2008 South Coast Conservation Program Workshop Series for

Professional Biologists

Species at Risk – Training for Professionals

Workshop Summary

Workshop 3: Identification and Habitat Management for Rare Amphibians on the South Coast of British Columbia April 8th 2008, UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, Maple Ridge, BC

PROJECT REPORT

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Species at Risk – Training for Professionals

Workshop 3: Identification and Habitat Management for Rare Amphibians on the South Coast of British Columbia

Report prepared by Susan Leech, MSc, R.P.Bio for the South Coast Conservation Program

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CONTENTS

Overview of 2008 South Coast Conservaton Program Workshop Series .............................. 4 

1.1  Workshop 2: Identification and Habitat Management for Rare Amphibians on the South Coast of British Columbia.......................................................................................... 5 Workshop Agenda................................................................................................................................................................5 

1.2  Summary of key discussion from workshops .............................................................. 6 Increasing application of Best Management Practices for amphibians:.......................................................6 Resources available for amphibians ............................................................................................................................6 

Appendices......................................................................................................................... 7 

1.3  Appendix 1: Speaker Biographies and Contact Information ........................................ 7 

1.4  Appendix 2: List of Registrants ................................................................................... 8 

1.5  Appendix 3: Resource List for Amphibian Information in British Columbia ................. 9   

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OVERVIEW OF 2008 SOUTH COAST CONSERVATON PROGRAM WORKSHOP SERIES Development activities in urban and rural areas have a significant impact on species at risk. The south coast of British Columbia is home to more than 30 federally-listed and more than 250 provincially-listed species at risk, all falling within an area that continues to be heavily under pressure for urban and rural development. As development progresses, it must be sensitive to the habitat needs of these rare and endangered species. Under the federal Species at Risk Act, all endangered, threatened and extirpated species are fully protected on federal lands, while the Act relies on provincial legislation to provide adequate habitat protection for listed species on provincial, municipal and privately held land. In British Columbia, this protection is provided by the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA), the BC Wildlife Act, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) reviews and through various tools developed by the provincial government, in some cases in collaboration with local governments. Tools include Best Management Practices (BMP) guidelines, landowner contact programs, land acquisition programs, and various extension/stewardship programs to provide education and incentives for maintaining habitat for species at risk. Existing BMPs for the South Coast are listed through the SCCP website (www.sccp.ca). Currently, the list of BMPs includes general guidelines (Develop with Care), instream BMPs and species-specific BMPs for Pacific Water Shrew, Mountain Beaver, Vancouver Island Beggarticks, Herptiles, Raptors, and Phantom Orchid. A multi-species BMP is under development and should be available soon. Applying BMPs generally requires the involvement of a qualified professional, usually a Registered Professional Biologist. Since many local governments and development companies do not directly employ RPBios, this role is often filled by environmental consultants. It is critical for these consultants to be aware of the current regulatory and shared stewardship environment, to be equipped with the best available knowledge on how to maintain habitat for species at risk, and to be well-versed in the recommended approach for ensuring development does not unduly impact residences and critical habitat for species at risk. Consultants need to understand what to do if they encounter a species at risk during pre-development impact assessments, how best to apply BMPs (particularly in areas in which species at risk habitat overlaps), and most effective survey approaches for species at risk. To address these issues, the South Coast Conservation Program developed and delivered a workshop series consisting of five workshops. Two of these (Workshop 1, Sessions 1 & 2) were general information sessions providing attendees with an overview of available BMPs for the south coast as well as a series of case studies illustrating how BMPs are being applied during development projects. Offered on March 10th and May 13th, these workshops were designed as prerequisites for the other three workshops offered in 2008, each of which focused on one species or species guild. Workshop 2—habitat identification and management for Pacific water shrew—was delivered at Stanley Park on March 11th 2008. Workshop—managing habitat for rare amphibians during development projects—was delivered at the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest on April 8th 2008. Finally, Workshop 4—approaches for conducting rare plant surveys on the south coast—was delivered at the UBC Carey Centre and Pacific Spirit Park on May 14th 2008. These specific topics were chosen through a series of interviews with potential attendees to identify information needs related to applying BMPs during development projects on the south coast; the needs assessment report can be found in Appendix X. The workshops were designed to increase the application of Best Management Practices for species at risk on the south coast during both large and small development projects. Each of the workshops had specific outcomes and evaluations were conducted immediately after the workshop to determine if the outcomes were achieved. A six-month follow-up evaluation is planned to determine whether the workshops were successful in increasing the application of Best Management Practices and to further discuss possible upcoming events to continue increasing the application of BMPs during development projects. A complete list of all the workshop presentations and additional materials from the workshops can be found at www.sccp.ca (under the stewardship and outreach tab).

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1.1 Workshop 2: Identification and Habitat Management for Rare Amphibians on the South Coast of British Columbia Participants in this one-day, classroom and field-based workshop learned about the biology and habitat requirements of coastal amphibians at risk, with an emphasis on the two species most likely to be found in coastal sites: red-legged frogs and coastal tailed frogs. Participants also received training on how to apply the BMP for amphibians. We expected the following outcomes from this workshop: Participants gain knowledge about: Applying the BMP for amphibians Identifying red-legged frogs, tailed frogs, Oregon spotted frogs, other species of interest Options for protecting amphibians and amphibian habitat during development Identifying habitat for red-legged frogs, tailed frogs, other species Sampling for red-legged frogs, tailed frogs Case studies of development sites in Maple Ridge were also discussed during the workshop, and participants were given the opportunity to discuss improvements to the existing BMP and other information needs with representatives from the BC Ministry of Environment. Workshop Agenda Date: April 8th 2008

Location: Koerner Forestry Centre in Loon Lake Camp (UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest) and various field sites in Malcolm Knapp Research Forest

Workshop Agenda

8:30 Introduction to the workshop Susan Leech; Kym Welstead MOE Species at Risk Biologist

8:45 Review of development process as it relates to protecting amphibian habitat

Liz Kovics, Sea to Sky

9:15 Review of amphibians BMP Elke Wind, E. Wind Consulting

10:00 BREAK

10:15 Amphibian identification basics Elke Wind and Linda Dupuis, Golder and Associates

10:45 Amphibian protection strategies Linda Dupuis

Lunch at Koerner Forestry Centre

1:00 Protecting amphibian habitat during development – case studies from Maple Ridge

Rod Stott, District of Maple Ridge

1:30 Discussion in classroom regarding application of amphibian BMP

Facilitated by Susan Leech with input from Linda Dupuis, Liz Kovics, Elke Wind, Brent Matsuda (Jacques Whitford AXYS Ltd)

2:15 BREAK

2:30 Field visits to red-legged frog and tailed frog habitat

Elke Wind, Linda Dupuis

4:30 Wrap-up Susan Leech

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1.2 Summary of key discussion from workshops Increasing application of Best Management Practices for amphibians: Protection for small/ephemeral wetlands is needed Encouraging/requiring monitoring of mitigation and salvage efforts. Monitoring efforts should be scaled to

the project as appropriate. Suggestion was made to focus on big environmental assessment projects where monitoring is required. Less invasive monitoring may be ok in smaller projects; could focus on egg masses, cameras on culverts

One suggestion was made to fund monitoring through a development “stumpage” (similar model to the forest industry).

Issues with efficacy of salvage – guidelines are needed on when to salvage amphibians Monitoring needs to be part of the permit for salvaging Large education/information transfer need in this area Collaboration between agencies within regions is a huge need; suggest including other agencies (Ministry of

Transportation, city planners/municipalities) Land acquisition – look at existing models and make information available Explore and make information available on tax incentives and grants Developers need incentives to apply BMPs. To work well with developers, need to:

o Learn their language o Push incentives o Understand the costs of development

Make sure developers understand that not following the BMP will result in a longer time lag before the project will be approved.

Approach the College of Applied Biology about pushing legislation Resources available for amphibians Wetland restoration: Tom Biebighauser has written two key resources:

o “Wetland Drainage, Restoration and Repair” o “A Vernal Pool Construction Guide”

Elke Wind will be holding a Wetland Construction workshop with Tom Biebighauser during the last week of July. Contact Elke for more information (ewind@telus.net).

Glen Carlson provided information about an amphibian identification key developed through the North Shore and available on-line at:

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APPENDICES

1.3 Appendix 1: Speaker Biographies and Contact Information Linda Dupuis Golder Associates Ltd. SQUAMISH/WHISTLER Tel: 604-815-0768 Fax: 604-815-0769 Mob: 604-815-9464 Linda_Dupuis@golder.com Elizabeth Kovics, BSc, Dipl Tech, RPBio, FIT, CCEP Environmental Project Manager Peter Kiewit & Sons Cell: 604-786-1800 liz.kovics@seatoskydbfo.ca

Elizabeth Kovics currently holds the position of Environmental Project Manager with Peter Kiewit Sons Co. (PKS) in Vancouver, BC. Ms. Kovics has a strong background in environmental management in the context of planning, permitting, design, construction and the operational phases of large projects such as the Sea to Sky Highway Upgrade, the Upper Harrison Independent Power Project, and the Pitt River Bridge upgrade. Ms. Kovics also has extensive aquatic, terrestrial, and wildlife management experience gained through previous positions held at The District of West Vancouver, Cascade Environmental Resource Group, The City of Surrey, and The Ministry of Environment. Ms. Kovics is a Registered Professional Biologist with the BC College of Applied Biology and is an environmental auditor with ISO 14001 EMS Project Implementation training and ISO 9000 QMS Lead Auditor training.

Elke Wind (MSc, RPBio) E. Wind Consulting Nanaimo, BC ewind@telus.net Elke is a self-employed contract biologist living and working on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She has over 15 years experience working on amphibians. In 1996, she received her M.Sc. from UBC. Her thesis research investigated effects of forest fragmentation on Wood frogs in north-central Alberta. Since that time, her main areas of research have continued to focus on habitat management for amphibians in relation to forest harvesting and development, especially the role of and impacts to small wetland habitats. She has written numerous reports for government, species recovery teams, and non-profit organizations. She is also involved in training and education around amphibian identification, sampling techniques, and small wetland management. Brent Matsuda (MSc, RPBio) Senior Wildlife Biologist Jacques Whitford AXYS Office: (604) 436-3014 Ext. 258 Cell: (778) 837-3282 E-mail: brent.matsuda@jacqueswhitford.com Brent Matsuda was introduced to BC’s herpetofauna while working as a herpetoculturist in Vancouver Aquarium’s Amazon Gallery. He obtained his M.Sc. studying tailed frogs at UBC then continued his herpy pursuits while working in the USA and during sojourns overseas. He returned to BC in 2006 with the release of the Royal BC Museum’s handbook “The Amphibians and Reptiles of British Columbia” which he co-authored with David Green and Patrick Gregory. He currently works for Jacques Whitford AXYS in Burnaby. Rodney Stott (B.A. Geography (Honours); B.A. Political Studies; Dipl. Tech. Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation Management; Dipl. Tech. GIS Applications For Urban Planning) Environmental Planner District of Maple Ridge (604) 467 – 7390 rstott@mapleridge.ca Rodney Stott has been working as the Environmental Planner for the District of Maple Ridge for the last several years. During this time, Rod’s responsibilities include environmental policy development, development and building application review , and management of various municipal environmental initiatives including Smart Growth on the Ground green infrastructure initiatives, re-forestation and biodiversity conservation programs, as well as numerous enhancement and restoration projects around the municipality. Previous to this, Rod was working in the private sector as an environmental consultant with his firm Watermark Technologies Canada. Over the last decade, Mr. Stott was responsible for designing and implementing various environmental initiatives for local municipalities including the design and development of watershed level mapping and information systems, official community plan environmental review strategies, as well as managing environmental sensitive area management plans.

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1.4 Appendix 2: List of Registrants

First Name Last Name Company Name

Chris Albrecht Keystone Wildlife Research Ltd.

Caroline Astley Madrone Environmental Services Ltd

Nadia Baker TERA Planning Ltd

Sandra Baker AMEC Earth and Environmental

Jason Barsanti Madrone Environmental

Tanya Bettles City of Abbotsford

Julie Brooks Forest Health Management

Glen Carlson

Jackie Churchill Madrone

Christine Cunliffe CERG

Josephine Epp Golder and Associates

Alison Evely Metro Vancouver Parks

Billli Gowans ENKON Environmental

John Gray Vancouver Park Board

Stacie Kalyn Dillon Consulting Limited

Rob Knight MOE

Dave Konesky Envirow Consulting

Leslie Kristoff Terasen Gas

Deborah Lacroix Ecofish Research

Murray Lashmar Seacor Environmental

Chris Lee Aqua Terra Biological Consulting

Hilary Lindh CERG

Christopher Macmillan Arran Environmental Services

Loys Maingon Aardscan Biological and Environmental

Raenelle Parker Dillon Consulting Limited

Mike Pearson Pearson Ecological

James Pecsi

Michelle Penner Marlim Ecological Consulting

Lindsay Rear Cascade Environmental

Caroline Rutledge McElhanney Consulting Services

Naomi Sands Robertson Environmental

Zoey Slater Fraser Valley Conservancy

Susanne Sloboda Robertson Environmental Services Ltd

Jeremy Valeriote Pottinger Gaherty Environmental

Robyn Worcester Stanley Park Ecology Society

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1.5 Appendix 3: Resource List for Amphibian Information in British Columbia Resource Inventory Standards Committee (for inventory standards): http://ilmbwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/ Two key documents:

o Inventory Methods for Pond-breeding Amphibians and Painted Turtle o Inventory Methods for Tailed Frog and Pacific Giant Salamander

Best Management Practices for Amphibians and Reptiles in Urban and Rural Environments in British

Columbia http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/BMP/herptile/HerptileBMP_final.pdf Best Management Practices website: http://shim.bc.ca:3455/BMP Username: BMP Password: BMPS4U (case sensitive) Note: this website was set up to share BMPs for coastal British Columbia by the BC Ministry of Environment in Surrey. Please go to this site to download BMPs every time you start a new project (they change frequently). The site also has a discussion forum which you can use for sharing information about application of BMPs on the south coast. Develop with Care document http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/bmp/devwithcare2006/develop_with_care_intro.html Identified Wildlife Management Strategy (for identified wildlife on forested crown land) http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/frpa/iwms/iwms.html South Coast Conservation Program website: www.sccp.ca Frogwatch BC: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/frogwatch/ Amphibiaweb: http://amphibiaweb.org/index.html AmphibiaWeb is an online system enabling anyone with a Web browser to search and retrieve information relating to amphibian biology and conservation. This site was inspired by the global declines of amphibians, the study of which has been hindered by the lack of multidisciplinary studies and a lack of coordination in monitoring, in field studies, and in lab studies. We hope AmphibiaWeb will encourage a shared vision for the study of global amphibian declines and the conservation of remaining amphibians.