Sand Pond National Wildlife Area Management Plan: chapter 2


2 Ecological resources

2.1 Terrestrial and aquatic habitats

The soils of Sand Pond National Wildlife Area (NWA) are generally comprised of thin layers of sand and gravel material overlain in places by peat. A spruce/fir forest dominates most upland sites. Red Spruce (Picea rubens) and Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) are particularly prevalent on areas bordering heath-covered uplands. Typical forest ground cover includes Bunch Berry (Cornus canadensis), Blue-bead Lily (Clintonia borealis), Star Flower (Trientalis borealis), and Wild Lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum canadense). Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is common in open patches throughout these woodlands. Larch (Larix laricina) and White Pine (Pinus strobus) also occur. Deciduous species, including White Birch (Betula papyrifera) and Red Maple (Acer rubrum), occupy better-drained sites. Red Oak (Quercus rubra) and Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) occur along the area’s northwest boundary (Van Zoost 1969; Barkhouse 1986; Newell 2002).

Ericaceous plants include Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum), Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), Lambkill (Kalmia angustifolia) and Sweet Gale (Myrica gale). Reindeer Moss (Cladonia rangiferina) and Ground Pine (Lycopodium obscurum) provide the principal ground cover of large non-forested areas in Sand Pond NWA. These heath-covered uplands are largely well-drained sites that also support varying amounts of Alder (Alnus spp.) and Willow (Salix spp.) shrub cover (figures 4 et 5).

Poor drainage has resulted in the development of two discrete bogs in the southeast section of Sand Pond NWA. Both bogs are characterized by expansive carpets of sphagnum moss, likely Sphagnum rubrum.

The site also supports an interesting diversity of Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora where nineteen species have been recorded (Newell 2002). Within Sand Pond, two plants are provincially "Yellow ranked" species while the status of the remaining are "Green ranked", or secure, are not believed to be at risk (Table 3). Of the 90 Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora (ACPF) species in Nova Scotia, 11 of these are listed as species at risk under the federal Species at Risk Act and the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act . And 25 are listed as ‘at risk’ (Red ranked) by the Nova Scotia General Status listing (Crowley and Beals, 2011). In Canada, ACPF species are at the northern limit of their range; the Canadian distribution for the 11 listed ACPF species is restricted to the province of Nova Scotia although none of these are presently known to occur within the Sand Pond National Wildlife Area. A recovery strategy and action plan was developed to address the recovery of all 11 provincially and federally listed ACPF species at risk (Environment Canada and Parks Canada Agency 2010). Additional information can be found in the Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora in Nova Scotia Identification and Information Guide.

Table 3: ACPF occurring at Sand Pond NWA ( Newell 2002)
Scientific name Common name Provincial general status rank Footnotea Habitat(s) where found within Sand Pond NWA
Bartonia paniculata Screw-stem Green Bogs, fens, lake shoreline, barrens
Calopogon tuberosus Grass Pink   Bogs, fens
Carex atlantica ssp. atlantica Prickly Bog Sedge Green Bogs
Carex bullata Button Sedge Green Bogs, fens, lake shoreline, wooded river edge
Euthamia caroliniana Narrow Leaf Fragrant
Goldenrod
Green Lake shoreline
Gaylussacia dumosa Bog Huckleberry Green Bogs
Glyceria obtusa Blunt Manna-grass Green Fens, red maple floodplain
Ilex glabra Inkberry Green Bogs, barrens, fens, wooded river edge
Juncus militaris Bayonet Rush Green Lake
Juncus subcaudatus var. planisepalus Woods Rush Yellow Damp wooded areas
Myrica pensylvanica Northern Bayberry Green Bogs, lake shoreline
Panicum spretum Eaton's Witchgrass Green Lake shoreline
Platanthera blephariglottis White-fringed Orchid Green Bogs, lake shoreline
Sisyrinchium atlanticum Eastern Blue-eyed-grass Green Lake shoreline
Smilax rotundifolia Cat Brier Green Wooded river edge
Thelypteris simulata Massachusett's Fern Green Red maple floodplain
Triadenum virginicum Marsh St. John's-wort Green Lake shoreline, wooded river edge
Viola lanceolata Lance-leaved Violet Green Lake shoreline
Woodwardia areolata Netted Chainfern Yellow Red maple floodplain

2.1.1 Wetlands

The freshwater wetlands of Sand Pond NWA include Sand Pond, Fresh River and Back River, and their associated ponds and bordering marshes. These waters are highly coloured by tannins, are naturally acidic, and have been impacted by acid precipitation (Clair et al. 2011). In 1969, Ducks Unlimited Canada, in cooperation with the Canadian Wildlife Service, installed a water-level control structure on the outlet stream of Sand Pond to restore the 34-hectare wetland that had been drained by the past cranberry operation. This structure was frequently blocked by beavers (Castor canadensis), and the stop logs were removed in 1988. The lake level is now maintained by beaver dam building and associated sedimentation at the lake’s outflow. This natural fluctuation of water levels may be beneficial to some species of ACPF (Keddy and Wisheu, 1989).

The perimeter of the pond is bordered by a narrow fringe of Alder (Alnus spp.), Sweet Gale (Myrica gale), Blue-joint (Calamagrostis canadensis) and Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba). The lake is vegetated by sparse emergent cover, comprised mainly of Bayonet Rush (Juncus militaris), Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), Three-way Sedge Rush (Dulichium arundinaceum) and Creeping Spikerush (Eleocharis palustris). White Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata) and Yellow Water Lily (Nuphar lutea) are also common (Newell 2002).

Fresh River empties into Sand Pond from the southeast. Sand Pond drains into Back River through a human-modified channel. Back River develops into a large area of slow-moving water situated in the northwest corner of the NWA. Known locally as the Billy Hole, this and other ponds along the Fresh and Back rivers support both white and yellow water lilies. These wetlands are fringed by broad ericaceous meadows dominated by Bog Laurel (Kalmia polifolia) and Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata).

Poor drainage has resulted in the development of two discrete bog communities in the southeast section of Sand Pond NWA. Both bogs are dominated by sphagnum moss, Cotton Grass (Eriophorum sp.) and ericaceous shrubs. The smaller of the two bogs has scattered Black Spruce and Larch, while the large bog has virtually no tree cover.

2.1.2 Health uplands

The northern and eastern shores of Sand Pond connect to a vast area of rocky upland, known as "the Barrens," extending into the interior of the province. This area supports large tracts of very low shrub cover, including Low-bush Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides), Inkberry (Ilex glabra), Bearberry and Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia), as well as large areas dominated by Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum). This low vegetative cover is punctuated by scattered taller shrubs, including Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa), Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) and Larch. The edge of this area tends to be populated with taller shrubs, such as Rhodora (Rhododendron canadense) and Sheep Laurel.

2.1.3 Wooded areas

Woodlands constitute 50% (261 hectares) of Sand Pond NWA. The drier areas are covered in mixed coniferous and deciduous forest, with Red Maple, Balsam Fir, Larch, Red Spruce and White Spruce being the most common. Less common species are White Birch (Betula papyrifera), Grey Birch (Betula populifolia) and American Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana). Fires have passed through these woodlands periodically over many years, and areas in early succession tend to fill in with Largetooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata) and Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides). Numerous Red Maple swamps are scattered throughout the property. Red Oak and Sugar Maple occur along the northwest boundary of the NWA.

Common herbaceous species on the forest floor include Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), Goldthread (Coptis trifolia), Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), Twinflower (Linnaea borealis), Creeping Snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula), Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), Wild Lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum canadense), New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis) and Bracken Fern.

2.1.4 Oil fields

The field remnants, demarcated by the remains of low-lying stone walls, are now in various stages of plant succession. Open areas are being replaced by thickets of wild rose (Rosa sp.) and thick stands of White Spruce. No human structures remain in the fields, but a small number of garden escapes occur among the vegetation surrounding the old homesteads, including Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), Quaking Grass (Briza media) and Tawny Day-lily (Hemerocallis fulva). Other species include Knapweed (Centaurea nigra), Old-field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis), Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata) and Timothy (Phleum pratense). Early succession wood species include Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), Downy Alder (Alnus crispa) and Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis).

Figure 4: SPOT satellite image of southwest Nova Scotia showing boundaries of Sand Pond NWA (2007). The shallow Sand Pond is in the northeast corner.
SPOT satellite image of southwest Nova Scotia showing boundaries of Sand Pond NWA (2007).
Long description for Figure 4

A satellite photo of a portion of Southwest Nova Scotia indicating the boundaries of Sand Pond National Wildlife Area and the location of Sand Pond.

Figure 5: Nova Scotia Forest Resource Inventory land cover mapping for Sand Pond NWA (2005)
Nova Scotia Forest Resource Inventory land cover mapping for Sand Pond NWA (2005)
Long description for Figure 5

A map of Sand Pond National Wildlife Area with 11 types of vegetation cover: White Spruce, Red Spruce, Black Spruce, Balsam Fir, Eastern Larch, Aspen large tooth and Trembling, Sugar Maple, Red Maple, Red Pine, Unclassified Species and Unclassified Hardwood. Map scale in hundreds of metres.

2.2 Wildlife species

2.2.1 Birds

For many years, Sand Pond has been known principally for its use by large numbers of Black Ducks during fall migration. Depending on tidal and weather conditions, Black Ducks leave the nearby salt marshes for this freshwater lake, which serves primarily as a rest area. On October 14, 1969, an estimated 6000 Black Ducks were observed on Sand Pond; however, typical fall numbers are in the hundreds. Other waterfowl that frequent the wetlands and breed here include Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) and Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca). The adjacent uplands support an abundance of American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) and Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus).

2.2.2 Mammals

Large mammal species common to southwestern Nova Scotia can be found within Sand Pond NWA, such as White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans), Mink (Mustela vison), Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus), Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) and Short-tailed Weasel (Mustela erminea).

Small mammals known to the area include Masked Shrew (Sorex cinereus) and Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Smokey Shrew (Sorex fumeus), Water Shrew (Sorex palustris), Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda), Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus insignis) and Red-backed Vole (Clethrionomys gabberi) would be expected to occur (Dawe 2004).

2.2.3 Reptiles and amphibians

Nine species of reptiles and amphibians have been observed within Sand Pond NWA (Table 4). Potential habitat for six additional species exists within the NWA. Surveys east and west of Sand Pond NWA recorded the following species: Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris), Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus), Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis), Redbelly Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata), Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) and Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) (Brannen 2004).

Table 4: Reptiles and amphibians found within Sand Pond NWA
Common name Species Global
(G-) rank1 Footnote1
Regional
(S-) rank2 Footnote2
Green Frog Rana clamitans G5 S5
Northern Spring Peeper Hyla crucifer G5 S5
Yellow Spotted Salamander Ambystoma maculatum G5 S5
Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana G5 S5
Wood Frog Rana sylvatica G5 S5
American Toad Bufo americanus G5 S5
Redback Salamander Plethodon cinereus G5 S5
Northern Leopard Frog Rana pipiens G5 S5
Maritime Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis G5 S5

2.2.4 Fish

Sand Pond and associated waterways are a popular area for Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) fishing. Other common fish include Yellow Perch, White Perch and Golden Shiner (Table 5).

Table 5: Fish species observed within Sand Pond NWA
Common name Species Global
(G-) rank
Regional
(S-) rank
Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas G5 S5
Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus G5 S5
Yellow Perch Perca flavescens G5 S5
White Perch Morone americana G5 S5
Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis G5 S5

2.3 Species at risk

No SARA-listed or COSEWIC-reviewed species at risk have been observed within Sand Pond NWA in recent years (MacKinnon and Vickruck, 2014). However, some bird species, such as Barn Swallow and Common Nighthawk were recorded in 1968 and 1974, respectively, and as the habitat has remained relatively unchanged, they may still frequent the area (Table 6). Although no listed species of ACPF have been observed within the NWA, it should be noted that all species of ACPF are rare in Canada (Newell 2002).

Table 6: Species at risk that may frequent Sand Pond NWA
Common and scientific names of species
(Birds)
Status (Canada)
SARAFootnote1.1
Status (Canada)
COSEWICFootnote2.1
Status (Nova Scotia)
Provincial rankingFootnote3
Presence or potential of presenceFootnote4
Barn Swallow
(Hirundo rustica)
No Status Threatened S3 Potential
Common Nighthawk
(Chordeiles minor)
No Status Threatened S3B Potential

2.4 Invasive species

No invasive species have been recorded at Sand Pond NWA.

Figure 6: No invasive species have been recorded at Sand Pond NWA.
No invasive species have been recorded at Sand Pond NWA.
Photo: C. MacKinnon © Environnement Canada, 2011
Figure 7: Fresh Creek, Sand Pond NWA
Fresh Creek, Sand Pond NWA
Photo: A. Macpherson © Environment Canada, 2011

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