ecological gains through eia in parks canada · rationale for the locations of amphibians/wildlife...

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Ecological gains through EIA in Parks Canada

Eric Tremblay, Park Ecologist, Kouchibouguac National Park, NB, CanadaApril 6th, 2017

IAIA 2017. April 4th to 7th, Montreal, Canada

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Integrating SARA and Fisheries Act

Aboriginal consultations

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Kouchibouguac National Park case study Park’s location


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Environment Canada 2007

• Maritimes Lowplain Ecoregion• Low altitude landscape (30m)• Sea level rise in action• Storm surge pattern shortened

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Background: Route 117 good candidate for Federal Investment program (23.5 millions)

• Route 117: 23.7 km was in need of reconstruction (constructed in the 1960s and last paved in 1993)

• Major drainage problems

• Reconstruction project conducted between July and November 2015

Challenges

• Drainage improvements including the replacement of 58 roadway culverts, some (16) with fish passage requirements

• Amphibians hot spots

• Critical Habitat of Wood Turtle (SAR)


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Environmental Protection and Management

Culvert Installation and Water Flow (mitigation)

Protection of water flow during culvert installation was obtained by continual pumping from the upstream to the downstream sides of the work area

The drying of the work area is paramount to successful culvert installation and entails the following;

• Diversion road to redirect traffic during construction• Damming of brook• Pumping of the work area to dry it• Pumping continuous water flow

Dam

Water pump

Water diverted under the road to the other side

Area to be dried

Silt fence

Diversion road

Generator


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Environmental Protection and Management

Fish protection & salvage (mitigation)

• Electrofishing surveys and fish collection (salvage)were conducted at each water course with fish habitat prior the installation of culverts

• A total of 1537 fish covering 7 species were inventoried and collected• Salvaged fish were deposited in suitable habitat upstream from the working area

Results from electro fishing and fish salvage - Route 117 - 2015

Species

Culvert Code

Total

WC-02 WC-05 WC-06 WC-08 WC-14 WC-15 WC-16 WC-17 WC-18 WC-19 WC-20 WC-22 WC-23 WC-24 DR-26 WC-26

Quantity of fishes

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) 136 42 5 58 5 246

Golden shiner ( Notemigonus cryoleucas ) 12 29 41

Mummichog( Fundulus heteroclitus ) 1 14 15

brook stickleback ( Culaea inconstans ) 1 8 104 18 18 229 5 216 6 3 18 106 384 3 33 1152

3 spine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) 49 2 51

American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) 1 1

9 spine sticleback( Pungitius pungitus ) 12 2 10 7 31

Total 137 125 125 70 59 18 229 7 216 6 3 18 106 384 3 33 1537

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213

2211

0

50

100

150

200

250

0-10cm 10-20cm >20cm

Nu

mb

er

of

fish

Brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis) length frequency at electrofishing route 117 sites , 2015

Brook trout (Salvelinus…

N=246

Length

Most of the Brook trout caught were at the juvenile stage showing the importance of the numerous little brooks as spawning grounds and nurseries for the species


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Conservation gains

Fish habitat (mitigation)

• The dissipation pools at the downstream side of each culvert are in fact new fish and amphibian habitat• Sixteen (16) culverts= 208.3 m2 of new habitat.• Culverts with baffles (Savoie and Haché, 2002)• Inventories in 2016 showed that all pools are being occupied by several fish species & amphibians

Before After


2016 Wood Frogs egg mass in several pools

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Conservation gains

• At least 6 brooks were disconnected due to deteriorating and aging culverts. Barrier to fish migration.

• The replacement of these culverts permitted to restore the connectivity of these brooks (1 247m of new accessible fish habitat)

• Inventories in 2016 showed that all six brooks had fish species present at the upstream side of the culverts

Culvert code Type of culvert Size Condition Habitat regained

DR-26 Timber box 600mm x 600mm Obstructed/Collapsed 120m

WC-06 Corrugated Steel Pipe 900mm Perching/Vertical barrier 587m

WC-15 Timber box 600mm x 600mm Collapsed 100m




Total 1 247m


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Conservation gains (mitigating measure)Amphibian crossings

A few studies over the last fifteen years showed the impacts of roads on the amphibians in the Greater Kouchibouguac Ecosystem and located four hot spots for amphibians in Kouchibouguac National Park

• Porter’s pond (1)• St-Vincent de Paul Cemetery (2)• Island pond (3)• Coffee pond (4)*numbers into brackets refer to map next slide

• Opportunity to install amphibian tunnels during the rehabilitation of highway 117 (gains in conservation)

Gravel, M. (2006), Réponse des amphibiens aux routes pavées dans le Grand écosystème de Kouchibouguac: Test de l’effet de barrière, Masters Thesis, Université de Moncton, NB.

Mazerolle, M., (2004), Amphibian road mortality in response to nightly variations in traffic intensity. Herpetologica, (60 )10: 45-53.

Gravel, M., Mazerolle, M. and M-A, Villard, (2012), Interactive effects of roads and weather on juvenile amphibian movements. Amphibia-Reptilia, 33:113-127

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Conservation gains: Amphibian crossings

Rationale for the locations of amphibians/wildlife crossings

Three criterias to consider• Amphibians hot spots (numbers on the map)• Wood Turtle critical habitat (Species at Risk act-SARA)• Physical limitations of the road (#4)

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IAIA 2017. April 4th to 7th, Montreal, Canada 4Wildlife tunnels (1.5m diameter)

Black River (2)St-Vincent de Paul cemetery (2)

ACO crossings

Porter’s pond (1)Island pond (3)

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Gunson, K. 2016. Road-Wildlife Mitigation Assessment on Route 117 Rehabilitation Project. Unpublished report for Parks Canada, Eco-Kare International , 31pp.Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. 2015. Best Management Practices for mitigating the Effects of Roads on Amphibians and Reptiles at Risk in Ontario. Queen’s Printer for Ontario.84 pp.

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Conservation gainsSpecies that should Benefit from these tunnels:Reptiles

• Wood Turtle (Species at Risk-SAR)

• Snapping turtle (Species at Risk-SAR)

• Garter snake• Green snake

Mammals (1.5m tunnel)

• Small mammals (mice, shrews,etc)• Snowshoe hare• Fox• Coyotes ?


Mazerolle, M., (2004), Amphibian road mortality in response to nightly variations in traffic intensity. Herpetologica, (60 )10: 45-53.

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Amphibian/Wildlife crossings efficiency study 2017: Dr Marc Mazerolle, Université de Laval

3.2 km of fencing

Gunson, K. 2016. Road-Wildlife Mitigation Assessment on Route 117 Rehabilitation Project. Unpublished report for Parks Canada, Eco-Kare International , 31pp.

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Mitigation Hierarchy

• Enhance: New fish habitat, new amphibian habitat, reducedmortality for amphibians & reptiles (SAR)

• Avoid: No loss of biodiversity

• Minimize: No enlargement of road corridor, SAR protection

• Restore: Aquatic connectivity, fish migration restored

• Compensate: N/A

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Lessons learned

• Start the EIA Process early• Be opportunistic and use the EIA process to make conservation gains, do not limit yourself to the

minimum requirements• Need to work at sharing mitigating measures and alternatives early with managers, designers &

engineers• Involve your conservation specialists early in the planning process.


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Thank you for your attention

Contact information:

Eric Tremblay, Park EcologistKouchibouguac National Park186 Route 117Kouchibouguac, New Brunswick, E4X [email protected]

Tel: 506-876-2443

mailto:[email protected]

ecological gains through eia in parks canada · rationale for the locations of amphibians/wildlife...

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