the medway valley heritage forest · through city’s “adopt an esa” program • public...

The Medway Valley Heritage Forest:

A gem among London’s Environmentally Significant Areas

Greg ThornDepartment of Biology

Western University

26 May 2016

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Intro Title Page

Greg Thorn26 May 2016

Source: UTRCA

Watershed 205 km2

A tributary of the Thames River, 214 km in length

83% agricultural, 11% forested, 6% urban

Watershed managed by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, as are the publicly-owned ESAs of LondonOur focus tonight

The Medway Valley Heritage Forest Environmentally Significant Area

Medway

Kilally Meadows

SiftonBog

The CovesMeadowlilyWoodsWarbler Woods

KainsWoods

WestminsterPonds

Source: London.ca

One of eight publicly owned ESAs in London: these are the jewels of London’s remaining natural heritage areas


The Medway Valley Heritage Forest Environmentally Significant Area

Source: London.ca

• One of five ESAs established in 1989 Official Plan• From Fanshawe Park Road south to confluence with the

Thames, approximately 95 ha public lands plus Western and Huron College lands

• ESA has since been extended north of Fanshawe to Sunningdale Road, approximately 30 ha.

• Environmentally Significant Areas are not parks, but are simply listed as Open Space in many planning documents and maps.

• Medway and Westminster Ponds ESAs have repeatedly been subject to proposed roads or bridges through them.


1950: London’s population now about 95,000

GainsLosses



Source: UTRCA

Much more than an outline on a map!

• 562 species of vascular plants• 90 species of birds• 31 species of mammals, including 7 bats• 7 species of reptiles and 5 of amphibians• 48 species of butterflies• 41 species of Odonata (dragonflies &

damselflies)• 27 species of fish, 102 fungi, …


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Inventories since the 1980s and recently supplemented by work of Dillon Consulting as part of the Conservation Master Planning Process (plus observations by local residents) have yielded a phenomenal record of biodiversity in the lower Medway

7 out of Ontario’s 8 species of Bats!

• Eptesicus fuscus (Big brown bat)• Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired bat)• Lasiurus cinereus (Hoary bat) - most common• Lasiurus borealis (Eastern red bat)• Myotis lucifugus (Little brown bat) [ENDANGERED]• Myotis septentrionalis (Northern long-eared bat) -

least common [ENDANGERED]• Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-colored bat) [ENDANGERED]


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These three species of bats were added to Endangered list under Canada’s SARA – Species At Risk Act – in December 2014.

Photo: Gerrit Vyn, Cornell Lab

Photo: Gregg Droll, Cornell Lab Photo: Raymond Lee, Cornell Lab

Photo: Rob Curtis, Audubon Guide


Source: Dillon Consulting, Inc., 2015Greg Thorn

26 May 2016

Source: Dillon Consulting, Inc., 2015


Environmental Quality: Core and Buffer

Protected Area Core


Environmental Quality: Core and Buffer

A small intrusion makes a large reduction in the core area

3 m path


Connectivity vs. FragmentationA nicely connected system of natural areas: animalsand even plants can move along these corridors and so have increased natural habitat in which to survive.


Connectivity vs. FragmentationIt depends on your perspective: a pathway and bridgewill connect a recreational trail system, but willdisconnect (fragment) and degrade a system of protectednatural areas.


Keep Inappropriate Uses OUT of ESAs

• Major Trails and other Recreational Developments: a clear case of N.I.M.B.Y. and N.O.T.E.

• Not In My Back Yard and• Not Over There Either!• Let’s keep the “S” in ESAs


Photo: Nina Zitani


Norway Maple

Medway Creek


Photo: Lgalbi, wikipedia.org

False Rue Anemone Enemion biternatum


What your City is doing for you• Invasive species management: Goutweed,

periwinkle, Phragmites, Knotweed, Scots Pine• MVHF ESA north 2 boardwalks, bridge, trails,

invasive species management and naturalization• New ESA signage and sensitive area trail closures• 2 Turtle habitat nesting areas created in north in

2014 by Dillon with Scott Gillingwater of UTRCA• Natural Heritage Inventory and Evaluation for the

Conservation Master Plan revised by Dillon as per comments from public, Nature London & EEPAC


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Tree-Azin bi-annual Injection Program, 74 Ash trees injected in 2012, 51 surviving Ash trees were injected in 2014, next round in 2016

What you have done, and can do

• 3 Groups have adopted portions of the ESA through City’s “Adopt an ESA” program

• Public Buckthorn Busting• Participate in the Conservation Master Plan• Leash your dogs• Walk, don’t bike• Enjoy, observe, & report interesting sightings


More you can do

• On your property– Plant a native: see biodiversitygardening.com– Remove invasives: see ontarioinvasiveplants.ca– Create habitat – a rock pile snake refuge, piled

wood-chips or cut wood for salamanders, …– Be careful what goes down the storm sewers – they

lead right to our local waterways

• Join Nature London, Reforest London, be active


Thank You!Linda MacDougall, City of London Ecologist

Dr. Nina Zitani, the web: photos

Past and present naturalists of London, for saving the natural heritage that we enjoy today in London


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Presentation Notes

Intro Title Page

Photo: Nina Zitani

the medway valley heritage forest · through city’s “adopt an esa” program • public...

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