Tway National Wildlife Area Management Plan, 2016: chapter 5
5 Management approaches
This section and the following Table 6 contain a description of the possible approaches that could be used in the management of Tway NWA. However, management actions will be determined during the annual work planning process and will be implemented as human and financial resources allow.
Management Challenge or Threat | Goal and Objectives | Management Approaches and Level of PriorityFootnotee |
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Alien invasive species | Goal 1: Maintain and enhance upland grassland vegetation at Tway NWA as nesting habitat for migratory birds. Objective 1.2: Reduce the distribution and abundance of alien invasive plants and noxious weeds (ongoing). |
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Artificial water control structures | Goal 2: Maintain wetland habitats at Tway NWA to provide habitat for migratory birds and manage wetlands in a manner compatible with DUC's future directions for the Tway Lakes Project. Objective 2.1: Wetlands within the NWA will be managed to provide habitat for migratory birds including waterfowl, shorebirds and other migratory species in ways that adapt to future changes in moisture regimes and infrastructure (ongoing). Objective 2.2: Beaver and muskrat burrowing activities that interfere with operational water control structures will not increase over time (ongoing) |
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Fire and Fire Suppression | Goal 1: Maintain and enhance upland grassland vegetation at Tway NWA as nesting habitat for migratory birds. Objective 1.1: Increase the structural and compositional heterogeneity of grasslands with natural disturbance tools such as fire and grazing (by 2020). Objective 1.2: Reduce the distribution and abundance of alien invasive plants and noxious weeds (ongoing). Objective 1.3: Reduce the distribution and abundance of native woody vegetation with natural disturbance tools such as fire and grazing (by 2020). |
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Livestock Grazing | Goal 1: Maintain and enhance upland grassland vegetation at Tway NWA as nesting habitat for migratory birds. Objective 1.1: Increase the structural and compositional heterogeneity of grasslands with natural disturbance tools such as fire and grazing (by 2020). Objective 1.2: Reduce the distribution and abundance of alien invasive plants and noxious weeds (ongoing). Objective 1.3: Reduce the distribution and abundance of native woody vegetation with natural disturbance tools such as fire and grazing (by 2020). |
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Gravel Extraction | Goal 1: Maintain and enhance upland grassland vegetation at Tway NWA as nesting habitat for migratory birds. Objective 1.1: Increase the structural and compositional heterogeneity of grasslands with natural disturbance tools such as fire and grazing (by 2020). Objective 1.2: Reduce the distribution and abundance of alien invasive plants and noxious weeds (ongoing). |
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Agricultural Effluent | Goal 2: Maintain wetland habitats at Tway NWA to provide habitat for migratory birds and manage wetlands in a manner compatible with DUC's future directions for the Tway Lakes Project. Objective 2.1: Wetlands within the NWA will be managed to provide habitat for migratory birds including waterfowl, shorebirds and other migratory species in ways that adapt to future changes in moisture regimes and infrastructure (ongoing). |
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5.1 Habitat management
5.1.1 Upland habitat management
Grazing and fire will be used to create diversity in structure and composition of the plant community in Tway NWA, thereby improving the wildlife habitat. Greater variety in the structure and composition of perennial upland cover is known to support a greater diversity of species relative to a monoculture or uniform harvest system (Askins et al.2007, Rotenberry and Wiens 1980). For example, waterfowl nest density and success appear to increase on landscapes with many small wetlands and a patchwork of idled and managed perennial hay and annual cropland (Arnold et al. 2007). Some species, like Northern Pintail, may benefit from haying or otherwise managing perennial cover (McMaster et al. 2005). Management interventions, such as prescribed burning, grazing and haying, could be used to achieve the goal of improving wildlife habitats.
Prescribed burning
Prescribed burning may be undertaken in any year to reduce the cover of invasive native shrubs, alien perennial grasses or litter build-up that are otherwise considered a fire hazard. A cumulative total of 36 hectares (50% of the uplands) will be burned in each 5-year period, such that the average fire return interval on the upland grasslands is 10 years; this return interval is consistent with natural fire regimes in this region (Wright and Bailey 1982, Pylepec and Romo 2003). Fire can be reintroduced in Fescue Prairie as a management tool that creates temporal and spatial variation in composition, structure and function (Romo 2003). For conservation purposes, prescribed burning should be considered only at times when it can be conducted safely (Romo 2003). To minimize short-term negative effects on migratory birds, burning will be restricted to early April before the nesting season begins, or to September and October after the nesting season has ended.
Prescribed burns will aim to restore remnant native grasslands in association with livestock grazing. Boundaries of burn units will include constructed features like trails and ditches, or open water bodies, and mowed fireguards that follow property edges or ridgetops. These boundary features either offer discontinuities in fuels, ease of equipment access, or are otherwise effective lines for ignition of backfires that will travel slowly downslope. Backfires from these boundary features will be the primary form of ignition, with stripfires or headfires used only where a black line or water body 10-15 metres in width occurs downwind and around the flanks. Burns will not occur where wind speeds exceed 25 km hr-1, to reduce the risk of long-distance ember transport from woody fuels or the risk of fires jumping fire guards (Cheney and Sullivan 2008). Individual burn units will be designed to safely manage each fire with existing numbers of appropriately trained staff. Finally, burns will not occur during periods of fire bans dictated by surrounding municipal or provincial governments.
Other procedures, including occupational health and safety training requirements, pre-burn checklists, incident command system, post-fire mop-up, and cooperation with surrounding landowners and municipal fire departments, will be outlined in individual burn plans.
Livestock grazing
Grazing by domestic livestock can diversify the structure of perennial cover at Tway NWA and limit weeds and woody plant invasions. Thus, grazing will be an important tool to maintain ecological integrity of Tway NWA and provide more heterogeneity in nesting cover for a greater diversity of birds. Two components of implementing livestock grazing include design of the grazing regime most appropriate for the ecosystem, and constructing the infrastructure needed to support that grazing regime. Grazing regimes are described by timing, duration, frequency and stocking density. Grazing rotations involve the movement of animals from one pasture to another, deferment involves delaying grazing in a pasture until most plants have completed seed production or nesting is completed, and rest involves not grazing a pasture for at least one year (Heitschmidt and Stuth 1991).
Tway NWA will be managed with grazing deferred to summer and fall (after July 15) at a moderate stocking density to maintain productivity and density of the grass cover for nesting waterfowl. Burns in patches of remnant native grasslands may help target grazing of Smooth Brome there in July. The estimated maximum stocking rate for Tway NWA is 137 Animal Unit Months (AUMs) north of the Carrot River and 156 AUMs on the south side for a total of 293 AUMs. North side of Carrot River is a sandy-loam and wet meadow range ecosites with approximately 32 and 20 ha, respectively for each range site, with an estimated 50% tame forage component. South side of the Carrot River is a 40-ha clay loam range and a 40 ha wet meadow range ecosites with no estimation of tame forage component. These estimates are based upon stocking rate recommendations outlined by Thorpe (2007). To limit potential nutrient inputs into wetlands, grazing intensity will be conservative. Effects of grazing on riparian health will be monitored, and adaptations to reduce grazing impacts will be made if unhealthy riparian areas become common.
Haying and grazing permits for Tway NWA have been provided sporadically from 1986 to 2007 on various portions of the NWA. If efforts to achieve grazing objectives are unsuccessful, haying might be appropriate as an alternative approach to create more diversity in wildlife habitats.
Invasive species management
Control of invasive alien species or weeds identified as noxious under Saskatchewan's The Weed Control Act, 2010, will employ chemical formulations and application timing prescribed by licensed pesticide applicators. Control will be done up to 30 metres inside the NWA boundaries to promote compliance with the Act above. All application methods will involve hand-held or ATV-mounted equipment to minimize disturbance to surrounding vegetation. Spot-spray applications of broad-leaf herbicides with limited residual effects will be used to target patches of the major problem species, like Canada Thistle or Common Tansy. In all cases, no follow-up revegetation actions should be necessary, only monitoring the success of actions, and re-application where first efforts failed.
Wild Boars may become a problem on the NWA, resulting in habitat disturbance and vegetation destruction. Humane removal methods of the animals as well as instituting follow-up prevention methods will follow the direction of a provincial conservation officer and any applicable provincial legislation.
5.1.2 Wetland habitat management
Wetland habitats naturally fluctuate with changes in water level. Temporary ponds are frequently dry by mid-summer or remain completely dry throughout some dry years. Changes in water levels for natural wetlands are driven by two primary factors: climate and land cover. Land managers have little influence over climate but can influence land cover. The grazing and burning proposed in Section 5.1.1 may marginally influence wetland water levels by increasing runoff.
The previous focus of the wetland management program at Tway NWA was to increase the NWA's potential for waterfowl production by raising maximum water levels, adding nesting islands and managing drawdowns. Manipulations of wetlands in the Tway Lakes Project with water control infrastructure was intended to benefit waterfowl, particularly broods in mid-summer, when natural water supplies may be limiting to brood survival. However, this approach required intensive management activities, and objectives were not consistently achieved.
As a federally protected area, conservation of wildlife and conservation of wetland function are policy expectations. Tway NWA was originally created to protect the water control infrastructure, and CWS will continue to work with DUC to identify and evaluate options for rebuilding or decommissioning this infrastructure, and implementing a selected option as funding becomes available. In the meantime, ongoing maintenance may include frequent inspection and operational visits by DUC staff and occasional equipment access for minor repairs. These activities are consistent with the Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation and are not likely to result in significant adverse environmental effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA), but major changes to existing water control could fall under section 67 of CEAA, which would mean an environmental assessment and species at risk analysis would be required.
Regulatory matters regarding water removals are under the control of the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, which issues permits to DUC for this purpose.
5.2 Wildlife management
Hunting is allowed on Tway NWA by a notice posted at the entry to the property. It was waterfowl hunters who financially supported the DUC Tway Lakes Project, with the intent that waterfowl hunting would be allowed in the area. All federal and provincial wildlife hunting regulations apply on Tway NWA.
Occasional removal of Beavers or Muskrats will be permitted where those animals are responsible for plugging water control structures, or back-flooding municipal roadways. Humane removal methods of the animal, lodges and any dams, as well as instituting follow-up prevention methods, will follow the direction of a provincial conservation officer and any applicable provincial legislation.
No other active wildlife population management is anticipated for 2015-2019.
5.3 Monitoring
Effective and efficient monitoring requires careful planning and a coordinated approach. Monitoring will also be carried out in a manner that contributes to meeting species at risk recovery strategy or action plan objectives. Ongoing monitoring needs are as follows:
- Distribution and abundance of waterfowl, songbird species and species at risk (Goal 1.1-1.3, 2.1).
- Upland habitat suitability for grassland songbirds and prairie ducks, particularly Sprague's Pipit and Northern Pintail, using vertical obstruction and foliar cover measures for comparison to published habitat needs (Goal 1.1-1.3).
- Distribution and abundance of native plant species (Goal 1.1-1.3).
- Distribution and abundance of alien invasive species (Goal 1.3).
- Range and riparian health assessments where lands are grazed by livestock, including before and after measurements with associated control and impact sites (Goal 1.1-1.3, 2.1).
- Woody vegetation reductions in response to burning treatments, using height and density measures, including before and after measurements with associated control and impact sites (Goal 1.1, 1.3).
- Noxious weed reductions following control methods employed, using cover, area or density measures appropriate to the target weed, in the year controls were applied and the year following (Goal 1.2).
- Aquatic habitat quality for waterfowl, using submergent vegetation and macro-invertebrate abundance as indicators of water quality at control and impact sites (Goal 2.1).
- Adherence of permittee(s) and DUC to prohibited activities and permit conditions (Goal 1.1-1.3, 2.1-2.2).
- Condition of infrastructure for consideration of repair, replacement or decommissioning on an annual basis (Goal 1.1-1.3, 2.1-2.2).
Results of the above monitoring activities will be considered in annual and ongoing management planning for Tway NWA. Changes to monitoring activities may be made following the five-year review of the management plan and management goals.
5.4 Research
Research activities will be considered for permitting when the results obtained through research have the potential for the following:
- Addressing one or more of the management goals/objectives;
- Will not interfere with the conservation of wildlife; and
- Will not likely cause significant adverse environmental effects.
To obtain a permit to conduct research in Tway NWA and to receive instructions concerning guidelines for a research proposal, please contact:
Protected Areas Ecologistc/o Environment and Climate Change Canada
Canadian Wildlife Service
Prairie and Northern Region
Perimeter Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 0X4
5.5 Public information and outreach
Few people visit Tway NWA for wildlife viewing or waterfowl hunting, and a substantial program for public information and outreach is not warranted. For national and international audiences, summary information is made widely available through the Environment and Climate Change Canada Internet site on Protected Areas. For local audiences, boundary and information signs are vital for maintaining awareness of the site. Local audiences and outcomes to consider when preparing any communications materials or events include:
- Permitted agricultural users, hunters or maintenance contractors who comply with all permit conditions or posted notices; and
- Adjacent neighbours who can promptly report suspected contraventions of prohibited activities to CWS.
Since local users are most likely to impact Tway NWA, it is important to build local support for NWA management goals and objectives. It is reasonable to expect continued levels of local support and compliance with the Wildlife Area Regulations, given that management will include regulated hunting, permits for the occasional removal of problematic Beavers, and permits for cattle grazing.
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