Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen (Collema coniophilum): recovery strategy 2022

Official title: Recovery Strategy for the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen (Collema coniophilum) in Canada 2022

Species at Risk Act
Recovery Strategy Series
Adopted under Section 44 of SARA

Part 1 – Federal Addition to the Recovery Plan for the Crumpled Tarpaper (Collema coniophilum) in British Columbia, prepared by Environment and Climate Change Canada

Preface

The federal, provincial, and territorial government signatories under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (1996)^{Footnote 2} agreed to establish complementary legislation and programs that provide for effective protection of species at risk throughout Canada. Under the Species at Risk Act (S.C. 2002, c.29) (SARA), the federal competent ministers are responsible for the preparation of recovery strategies for listed Extirpated, Endangered, and Threatened species and are required to report on progress within five years after the publication of the final document on the Species at Risk Public Registry.

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change is the competent minister under SARA for the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen and has prepared the federal component of this recovery plan (Part 1), as per section 37 of SARA. To the extent possible, it has been prepared in cooperation with the Province of British Columbia as per section 39(1) of SARA. SARA section 44 allows the Minister to adopt all or part of an existing plan for the species if it meets the requirements under SARA for content (sub-sections 41(1) or (2)). The Province of British Columbia provided the attached recovery plan for the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen (Part 2) as science advice to the jurisdictions responsible for managing the species in British Columbia. It was prepared in cooperation with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Success in the recovery of this species depends on the commitment and cooperation of many different constituencies that will be involved in implementing the directions set out in this strategy and will not be achieved by Environment and Climate Change Canada, or any other jurisdiction alone. All Canadians are invited to join in supporting and implementing this strategy for the benefit of the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen and Canadian society as a whole.

This recovery strategy will be followed by one or more action plans that will provide information on recovery measures to be taken by Environment and Climate Change Canada and other jurisdictions and/or organizations involved in the conservation of the species. Implementation of this strategy is subject to appropriations, priorities, and budgetary constraints of the participating jurisdictions and organizations.

The recovery strategy sets the strategic direction to arrest or reverse the decline of the species, including identification of critical habitat to the extent possible. It provides all Canadians with information to help take action on species conservation. When critical habitat is identified, either in a recovery strategy or an action plan, SARA requires that critical habitat then be protected.

In the case of critical habitat identified for terrestrial species including migratory birds SARA requires that critical habitat identified in a federally protected area^{Footnote 3} be described in the Canada Gazette within 90 days after the recovery strategy or action plan that identified the critical habitat is included in the public registry. A prohibition against destruction of critical habitat under ss. 58(1) will apply 90 days after the description of the critical habitat is published in the Canada Gazette.

For critical habitat located on other federal lands, the competent minister must either make a statement on existing legal protection or make an order so that the prohibition against destruction of critical habitat applies.

For any part of critical habitat located on non-federal lands, if the competent minister forms the opinion that any portion of critical habitat is not protected by provisions in or measures under SARA or other Acts of Parliament, or the laws of the province or territory, SARA requires that the Minister recommend that the Governor in Council make an order to prohibit destruction of critical habitat. The discretion to protect critical habitat on non-federal lands that is not otherwise protected rests with the Governor in Council.

Acknowledgements

Development of this recovery strategy was coordinated by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service (ECCC CWS) – Pacific Region staff: Kimberly Dohms, Megan Harrison, and Kella Sadler. Christopher Lewis and Duncan McColl (B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development), Alana Nasadyk and Karen Stefanyk (B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy), and Emma Pascoe (ECCC CWS-National Capital Region) provided helpful editorial advice and comment. Danielle Yu (ECCC CWS‑Pacific Region) provided additional assistance with critical habitat identification, mapping and figure preparation.

Additions and modifications to the adopted document

The following sections have been included to address specific requirements of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) that are not addressed in the Recovery Plan for the Crumpled Tarpaper (Collema coniophilum) in British Columbia (Part 2 of this document, referred to henceforth as “the provincial recovery plan”) and/or to provide updated or additional information. This species is listed under SARA as Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen (Collema coniophilum) and is referred to as Crumpled Tarpaper (Collema coniophilum) provincially (as per B.C. Conservation Data Centre). Both refer to the same species.

Under SARA, there are specific requirements and processes set out regarding the protection of critical habitat. Therefore, statements in the provincial recovery plan referring to protection of survival/recovery habitat may not directly correspond to federal requirements. Recovery measures dealing with the protection of habitat are adopted; however, whether these measures will result in protection of critical habitat under SARA will be assessed following publication of the final federal recovery strategy.

1. Species status information

This section replaces the information on SARA legal designations and conservation status for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen in Canada in “Section 2: Species Status Information” in the provincial recovery plan.

The legal designation of Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen on SARA Schedule 1 is Threatened (2017).

2. Species population and distribution

This section replaces the information summary for known populations of Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen in Canada (Table 1, Section 3.2) in the provincial recovery plan.

The information summary below (Table 2) describes the updated distribution of Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen populations in Canada. Element occurrence (EO) numbers indicated align with those provided in the provincial recovery plan, with the exception of new occurrences discovered since the provincial recovery plan was written. Each locality is considered a separate population as they are more than 1 km apart. Of the 18 recorded Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen populations, 16 are considered extant and two are of unknown status. The current known population size is ≥ 188 thalli^{Footnote 4}. Two potential populations of Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen have been recently reported from Alberta and Northwest Territories, however their identification has not yet been formally verified, and details regarding habitat associations and threats are currently unknown.

3. Species needs

Table 3 below provides a summary of “Section 3.3: Needs of Crumpled Tarpaper” in the provincial recovery plan.

4. Threats

4.1 Threat assessment

Table 4 (below) replaces Table 2 of the “Threats Assessment" (Section 4.1) in the provincial recovery plan, to provide updated information on the threats to all known Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen populations in Canada.

The Crumpled Tarpaper threat assessment is based on the IUCN-CMP (World Conservation Union–Conservation Measures Partnership) unified threats classification system. Threats are defined as the proximate activities or processes that have caused, are causing, or may cause in the future the destruction, degradation, and/or impairment of the entity being assessed (population, species, community, or ecosystem) in the area of interest (global, national, or subnational). Limiting factors are not considered during this assessment process. Historical threats, indirect or cumulative effects of the threats, or any other relevant information that would help understand the nature of the threats are presented in the Description of Threats section.

4.2 Description of threats

The information below replaces content of the “Description of Threats” (Section 4.2) in the provincial recovery plan to include updated threats information for all known Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen populations in Canada. Best available information on additional threats that are not described below are described in the provincial recovery plan (e.g. IUCN-CMP Threat 11.2 Drought). Current threats are listed in Table 4 and additional threats that are no longer deemed applicable are not included below.

The overall Threat Impact for this species is Very High. Threat descriptions are provided in decreasing order of Threat Impact levels, as per classification in Table 4 above.

IUCN-CMP threat 5.3 (logging and wood harvesting)

Logging directly effects Crumpled Tarpaper lichen through removing or degrading populations and the habitat features that support them. Seven of the 18 populations (EOs 1-2, and 4-8) occur in Timber Supply Areas, where logging and wood harvesting activities are likely. An additional four populations (EOs 10-11, 14, and 18) are on land of unknown tenure, meaning that the threat of logging and forestry remains possible for these populations. The remaining seven populations (EOs 3, 7, 12-13, and 15-17) have some measure of protection from wood harvesting through the legal provisions of the Parks Act or the Environment and Land Use Act.

IUCN-CMP threat 4.1 (roads and railroads)

Roads that are developed for logging will directly affect Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen, in particular since both the species and mainline logging roads generally occur in level toe‑slope^{Footnote 5} areas (Trevor Goward, personal communication 2020). Fragmentation of habitat by logging roads also decreases the amount of suitable habitat available for the species to colonize and may increase edge effects, changing required microhabitat characteristics such as moisture and air flow. Note that at one location (Hiyu Creek population (EO4)) a higher than normal number of thalli were originally found along gravel logging roads that were formerly subject to considerable calcareous road dust. It is possible that some populations may benefit from being located in close proximity to logging roads or other trails that produce calcareous dust.

IUCN-CMP threat 9.5 (airborne pollutants)

Lichens have demonstrated sensitivity to airborne pollutants from industry (Coxson et al. 2014), though this research has not been done for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen. An approved plan to build a limestone quarry and smelter at Giscome, B.C. (Giscome Quarry and Lime Plant approved in 2016) could represent a large point source of acidic emissions immediately upwind of several Robson Valley populations (E05, 07, and 08). Depending on the fuel source, airborne pollutants could pose risks to Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen populations in the region east of the smelter and in the upper Robson Valley (Coxson et al. 2014).

IUCN-CMP threat (11.3 temperature extremes)

Lichens are sensitive indicators of climate change and are known to respond to extreme fluctuations in temperature (Benítez et al. 2018). However, not enough is understood about the physiology of Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen to understand how temperature extremes may impact this species.

5. Population and distribution objectives

This section replaces “Section 5.1 Recovery (Population and Distribution) Goal” and “Section 5.2 Rationale for the Recovery (Population and Distribution) Goal”.

Population and distribution objective

To increase the resilience^{Footnote 6} of Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen populations at all known extant sites throughout its range in Canada, including any new sites that may be discovered, by ceasing or mitigating human-caused threats causing decline in the area, extent, and quality of suitable habitat.

Rationale

Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is a Canadian endemic^{Footnote 7} species , that is found over a relatively large range, but sparsely within a specific habitat. The species is found in nutrient rich sites in humid old growth forests on a diverse range of host trees. Sixteen populations are currently known to be extant in British Columbia. As there is no historical population and distribution information for this species, it is unknown whether it was more widespread prior to impacts of human activity; as such, the focus of the objective is on increasing the resilience (population size) at extant sites through ceasing or mitigating human-caused threats, rather than attempting to deliberately increase population size via augmentation or restoration activities. Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen’s small overall population size (≥ 188 mature individuals, as represented by number of thalli) has led to its assessment as Threatened^{Footnote 8} in Canada. The population size threshold separating designations of Threatened and Special Concern is >1000 mature individuals. With the rediscovery of an extant population that was previously thought to be extirpated (EO1 – Sugarbowl Creek), and 11 new populations discovered in B.C. since 2013, as well as the potential new observations in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, it is likely that the total number of mature individuals is significantly higher than previously known. If new populations continue to be found, it is possible the species could be reassessed as Special Concern as a consequence of improved and more comprehensive surveys.

6. Critical habitat

This section replaces the entirety of “Section 7: Information on Habitat Needed to Meet Recovery Goal” in the provincial recovery plan.

Section 41 (1)(c) of SARA requires that recovery strategies include an identification of the species’ critical habitat, to the extent possible, as well as examples of activities that are likely to result in its destruction. More precise boundaries may be mapped, and additional critical habitat may be added in the future if additional research supports the inclusion of areas beyond those currently identified. A primary consideration in the identification of critical habitat is the amount, quality, and locations of habitat needed to achieve the population and distribution objectives.

Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is identified in this recovery strategy to the extent possible based on the best available information. It is recognized that the critical habitat identified below is insufficient to achieve the population and distribution objectives for the species. A schedule of studies (Section 6.2) has been developed to provide the information necessary to complete the identification of critical habitat that will be sufficient to meet population and distribution objectives. The identification of critical habitat will be updated in a revised recovery strategy when the information becomes available.

6.1 Identification of the species’ critical habitat

Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is identified at known or presumed extant sites where the population has been observed within the last 25 years (i.e., since 1995) and where the location uncertainty distance is less than 100 m. The geospatial areas containing critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen (totalling 136.38 ha^{Footnote 9}) are presented in Figures 1-13. Within these geospatial areas, critical habitat is identified wherever the following biophysical attributes occur.

Biophysical attribute description:

A description of the essential features and attributes of habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen that are required to support life history functions are provided in this document in Section 3 Species Needs. The geospatial areas containing critical habitat represent the minimum areas required to sustain both the suite of features that contribute to the broader site context (necessary to sustain the occurrence) as well as the very specific growing location(s). As such, within these geospatial polygons, critical habitat includes all natural features, including associated vegetation and substrates. Within these polygons, only unsuitable areas that do not possess any of the features and attributes required by Crumpled Tarpaper at any time are excluded from identification as critical habitat. Examples of these excluded areas include: existing buildings, roadways, parking lots, railways, gravel pits, as well as all non-forested or treeless areas. The 1 km x 1 km universal transverse mercator (UTM) grid overlay shown on these figures is a standardized national grid system that highlights the general geographical area containing critical habitat for land use planning and/or environmental assessment purposes.

6.1.1 Information and methods used to identify critical habitat

The geospatial area containing critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is based on the following additive components:

1. point occurrences representing individuals or patches of lichen that were recorded within the last 25 years
2. an additional distance around each point to accommodate the potential location error associated with the occurrence (ranging from 5 m to 100 m uncertainty distance; Table 2); and
3. a minimum critical function zone^{Footnote 10} of 100 m (beyond the point location of each occurrence and the associated potential location error), to support the production and maintenance of suitable microhabitat conditions required by Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen

Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen requires humid old-growth forests to create suitable microhabitat conditions. While there is no species-specific information available regarding the threshold forest patch area that is required to maintain Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at a site, recent research on epiphytic lichens in temperate rainforests of pacific British Columbia has shown that viability increased up to 120 m from forest edges (Gauslaa et al. 2018). Likewise, prior research on edge effects from Pacific Northwest forests have found that the influence of edge on microclimate, including humidity and solar and wind exposure, extended 100-150 m into intact forests (Kremsater and Bunnell 1999). Application of a 100 m critical function zone distance for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is consistent with best available information, as well as the approach taken for other lichen species (e.g., Boreal Felt Lichen, Environment and Climate Change Canada 2018).

6.1.2 Geospatial location of areas containing critical habitat

Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is identified for 16 confirmed populations in British Columbia (Figures 1-13); these are linked with the element occurrence numbers provided in Table 2:

• Sugarbowl Creek (EO1) - figure 1
• Hiyu Creek (EO4) - figure 2
• Robson Valley, Amanita Creek (EO5) - figure 3
• Huble Creek (EO6) - figure 4
• Aleza Lake (EO7) - figure 5
• Upper Fraser Bridge, McGregor (EO8) - figure 3
• Dawson Falls, Wells Gray Provincial Park (EO9) - figure 6
• Northwest Red Mountain Creek, Penny (EO10) - figure 7
• Southwest Red Mountain Creek, Penny (EO11) - figure 7
• Muskwa River (EO12) - figure 8
• Driscoll Creek (EO13) - figure 9
• Table River (EO14) - figure 10
• Hominka River (EO15) - figure 11
• Hungary Creek (EO16) - figure 1
• Caswell Creek (EO17) - figure 12
• Crooked River (EO18) - figure 13

Figure 1. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Sugarbowl Creek (EO1) and at Hungary Creek (EO16), B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 2. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Hiyu Creek (EO4) east of Prince George, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 3. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Upper Fraser Bridge, McGregor (EO8) and Robson Valley, Amanita Creek (EO5), B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 4. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Huble Creek (EO6), northeast of Prince George, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 5. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Aleza Lake (EO7) east of Prince George, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 6. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Dawson Falls (EO9) in Wells Gray Provincial Park, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 7. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Northwest Red Mountain Creek (EO10) and Southwest Red Mountain Creek (EO11), near Penny, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 8. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Muskwa River (EO12) southeast of Fort Nelson, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 9. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Driscoll Creek (EO13) in Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 10. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Table River (EO14) northeast of Prince George, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 11. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Hominka River (EO15) northeast of Prince George, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 12. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Caswell Creek (EO17) southeast of Mackenzie, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

Figure 13. Critical habitat for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen at Crooked River (EO18) north of Prince George, B.C., is represented by the shaded yellow polygons is represented by the shaded yellow polygons, except where excluded areas (as described in section 6.1) occur. The 1 km x 1 km standardized UTM grid overlay (red outline) shown on this figure is part of a standardized national grid systems used to indicate the general geographical area within which critical habitat is found. Areas outside of the shaded yellow polygons do not contain critical habitat.

6.2 Schedule of studies to identify critical habitat

The following schedule of studies (Table 5) outlines the activities required to complete the identification of critical habitat for the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen.

6.3 Examples of activities likely to result in the destruction of critical habitat

Understanding what constitutes destruction of critical habitat is necessary for the protection and management of critical habitat. Destruction is determined on a case‑by‑case basis. Destruction would result if part of the critical habitat were degraded, either permanently or temporarily, such that it would not serve its function when needed by the species. Destruction may result from a single or multiple activities at one point in time or from the cumulative effects of one or more activities over time. Section 4 provides a description of the potential threats to Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen. Activities described in Table 6 include those likely to cause destruction of critical habitat for the species; destructive activities are not limited to those listed.

7. Measuring progress

The provincial recovery plan (Part 2, section 8) contains a section on measuring progress toward meeting the three recovery objectives that are set out in that plan (Part 2, section 5.3). Environment and Climate Change Canada adopts “Section 8: Measuring Progress” with the addition of the following performance indicators that define and measure progress toward meeting the population and distribution objective as it is set out in this federal recovery strategy, i.e.,:

• the number of mature individuals for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen is stable or increasing at all known extant sites over the next 10 years
• human-caused threats are managed such that the area, extent, and quality of forest habitat that is suitable for Crumpled Tarpaper is maintained in a way that allows for population resilience at all known extant sites

8. Statement on action plans

One or more action plans for the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen will be posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry within 10 years of the posting of the final recovery strategy.

9. Effects on the environment and other species

A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is conducted on all SARA recovery planning documents, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals^{Footnote 11}. The purpose of a SEA is to incorporate environmental considerations into the development of public policies, plans, and program proposals to support environmentally sound decision-making and to evaluate whether the outcomes of a recovery planning document could affect any component of the environment or any of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy’s^{Footnote 12} (FSDS) goals and targets.

Recovery planning is intended to benefit species at risk and biodiversity in general. However, it is recognized that strategies may also inadvertently lead to environmental effects beyond the intended benefits. The planning process based on national guidelines directly incorporates consideration of all environmental effects, with a particular focus on possible impacts upon non-target species or habitats. The results of the SEA are incorporated directly into the strategy itself, but are also summarized in the statement below.

The provincial recovery plan for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen contains a section describing the effects of recovery activities on other species (i.e., Section 9). Environment and Climate Change Canada adopts this section of the provincial recovery plan as the statement on effects of recovery activities on the environment and other species. Recovery planning activities for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen will be implemented with consideration for all co-occurring species at risk, in order to avoid negative impacts to these co-occuring species or their habitats. Some management actions for Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen (e.g., inventory and monitoring, threat mitigation, habitat conservation, education, and research) may promote the conservation of other species at risk that overlap in distribution and rely on similar interior old-growth forest habitat attributes.

10. References

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2020. B.C. Species and Ecosystems Explorer. B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. Victoria, B.C. Available: http://a100.gov.B.C..ca/pub/eswp/. [Accessed: June 2020]

Benítez, A., G. Aragón, Y. González, and M. Prieto. 2018. Functional traits of epiphytic lichens in response to forest disturbance and as predictors of total richness and diversity. Ecological Indicators. 86: 18-26.

Coxson, D., C. Björk, and M.D. Bourassa. 2014. The influence of regional gradients in climate and air pollution on epiphytes in riparian forest galleries of the upper Fraser River watershed. Botany. 92: 23-45.

Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2018. Amended Recovery Strategy for the Boreal Felt Lichen (Erioderma pedicellatum), Atlantic population, in Canada [Proposed]. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa. viii + 48 pp.

Gauslaa, Y., P. Bartemucci, and K. Asbjørn Solhauga. 2018. Forest edge-induced damage of cephalo- and cyanolichens in northern temperate rainforests of British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 49: 434-9.

Kremsater, L. and F.L. Bunnell. 1999. Edge effects: theory, evidence and implications to management of western North American forests in Forest fragmentation: wildlife and management implications. J.A. Rochelle, L.A. Lehmann, J. Wisniewski (Eds.). Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Netherlands. pp. 117-153.

NatureServe. 2020. NatureServe Explorer 2.0: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available: http://explorer.natureserve.org. [Accessed: June 2020]

Part 2 – Recovery Plan for the Crumpled Tarpaper (Collema coniophilum) in British Columbia, prepared by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy

Official title: Recovery Plan for Crumpled Tarpaper (Collema coniophilum) in British Columbia

Prepared by B.C. Ministry of Environment
December 2013

Acknowledgements

This document was completed by Brenda Costanzo (B.C. Ministry of Environment). Input on the threat assessment section was received from Stu Crawford (consultant) and Trevor Goward (consultant), with funding support from Environment Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service, Pacific-Yukon Region). Trevor Goward reviewed this document with funding support from the Land Based Investment Fund. Tim Wheeler is provided the cover image of crumpled tarpaper.

Executive summary

Crumpled tarpaper (Collema coniophilum) is a gel lichen with a leafy thallus (1.5–2.5 wide) bearing several broad, mostly rounded lobes that are thickened towards the tips. Thalli have a dark olive green to blackish brown upper surface, and a dark olive green to pale olive beige lower surface. The upper surface is sparsely covered in low blisters that become networks of narrow folds. The lower surface may bear tufts of tiny white hairs.

Crumpled tarpaper was designated as Threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as it is endemic to Canada, is restricted to trees in old-growth forests, and has a narrow distribution. Crumpled tarpaper is declining as a result of ongoing loss of old-growth forest. It is also expected to be listed as Threatened in Canada on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). In British Columbia, crumpled tarpaper is ranked S1 (critically imperiled) by the Conservation Data Centre and is on the provincial Red list. The B.C. Conservation Framework ranks crumpled tarpaper lichen as a priority 1 under goal 1 (contribute to global efforts for species and ecosystem conservation). Recovery is considered to be biologically and technically feasible.

The recovery (population and distribution) goal is to maintain stable or increasing populations throughout the species’ range in British Columbia.

Recovery objectives for this species include:

1. to ensure long-term protection^{Footnote 13} for the known populations and habitat of crumpled tarpaper
2. to conduct targeted inventory of suitable habitat (e.g., in Interior Cedar–Hemlock and Sub-Boreal Spruce biogeoclimatic zones)
3. to implement appropriate site management at all known locations
4. to fill knowledge gaps on the environmental requirements and life history of the species (in particular lifespan, nutrient regime, and microclimatic requirements) for successful recolonization and maintenance of the species with respect to land management activities

Recovery feasibility summary

The recovery of crumpled tarpaper in B.C. is considered technically and biologically feasible based on the criteria outlined by the Government of Canada (2009):

1. Individuals of the wildlife species that are capable of reproduction are available now or in the foreseeable future to sustain the population or improve its abundance.

Yes, species reproduces asexually, although dispersal may be limiting.

2. Sufficient suitable habitat is available to support the species or could be made available through habitat management or restoration.

Yes, sufficient habitat is available or can be made available in the Interior Cedar–Hemlock (ICH) and Sub-Boreal Spruce (SBS) biogeoclimatic zones, though notably crumpled tarpaper requires highly nutrient-enriched microsites not likely to be widely distributed.

3. The primary threats to the species or its habitat (including threats outside Canada) can be avoided or mitigated.

Yes. Crumpled tarpaper requires environmental conditions associated exclusively with old forests. The primary threat of logging and wood harvesting can be avoided to some extent, as 1 of the 7 known extant populations occur in a provincial park and another possibly occurs in an ecological reserve. These areas are protected from industrial resource extraction through provisions such as the Parks Act and the Ecological Reserve Act. Future provincial legislation may likewise minimize the threat of logging at other locations on provincial Crown land (e.g., if crumpled tarpaper is listed as a Species at Risk under the Forest and Range Practices Act).

4. Recovery techniques exist to achieve the population and distribution objectives or can be expected to be developed within a reasonable timeframe.

Yes, best management practices can be developed for successful land management for this species. However, research will still be needed on its environmental requirements and life history, especially regarding generation time and the role of nutrients.

1 COSEWIC* species assessment information

Date of assessment: November 2010

Common name (population): Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen

Scientific name: Collema coniophilum

COSEWIC status: Threatened

Reason for designation: This foliose, tree-inhabiting cyanolichen is endemic to Canada where it occupies a narrow range restricted to trees in old-growth forests on calcareous soils in humid, inland British Columbia. The lichen is poorly adapted for dispersal since it has never been found with sexual reproductive structures and its vegetative propagules are not easily dispersed. The lichen has an apparently declining distribution, resulting from ongoing loss of old-growth forest through clear-cut logging. The factors underlying its rarity and narrow endemism are not well understood.

Canadian occurrence: British Columbia

COSEWIC status history: Designated as Threatened in November 2010.

* Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

** Common and scientific names reported in this management plan follow the naming conventions of the B.C. Conservation Data Centre, which may be different from names reported by COSEWIC.

2 Species status information

Crumpled tarpaper^a

Legal designation:

FRPA:^b No

OGAA:^b No

B.C. Wildlife Act:^c No

SARA: Not currently listed ^d

Conservation status^e

B.C. List: Red

B.C. Rank: S1 (2010)

National Rank: N1 (2009)

Global Rank: G1 (2009)

Other Subnational Ranks:^f None

B.C. Conservation Framework (CF)^g

Goal 1: Contribute to global efforts for species and ecosystem conservation.

Priority:^h 1 (2009)

Goal 2: Prevent species and ecosystems from becoming at risk.

Priority: 6 (2009)

Goal 3: Maintain the diversity of native species and ecosystems.

Priority: 1 (2009)

CF Action Groups:

Compile Status Report;

Planning;

List under Wildlife Act;

Send to COSEWIC;

Habitat Protection;

Private Land Stewardship

^a Data source: B.C. Conservation Data Centre (2013) unless otherwise noted.

^b No = not listed in one of the categories of wildlife that requires special management attention to address the impacts of forest and range activities on Crown land under the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA; Province of British Columbia 2002) and/or the impacts of oil and gas activities on Crown land under the Oil and Gas Activities Act (OGAA; Province of British Columbia 2008).

^c No = not designated as wildlife under the B.C. Wildlife Act (Province of British Columbia 1982).

^d It expected to be listed as Threatened in Canada on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The COSEWIC assessment has been provided to the Minister of Environment and with the Governor in Council (GIC). The Minister, on the recommendation of the GIC, may amend the List and add a wildlife species.

^e S = subnational; N = national; G = global; X = presumed extirpated; H = possibly extirpated; 1 = critically imperiled; 2 = imperiled; 3 = special concern, vulnerable to extirpation or extinction; 4 = apparently secure; 5 = demonstrably widespread, abundant, and secure; NA = not applicable; NR = unranked; U = unrankable.

^e Data source: NatureServe (2012).

^f Data source: B.C. Ministry of Environment (2010).

^g Six-level scale: Priority 1 (highest priority) through to Priority 6 (lowest priority).

3 Species information

3.1 Species description

Crumpled tarpaper is a small- to medium-sized foliose lichen with a leafy thallus 1.5–2.5 (- 3) cm, which becomes gel-like when moistened. The thallus has several broad rounded lobes 2–4 (-5) mm wide and thickened towards the tips. The upper surface is dark olive green to black brown and sometimes appears blistered. The isidia (outgrowths, method of asexual reproduction) on upper surface are black and 0.05–0.2 mm across. The lower surface is a dark olive green to pale olive beige. There are no rhizines (fungal threads), though tufts of small white hairs are sometimes present on the undersurface. (See COSEWIC 2010 for full description; refer to cover photograph.)

3.2 Populations and distribution

Crumpled tarpaper is endemic to Canada where it is only known from 7 extant and 1 extirpated location in B.C. (Table 1 of part 2; Figure 1 of part 2). In the province, it is restricted to inland areas in humid old-growth forests mainly east of Prince George in the Rocky Mountain Trench. Only a few targeted searches in appropriate habitat have been conducted, thus there are potentially more localities to be found in the Sub-Boreal Spruce (SBS) and the Interior–Cedar Hemlock (ICH) biogeoclimatic zones within B.C. (COSEWIC 2010).

The largest known population of crumpled tarpaper occurs at Hiyu Creek (EO4), which supports more than 70% of known thalli. Hiyu Creek is an artificially supported site due to the calcium from the logging road dust that resulted from gravel being deposited on the road. A decline in this population over the past decade has been observed, which may be due to a reduction in (calcareous) road dust due to less logging at the Hiyu site.

The Hiyu Creek locality likely represents a major “source population” for the species, creating an on-going supply of diaspores that, when dispersed (e.g., by birds), help sustain it over a much larger area. The loss of crumpled tarpaper at this locality (e.g., to logging or other disturbances) could result in a gradual regional decline in this species over time because of a lack of dispersal to other areas (T. Goward, pers. comm., 2013). Each locality is considered a separate population as they are more than 1 km apart. As logging has been focused on the bottomland forest types that are characteristic for this species, it is likely that in the past 30 years this activity has resulted in a decline in locations and population size (COSEWIC 2010). This species is at the edge of its ecological capacity to exist (T. Goward, pers. comm., 2013) as its limited reproductive and dispersal capabilities may restrict its ability to re-establish, especially within small populations (see section 3.5).

Figure 1 of part 2. Crumpled tarpaper distribution in British Columbia (B.C. Conservation Data Centre 2013).

3.3 Needs of Crumpled Tarpaper

Crumpled tarpaper is a pioneer species that colonizes young twigs and branches through asexual reproduction (via the production of isidia) in humid old-growth forests that are over 100 years old. As this species requires high light levels and is restricted to older forest types (which allow more light than younger forests), stand structure is important to its survival. As well, the nutrients that are leached from higher in the canopy, in particular from trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) and black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), supply crumpled tarpaper with nutrients for establishment on the lower, partly defoliated branches of adjacent conifer host trees (T. Goward, pers. comm., 2013).

As crumpled tarpaper requires a high level of calcium enrichment for establishment, it is restricted to valley-bottom forests established over calcareous lake sediments deposited during deglaciation; it is not known to occur above about 1000 m elevation. The species is only capable of establishing within the wettest subzones of the Interior Cedar–Hemlock and Sub-Boreal Spruce biogeoclimatic zones where it inhabits trees that grow on calcareous soils (COSEWIC 2010).

Trees that crumpled tarpaper inhabit include subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), trembling aspen, and to a lesser western redcedar (Thuja plicata) and black cottonwood. In one location (Hiyu Creek), a higher than normal number of thalli grows along gravel logging roads that were formerly subject to considerable calcareous road dust. The species is known to require nutrient-rich or nutrient-enriched substrates (COSEWIC 2010).

3.4 Ecological role

Crumpled tarpaper is not known to serve a critical or keystone ecological function. However, as lichens are known to be indicators of environmental change, it may be one of several lichen species that could be used to monitor environmental health.

3.5 Limiting factors

Habitat specificity: Crumpled tarpaper distribution is limited by its specific habitat requirements (see section 3.3).

Limited reproduction and dispersal capability: Crumpled tarpaper is not known to produce sexual fruiting bodies (apothecia), but instead reproduces via asexual outgrowths (isidia). Although it is relatively short-lived, probably completing its life cycle within about three decades (T. Goward, pers. comm., 2013), it is thought to take approximately 10 years after establishment of the isidia for the lichen to be reproductively mature. Dispersal occurs exclusively via isidia that are presumably too large for effective wind dispersal; likely this species is transported on the feet of animals, especially birds. This limiting factor is more apparent within small populations as the frequency of individuals producing/dispersing via isidia is less.

4 Threats

Threats are defined as the proximate activities or processes that have caused, are causing, or may cause in the future the destruction, degradation, and/or impairment of the entity being assessed (population, species, community, or ecosystem) in the area of interest (global, national, or subnational) (Salafsky et al. 2008). For purposes of threat assessment, only present and future threats are considered.^{Footnote 14} Threats do not include limiting factors, which are presented in section 3.5.^{Footnote 15}

For the most part, threats are related to human activities, but they can be natural. The impact of human activity may be direct (e.g., destruction of habitat) or indirect (e.g., invasive species introduction). Effects of natural phenomena (e.g., fire, hurricane, flooding) may be especially important when the species or ecosystem is concentrated in one location or has few occurrences, which may be due to human activity (Master et al. 2009). As such, natural phenomena are included in the definition of a threat, though should be applied cautiously. These stochastic events should only be considered a threat if a species or habitat is damaged from other threats and has lost its resilience, and is thus vulnerable to the disturbance (Salafsky et al. 2008) such that these types of events would have a disproportionately large effect on the population/ecosystem compared to the effect it would have had historically.

4.1 Threat assessment

The threat classification below is based on the IUCN-CMP (World Conservation Union–Conservation Measures Partnership) unified threats classification system and is consistent with methods used by the B.C. Conservation Data Centre and the B.C. Conservation Framework. For a detailed description of the threat classification system, see the CMP website (CMP 2010). Threats may be observed, inferred, or projected to occur in the near term. Threats are characterized here in terms of scope, severity, and timing. Threat “impact” is calculated from scope and severity. For information on how the values are assigned, see Master et al. (2009) and table footnotes for details. Threats for crumpled tarpaper were assessed for the entire province (Table 2 of part 2).

4.2 Description of threats

The overall province-wide Threat Impact for this species is Very High.^{Footnote 16} The greatest threat is logging and wood harvesting (Table 2 of part 2). Details are discussed below under the Threat Level 1 headings.

IUCN-CMP threat 5 - biological resource use

5.3 Logging and wood harvesting

Crumpled tarpaper occurs on trees that grow in nutrient-enriched localities such as old lake bottoms and river mud. If trees growing in these habitats are harvested, there may be a loss of host trees and crumpled tarpaper populations could be eliminated. As well, forest harvesting could increase the isolation of crumpled tarpaper populations and decrease dispersal of the species through removal of host trees and subsequent diaspore reduction. Populations can also decline due to the removal of non-host trees, such as trembling aspen and black cottonwood, that support this species indirectly (i.e., by enriching the twigs and branches of host trees). As a result of logging, smaller and more scattered populations of crumpled tarpaper would likely be more vulnerable to natural stand-replacing events such as windthrow from severe storms, and disease and insect outbreaks. In addition, the microclimate required for establishment of crumpled tarpaper may be disrupted at the edge of clearcuts.

Approximately 97% of the known individuals occur in either a timber supply area (TSA) or in a tree farm licence (TFL). As such, there is potential for the habitat of crumpled tarpaper to be greatly reduced through logging and wood harvesting activities. If, for example, the only currently known source population at Hiyu Creek (EO4) was removed through tree harvesting, the ability of crumpled tarpaper to disperse to other areas would be severely reduced. This in turn could be expected to result in a gradual decline over the next 40–50 years, potentially leading to this species’ extirpation in this portion of its range, and the species would be lost (T. Goward, pers. comm., 2013).

The Upper Adams River population (EO2) is not within a provincial park (contrary to assertions in the status report^{Footnote 17}), but rather in the Kamloops TSA. It is uncertain whether this population falls within an Old Growth Management Area (OGMA), which is afforded protection from wood harvesting through the legal provisions of the Forest and Range Practices Act. The population at Kenneth Creek (EO3) is protected from wood harvesting in Sugarbowl Grizzly Den Provincial Park through the legal provisions of the Parks Act. The population southwest of Aleza Lake (EO7) is potentially situated in the Aleza Lake Ecological Reserve. If so, then it would be protected from all extractive activities including wood harvesting through the legal provisions of the Ecological Reserves Act.

IUCN-CMP threat 7 - natural system modification

7.2 Dams and water management

Due to the species preference for nutrient-rich floodplains and former lake beds, crumpled tarpaper is potentially located within BC Hydro Site C Dam Local Assessment Area (BC Hydro 2013; Environment Canada 2013). Therefore, host trees could be flooded out and/or removed if the project proceeds.

IUCN-CMP threat 11 - climate change and severe weather

11.2 Droughts

Crumpled tarpaper is restricted to the wettest subzones of the Interior Cedar–Hemlock and Sub-Boreal Spruce biogeoclimatic zones, hence a considerable increase in summer drought would be required to affect it directly. The most likely threat would be indirect (e.g., through an increase in fire frequency as the region dried out). However, this is not predicted within the next 3 generations so impact has not been calculated for this threat.

As crumpled tarpaper occurs in wet areas, fires do not occur frequently. If drought increased over time due to climate change, the fire frequency could also increase. Any natural fires that may occur could potentially damage host trees; however, this is unlikely to be a threat at any of the sites in the next 10 years.

5 Recovery goal and objectives

5.1 Recovery (population and distribution) goal

The population and distribution goal is to maintain stable or increasing populations throughout its range in British Columbia.

5.2 Rationale for the recovery (population and distribution) goal

The overall goal is to maintain stable or increasing populations. This includes the known extant populations as well as any populations that are found in the future. It is likely that the species will always be Threatened due to its naturally rare occurrence in specialized habitats in old-growth forests on calcareous soils in humid, inland British Columbia. However, protecting known locations, as well as protecting the species more broadly at the ecosystem level (i.e., preserving the suitable habitats that provide context and connectivity between populations), could prevent this species from becoming Endangered. This approach may enable continued dispersal of isidia from the Hiyu Creek site to the other extant sites (including any new sites that may be discovered), such that the populations remain stable and/or are increasing throughout its range.

5.3 Recovery objectives

Recovery will be considered significantly advanced if the following short-term (5–10 years) objectives have been met:

1. to ensure long-term protection^{Footnote 18} for the habitat of known populations as well as any potential habitat likely to support the species
2. to conduct targeted inventory of suitable habitat (e.g., in the wettest subzones of the Interior Cedar–Hemlock and Sub-Boreal Spruce zones)
3. to conduct research into the environmental requirements and life history of the species (in particular lifespan, nutrient regime, and microclimatic requirements) for its successful recolonization and maintenance with respect to land management activities

6 Approaches to meet objectives

6.1 Actions already completed or underway

The following actions have been categorized by the action groups of the B.C. Conservation Framework (B.C. Ministry of Environment 2010). Status of the action group for this species is given in parentheses.

Compile status report (complete)

• COSEWIC report completed (COSEWIC 2010). Update due 2020

Send to COSEWIC (complete)

• Crumpled tarpaper assessed as Threatened (COSEWIC 2010). Re-assessment due 2020

Planning (complete)

• B.C. Recovery Plan completed (this document, 2013)

Habitat protection and private land stewardship (in progress)

6.2 Recovery planning table

6.3 Narrative to support recovery planning table

Protecting the habitat of known locations should be approached from a larger ecosystem-level perspective and should also protect the suitable (connective) habitat between the populations. This approach may enable dispersal of isidia from the Hiyu Creek site, which is considered the only source population and therefore very important to protect.

7 Information on habitat needed to meet recovery goal

Threats to crumpled tarpaper habitat have been identified. To help meet the recovery (population and distribution) goal for this species, it is recommended that specific habitat attributes be described for crumpled tarpaper. In addition, it is recommended that locations of survival/recovery habitat be geospatially modeled on the landscape to facilitate the actions for meeting the recovery (population and distribution) goal.

7.1 Description of survival/recovery habitat

A description of the habitat needs for crumpled tarpaper has been provided in section 3.3.1 based on current knowledge of the habitat occupied by this species. Although some aspects of the species’ habitat requirements require further study, the following describes the biophysical attributes of survival/recovery habitat based on our best available information:

• humid inland old-growth forests that are over 100 years old
• valley-bottom forests occurring below 1000 m
• within the wettest subzones of the Interior Cedar–Hemlock and Sub-Boreal Spruce zones
• host trees (as described above) that grow on calcium-rich or calcium-enriched soils and are usually within the dripzones of trembling aspen or black cottonwood; and
• host tree species include subalpine fir, western hemlock, Engelmann spruce, and to a lesser extent black cottonwood, trembling aspen, and western redcedar

7.2 Studies needed to describe survival/recovery habitat

It is recommended that survival/recovery habitat be geospatially described. A schedule of studies outlining the work necessary to further describe survival/recovery habitat is provided in Table 4 of part 2.

8 Measuring progress

The following performance indicators provide a way to define and measure progress toward achieving the recovery (population and distribution) goal and objectives over the next 5 years. Performance measures are listed below for each objective.

Measurables for objective 1:

• mechanisms have been initiated to protect the habitat of locations, including the suitable (connecting) habitat between locations, at a minimum of 5 populations by 2016
• best management practices have been developed and will be applied in 5 locations for the species within protected areas by 2015

Measurable for objective 2:

• an inventory program in suitable habitat within B.C. has been prioritized and will be initiated by 2015

Measurable for objective 3:

• research will be initiated by 2016 to fill knowledge gaps on the environmental requirements and life history of the species (in particular the role of nutrients, longevity, and requirements) for successful recolonization

9 Effects on other species

This species occurs in inland old-growth forests. Negative impacts to other species are not anticipated. Actions to conserve and manage crumpled tarpaper (e.g., threat mitigation, habitat conservation, education, monitoring) will promote the conservation of other species using those habitats (e.g., cryptic paw [Nephroma occultum], a SARA-listed species), including at least one additional, as yet unnamed gel lichen species potentially worthy of SARA listing (T. Goward, pers. comm., 2013).

10 References

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2013. BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer. B.C. Min. Environ., Victoria, BC. <http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/> [Accessed May 9, 2013]

BC Hydro. 2013. Environmental impact statement executive summary. Site C Clean Energy Project. <http://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/BCHydro/customer-portal/documents/projects/site-c/site-c-eis-executive-summary.pdf> [Accessed May 9, 2013]

B.C. Ministry of Environment. 2010. Conservation framework. B.C. Min. Environ., Victoria, BC. <http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/conservationframework/index.html> [Accessed June 27, 2013]

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 2010. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen Collema coniophilum in Canada. Ottawa, ON. x + 24 pp. <www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm>

Conservation Measures Partnership. 2010. Threats taxonomy. <http://www.conservationmeasures.org/initiatives/threats-actions-taxonomies/threats-taxonomy> [Accessed June 27, 2013]

Environment Canada. 2013. Letter to Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency dated April 4, 2013. <http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents/p63919/87845E.pdf> [Accessed May 9, 2013]

Government of Canada. 2009. Species at Risk Act policies, overarching policy framework – draft. Min. Environ., Ottawa, ON. 38 pp. <http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/collection_2009/ec/En4-113-2009-eng.pdf> [Accessed June 27, 2013]

Master, L., D. Faber-Langendoen, R. Bittman, G.A. Hammerson, B. Heidel, J. Nichols, L. Ramsay, and A. Tomaino. 2009. NatureServe conservation status assessments: factors for assessing extinction risk. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. <http://www.natureserve.org/publications/ConsStatusAssess_StatusFactors.pdf> [Accessed June 27, 2013]

NatureServe. 2012. NatureServe explorer: an online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. <http://www.natureserve.org/explorer> [Accessed June 27, 2013]

Province of British Columbia. 1982. Wildlife Act [RSBC 1996] c. 488. Queen’s Printer, Victoria, BC. <http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_96488_01>

Province of British Columbia. 2002. Forest and Range Practices Act [RSBC 2002] c. 69. Queen’s Printer, Victoria, BC. <http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_02069_01>

Province of British Columbia. 2008. Oil and Gas Activities Act [SBC 2008] c. 36. Queen’s Printer, Victoria, BC. <http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_08036_01>

Salafsky, N., D. Salzer, A.J. Stattersfield, C. Hilton-Taylor, R. Neugarten, S.H.M. Butchart, B. Collen, N. Cox, L.L. Master, S. O’Connor, and D. Wilkie. 2008. A standard lexicon for biodiversity conservation: unified classifications of threats and actions. Conserv. Biol. 22:897–911.

Personal communications

Goward, Trevor. 2013. Consultant.