a biosphere reserve for atlantic coastal plain flora, south-western nova scotia

ELSEVIER

Biological Conservation 68 (1994) 275-279 © 1994 Elsevier Science Limited

Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0006-3207/94/$07.00

A BIOSPHERE RESERVE FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN FLORA, SOUTH-WESTERN NOVA SCOTIA

George Francis Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3GI

&

Neil Munro Director, Policy Planning and Research," Parks Canada, Atlantic Region, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3J 1S9

Abstract The particular dependence of the Atlantic coastal plain flora to water level fluctuations and sensitivity to land use disturbances suggests that effective protective measures must be incorporated into water and land management practices in a watershed or other regional context. The general specifications for a biosphere reserve can provide the basis for the inter-organizational cooperation needed to deal with these and other conservation issues. A proposed Kejimkujik- Tobeatic Biosphere Reserve is described which if successfully implemented, could provide for the continued survival of this special flora in south-western Nova Scotia, Canada.

Keywords: biosphere reserve, Kejimkujik, south-western Nova Scotia, Atlantic coastal plain flora.

INTRODUCTION

Throughout their range, Atlantic coastal plain plants are particularly dependent on water level fluctuations yet are equally sensitive to land use disturbances at the sites in which they occur (Keddy & Wisheu, 1989; Wisheu & Keddy, 1989; Sutter & Kral, this issue). While some disturbances might be reduced by the creation of small nature reserves around particular sites, other protective measures need to be incorporated into water and land management practices at a watershed or some other eco- regional context. A main challenge is to design and gain local acceptance of the organizational arrangements needed to provide the full range of protective measures. A 'biosphere reserve' organized in accordance with the general specifications from the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (UNESCO/MAB) is one option

A brief overview of UNESCO/MAB and the concept of a biosphere reserve is given, followed by a short description of the approach being followed for developing biosphere reserves in Canada. A proposed Kejimkujik- Tobiatic Biosphere Reserve is then described. It could provide the organizational arrangements for conserving the special coastal plain flora in an appropriate regional context in south-western Nova Scotia.

Nomenclature for plants follows Roland and Smith (1968) and Parks Canada (1986).

UNESCO/MAB AND BIOSPHERE RESERVES

275

The concept of a 'biosphere reserve' originated with the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme in 1974. The broad purpose of UNESCO/MAB is to promote interdisciplinary ecological and environmental research and monitoring with related education and training activities, oriented towards policy and management issues associated with conservation and sustainability (UNESCO/MAB, 1988a). To facilitate international cooperation, UNESCO/MAB has defined broad research themes intended to be of wide interest. Within these themes, groups in different countries can address similar topics under quite diverse field conditions.

Originally, these research themes were focused on human uses of particular major ecosystems in order to gain better understanding of the many ways in which humans use, abuse, and adapt to various ecosystems. In 1986, following an independent review, the MAB research themes were re-defined in the light of theoretical developments in ecology and human ecology, and new initiatives in international scientific cooperation. As a result, more emphasis is now being placed on studies of ecosystem functioning under different intensities of human impact, management and restoration of human- impacted resources, human investment and resource use, and the human response to environmental stress (UNESCO/MAB, 1988b).

An idealized structure of a MAB research project reflects the need for cooperation through interdisciplinary research teams composed of both natural and social scientists who work closely with resource managers and resource user groups or beneficiaries on issues mutually identified and agreed upon (di Castri et al., 1981). It is an ideal in the sense that it is something to strive for, but seldom achieved.

Within UNESCO/MAB, the concept of a 'biosphere reserve' has evolved over the years and may continue to do so. It now occupies a central place within the program in that biosphere reserves have become the recognized field sites where the MAB approaches to conservation and sustainable resource use practices are to be exemplified in practice. The term 'biosphere' is

276 G. Francis, N. Munro

used to associate a designated area with MAB, and the term 'reserve' acknowledges that some protected area(s) are among the components of a larger landscape designated as a biosphere reserve.

A schematic diagram for a biosphere reserve shows a spatial configuration of three kinds of zonation, and notes the three main roles that biosphere reserves are meant to serve. The three zonations are: a 'core' area of minimally disturbed and strictly protected ecosystems characteristic of a terrestrial or coastal/marine region; a 'buffer zone' around the core that helps protect it although certain kinds of resource use occur there, and a 'transition area' or 'zone of cooperation' extending outwards from it in all directions, but with no fixed boundary, within which the full range of human uses of resources occurs (Batisse, 1986). The three main roles of biosphere reserves are the conservation of ecosystems, the demonstration of ecologically sustainable resource management practices, and the provision of an opera- tional base for research, monitoring, education and training. The configuration of zonations allows for comparative study of the accumulated consequences of certain resource use practices, with the core area serving as a baseline for the comparisons. The main challenge for biosphere reserves is to adapt these general specifications to the particular ecological and societal conditions and local administrative arrangements found in any given place.

It is recognized that under some conditions, the full range of biosphere reserve components and roles cannot be found in a contiguous geographic area. The concept of a 'cluster biosphere reserve' was introduced as an alternative. This is a multiple site biosphere reserve with each site serving one or more roles. If sufficient coordi- nation can be maintained among the administrative authorities for each site in the cluster, then the concept of a biosphere reserve can be realized in practice.

A long-term goal is to establish a global network of biosphere reserves. As of late 1993, there were some 311 biosphere reserves in 81 countries, representing about one half of the world's biogeographical provinces. The New Jersey Pinelands Biosphere Reserve is among them (Russell, this issue). Most have yet to develop the three main roles which biosphere reserves are meant to serve, and the networking among them has yet to be developed on a regular basis (Vernhes, 1989).

To date, Canada has six biosphere reserves. There is no biosphere reserve agency in Canada, nor is one planned. The Canadian national committee for MAB (Canada/ MAB) is appointed by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. Canada/MAB established a Working Group on Biosphere Reserves composed of representatives from each Canadian biosphere reserve and other people who may, because of their organizational affiliations, be able to help promote the further development of biosphere reserves in Canada. The Working Group meets annually to exchange ideas and experiences, it produces a periodic newsletter to help keep those who are inter- ested informed of events, and it produces promotional materials (e.g. Canada/MAB, 1990).

Members of the Working Group also help promote interest in establishing biosphere reserves in particular situations where the concept seems like it could be applied to good purpose. Informal consultations are then carried out with landowners and managers to assess their receptiveness to the idea. If the results are positive, then further local consultations are held, documentation is assembled and reviewed and a nomination submission is prepared in cooperation with those who would have to make the biosphere reserve work in practice. At any given time, consultations are underway for three or four possible candidate areas, including, since early 1991, one for the Kejimkujik-Tobeatic region in south- western Nova Scotia.

TOWARDS A KEJIMKUJIK-TOBEATIC BIOSPHERE RESERVE

The Kejimkujik-Tobeatic region was identified as a potential biosphere reserve by a joint panel established by US/MAB and Canada/MAB to review possibilities for new biosphere reserves in the Lake Forest Biogeo- graphic Province (Francis & Gregg, 1986). It is also noted, implicitly, by the 'National Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves in Canada' (Canada/MAB, 1987) which recommended the creation of an additional nine biosphere reserves, at least one of which should be in Atlantic Canada.

The Kejimkujik-Tobeatic region contains significant disjunct populations of many Atlantic coastal plants whose primary ranges are along the eastern seaboard of the United States. This northern outlier may become even more significant in the future as increasing development threatens the remaining populations in the United States. Table 1 lists this disjunct flora and fauna within the region which should be considered for representa- tion within a biosphere reserve.

The region which should be considered for a biosphere reserve embraces the headwaters of several major river systems for south-western Nova Scotia, including the Mersey, Shelburne, Medway, Tusket, Roseway and Jordan, all in the interiors of Annapolis, Digby, Queens, Yarmouth and Shelburne Counties (Fig. 1). The main landownerships which this designation might include are federal crown land in Kejimkujik National Park, provincial crown lands in and adjacent to the Tobeatic Wildlife Management Area, and some private lands that would need to be agreed upon as part of a buffer zone or zone of cooperation. The Mi 'Kmaq First Nation's traditional rights throughout the region must also be taken into consideration.

Critical habitats for the Atlantic coastal flora have been identified at a number of sites within the Kejimkujik-Tobeatic region, and these should be considered for recognition within a proposed biosphere reserve. The sites should be given special protection through inclusion within the Nova Scotia 'Special Places' program or through private stewardship agree- ments with landowners. The Kejimkujik-Tobeatic region also has a nature reserve (Sporting Lake), three

Flora biosphere reserve, Nova Scotia

Table 1. Selected examples of Atlantic coastal plain species in the Kejimkujik-Tobeatic area

277

Common name Scientific name Status

Dwarf chain fern Long's bulrush Golden crest Water pennywort R edroot Panic grass

Awl-shaped bladderwort Bladderwort Humped bladderwort Twig rush Buttonbush (atbriar Thread-leaved sundew Inkberry Goldenrod Decodon Bartonia Sedge Blandings turtle Northern ribbon snake

Woodwardia areolata Scirpus longii Lophiola americana Hydrocotyle umbellata Lachnanthes caroliana Panicum dichotomiflorum Panicum longifolium Panicum clandestinum Utricularia subulata Utricularia radiata Utricularia gibba Cladium mariscoides Cephalanthus occidentalis Smilax rotundifolia Drosera fil~brmis Ilex glabra Euthamia galetorum Decodon verticillatus var. laevigatus Bartonia virginica Carex howei Emydoidea blandingi Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis

Nationally imperiled Globally imperiled Nationally imperiled Nationally endangered Nationally imperiled Provincially threatened Nationally imperiled

Nationally imperiled Nationally imperiled Provincially rare

Provincially rare

Nationally endangered

Endemic, globally rare Provincially rare Nationally rare

Nationally threatened

International Biological Program old growth forest sites that are protected by Bowater Mersey (Shelburne River, Sixth Lake), and the Parks Canada (Big Dam Lake), two potential Canadian Heritage Rivers (Shelburne and Roseway), a provincial park reserve, and the Kejimkujik 'Seaside Adjunct' on the south-east coast. Four federal migratory bird sanctuaries also occur along the Atlantic coast.

The 'core' area requirements for a biosphere reserve could be fulfilled by the 285 km 2 included under the Zone I (Special Areas) and Zone II (Wilderness) categories within the Kejimkujik National Park and by smaller designated ecological reserves such as Sporting Lake. Other sites, for example, the Dunraven Bog- Northern Division Bog complexes might also be worthy of inclusion as part of the 'core' area. In addition, the relative inaccessibility of parts of the Tobeatic, for example, the upper Shelburne River watershed, may in fact make this equivalent to a 'core' area which could be identified as such in a submission to UN- ESCO. The study of this watershed for the Canadian Heritage Rivers program would seem to confirm this (Rutherford and Associates, 1988).

Similarly, the buffer zone requirements could be satisfied by the Zone III (Natural Environment) lands within the National Park and the land use policies which apply to areas within the Tobeatic. The 'zone of cooperation' beyond these areas may best be defined ktter through the kinds of cooperative activities which develop through a local biosphere reserve committee. For purposes of an UNESCO designation, it would be sufficient to note that this larger region coincides generally with the headwater drainages of the different river systems noted above.

These three kinds of areas do not (nor could they) constitute new zoning provisions. They serve only to interpret the existing legal, policy and administrative

arrangements already in place. Since legal-administrative structures vary greatly from one place to another throughout the world, the general UNESCO provisions are used to interpret local situations to make sure they reflect the spatial mix of land uses required for a biosphere reserve.

Excepting the core area (Kejimkujik National Park) and possibly some of the undisturbed back country of the Tobeatic Wildlife Management Area, adjacent lands where some additional protection might be considered, the biosphere reserve concept is not incompatible with traditional land use and resource management activities such as forest management, hydro-power generation, water management and fish and wildlife management. In fact, these activities are an important part of the role of a biosphere reserve to demonstrate that sustainable land use management is not separate from, but rather integral to, the conservation of land and other resources.

A local biosphere reserve committee should be established to guide the development of activities that biosphere reserves are meant to carry out, that is, research, monitoring, education and public awareness, demonstration sites--all related to important issues of conservation and sustainability that have been identified by the committee. Otherwise, there are no special requirements from UNESCO or any other body concern- ing a biosphere reserve committee. Other biosphere reserves in Canada have found it helpful to have a small management committee which includes representatives of the major landowners (and sometimes chaired by a local resident) and a somewhat larger technical advisory committee of people who can be called upon as needed to assist with activities, consider new projects, or advise on particular issues. These people may be associated with other government agencies, local businesses and consulting firms, or universities. A number of them may be people who live or work in the region.

278 G. Francis, N. Munro

Big Dam . IBP Site Study

Area

Sl~orting

Reserve

Molega ~;~ Lake

Ponhook Lake

Shelburne"R IBP Site

Bog Sixth Lake \ IBP Site

Federal Migratory

Bird Sanctuar,w

KEJIMKUJIK "SEASIDE ADJUNCT

Sandy Bay Provincial Park

/ J

................

iii::iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Existing Protected Areas

,• 0 5 10 15 20 25 310 Kilometre$

N 0 5 '10 1'5 2'0 Miles

Fig. 1. General location of a proposed biosphere reserve for south-western Nova Scotia.

The strength of the biosphere reserve concept lies in its ability to encourage different groups to identify their 'common ground' of shared interests and then work together on issues everyone agrees should be addressed. The biosphere reserve committee can serve as a local forum for this. Based on some informal consultations already held, a Kejimkujik-Tobeatic Biosphere Reserve Committee might, for example, focus on issues con- cerning:

Conservation (1) conservation needs for Atlantic coastal plain

flora; (2) status within the region of fish and wildlife of

particular interest, e.g. brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis; moose Alces alces, bobcat Lynx rufus;

(3) comparisons of ecosystem conditions in 'core' vis-a-vis other areas;

(4) restoration of disturbed habitats. Research/monitoring

(1) effects of acidic precipitation on diverse soils/ vegetation types throughout the region;

(2) coordinated monitoring throughout the region for species such as the common loon Gavia immer, osprey Pandion, haliaetus, fisher Martes pennanti, Blanding's turtle Emydoidea blandingi:

(3) fertilization of lakes to enhance fish and/or waterfowl production.

Flora biosphere reserve, Nova Scotia 279

Education and information (1) publicizing sustainable forest management prac-

tices, as demonstrated by Bowaters-Mersey; (2) environmental education in local schools, using

local examples; (3) public awareness of the role of biosphere

reserves; Resource use

(1) management/rehabilitation of the 'barrens'; (2) impacts of recreational activities, especially on

sensitive habitats; (3) protecting water quality in the headwater lakes

and rivers; (4) examine ecotourism opportunities.

Elsewhere in Canada, biosphere reserve programs have developed from existing agency programs which direct some attention to issues identified by the biosphere reserve committee. These may be supplemented by attracting university people to do surveys and research in a biosphere reserve, and by developing new projects funded by other agencies or private founda- tions.

For the Kejimkujik-Tobeatic region, a local biosphere reserve advisory committee including key local people could play an important role in initiating the consultations and offering their support to make this biosphere reserve a reality. If successful, this would lay the basis for the inter-jurisdictional cooperation needed to develop resource management practices that would assure the continued survival of the special coastal plain flora at various sites in the region while enhancing research, environmental monitoring, and environmental education locally, and in the province of Nova Scotia.

CONCLUSION

Given that effective conservation of the Atlantic coastal plain flora has to be set in the context of watershed management and shoreline protection, organizational arrangements to foster cooperation and partnerships among agencies and landowners within the region are essential. The biosphere reserve concept is particularly well-suited to accommodating these diverse requirements. In addition, biosphere reserves also foster cooperative research, monitoring, and education activities, all of which will also be necessary to protect this unusual flora.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank Nick Hill, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax; Robert Ogilvie, Nova Scotia

Museum, Halifax; Cliff Drysdale, Kejimkujik National Park: and Paul Keddy and Irene Wisheu, University of Ottawa, for their help and advice. Support from Canada/MAB to explore the feasibility of developing a Kejimkejik-Tobeatic Biosphere Reserve is also acknowledged.

REFERENCES

Batisse, M. (1986). Developing and focusing the biosphere reserve concept. Nature and Resources, 22(3), 1 10.

Canada/MAB (1987). National Action Plan for Biosphere Reserves in Canada. Canadian Man and the Biosphere Committee, Ottawa, Repot 19.

Canada/MAB (1990). Brochure on Biosphere Reserves, and Supplement to the Brochure. Canadian Man and the Bio- sphere Committee, Ottawa.

Di Castri, F., Hadley, M. & Damlamian, J. (1981). MAB: The Man and Biosphere Program as an evolving system. Ambio, 10(2 3), 52 7.

Francis, (3. R. & (3regg, W. P. (1986). Biosphere Reserve Nomination: Lake Forest Biogeographical Province. A report to the United States MAB Directorate on Biosphere Reserves. Washington DC.

Keddy, P. A. & Wisheu, I. C. (1989). Ecology, biogeography, and conservation of coastal plains plants: Some general principles from the study of Nova Scotian wetlands. Rhodora, 91, 72-94.

Parks Canada 0986). Kejimkujik National Park. Resource Descrition and Analysis. Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Roland, A. E. & Smith, E. C. (1968). The Flora of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Russell, E. W. B. (1994). The use of theory in land management decisions: The New Jersey Pine Barrens. Biol Conserv., 68, 263-8.

Rutherford, L. A. and Associates (1988). Background study: Shelbume River. Nova Scotia Heritage River Survey, prepared for the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests and Environment Canada, Parks. Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sutter, R. D. & Kral, R. (1994). The ecology, status, and conservation of two non-alluvial wetland communities in the South Atlantic and Eastern Gulf coastal plain, USA. Biol Conserv., 68, 235~,3.

UNESCO/MAB (1988a). Man Belongs to Earth: International Co-operation in Environmental Research. UNESCO, Paris.

UNESCO/MAB (1988b). International Co-ordinating Council of the programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB), Tenth Session: Final Report. MAB Report Series, No. 61. UNESCO, Paris.

Wisheu, I. C. & Keddy, P. A. (1989). The conservation and management of a threatened coastal plain plant community in eastern North America (Nova Scotia, Canada). Biol. Conserv., 48, 229-38.

Vernhes, J. R. (1989). Biosphere reserves: the beginnings, the present, and the future challenges. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Biosphere Reserves, September 1987. Fourth Worm Wilderness Congress, ed. W. P. (3regg, S. L. Krugrnan & J. D. Wood. US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Atlanta, Georgia, pp. 7-20.

a biosphere reserve for atlantic coastal plain flora, south-western nova scotia

Documents