the Sustainable Forest Management Plan; and further THAT staff report back to the Board of Directors on progress in achieving the objectives and actions every two years. Photo Credit: Carl Hiebert
Acknowledgements
Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) acknowledges that the land on which we gather, and the entire
Credit River Watershed, is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the
Credit First Nation. The Credit River Watershed is also part of the traditional territory of the
Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee, and home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples
today. Treaties made with Indigenous Peoples are enduring and include responsibilities for both
parties. We affirm that this land and water is our common source of life and we must all share
responsibility for its care and stewardship for now and future generations.
We would like to thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for meeting with us during
the Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) process.
CVC would also like to acknowledge the assistance of all those who have worked and
commented on SFMP:
• The many stakeholders who gave their time and energy to participate in workshops and
review the draft technical report.
• ArborVitae Environmental Services (AVES) Ltd. and the sub-consultant North-South
Envrionmental Inc. for their work writing draft sections of the technical report, helping to
structure and revise the document as it went through various draft stages and working with
CVC staff members, especially during the development of the SFMP objectives.
The management of forests supports CVC’s mission and the plan reflects the efforts of CVC
staff members from many departments. CVC staff contributed to the SFMP by writing sections
of the early draft technical report, providing figures, tables and maps, and through review and
feedback. We want to thank Kyle Menken for his assistance with writing early drafts of the
SFMP as it morphed from the technical report. We would also like to acknowledge the work of
the SFMP’s Steering Committee: Rod Krick, Aviva Patel, Scott Sampson and Kate Hayes as well
as the direction and feedback provided by Tim Mereu and Deborah Martin-Downs.
Although the objectives and actions of the SFMP are framed by the 20-year term of the plan,
they are informed by a much longer-term perspective, recognizing that forests develop, evolve
and change over centuries.
Aaron Day, R.P.F.
Lead Author
Program Manager, Forestry, CVC
September 2020
3
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 3
1 Introduction 6
1.1 Purpose and Scope 7
1.2 Plan Development and Engagement 9
1.3 Structure of the SFMP 10
2 Forests in the Credit River Watershed 12
2.1 A Brief History 12
2.2 The Forest Today 14
3 Forest Health 17
3.1 Stressors 17
3.1.1 Land use change, past and present 18
3.1.2 Climate change and severe weather 18
3.1.3 Invasive Species, Pests and Disease 20
3.2 Coniferous Plantation Management 22
4 Objectives of the SFMP 26
Theme one: Maintain and restore forest health 28
4.1 Objective one: Maintain, enhance and restore natural
communities and stand conditions 28
4.2 Objective two: Manage plantations to gradually convert to
natural communities and stand conditions 30
4.3 Objective three: Foster the development of old
forest communities and maintenance of old trees 31
4.4 Objective four: Increase forest cover in the watershed 32
4
4.5 Objective five: Adapt restoration practices to climate change 33
4.6 Objective six: Protect the forest from invasive species,
pests and disease and restore impacted forests 33
4.7 Objective seven: Protect forest soils 34
Theme two: Protect natural values 35
4.8 Objective eight: Protect wildlife 36
4.9 Objective nine: Protect significant ecological features and functions 36
Theme three: Connect with Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public 37
4.10 Objective ten: Protect and have regard for Indigenous peoples’
values and interests 37
4.11 Objective eleven: Protect and have regard for cultural heritage features 38
4.12 Objective twelve: Consider recreational use and infrastructure on
CVC properties 38
4.13 Objective thirteen: Collaborate with NGOs, municipalities and other
levels of government 38
4.14 Objective fourteen: Provide education and outreach to landowners
and the public on the needs and benefits of sustainable forest management 39
Theme four: Protect public health and safety 40
4.15 Objective fifteen: Hazard trees 40
4.16 Objective sixteen: Reduce the risk of forest fire 41
5 Implementing the Plan 42
6 References 45
Appendix A – Timeline of SFMP Engagement and Development A1
Appendix B – Full List of Objectives and Actions A2
Appendix C – List of all owned and managed CVC properties A10
5
1 Introduction
Healthy forests contribute significantly
to human well-being. They clean the air
we breathe and filter the water we
drink. They offer us places to play and
relax. They moderate temperatures
and play a critical role in the natural
water-cycle. In addition to providing us
with these vital ecological goods and
services and other benefits (Figure 1),
forests are essential to biodiversity
and provide habitat to many
wildlife and plants that depend on
forests in the Credit River Watershed
(‘the watershed’).
Forests across the watershed face significant compound the effects of climate change and
challenges that threaten their ecological forest fragmentation. The result is lower
health, biodiversity and their capacity to biodiversity in our forests. These stressors
provide goods and services. Settlement, are also impacting our forests’ ability to
agriculture and other land uses have regenerate and maintain themselves.
fragmented forests. Poor past practices such
as unregulated harvesting have left many Conserving and managing for healthy, diverse
forests isolated and degraded. Droughts, forest ecosystems can help maintain and
damaging winds, intense storms, warmer enhance ecological goods and services and
winters and other impacts linked to climate build resilience. Healthy forests perform a
change, will continue to negatively impact significant role in climate change mitigation
forest health. Other stressors, such as by sequestering carbon through annual
invasive species, pests and disease, tree growth.
Ecological goods and services are benefits provided to people by forests, wetlands,
soils, plants and animals. For more information on ecological goods and services in
the Credit River Watershed, visit cvc.ca.
6
Water Resilience is a forest’s
infiltration capacity to recover
Renewable
resources after disturbance
Spiritual and is critical to
values Reduce SAR ensuring long-term
Cultural runoff
sustainability.
heritage Fostering and
Recreation Habitat strengthening forest
Air
quality & health resilience is a
Climate fundamental strategy
moderation for mitigating the
Reduce
Biodiversity
erosion & impacts of climate
sedimentation Water change and other
quality stressors such as
invasive species,
pests and disease.
Carbon
capture
Figure 1: a few benefits
of healthy forests.
Management of forests can encourage tree forests is an important responsibility for all
health and vigour, stimulate new growth and landowners, including CVC.
tree species diversity, adding to their
sequestration potential and resilience. CVC’s Sustainable Forest Management
Forest management, such as periodic Plan (SFMP) provides direction for forest
plantation thinning, can also help reduce management for the next 20 years (2021-
the risk of wildfire, and accelerate their 2040), with a review and update scheduled for
transition to more diverse forests. 2030. The overarching goal of the SFMP is to
maintain and restore forest health, improve
biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of
1.1 Purpose and Scope forests in the watershed – on lands owned by
CVC, municipal partners, and private
landowners. However, the plan has other
Forests cover 23 per cent of the land in the
important objectives. Providing people with
watershed. Of these 21,630 forested hectares
safe places to appreciate and enjoy the
(ha), Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) owns or
natural world and engaging positively and
manages over 1,720 ha, or eight per cent of
productively with Indigenous communities
forests, many of which are among the most
and stakeholders – private landowners,
sensitive and significant ecological areas in
municipal partners, and the general public –
the watershed (CVC 2017). Maintaining and
are also important parts of the plan.
enhancing the ecological health of these
7
CVC is responsible for the management of own properties are the same as those that will CVC-owned forests, but to achieve a greater guide CVC when working with partners. impact, we must look across the landscape. The SFMP will direct CVC’s forest This version of the SFMP is intended for use management program at the watershed level by members of the public with an interest in to continue and enhance our work with forest management, CVC board members, partners such as municipalities and private and broader CVC staff. A SFMP: Technical landowners. The SFMP does not assume Report is available on request and provides direction of properties not managed by CVC, more detail on characterization and analysis including those leased to municipalities. of the state of forests and is a supporting However, many of the objectives apply to all document with further direction for those forests, regardless of where the work is being implementing the SFMP. done, and the practices CVC will use on its 8
Silviculture is the art Goal 3, direction 6 of the
and science of controlling CVC Strategic Plan (CVC
the establishment, 2020a): Complete the
growth, composition, SFMP and implement
and quality of forest priority actions on CVC
vegetation to meet the lands while building
diverse needs and values capacity for private
of landowners and society landowner forest
on a sustainable basis. management services.
1.2 Plan Development and
Engagement
The SFMP has been developed in response peoples, through meetings, workshops,
to the challenges facing the forests of the plan review, and a CVC SFMP Steering
watershed. It also responds directly to the Committee. These sessions helped to identify
goals and directions of the CVC Strategic a wide range of issues and priorities for
Plan: Our Future Taking Shape (2020-2022), the SFMP and played a key role in
including Goal 3: “Manage a healthy, resilient developing the principles, objectives and
environment through protection, restoration actions. Appendix A provides a timeline of
and enhancement.” The SFMP also aligns with engagement and development.
other CVC strategies and plans (Credit
River Watershed Natural Heritage System Forest management guides developed by the
Strategy, 2015; Conservation Areas Master Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and
Strategy, 2018; CVC Climate Change Strategy, Forestry (MNRF 2000, 2010, 2015) were also
2019a, and the forthcoming CVC Ecological researched and used to inform many of the
Restoration Strategy and Guidelines, practices and guidelines developed for the
among others), as well as municipal plans SFMP implementation.
such as the Region of Peel’s Climate Change
Master Plan (2019). Finally, the SFMP Technical Report is
supported by an operating plan that will be
CVC’s properties (Figure 2) are used by a wide updated every five years and includes a
array of people with a range of interests such schedule for planned operations. The
as cultural and spiritual heritage, recreation, operating plan provides a blueprint for how
and environmental protection. CVC also works CVC will carry out forest management
with numerous partners, ranging from activities on the ground, including
provincial and municipal governments to silvicultural practices and prescriptions,
naturalist groups and forestry organizations. site level planning and monitoring, and the
In developing this plan, CVC drew on the protection of important values such as
diverse perspectives, expertise, and interests wetlands and species at risk.
of CVC staff, stakeholders and Indigenous
9
1.3 Structure of the SFMP
The following chapters of the SFMP are intended to provide you with an
understanding of what is happening in the forest, and how forest
management, guided by objectives, can ensure our forests are restored
and remain healthy.
Chapter 1: Introduces the plan’s purpose,
development and reasons for undertaking it,
particularly for the benefits that healthy
forests provide.
A note on forest terminology:
The word forest is used as a
Chapter 2: Provides a brief history and
general term to describe all
overview of the forests in the watershed
treed communities of at least
and on CVC properties.
25 per cent canopy cover and
at least 0.5 hectares in size.
Chapter 3: Explores some of the major
‘Forest’ is used interchangeably
stressors that are impacting the health of our
with ‘woodland’ and applies to
forests as well as the unique management
all upland forest, cultural forest,
issues of coniferous plantations. This sets up
and treed swamp community
the issues and challenges that many of the
types described in the
objectives aim to address.
Ecological Land Classification
(ELC) for Southern Ontario
Chapter 4: Presents the 16 objectives,
(Lee et al. 1998). Orchards and
organized by four themes, and provides
tree farms are considered
examples of the actions that will be taken to
agriculture and are excluded.
achieve those objectives. For a full list of the
Chapter 2.2 describes the
actions for each objective, see Appendix B.
various types of woodland
communities found in the
Chapter 5: Discusses plan implementation
watershed using the ELC.
and the operating plan.
10CVC Property Overview
Figure 2: CVC Property Overview. The map also shows the Credit River Watershed
boundary, Greenbelt designations and lower-tier municipalities that overlap the watershed.
See Appendix C for the complete list of properties.
112 Forests in
the Credit River
Watershed
The forests in the watershed have undergone
substantial change, beginning with the retreat of the
last glacier in southern Ontario over 10,000 years ago
that created or altered the current landscape. The
watershed is home to a variety of physiographic
regions and landforms, most notably the Niagara
Escarpment, as well as part of the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The forests as we see them today, from their size to
composition, have been influenced by human activity
over many centuries.
2.1 A Brief History
Indigenous peoples have inhabited the to the western end of Lake Ontario, occupying
watershed for thousands of years and their a large territory that included the Credit River
use of the land has influenced the forests in a Watershed. This group would later become
variety of ways. As the climate warmed the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
following the last glaciation period, the The mouth of the Credit River became
Iroquoian people who inhabited much of a favourite camping ground for the
southern Ontario began to shift from a Mississaugas and was also a gathering place
nomadic lifestyle to one of more permanence, for French, and later English, fur traders to
centred around the cultivation of crops and meet with the Mississaugas. However,
hunting. Small forest areas were cleared and European settlement brought with them
burned for agriculture and to create and disease, war and famine that would cripple
maintain openings in the forest for hunting. First Nations populations. A series of treaties
As soil became depleted, villages would shift and pressure from increasing settlement
and restart the process. This management would eventually displace the Mississaugas,
created a patchwork of forest ages and and by 1847, their small village was relocated
composition across the landscape. to the Six Nations Reserve south of Brantford
(Wybenga and Dalton, undated).
By the end of the 17th century following a
series of wars, a group of Ojibwe Disease such as smallpox often arrived in
(Anishinaabe) had moved from their former First Nations communities before European
territory on Georgian Bay and Lake Superior settlers, transmitted through trade and
12Figure 3: estimated average forest cover of townships
that made up the watershed. From 1851-1951, this
includes parts of townships outside the boundaries of
the watershed. As of 1954, cover is based on a CVC
survey limited to the boundaries of the watershed
(CVC 1956).
80
70
FOREST COVER (%)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1851 1861 1891 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1954*
YEAR
missionary work. As a result, by the time The land was cleared for agriculture and the
settlement of the watershed began in earnest forest used for fuelwood or piled and burned
in the 19th century, much of the clearings for potash. Forests that were not cleared
managed by First Nations had overgrown, were often “high-graded” (removing the
leaving the forest to appear untouched to biggest and best trees) for timber – pine and
the new arrivals. It is estimated that 80-90 oak for the naval industry (i.e. masting) and
per cent of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), then later hardwood and pine sawlogs –
including the watershed, was composed undermining the ecological health of the
of mature and old-growth forests and forest. Pile-burning often led to widespread
wetlands prior to European settlement forest fires that burned the understories of
(Puric-Mladenovic 2011). The forests were “high-graded” forests (Elliott 1998).
dominated by sugar maple and beech, with
scattered pockets of tall white pine and CVC has played a critical role in increasing
hemlock, and white cedar and tamarack forest cover across the watershed through its
in the valleys. reforestation program. After its establishment
in 1954, CVC assisted private landowners in
CVC estimates that 67 per cent of the reforesting fields which had been cleared for
watershed was covered by forests in 1851. agriculture but were unproductive because of
As settlement grew over the next 50 years, steep slopes, stoniness and sandy soils prone
this number fell to around 10 per cent, to erosion. While timber production was used
remaining there until the 1950s (Figure 3). as an incentive to gain landowner support,
132.2 The Forest Today
CVC’s jurisdiction is at the border between
two types of forest regions: the Deciduous
Forest (also known as Carolinian; lower
portion of the watershed) and the Great
Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest (middle and upper
portions of the watershed). Forests across the
watershed come in many different types and
are organized into three general community
classes: upland forests, cultural forests, and
treed swamps. These community classes are
further defined by community series in the
ELC. Upland forests are continuously treed
areas with over 60 per cent canopy cover and
include coniferous, deciduous and mixed
CVC determined that “the effect of types. Cultural forests are treed communities
reforestation on control of runoff, improved that were cleared at some point in the
summer stream flow, and stabilization of past and include plantations and cultural
wood-using industry justifies public woodlands. Most plantations are established
assistance in such work” (CVC 1956). From with coniferous trees and have over 60 per
1955 to today, CVC has worked with private cent tree cover. Cultural woodlands have
landowners and municipalities to plant over between 35 and 60 per cent tree cover,
7 million trees, covering over 3,500 hectares, established through planting or natural
an area roughly ten times the size of the regeneration. Finally, treed swamps include
Toronto Islands. deciduous, coniferous and mixed swamps and
have more than 25 per cent canopy cover,
CVC also began acquiring larger areas composed of either trees or shrubs.
requiring reforestation to improve water
storage and decrease the severity of floods, Figure 4 depicts the coverage of forest types
focusing on headwater areas, where in the watershed and on CVC properties.
reforestation would “have the most effect on Upland forests are the most common type of
stream flow” (CVC 1956). forest found within the watershed at 53 per
cent, and along with treed swamps, are often
CVC was also active in other aspects of forest referred to as ‘natural’ forests. Many of these
management, including harvesting. In the late forests have naturally regenerated from past
1970s, coniferous plantations were thinned land clearing and unsustainable harvesting or
and pruned, while stand improvement burning. This means that the dominant
thinning was undertaken in hardwoods, canopy of many of our upland forests are of
including at Terra Cotta. CVC also thinned the similar age in years, also known as even-aged.
plantations at Alton Forest, Robert Baker Over time, upland deciduous forests begin to
Forest, and Caledon Lake Forest conservation develop trees of all ages, also known as
areas in the 1980s and 1990s. This marked the uneven-aged, as individual or small groups of
last period of management operations of this trees die and are replaced by young trees and
kind on CVC lands. saplings in the understory. Shade-tolerant
deciduous trees such as sugar maple,
14Credit River Watershed CVC Properties
7% 7%
7%
13% Cultural Coniferous
Coniferous
Cultural Woodland 124 ha
1503 ha
Woodland 130 ha
2839 ha 11%
Plantation
193 ha
Cultural
Cultural Forest
15%
Plantation Forest 323 ha
3307 ha 11%
6146 ha Upland
Upland 33% Mixed 37%
Forest Deciduous 183 ha Treed Forest Deciduous
10943 ha 7129 ha Swamp 980 ha 631 ha
Treed
6% 419
7% Swamp
Mixed Deciduous
4541 101 ha
1586 ha
7% 8%
Deciduous Coniferous
1586 ha 11% 135 ha 13%
7% Mixed Mixed
Coniferous 2311 ha 225 ha
1407 ha
Figure 4: composition and area of forest communities in the watershed and on
CVC properties. Watershed total forest cover is 21,630 ha, 1,720 ha of which are on
CVC properties (CVC 2017).
American beech, and white ash are the most Forest cover is unevenly distributed across
common species of these forests, with oaks, the watershed. While the total watershed
basswood, yellow birch, black cherry and forest cover is 23 per cent (21,630 ha) of the
poplars also present. Conifers, such as land area, the cover changes significantly
eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, white when broken into the three watershed zones
spruce, and eastern white cedar are also (Figure 5). The middle and upper zones
found in these forests. contain most of the watershed’s forests, while
the lower zone has much lower forest cover
On CVC properties, natural, upland forests because it is heavily urbanized. The largest,
make up 57 per cent of all treed communities. continuous forests of the watershed are
Most of these forests are mature with found in the upper and middle zones and play
dominant canopy trees older than 60 to 70 a significant role for biodiversity, and many
years. Cultural forests make up 18 per cent of other benefits, such as stormwater retention,
CVC forests with plantations comprising 11 for those downstream in the lower watershed.
per cent. Plantations are a variety of ages, While eight per cent of all forests in the
from newly planted to 70 years or older. In the watershed are on CVC properties, CVC owns
watershed, plantations comprise 15 per cent less than three per cent of the watershed’s
of the forest cover. total land area.
15Woodland Composition in the Credit River Watershed Figure 5: woodland composition of the watershed and by the 3 watershed zones, with total forest cover (% of land area) by zone and watershed (CVC 2017). 16
3 Forest Health
Healthy forests are stable and resilient to some level of disturbance and are generally
self-maintaining. However, the magnitude and cumulative effects of stressors in the
watershed can lead to significant declines in the ecological health, or integrity, of forests.
For example, if a forest is damaged from an ice storm in the winter and a prolonged
drought in the summer, it may be susceptible to invasive species or to disease and
unable to recover and return to a healthy state. Any loss to a key component or changes
in function can impact forest health and will therefore require some form of management
to restore the forest to its desired state. Forests in the watershed are under varying
levels of stress.
3.1 Stressors
Stressors are anthropogenic or natural climate change, or the arrival of invasive
events, actions or factors that affect or species. However, where a stressor cannot be
change the natural balance and function of removed, restoring and strengthening forest
an ecosystem. Eliminating a stressor is often health can help build resilience to their effects
beyond our control, such as past land uses, or advances.
17The pileated woodpecker requires large,
mature forest habitat to feed and nest.
Large forests have higher ecological value.
Forest habitat located more than 100 m
from any edge is defined as forest interior
habitat. Due to the patterns of land
ownership and use, forests in the watershed
have become highly fragmented, with most
forest blocks measuring less than five ha
and very few contiguous blocks of forest
measuring larger than 100 ha. Forest
interior habitat covers just three per cent
of the watershed.
Photo Credit: Jon Clayton
3.1.1 LAND USE CHANGE: Some CVC forests are significant islands of
PAST AND PRESENT relative ecological stability, making it critical
for CVC to manage these forests for current
Past land clearing for agriculture and urban
and future generations of people and wildlife.
development has created many isolated,
smaller patches of forest across our
watershed. This isolation prevents species –
3.1.2 CLIMATE CHANGE AND
from wildlife to trees in the form of seed –
SEVERE WEATHER
from moving from one forested area to
another, which affects biodiversity. Small Historically, southern Ontario has experienced
forest patches are less resilient to warm summers, relatively mild winters, a
disturbance and more susceptible to other long growing season, and reliable annual
stressors such as invasive species. precipitation. However, past weather
patterns no longer have the predictive value
In addition, smaller patches of forest have they once did.
less interior habitat than larger, contiguous
forest areas. These smaller forests have less Between 1937 and 2016, average air
species richness, diversity, abundance and temperatures in the watershed have
biomass than larger forests and lack the increased by 1.8°C, with the most significant
interior space necessary for some species increases seen in the winter (2.5°C). The
to thrive. number of annual frost-free days has
increased by 40 days, and the number of
Urbanization will continue to exert pressure extreme cold days (less than -10°C) has
on forests by changing the land uses adjacent decreased, while the number of extreme
to the forest edge. heat days (higher than 30°C) in the watershed
has exceeded Canadian climate normal of
Some of the largest, contiguous forest areas 12 days per year in seven of the last 10 years
are in the middle and upper watershed and (CVC 2019b).
often include and connect to CVC properties.
18Climate change projections for southern However, forest fragmentation and the rate at
Ontario include warmer winter temperatures, which our climate is changing may reduce or
fewer days below freezing, warmer mean even prevent the natural migration of better
annual temperatures, increased precipitation suited, more southerly species into and
volume and overall changes to the intensity, across the watershed.
duration and frequency of precipitation
events, including droughts. The most abundant tree in the watershed,
sugar maple is not currently threatened or at
Increasing frequency of intense wind, rain and risk. However, sugar maple is susceptible to
ice storms are expected to cause structural drought and its fine roots can be damaged by
damage to forests. Droughts will likely soil-freezing, leading to crown dieback and
become longer and more frequent, and plants decline. Snow cover is an important insulator
will experience more heat stress. Warming of soils because it helps prevent deep-
winters may benefit the northward expansion freezing, thereby protecting fine roots and
of invasive species that are currently other biological processes. However, climate
constrained by temperature. These change is predicted to bring more severe
events coupled with changing conditions weather and drought, and fluctuating winter
may favour the spread of invasive species temperatures that melt the snow cover and
and pest outbreaks. expose soils to deeper winter freeze.
Climate change will also affect tree In short, climate change is and will continue
species composition. Some tree species to stress local ecosystems and have a major,
such as eastern hemlock and yellow birch largely negative impact on tree health.
may no longer be suited to the changing Healthy and well managed forests are more
conditions and begin to disappear from the resilient to the predicted impacts associated
watershed while others such as hackberry with climate change.
and hickories may benefit from the changes.
19Figure 6: a dense mat of
dog-strangling vine in a
forest understory.
with dead and dying canopies, creating
openings for invasive plant species such
as buckthorn, to become established. Many
old fields in the watershed have naturally
regenerated with ash as a significant part
of the young canopy. As the ash matures,
they will likely be attacked by EAB, meaning
more stunted forests dominated by
buckthorn and other shrub thickets, unable
to continue natural succession towards a
mature, healthy forest.
There are more than 55 native tree species
found across the watershed. However, only
three species account for over 65 per cent of
trees found in CVC monitoring plots in our
deciduous and mixed upland forests –
sugar maple, American beech and white ash
(CVC 2020b). Evidence suggests that as
3.1.3 INVASIVE SPECIES,
ash and beech decline, our forests are
PESTS AND DISEASE
becoming more simplified with sugar maple
Invasive species, pests and disease have growing in greater abundance (CVC 2020b).
already changed the species composition of The lack of diversity can lead to greater
forests in the watershed. Chestnut blight and vulnerability to disturbance.
Dutch elm disease killed most American
chestnut and American elm trees in the early Unfortunately, new introduced forest pests
and mid-twentieth century, permanently and diseases are also making their way
changing forests in the watershed. More towards the watershed area. Hemlock woolly
recently, emerald ash borer (EAB), beech bark adelgid (HWA), oak wilt and sudden oak death,
disease (BBD) and butternut canker have led are causing widespread decline in hemlock
to serious declines in ash, American beech and all oak species in the U.S. At the time of
and butternut trees. writing, HWA has already been detected in
southern Ontario outside of the watershed,
Invasive Pests and Disease and the and oak wilt is near the Windsor border.
Decline of Tree Diversity Beech leaf disease has been reported in
Through funding from Peel and Halton Toronto and along the shore of Lake Erie and
Regions, CVC has spent over three million is compounding the effects of BBD. At least
dollars since 2013 on dealing with the impacts 22 per cent of all inventoried woodlands in the
of EAB in the watershed. 13,000 ash trees watershed are dominated by beech, ash, oak
killed by EAB have been cut down along trails and hemlock, leaving them vulnerable to
on CVC properties. Forests like those at these current and emerging forest pests and
Rattray Marsh Conservation Area where ash disease. This vulnerability jumps to 51 per
had been a dominant species have been left cent when maple dominated forests are
20included. If an outbreak of a pest targeting forest’s understory. If this occurs, it inhibits a
maple trees (e.g. Asian long-horned beetle) forest from regenerating itself. For example,
were to happen, the effects on watershed garlic mustard and dog strangling vine (DSV,
forests could be devastating. Figure 6), can quickly cover a forest floor,
crowding out native species and preventing
The loss of many beech and ash has already them from taking root. Some invasive species
reduced forest biodiversity. Adding the such as buckthorn also alter soil chemistry,
potential losses of hemlock and oak to this making it even more difficult for native
list will further undermine forest health and species to sprout and survive.
resilience. These losses are simplifying forest
composition and reducing tree species There are more than 140 different invasive
diversity in the canopy and regeneration plant species within our watershed forests.
layer. This in turn has cascading affects More than 90 per cent of forest communities
on biodiversity, such as limiting the variety in the watershed surveyed since 2010 contain
and availability of food sources and habitat invasive plants that can displace native plant
for wildlife. species and transform forest ecosystems.
Invasive Plants Invasive plants are also more abundant in
While many invasive species attack trees, urban forests than in rural areas. Invasive
some species can come to dominate a species coverage in the lower watershed is
21Unmanaged plantations are
susceptible to storm damage and
pocket decline. Of the 200 hectares
of plantation on CVC property, over
160 hectares are due or overdue for
management, 80 hectares of which
require immediate attention to
prevent potential stand failure.
more than double that of the upper While not always significant on their own,
watershed and is increasing 1.5 times faster these pests and disease can compound the
(CVC 2020c). In 2016, common buckthorn impacts of other stressors, leaving large
was the fourth most common tree species in pockets of dead and declining trees,
the GTA behind ash and is likely now more impacting forest cover, tree health and
abundant than ash due to the impacts of vigour in natural forests.
EAB (GIOC 2016). As we lose mature trees
in the canopy from pests and disease, there
may not be a healthy layer of native saplings 3.2 Coniferous Plantation
in the understory to take their place. Management
Native Pests and Disease
While much of the discussion on stressors has
Finally, not all pests and disease are non-
focused on the impacts to all forest types –
native. Insects such as forest tent caterpillar
and particularly upland forests – they are
and fall canker worm eat the leaves of many
also impacting coniferous plantations in
deciduous trees in the watershed. Fungal
many of the same ways. However, plantations
pathogens like armillaria root rot, and nectria
also present their own unique set of
and eutypella canker, cause decay and can
management challenges.
spread from tree to tree. Approximately 13
per cent of all canopy trees in CVC monitoring
Most largescale planting occurred on former
plots have evidence of decay fungus or
agricultural fields. Conditions on these open
cankers, above the recommended 10 per cent
fields for most deciduous tree species are not
threshold (CVC 2020b). Soil quality, as well as
ideal, as they often have poor quality, sandy
past, unsustainable tree harvesting practices
soils and are subject to harsh open conditions
that selected the best trees and left behind
such as drying winds and sun, and animal
the weaker, slower growing, and diseased
browse. Forest managers have primarily
trees have contributed to poor forest health.
22chosen pine and spruce varieties, since fast As trees in plantations die, often in groups,
growing coniferous seedlings are more likely or ‘pockets’, the void can be filled with
to survive these conditions. The long-term aggressive invasive plants like buckthorn
objective of these plantations is to establish and DSV.
forest cover and restore conditions for
transition to a mixed forest dominated by Table 1 shows the management status of the
native, deciduous trees. 3,300 ha of plantations across the watershed.
Most of these plantations are not being
As the trees in plantations grow over time, the adequately managed to ensure long-term
canopy begins to close, shading the forest sustainability. In a 2019 study, CVC found
floor and reducing growing space between that 84 per cent of sampled plantations
trees. Periodic thinning every 10-20 years, older than 30 years in the watershed had
generally beginning around 25-35 years after no history of management. 24 per cent of
planting, improves spacing to ensure healthy the sampled plantations were considered
growth of the remaining trees, and allows high risk for failure, while 74 per cent were
sunlight to reach the forest floor, stimulating medium risk. Most of these plantations
growth of native tree regeneration and needed management, had poor native
vegetation. Deciduous tree species like understory development, and had invasive
maple, oaks, and hickory can establish plant species present.
themselves under protection of the
coniferous canopy. The process can take over On CVC properties, over 160 ha of plantations
70 years from initial planting as the conifers are older than 30 years and require thinning
are removed over time to further increase to create conditions for succession into a
sunlight for the understory and eventual deciduous forest.
transition to a young, mixed forest.
Without intervention, these plantations could
Without proper management however, deteriorate into thickets dominated by
plantations often have little to no invasive species. If this were to happen, they
regeneration in the understory. As the trees would not provide significant ecological goods
continue to grow, they can become spindly and services, would threaten the ecological
and susceptible to breakage from wind and health of neighbouring forests, and would be
ice damage. Weakened, unhealthy trees difficult and costly to convert into sustainable,
become targets for pests and disease. healthy forests.
Plantations Watershed (ha) CVC Property
Area (ha) 3,300 200
Due or overdue for management 2,770 (84%) 160 (80%)
Requires immediate management 790 (24%) 80 (40%)
Table 1. area and management status of plantations in the watershed.
23Furthermore, wildfire risk is generally highest anticipated to result in longer periods of
in unmanaged coniferous plantations. Many of drought, fire risk is expected to increase.
the watershed plantations are near or next to
towns and villages (Figure 7), increasing risk As plantations continue to age without
to people and property. Unmanaged proper management, the risk of stand failure,
plantations will have higher fuel loadings due growth of invasive plant species, and fire risk
to natural mortality and fine, burnable increases. Managing these plantations will
material such as dead branches and needles. ensure a return on investment of years of tree
Unmanaged plantations also have higher planting to establish forests throughout the
densities of trees, with dead branches that watershed. Management will create healthier,
may act as “ladders” facilitating more intense diverse forests that will continue to store
crown torching and crown fires. These carbon and mitigate the impacts of climate
combinations can make the stand and change. Management will also help maintain
surrounding lands more susceptible to resilient forest cover, native regeneration and
damaging fires. With climate change wildlife habitat, and reduce the risk of fire that
can threaten public health, property and our
green assets.
24Overview of Plantations within the Credit River Watershed
Figure 7: overview of plantations in the northern half of the watershed. There are more than
3,300 ha of plantation in the watershed, many of which are not being properly managed.
254 Objectives of the SFMP
Direction for CVC forest management has been organized by guiding principles, themes,
objectives and actions (Figure 8).
Guiding Principles Themes Objectives Actions
The five guiding The objectives have The 16 objectives The 50 actions
principles are been grouped into are primary are general
broad statements four themes to statements measures to be
that provide a show the of purpose implemented
framework for relationships and regarding forest for achieving
how CVC will integration between management. the associated
approach forest the individual objectives.
management. objectives.
Figure 8: organization of the SFMP management direction.
CVC identified five guiding principles when developing the SFMP. It used
these principles to develop the plan and will continue to use them to
guide its implementation.
Manage the forest in a manner that puts a primacy on its long-term
1 ecological health
Implement forest management practices that equal or exceed current standards
2
of Good Forestry Practices in Ontario as defined in the provincial Forestry Act
3 Employ adaptive management to continuously improve forest management
4 Manage the forest in a fiscally responsible way
Integrate this plan with existing CVC strategies and plans and with those of the
5
municipalities that have land under CVC’s jurisdiction
26Adaptive management is a structured, iterative process of environmental management
that allows managers to make decisions in the face of uncertainty and fosters social
learning through constant monitoring of the system being managed.
There are four themes within the SFMP, under which nest the 16 objectives
that form the core of the plan:
1 Maintain and restore forest health
2 Protect natural values
3 Connect with Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public
4 Protect public health and safety
The objectives do not exist in In the end however, implementing the actions
isolation. They are usually results in on-the-ground forestry operations—
integrated with many other going into a forest and directly intervening.
objectives during implementation. Examples include cutting down a tree or
For example, when intervening in a plantation, thinning a forest, planting native vegetation,
practices will include, among others, using various treatments to suppress
adaptation for climate change (objective five), unwanted species, and monitoring and
and measures to protect soil (objective responding to the results.
seven), wildlife and features (objective eight
and nine), and will also be helping to reduce The 16 objectives and their associated actions
fire risk (objective sixteen). are the steps CVC and our partners must take
to ensure our forests are healthy.
Each objective has multiple actions
that will be implemented to work
towards achieving the objective.
The actions (complete list in
Appendix B) are summarized in the text for
each objective, below. These actions can
involve gathering more information, preparing
and implementing silvicultural prescriptions,
developing a monitoring protocol or standard
operating procedure, or a specific guideline
for achieving the associated objective.
27Theme One: Maintain and restore forest health
OBJECTIVES 1-7: The SFMP’s first theme contains most of
the objectives directly related to forest
Maintain, enhance and restore natural management, including upland forest and
1 communities and stand conditions plantation management. CVC will manage
forests on our properties and work with
Manage plantations to gradually partners such as municipalities and private
2 convert to natural communities and landowners to increase and improve
stand conditions healthy forest cover.
Foster the development of old
3 forest communities and maintenance 4.1 Objective one:
of old trees Maintain, enhance and
restore natural communities
4 Increase forest cover in the watershed
and stand conditions
Adapt restoration practices to
5 climate change
Biodiversity is at the heart of sustainable life
on earth. A variety of tree species, size and
ages, in differing compositions that form a
Protect the forest from invasive
mosaic of stand conditions and structure
6 species, pests and disease and restore
across the landscape are important to healthy
impacted forests
forests and biodiversity. These forests also
have snags (dead-standing trees), downed
7 Protect forest soils
woody material, understory herbs, shrubs and
young trees that provide habitat for wildlife.
CVC will work to restore, maintain and
enhance the diversity of these natural
conditions within CVC and watershed forests.
Not all forests necessarily require
intervention. Where, when, and how
CVC operates will be based on inventory,
monitoring and prioritization and must be
flexible. Identifying and prioritizing forest
Figure 9: a sugar maple forest
following a harvest treatment
removing unhealthy trees to promote
the growth of natural regeneration.
28management opportunities on lands outside Removing diseased or unhealthy trees
of CVC ownership will also inform targeted increases light and resources for healthy trees
outreach and communications initiatives, as and natural regeneration (Figure 9). Not all
part of actions associated with objective 14. unhealthy trees will be removed however,
because some level of pest and disease is
Although CVC has set a general management normal and important to a forest ecosystem’s
target of 20 ha per year of CVC-owned upland function. Where safe to do so, some dead and
forests – along with projects with partners – dying trees will be retained for wildlife. Where
the actual amount of area and partner these features do not already exist, trees can
projects each year will vary based on need, be girdled and cut, or ‘stubbed’ high in the
availability and requirements of the site. In bole to create snags. Trees can also be felled
some forests, restoration work will be reactive and left on site to create downed woody
to poor forest health conditions, while in material, important to nutrient cycling and
others, it may be proactive to further enhance wildlife habitat.
forest resilience by improving tree species
diversity and structure. Data such as CVC’s Small groups of trees can be removed to
Forest Resource Inventory (FRI) will be used encourage the growth of tree species such
to develop silvicultural prescriptions to as hickory, red oak and black cherry that
achieve objective one, fine-tuned to unique require lots of sunlight. In stands impacted by
site conditions. beech bark disease for example, removing
susceptible and diseased beech trees
Silvicultural practices can help increase through single tree selection while retaining
tree species and structural diversity. healthy trees showing signs of resistance to
29the disease can improve stand genetics.
Improving tree health and species
diversity, as well as promoting multiple
ages and structure, is an important
action that promotes forest resilience to
a changing climate.
4.2 Objective two:
Manage plantations to
gradually convert to
natural communities and
stand conditions
Considerable investment has gone towards
the establishment of plantations within the
watershed with the long-term goal to
return natural forest communities to the
landscape. Tree planting represents just the
beginning of forest establishment. To meet
this objective, silvicultural prescriptions will be
developed and implemented to transition
plantations into naturalized upland forests.
These prescriptions will include direction for
the tree marking and harvesting, or ‘thinning’,
of the planted conifers to improve tree growth
and vigour and promote natural regeneration
of deciduous tree species.
Various approaches will also be taken when
implementing plantation operations to speed
up the transition, create more variable forest
structure and improve forest resilience. For
A red pine plantation (top) that example, larger gaps within a plantation can
has not been thinned. In an be created during thinning operations in
unmanaged plantation, the lack areas around advanced regeneration of tree
of sunlight reaching the species that may require higher levels of
understory prevents deciduous light. Natural regeneration can also be
tree species and associated supplemented by tree planting to increase
shrubs and herbaceous plants species and structural diversity as well as
from taking root. In plantations to introduce future seed source for the
that are being managed by remaining understory. In plantations where
marking trees for removal there may not be adjacent upland forests to
(bottom), species associated provide natural seed for regeneration,
with deciduous forests can additional planting in the understory following
establish themselves.
30later thinnings may also be required to ensure 4.3 Objective three: Foster
successful transition. Other activities such as
the development of old
invasive species management and monitoring
will be essential in ensuring the long-term
forest communities and
success of management. maintenance of old trees
CVC will prioritize plantation management Old growth forests, as defined by the MNRF,
based on indicators such as age, stocking, have an undisturbed canopy dominated by
species composition, location, and previous species whose average age is over 120 years.
management history. A rolling, 10-year Older forests have unique conditions and
plantation thinning schedule has been support species diversity only found in these
developed for the SFMP Operating Plan. The forests. Old declining trees and tree mortality
schedule targets around 20 hectares of creates a habitat-rich multi-layered forest.
plantation each year so that all CVC-owned
plantations will be thinned in the next 10 While CVC does have individual and small
years and continue to be managed groups of trees that meet the age threshold,
on an appropriate schedule beyond that other characteristics that shape old growth
timeframe. CVC will also prioritize and forests, such as abundance of downed woody
schedule its work with partners to ensure material, are still developing. Using CVC FRI,
resources are being applied to plantations forest areas on CVC properties that have
that require immediate attention and have older trees will be identified and further
important ecological value such as woodlands investigated for old growth potential. These
within the Credit River Watershed Natural areas will be maintained and protected so
Heritage System (CRWNHS). that they can continue to develop from
31As temperatures increase,
Carolinian species like hackberry
(pictured left) may become more
suited to the watershed.
mature to old growth forest with implement tree planting plans and
management intervention typically reserved management of natural, successional
for serious forest health issues and to areas – which make up nearly nine per cent of
encourage old-growth features. the watershed area – to ensure they are
moving towards a future forest. It will
prioritize these efforts based on opportunity,
4.4 Objective four: Increase benefits to the CRWNHS, and the potential to
forest cover in the watershed increase ecological goods and services.
Planting trees and managing new and
While CVC has worked hard to plant new
established forests are essential actions for
forests in its watershed, its current 23 per
many climate change strategies, such as
cent forest cover falls short of the 30 per cent
Peel’s Climate Change Master Plan (2019).
minimum within a watershed recommended
Although new CVC land acquisitions may
by Environment and Climate Change Canada
present some opportunity for planting, most
(EC 2013). To achieve the aspirational target
new planting areas will be on privately owned
of 30 per cent, more than 6,800 hectares of
lands. Most of these opportunities are in the
new forest will need to be established and
middle and upper portions of the watershed
managed – that's up to 12 million new trees
because heavy urbanization in the lower
sequestering carbon, retaining stormwater,
watershed has left little room for new forest.
and providing habitat for wildlife. This will
Managing existing forest and increasing
mean a sustained effort by CVC and its
forest size in areas with a relatively high
partners over the long term, and well beyond
existing cover – such as the middle
the 20-year term of this plan.
watershed – will help connect fragmented
forest patches, expand forest interior and
CVC will continue to work on its own lands
maintain and enhance forest health.
and with private landowners to develop and
324.5 Objective five: the lower portion of the watershed, known as
Adapt restoration practices assisted range expansion.
to climate change
Expanding and connecting forest cover,
4.6 Objective six: Protect the
maintaining and improving biodiversity, forest from invasive species,
and restoring forest health and resilience pests and disease and restore
are fundamental objectives, since healthy impacted forests
forests will better withstand disturbance
and stressors, including climate change. Whether in a plantation in the northern part of
However, we can also help our forests the watershed, or a small, urban forest in the
prepare in more specific ways. south, forest management often begins and
ends with managing for invasive species,
Our forest management and restoration pests and disease. The management of
practices need to be adaptive and in tune this stressor is typically a component of
with our changing conditions. CVC will several integrated objectives. For example,
review and update its forest monitoring prioritizing forest management to meet
and inventory methodologies to ensure objective one will be based on forest health
that the effects of climate change are being indicators such as the presence of invasive
measured. Identifying changes, trends, as species, or high levels of native disease that
well as disturbance from storm events will affect tree health. Monitoring and inventory
allow us to respond with appropriate levels will be reviewed to ensure that the right
of management. information is being collected and reported
on to inform us where we need to work.
CVC will also prioritize areas for management
and adapt species selection for planting by Disturbing a forest can help initiate natural
assessing tree and forest community regeneration, but it can also leave it open for
vulnerability to changing conditions. Both a colonization by invasive species. Before
changing climate as well as susceptibility to thinning a coniferous plantation, it may be
increased events such as drought and ice necessary to manage for invasive species,
storms will be considered when choosing such as buckthorn. This can mean cutting
which species to plant. down the species in question and treating
them with pesticides or manual removal.
To prepare for changing conditions, CVC will Otherwise, these undesirable species could
continue to explore techniques and develop dominate an area, preventing regeneration of
guidelines to assist migration of select desired, native species.
species northward. For example, assisted
population migration involves the movement Smaller forests in urbanized areas such as
of seed of a species common to the the southern portion of the watershed often
watershed (e.g. sugar maple) from a more have higher abundances of invasive plant
southern climate where there may be genetic species. Forest management here may
differences that are more accustomed to include control of the invasive species,
hotter or drier conditions. Another option some thinning to improve tree health and
when developing planting plans for the light conditions, followed by planting to
middle and upper watershed is to include less ensure forests have adequate regeneration
vulnerable species that may only be found in for a sustainable future.
33The SFMP will also integrate and align like yellow birch that have a tough time
with the CVC Invasive Species Strategy penetrating through a thick leaf layer. CVC
(CVC 2020c) when prioritizing areas will follow recognized standards and take
for management and implementing measures to mitigate and repair any
recommendations and practices to damage that exceeds those standards.
ensure a consistent approach. These measures include conducting
operations during dry or winter conditions,
using brush mats on skid trails, keeping skid
4.7 Objective seven: trails out of low-lying or wet areas, repairing
Protect forest soils any excessive ruts created by machinery,
and stabilizing exposed soils in areas such
as landings with weed-free seed.
Forest operations often require heavy
machinery such as harvesters, skidders and
forwarders. However, bringing this heavy
equipment into a forest can compact the soil.
This can make it difficult for native species to
grow and cause damage to roots. Run-off and
erosion are other unwanted side-effects that
can result from poorly planned operations.
CVC will plan its forestry work to avoid
compaction and erosion by using existing
paths and roads wherever possible
(Figure 10). Some soil disturbance is
beneficial however, because it can create the
right soil conditions for smaller seeded trees
Figure 10: a forwarder using an
existing trail during dry conditions.
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