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ANCIENT FOREST EXPLORATION & RESEARCH
A CRITIQUE OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT OF OLD-GROWTH WHITE AND RED PINE FOREST IN TEMAGAMI, ONTARIO RESULTING FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS OF 1996 WITH A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS OF THE OWAIN LAKE OLD-GROWTH PINE STAND AS A REPRESENTATIVE ECOSYSTEM
Prepared by Peter A. Quinby, Ph.D.
Powassan, Ontario
For Earthroots (Toronto)August 12, 1996
[ Summary / High Lights | Introduction | Method & Results | Discussion | References ]
Since 1992 it has been known that old-growth white pine forest is an endangered ecosystem (Quinby 1992, Quinby 1993). It has been estimated that just prior to European colonization, there were approximately 6 million hectares of old-growth white pine forest throughout its natural range which includes most of eastern United States and much of southeastern Canada (Quinby 1993). It has also been estimated that only approximately 24,000 ha of this endangered ecosystem remains throughout its range. Even if this estimate is doubled to 48,000 ha, there is only less than 1% of the old-growth white pine forest remaining. Although it has not yet been quantified, there is little doubt that old-growth red pine forest has also been severely over-exploited and is likely also endangered.
During their review of forest management in Ontario, The Ontario Environmental Assessment Board (1994) supported these findings for old-growth white pine forest stating that:
...less than 1% of Ontario's original white pine forest remains. We do not quarrel with this estimate; it is clear that not much original white pine forest is left. We are persuaded that steps need to be taken to protect it.
Despite this understanding of the endangered status of old-growth white pine forest, the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council (1996) along with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) (1996a) has decided to allow continued logging of this unique and endangered ecosystem. As stated in the 1996 Council Report (pg. 20):
Most Council members support MNR's two-pronged approach to the protection and conservation of old-growth red and white pine in Ontario: that some sites need to be set aside for protection, and some sites should continue to be available for timber harvesting.
Thus, both the Council and the MNR have chosen to ignore the fact that old-growth white and red pine forests are teetering on the edge of extinction by allowing approximately half of the old-growth pine in Temagami to be logged. Just as endangered species are protected from the impacts of human activities, so too should endangered ecosystems such as old-growth white and red pine forests be protected from any further human exploitation (Noss et al. 1995).
The Council's decision to allow logging within roughly half of the remaining old-growth pine stands in Temagami reflects the general philosophy of the MNR regarding the management of old-growth white and red pine forest throughout the Province. The Forest Management Planning Manual for Ontario's Crown Forests (1995) includes a Conservation Strategy for Old Growth Red and White Pine Forest Ecosystems for Ontario (Appendix IV). As well as calling for some protection of these forests, this strategy states that, "Timber harvest can continue as well, although at lower, sustainable levels, to supply the needs of people for wood products".
Also according to this strategy, "The key objective for protection is: to protect representative ecosystems of old growth red and white pine in each site district in Ontario". The key scientific concept here deals with the meaning of "representation". In the case of the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand, which has been identified as old-growth pine by the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council, the MNR (1996b) simply compared the surficial geology of the Owain area with other protected old growth sites in the Temagami Region and correctly determined that both the Owain area and the Lake Obabika Old-Growth Pine Conservation Reserve have the same surficial geology which is composed of moderately broken shallow sandy till uplands (Noble 1983, MNR 1996b). Assuming that species and communities would be the same if surficial geology is the same, the Council opted not to protect the Owain Lake Stand which is currently scheduled for logging in September of 1996.
An accurate assessment of ecological representation must, however, go beyond the mere characterization and comparison of broad surficial geological composition. According to World Wildlife Fund Canada (1994, pg. 52), one must also "describe community types (flora/fauna) associated with enduring features". For candidate protected areas assessments, the MNR has, in the past, produced plant species lists as well as plant community descriptions for site assessments (White 1990a, 1990b). This detailed work, however, was not undertaken for the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand. Thus, not only has the MNR ignored the endangered status of old-growth white and red pine forest, but they have also failed to adequately assess ecological representation for the Owain Lake Stand.
The MNR (1996b) claims that the species and communities present in the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand are no different in composition and abundance compared to the Lake Obabika Old-Growth Conservation Reserve. Because of this assumed redundancy and the fact that the Lake Obabika Stand is already protected, they reason that it is acceptable to allow the extermination of natural heritage values in the Owain Lake Stand through logging. The purpose of this case study is to compare the Owain Lake and Lake Obabika Old-Growth
Stands in terms of ecological representation using both existing and original field data for both flora (species presence) and vegetation. The results of this scientific study can be used to begin to objectively address the question of the unique value of the Owain Lake Stand. This study is not meant to be exhaustive but does provide sufficient evidence for a preliminary understanding of the differences between these two old-growth pine sites.
STUDY AREAS
The Owain Lake Stand is located in the southeast portion of the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area. More specifically, it straddles the southern part of Hebert Township and the northern part of Burnaby Township along the western shore of the upper Ottawa River. It is composed of approximately 1,400 hectares of pristine old-growth white and red pine forest (Quinby et al. 1996) where approximately 60% of the forest is red pine (Pinus resinosa) and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) (MNR 1991). The Lake Obabika Old Growth Stand is also dominated by white and red pine and is approximately 2,400 hectares in size (White 1990b). It is located in the northeastern portion of Delhi Township and the southeastern part of Shelburne Township which are both located in the southwestern portion of the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area. The two old-growth stands are about 60 kilometers apart.
CASE STUDY METHODS
For this study, two aspects of ecological representation are addressed. First, White's (1990a, 1990b) work with rare plants in the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area and his plant species list for the Lake Obabika Old-Growth Stand (White 1990b) were combined with field work in the Owain Lake Old-Growth Stand to produce a list of plant species found at the Owain Lake Stand but not at the Lake Obabika Stand. And second, vegetation (live and dead) data collected in the core areas of both the Obabika Stand (by the author in 1990) and the Owain Stand (in 1996) were used to compare overstory, understory and dead wood components between the two stands.
For the vegetation analysis, 20 x 20 meter plots were used to sample overstory tree species and size (> 10 cm dbh), snag species and size (dead trees > 10 cm dbh), and log species and size (>1 m long; >15 cm at the large end). For the Owain Lake Stand, understory plant species (<.5 meters high) and abundance were sampled using fifteen 1 x 1 m quadrates systematically placed within each plot totaling 15 m2. For the Lake Obabika Stand which was sampled six years ago, understory plant species and abundance were sampled using nine 1 x 2 m quadrates systematically placed within each plot totaling 18 m2. The variety of upland forest habitat types as indicated by slope positions were randomly sampled at each stand (Table 1).
Only the most common herbaceous understory plant species occurring in both stands were compared for differences in abundance measured in percent cover. Similarly, only the common tree species other than red and white pine occurring in the overstory were analyzed for differences in abundance measured in density. Log and snag densities were also
compared for differences between the two stands. Means by plot for each variable were compared using the rank sum test (Mann-Whitney U statistic) (Analytical Software 1994).
A stand size comparison was also conducted due to the fact that larger areas are more effective at maintaining ecologically representative species, communities and ecosystems in protected areas (Noble 1983, Sharpe 1989, MNR 1992, Meffe and Carroll 1994). Plant taxonomy is based on Chambers et al. (1996) which was produced in part by the MNR.
Table 1. Location and number of plots at the Owain Lake and Lake Obabika Old-Growth Pine Stands
Slope Position Owain Lake Stand Lake Obabika Stand Hilltop 4 4 Upper Slope north-facing 5 5 south-facing 2 2 Lower Slope north-facing 3 2 south-facing 4 2 Valleys 2 5
CASE STUDY RESULTS
Using data from Quinby and Giroux (1993), it was determined that the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand, at 1,400 hectares, is the third largest of the known old-growth white pine dominated stands in North America. The old growth area is made up of 19 contiguous stands dominated by white and red pine as identified on the Forest Resource Inventory (FRI) Maps (MNR 1991). The ages of these stands as shown on the FRI maps (five years added due to the difference between 1991 and 1996) range from 75 to 145 years with a mean of 117 years. According to the MNR, the minimum age for old-growth white and red pine forest is 120 years.
A comparison of White's (1990b) plant species list for the Obabika Old-Growth Stand with the plant species list produced through our field work at the Owain Old-Growth Stand showed that 10 vascular plant species present at Owain are absent at Obabika (Table 2). According to White (1990a, 1990b), who produced consulting reports for the MNR Temagami District Office, (1) four of these plant species (Indian cucumber root, marginal wood fern, partridgeberry and striped maple) are regionally rare - or rare within the five million hectare Lake Temagami Site Region and (2) three of these plant species (dwarf rattlesnake plantain, ostrich fern and round-leaved dogwood) are locally rare - or rare within the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area. Three plant species (dewdrop, naked mitrewort, and one-sided wintergreen) found at the Owain Stand that are not known to be rare were also not found at the Obabika Stand.
The density of rare plant species that occur at the Lake Obabika Stand is slightly higher for regional (3.8/1000 ha), local (2.9/1000 ha) and combined (6.7/1000 ha) compared with the density of rare plant species that occur at the Owain Lake Stand at the regional (2.9/1000 ha), local (2.1/1000 ha) and combined (5.0/1000 ha) levels. It is important to note, however, that none of the rare plant species found at the Owain Lake Stand were found at the Lake Obabika Stand by White (1990b). It is also likely that additional rare plant species occur at Owain considering that the plant species inventory included less than half of the entire stand area due to time constraints.
Table 2. Vascular plant species that are present at the Owain Lake Old-Growth Stand and are absent from the Lake Obabika Old-Growth Stand
Scientific Name Common Name Plant Type Significance Acer pennsylvanicum striped maple shrub regionally rare Cornus rugosa round-leaved dogwood shrub locally rare Dalibarda repens dewdrop herb Dryopteris marginalis marginal wood fern regionally rare Goodyera repens dwarf rattlesnake plantain herb locally rare Matteuccia struthiopteris ostrich fern fern locally rare Medeola virginiana indian cucumber root herb regionally rare Mitchella repens partridgeberry shrub regionally rare Mitella nuda naked mitrewort herb Orthilia secunda one-sided wintergreen herb
Table 3. Comparison of rare plant species significance between the Owain Lake and Lake Obabika Old-Growth Stands
Owain Lake Stand Lake Obabika Stand Rarity Level (no. rare species/1000 ha) (no. rare species/1000 ha) Regional 2.9 3.8 Local 2.1 2.9 Combined 5.0 6.7
A comparison of the abundance of live vegetation between the Owain Stand and the Obabika Stand showed that the abundance of six of the seven common understory herbaceous species compared are significantly different (probability < .05) between the stands (Table 4). Large-leaved aster is approximately 3.6 times more abundant in the core area of the Owain Stand compared to the core of the Obabika Stand. However, the following understory species are significantly more abundant in the Obabika Stand: blue bead lily (6.8x greater), bracken fern (4x greater), Bryophyte or moss species (4x greater), bunchberry (5x greater), Canada mayflower (2.2x greater), and starflower (6.4x greater).
In addition, three of the seven common overstory tree species are significantly more abundant in one stand compared to the other (Table 4). White cedar is approximately 27 times more abundant in the Obabika Stand compared to the Owain Stand. Both red maple (3x greater) and white spruce (8.5x greater) are significantly more abundant in the Owain Stand.
For the dead wood comparison - including snags and logs, only the log density showed a significant difference between the two stands (Table 4). They were 2.2 times more abundant in the Obabika Stand.
Table 4. Mean abundance comparisons for some live vegetation species and some dead wood components between the Owain Lake and Lake Obabika Old-Growth Pine Stands (bold face indicates a statistically significant higher mean)
Vegetation Mean Abundance at Owain Stand Mean Abundance at Obabika Stand Statistical Significance Understory (percent cover) blue bead lily (Clintonia borealis) 1.7 11.5 p<.01 bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) 2.8 10.8 p<.01 bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) .7 3.6 p<.04 Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) 5.3 11.7 p<.01 large-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus) 4.3 1.2 p<.01 moss species (Bryophyte spp.) 5.4 24.3 p<.01 starflower (Trientalis borealis) .5 3.2 p<.01 wild sarsparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) 3.2 4.6 p=1.0 Overstory (no./hectare) balsam fir (Abies balsamea) 33 58 p=.09 black spruce (Picea mariana) 75 65 p=.68 poplar (Populus spp.) 23 8 p=.14 red maple (Acer rubrum) 55 18 p<.02 white birch (Betula papyrifera) 45 73 p=.22 white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) 4 103 p<.02 white spruce (Picea glauca) 85 10 p<.01 Dead Wood (no./hectare) snags (all species) 86 106 p=.19 logs (all species) 98 213 p<.01
The Government of Ontario has decided to allow the logging of the world's third largest old-growth white and red pine forest ecosystem. Only Ontario's Lake Obabika and Bark Lake Conservation Reserves are larger. Size is an important consideration in the protection of biodiversity in that larger reserves have a greater probability of maintaining ecological integrity (Noss 1995). This is particularly critical for those ecosystems that are endangered such as old-growth white and red pine forests.
Through the Class Environmental Assessment for Timber Management process, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy has known of the endangered status of old-growth white pine forest since 1992. Because its practices were the focus of the environmental assessment, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has also known of the endangered status of old-growth white pine forest since 1992. And, because of the technical support provided by the MNR to the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council, the Council has also been aware of the endangered status of old-growth white pine forest since 1992. Despite this knowledge, the Government of Ontario continues to allow logging in these endangered ecosystems which destroys their natural heritage value and drives this ecosystem type closer to extinction.
The Government's rationale for allowing the logging of these endangered old-growth white pine ecosystems is that others will be protected as viable examples of the range of habitats, species and communities that make up the old-growth white pine type in Ontario. Even if this approach was logical in the case of old-growth white pine forest, which it is not because of its endangered status, it is necessary to protect more than one example of a particular habitat/community type due to the random and unpredictable nature of natural disturbances (Meffe and Carroll 1994; Noss and Cooperrider 1995). Natural disturbances including wind storms, fire, insects and disease can severely modify areas much larger than any Area of Natural and Scientific Interest, Nature Reserve or Conservation Reserve that currently exists in Ontario.
Thus, to ensure the long-term integrity of ecologically representative communities, many more than one example of a community type need to be included within a reserve system. Current policy (A Conservation Strategy for Old Growth Red and White Pine Forest Ecosystems for Ontario - MNR 1995) does not state that more than one example of each community type should be protected. In fact, this strategy states that the MNR only needs to protect "one old growth red and white pine ecosystem...in each site district". The mean size of the site districts in the Lake Temagami Site Region, which includes the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area, is one million hectares. Protecting one old-growth white and red pine forest stand for every one million hectares is almost ecologically meaningless from a conservation perspective. Even the smallest of site districts in central Ontario have numerous old-growth white and red pine community types. based on past performance, it is highly unlikely that either government or industry will volunteer to protect any more area than they are forced to protect.
In the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area, the Government has rationalized the future logging of the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand by claiming that it has no ecological
representation value (MNR 1996b). They have stated that the ecological features of the Owain Lake site are represented at the Lake Obabika Old-Growth Conservation Reserve and therefore, that the natural heritage values of the Owain Lake area are expendable. Their decision to log the Owain Stand is flawed for three reasons.
First, the Owain Lake Stand is dominated by old-growth white and red pine forest which is an endangered ecosystem - any endangered ecosystem should be protected from human encroachment regardless of whether legislation exists to force compliance. Second, even if all of the species and communities at the Owain Stand were represented in the Obabika Stand, it is critical to have more than one example of any one type of community included in a protected areas system to minimize the probability of total loss due to natural disturbance. And lastly, to carry out their analysis of ecological representation, the MNR merely compared the surficial geology of both sites assuming that species and communities would be the same if surficial geology was the same. They did not collect any field data on plant species or vegetation for further comparison between the two sites.
The results of our field work indicate that there are significant differences in plant species composition, under- and overstory species abundance and dead wood abundance. A total of ten plant species that were found at the Owain Stand were not found at the Obabika Stand. Four of these species found at the Owain Stand are regionally rare and three are locally rare. In addition, within the core area of both stands, (1) six common forest understory plant species show significant differences in abundance between stands, (2) three common overstory tree species show significant differences in abundance's between stands and (3) the density of logs on the forest floor is two times greater at Obabika compared with Owain. The forest composition in the core area at the Owain Stand has a greater proportion of red maple and white spruce whereas the forest composition in the core of the Obabika Stand has a greater proportion of white cedar. Both stands have similar levels of regional and local plant rarity although the nature of this rarity is unique to each stand.
Given the significant differences in rare plant species, common understory plant species, forest overstory composition, and dead wood abundance, it is not possible to claim that the Obabika Old-Growth Pine Stand includes the same ecological features present at the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand. Thus, with respect to ecological representation, the Owain Lake Stand has its own unique ecological features that set it apart from the Obabika Stand, and should, therefore, be protected according to current MNR policy. As stated repeatedly throughout this report, however, ecological representation should not be an issue in this case as any and all old-growth white and red pine stands should be protected given their endangered status.
Analytical Software. 1994. Statistics, Version 4.1, User's Manual. Analytical Software, Tallahassee, Florida.
Chambers, B., K. Legasy and C. Bently. 1996. Forest Plants of Central Ontario. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, Alberta.
Meffe, G. K. and C. R. Cooperrider. 1994. Principles of Conservation Biology, Sinauer and Associates, Boston, Mass.
Noble, T. W. 1983. Life Science Report, Site Region 4E, Northeastern Region. Consulting Report prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Parks and Natural Heritage Branch, North York, Ontario.
Noss, R. and A. Y. Cooperrider. 1994. Saving Nature's Legacy: Protecting and Restoring Biodiversity. Island Press, Covelo, California.
Noss, R. F., E. T. LaRoe III, and J. M. Scott. 1995. Endangered Ecosystems of the United States: A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation. Biological Report 28, U.S. Dept. Interior, National Biological Service, Washington, D.C.
Noss, R. F. 1995. Maintaining Ecological Integrity in Representative Reserve Networks. World Wildlife Fund Canada Discussion Paper, Toronto, Ontario.
Ontario Environmental Assessment Board. 1994. Reasons for Decision and Decision: Class Environmental Assessment by the Ministry of Natural Resources for Timber Management on Crown Lands in Ontario. EA-87-02, Ministry of Environment, Toronto, Ontario.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1991. Forest Resource Inventory Maps for the Owain Lake Area (20 17 6200 52000). Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1992. Ontario Provincial Parks Planning and Management Policies Manual. OMNR Parks and Natural Heritage Branch, North York, Ontario.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1995. Forest Management Planning Manual for Ontario's Crown Forests. Ontario Forest Research Institute, OMNR, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1996a. Response of the Government of Ontario to the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council Recommendations. Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. 1996b. Presentation on Old Growth Protection in the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area, by Ministry Staff at the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council Stakeholder's Meeting, February 3, 1996, Temagami Public School, Temagami, Ontario.
Quinby, P. A. 1992. Testimony to the Ontario Environmental Assessment Board foe the Class Environmental Assessment for Timber Management. North Bay, Ontario.
Quinby, P. A. 1993. Old-growth eastern white pine forest: An endangered ecosystem. Forest Landscape baselines No. 2, Ancient Forest Exploration & Research, Powassan, Ontario. 4 pp.
Quinby, P. A. and P. A. Giroux. 1993. A Survey of Old-Growth Eastern White Pine Forest in Canada and the United States. Ancient Forest Research Report No. 2, Ancient Forest Exploration & Research, Powassan, Ontario. 12 pp.
Quinby, P. A., T. Lee, C. Schultz and J. Powers. 1995. An Ancient Forest Atlas of the Lake Temagami Site Region (4E). Ancient Forest Exploration & Research and the Canadian Nature Federation, Ottawa, Ontario. 93 pp. (with map)
Sharpe, S. 1989. Background Information and Preliminary Findings of Life Science Inventory in the Delhi/Shelburne Study Area. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Temagami District Office, Temagami, Ontario.
Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council. 1996. Report of the Comprehensive Planning Council on land use for the Temagami Comprehensive Planning Area. Comprehensive Planning Council, Ministry of Natural Resources, Temagami, Ontario.
White, D. J. 1990a. A Reconnaissance Life Science Inventory of Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater
Provincial Park, Sudbury/Timiskaming Districts, Ontario. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Northeastern Region, Sudbury, Ontario and the Temagami District, Temagami, Ontario.
White, D. J. 1990b. An Assessment of Representative and Special Life Science Features of the Temagami Planning Area. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Northeastern Region, Sudbury, Ontario and the Temagami District, Temagami, Ontario.
World Wildlife Fund Canada. 1994. A Protected Areas Gap Analysis Methodology: Planning for the Conservation of Biodiversity. World Wildlife Fund Canada, Endangered Spaces Campaign, Toronto, Ontario.
ANCIENT FOREST EXPLORATION & RESEARCH
A CRITIQUE OF THE PROPOSED MANAGEMENT OF OLD-GROWTH WHITE AND RED PINE FOREST IN TEMAGAMI, ONTARIO RESULTING FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS OF 1996 WITH A CASE STUDY ANALYSIS OF THE OWAIN LAKE OLD-GROWTH PINE STAND AS A REPRESENTATIVE ECOSYSTEM
Prepared by Peter A. Quinby, Ph.D.
Powassan, Ontario
For Earthroots (Toronto)August 12, 1996
[ Summary / High Lights | Introduction | Method & Results | Discussion | References ]
THREE SUBJECT AREAS:
- Ontario Government Policy Regarding the Conservation of Old-Growth White and Red Pine Forest
- Conservation of Old-Growth White and Red Pine Forest in Temagami
- Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Issue
1. ONTARIO POLICY - OLD-GROWTH PINE
- The Ministry of Natural Resources has officially known since 1992 that old-growth white and red pine forests are endangered ecosystems.
- * endangered = < 1% remaining
- * my testimony at the Class EA for Timber Management Hearings
- It is official Ministry of Environment and Energy policy that old-growth white and red pine forest should be protected - they forced MNR to develop a protection policy through the Class EA.
- Although the MOEE has forced MNR to develop this policy, there has been no critical evaluation of MNR's new old-growth pine policy by MOEE.
2. OLD-GROWTH PINE IN TEMAGAMI
a. Temagami has the highest concentration of old-growth white and red pine forest ecosystems remaining in the world. These ecosystems are now extirpated from 11 of the 30 political jurisdictions within their natural range.
b. The Temagami Comprehensive Planning Council and the MNR are allowing approximately 50% of Temagami's old-growth white and red pine forest to be logged. This ignores the fact that these are endangered ecosystems.
c. For the vast majority of stands, the MNR has not conducted any botanical field work to support decisions of which stands to protect and which to allow logging in - only have botanical inventories for Obabika and Temagami Island.
3. OWAIN LAKE OLD-GROWTH ISSUE
a. The MNR says it is all right to log the Owain Lake old growth pine stand because its species and communities are present at the Lake Obabika Old Growth Conservation Reserve. Thus, they are saying that the Owain old-growth stand has no unique ecological features in its own right.
b. This statement, however, is based only on the assessment of the composition of surficial geology at each site.
c. In a 1994 report, World Wildlife Fund Canada states that to fully assess the unique ecological features at any given site one must also describe plant species as well as community types.
d. My botanical field studies show that the Owain Lake Old-Growth Pine Stand has many ecological features that make it different from the Obabika Stand:
1. The Owain Stand has 10 plant species that are not found at Obabika - four are regionally rare and three are locally rare.
2. Understory plant composition is significantly different.
3. There are more red maple and white spruce trees at Owain and there is more white cedar at Obabika
4. There are more logs on the forest floor at Obabika.
e. At the very least, more field studies should be conducted to further identify the unique features of the Owain Stand.
- However, the most logical conservation strategy is to protect the Owain Lake Stand because it is an ENDANGERED ECOSYSTEM.
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