News/Reports
Cougar Canyon ER #108 1998-1999 Warden’s report
98.04.14
- South end check. Track of light vehicle (mountain bike or trail bike) on north-west side of Lake 11; no damage; evidence disappeared by next visit.
- Start made on vegetation classification.
98.05.15
- Examination made of two small wetlands south of Lake 9 near the 800 m contour above and outside the ER to assess whether they were worth incorporating into the reserve. One was a 100 m x 50 m pond and the other a linear cattail marsh. They fall within a Forest Service grazing license and show moderate cattle impact. No special features were noticed that would give them special interest.
- Start made on dragonfly survey. Vegetation classification on south side.
98.05.29
- Check and vegetation classification along north side of Lake 10.
Chimaphila umbellata, pipsissiwa, included in the list below–
photo by Garry Fletcher
98.06.30
- Vegetation classification from Hydro road along the west boundary and check of Lakes 1 and 2; no sign of entry.
98.07.31
- Check at south end; dragonfly survey at every visit to Lake 11.
98.08.28
- Vegetation survey on north-west slope and down towards Lake 5.
98.09.21
- Check at south end; no disturbance.
98.10.16
- Check at south end; salamander trap boards put in place for checking next spring.
98.11.06
- Check at south end; no disturbance.
99.01.19
- Visit to Lake Country Municipal Office in connection with OCP.
Access
Two new metal gates have been placed across the West Kootenay Power road north of the reserve. These probably mark the points where the road intersects surveyed block #4678. Both were open when encountered but could be a restriction to access from the north in the future.
At the south end the owner has kept the gate strictly closed and prevents casual entry on foot.
Lake Country OCP
An OCP amendment application has been made by Terra West Investments, the Calgary-based company which owns the land immediately adjoining to the south of the reserve. This area, which they are calling Kalamalka Plateau, is presently zoned for large lots. First and second reading of a bylaw must take place, then the proposed rezoning and development will have a public hearing. No date has yet been set.
It appears that the owner is requesting approval of the project as a concept because no definite plans or projections have yet been put forward apart from a general comment that “about one third of the total land space would be allocated to a golf course, another third to low density resort cells or villages, and the other third would be used as public natural open space”. By getting the OCP changed to allow a development of this type, the property would become more saleable as a whole or easier to interest a developer in undertaking. Lake Country office staff mentioned a number of enquiries about the area had been made that may have been on behalf of potential partners or buyers.
I have asked to be informed of the timing of any meetings and open houses but it will be difficult as an outsider to comment if no detailed plans are put forth at that stage. As a land owner in the adjoining Central Okanagan Rural District rather than in Lake Country, the Crown probably has limited power to intrude in an OCP amendment in that municipality.
Direction from Parks would be appreciated.
Okanagan-Shuswap LRMP
One of the original proposals put forward by the Protected Area Strategy team was a large unit called Kalamalka Lake Park Extension (map and description enclosed) taking in more or less the whole area south of the park from the lake to the upper visual boundary as seen from Highway 97. Subsequent negotiation has eliminated most of this block however there is still a possibility of lesser additions on the west and north boundaries of Cougar Canyon ER.
If the LRMP process results in no change to land status there may still be an effect through regulation of future forestry activities by Visual Quality requirements. These are most likely to cover the view-scape from Highway 97 but some effort is being made to use the old weather station site as the reference point. Either would include land from the east side of Kalamalka Lake to the ridge top (i.e. more or less the west boundary of the reserve), and the steep slope running up the hill east of the reserve east boundary. As such they would be a positive development.
Reserve Condition
No human activities occurred to affect the reserve in the period covered, however weather did have a noticeable effect. Having been extremely hot with little precipitation during the period of greatest heat, there was an extreme water level decline of an estimated one metre in Lake 11 (and presumably in other lakes too). Young Douglas-fir trees up to about 2½ m tall growing in exposed locations or on thin soil throughout the reserve lost all their needles and may be dead.
Volunteer Committment
A total of 59 hours is estimated as having been spent on volunteer warden activities including 14 hours at home on specimen identification (dragonflies) and preparation of a vegetation report. Mileage amounted to 580 km.
Malcolm Martin,
Vernon,
99.02.15
RESEARCH REPORT
Lichen Test Rock (Lake 10)
No sign of colonization.
Vascular Plants
The collection of 200 voucher specimens for deposit in a BC herbarium has been packaged and awaits means of delivery.
One new species was added to the reserve inventory list. This was a small number of Mountain ladyslipper orchid (Cypripedium montanum) – Yellow list- in woodland south of Lake 10.
Painted Turtle Monitoring
A slight change was made to the protocol for counting turtle numbers on Lake 11. Instead of a count from a vantage point on the north-west side supplemented by additions at the two lake extremities, the system now involves walking and counting the full length of the lake along the cliffs and slope above. The difference should be minimal but more likely to give better coverage.
Date time condition air temp. water temp. #
April 14 pm sunny moderate wind 20
May 15 pm part cloud, brisk wind 64ºF 60º 7
May 29 pm 90% clear, fresh wind 22ºC 19º 91
June 30 pm light wind 26½ºC 23½ºC 44
July 31 pm calm 32½ºC 8
Aug 28 am 27½ºC 24½ºC 56
Sept 21 pm sunny, light wind 21½ºC 18 27
Oct 16 pm 80% clear 14½ºC 9 16
Nov 6 am 0
Count numbers were supplemented by weather and temperature data and the resulting report submitted to Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys Amphibian and Reptile Populations Survey (part of the Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Network).
If salamanders are reported in the Interior it is usually in spring. None have ever been reported for Cougar Canyon so several trapboards were put in moist, shaded locations between Lakes 10 and 11 for checking in the spring.
Birds
Two additions not previously recorded in this reserve are Great blue heron (28th August) and 16 Hooded mergansers (Lake 11, 6th November).
Vegetation Analysis
VEGETATION OF COUGAR CANYON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
A previous report entitled An Inventory Study of Cougar Canyon Ecological Reserve
No. 108 was compiled in 1983 based on 13 visits through the season of that year. Since that time a number of additions and deletions have been made to the inventory list of species encountered and several names changed to reflect taxonomic revisions by various botanical workers. To accommodate these alterations an up-dated list is given below. In three cases an alteration is deemed necessary but no specimen is now available and the taxon is therefore shown as “sp.”. Information on date of record and habitat type should be obtained from the 1983 list.
Following the inventory is an analysis of vegetation of this reserve.
name common name alien distrib. Raunkiaer
Equisetaceae
Equisetum arvense common horsetail circum H
Equisetum hyemale scouring-rush NA H
Equisetum scorpoides dwarf scouring-rush circum H
Lycopodiaceae
Lycopodium annotinum stiff clubmoss circum Ch
Selaginellaceae
Selaginella densa compact selaginella NA Ch
Selaginella wallacei Wallace’s selaginella WNA Ch
Adiantaceae
Cryptogramma acrostichoides parsley fern WNA (a) H
Cryptogramma stelleri slender rock-brake circum H
Dennstaedtiaceae
Pteridium aquilinum brackern fern circum H
Dryopteridaceae
Athyrium filix-femina lady fern WNA (a) H
Cystopteris fragilis fragile fern circum H
Dryopteris carthusiana toothed wood fern circum H
Dryopteris expansa spiny wood fern circum H
Dryopteris filix-mas male fern circum H
Polystichum lonchitis mountain holly fern circum H
Polystichum munitum sword fern WNA H
Woodsia oregana Oregon woodsia NA H
Woodsia scopulina Rocky Mountain woodsia NA H
Ophioglossaceae
Botrychium lunaria common moonwort circum H
Botrychium virginianum rattlesnake fern circum H
Botrichium sp. unidentified
Polypodiaceae
Polypodium hesperium western polypody WNA H
Cupressaceae
Juniperus communis common juniper circum Ph
Juniperus scopulorum Rocky Mountain juniper WNA Ph
Thuja plicata western red-cedar WNA Ph
Pinaceae
Pinus contorta lodgepole pine WNA Ph
Pinus ponderosa ponderosa pine WNA Ph
Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir WNA Ph
Aceraceae
Acer glabrum Rocky Mountain maple WNA Ph
Anacardiaceae
Rhus glabra smooth sumac NA Ph
Toxicodendron rydbergii poison ivy NA Ch
Apiaceae
Lomatium ambiguum swale desert-parsley WNA Cr
Lomatium dissectum fern-leaved desert-parsley WNA Cr
Lomatium geyeri Geyer’s desert-parsley WNA Cr
Lomatium macrocarpum large-fruited desert-parsley WNA Cr
Osmorhiza chilensis mountain sweet-cicely NA H
Osmorhiza depauperata blunt-fruited sweet-cicely NA H
Sium suave hemlock water-parsnip NA Cr
Apocynaceae
Apocynum androsaemifolium spreading dogbane NA H
Cannabis sativa marijuana (eliminated) I
Araliaceae
Aralia nudicaule wild sarsparilla NA Ch
Oplopanax horridus devil’s club NA Ph
Asteraceae
Achillea millefolium yarrow NA H
Antennaria dimorpha low pussytoes WNA H
Antennaria howellii Howell’s pussytoes NA H
Antennaria parvifolia Nuttall’s pussytoes NA H
Antennaria pulcherrima showy pussytoes NA H
Antennaria racemosa racemose pussytoes WNA H
Antennaria rosea rosy pussytoes NA H
Antennaria umbrinella umber pussytoes WNA Ch
Arctium minus common burdock I H
Arnica cordifolia heart-leaved arnica WNA H
Arnica latifolia mountain arnica WNA H
Artemisia frigida prairie sagewort circum Ch
Aster ciliolatus Lindley’s aster NA H
Aster conspicuus showy aster WNA H
Aster eatoni Eaton’s aster WNA H
Aster modestus great northern aster NA H
Aster subspicatus Douglas’s aster WNA H
Balsamorhiza sagittata arrowleaf balsamroot WNA H
Bidens cernua nodding beggarticks circum H
Centaurea diffusa diffuse knapweed I H
Cichorium intybus chicory I H
Circium arvense Canada thistle I H
Circium undulatum wavy-leaved thistle WNA H
Circium vulgare bull thistle I H
Conyza canadensis horseweed I Th
Crepis atrabarba slender hawksbeard WNA H
Erigeron compositus cut-leaved daisy NA H
Erigeron philadelphicus Philadelphia fleabane NA H
Erigeron pumilus shaggy fleabane WNA H
Erigeron subtrinervis triple-nerved fleabane WNA H
Euthamia occidentalis western goldenrod WNA H
Filago arvensis field filago I Th
Gaillardia aristata brown-eyed susan WNA H
Heterotheca villosa golden-aster WNA Ch
Hieracium albiflorum white hawkweed WNA H
Hieracium scouleri
var. scouleri Scouler’s hawkweed WNA H
Hieracium scouleri
var. griseum hound’s tongue hawkweed WNA H
Hieracium umbellatum narrow-leaved hawkweed NA H
Lactuca biennis tall blue lettuce NA H
Lactuca serriola prickly lettuce I Th
Madia exigua little tarweed WNA Th
Matricaria discoidea pineappleweed I Th
Microseris nutans nodding microseris WNA H
Sonchus arvensis perennial sowthistle I H
Taraxacum officinale common dandelion I H
Tragopogon dubius yellow salsify I H
Balsaminaceae
Impatiens noli-tangere common touch-me-not circum Th
Berberidaceae
Mahonia aquifolium tall Oregon-grape WNA Ch
Betulaceae
Alnus incana
var. tenuifolia mountain alder WNA Ph
Betula occidentalis water birch WNA Ph
Betula papyrifera paper birch NA Ph
Corylus cornuta
var. cornuta beaked hazelnut NA Ph
Boraginaceae
Hackelia deflexa nodding stickseed NA H
Lappula occidentalis western stickseed circum Th
Lithospermum ruderale lemonweed WNA H
Myosotis laxa small-flowered forget-me-not circum H
Myosotis stricta blue forget-me-not I Th
Brassicaceae
Arabis x divaricarpa spreading-pod rockcress NA H
Arabis exilis slender rockcress WNA H
Arabis hirsuta
var. pycnocarpa hairy rockcress circum H
Arabis holboellii
var. retrofracta Holboell’s rockcress NA H
Arabis microphylla littleleaf rockcress WNA H
Capsella bursa-pastoralis shepherd’s purse I Th
Cardamine pensylvanica Pennsylvanian bitter-cress NA Th
Descurania sophia flixweed I Th
Descurania pinnata western tansy mustard WNA Th
Draba nemorosa wood draba circum Th
Draba verna common draba I Th
Lepidium densiflorum prairie peppergrass WNA Th
Rorippa curvisiliqua western yellow cress WNA Th
Rorippa palustris marsh yellow cress circum H
Sisymbrium altissimum tall tumble-mustard I Th
Campanulaceae
Triodanis perfoliata Venus’s looking-glass NA Th
Caprifoliaceae
Linnaea borealis twinflower NA Ch
Lonicera utahensis Utah honeysuckle WNA Ph
Sambucus cerulea blue elderberry WNA Ph
Symphoricarpos albus common snowberry NA Ph
Caryophyllaceae
Arenaria serpyllifolia thyme-leaved sandwort I Th
Myosoton aquaticum water chickweed I H
Silene antirrhina sleepy catchfly NA Th
Silene latifolia
ssp. alba white campion I H
Celastraceae
Paxistema myrsinites falsebox WNA Ch
Ceratophyllaceae
Ceratophyllum demersum common hornwort NA Cr
Chenopodiaceae
Chenopodium fremontii Fremont’s goosefoot WNA Th
Chenopodium hybridum maple-leaved goosefoot I Th
Clusiaceae
Hypericum perforatum common St. John’s wort I H
Cornaceae
Cornus stolonifera red-osier dogwood NA Ph
Crassulaceae
Sedum stenopetalum worm-leaved stonecrop WNA H
Eleagnaceae
Shepherdia canadensis soopolallie NA Ph
Ericaceae
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi kinnikinnick circum Ch
Chimaphila umbellata pipsissiwa WNA Ch
Gaultheria ovatifolia Oregon wintergreen WNA Ch
Orthilia secunda one-sided wintergreen circum Ch
Pterospora andromedea pinedrops NA Cr
Pyrola asarifolia common pink wintergreen circum H
Pyrola chlorantha green wintergreen circum H
Pyrola minor lesser wintergreen NA H
Fabaceae
Astragalus miser timber milk-vetch WNA H
Lathyrus ochroleucus creamy peavine NA H
Lotus denticulatus meadow birds-foot trefoil WNA Th
Lupinus sericeus silky lupine WNA H
Medicago lupulina black medic I Th
Medicago sativa alfalfa I H
Melilotus alba white sweet-clover I H
Trifolium pratense red clover I H
Trifolium repens white clover I H
Vicia americana American vetch NA H
Fumariaceae
Corydalis aurea golden corydalis NA H
Geraniaceae
Geranium sp. I Th
Grossulariaceae
Ribes cereum squaw currant WNA Ph
Ribes lacustre black gooseberry NA Ph
Ribes viscossimum sticky currant WNA Ph
Haloragaceae
Myriophyllum sp. Cr
Hippuridaceae
Hippurus vulgaris common marestail circum Cr
Hydrangeaceae
Philadelphus lewisii mock-orange WNA Ph
Hydrophyllaceae
Phacelia hastata silverleaf phacelia WNA H
Phacelia linearis thread-leaved phacelia WNA Th
Lamiaceae
Lycopus americanus cut-leaved water horehound NA H
Lycopus asper rough water horehound NA H
Mentha arvensis field mint circum H
Physostegia parviflora purple dragonhead WNA H
Lamiaceae (cont.)
Scutellaria galericulata marsh skullcap circum H
Scutellaria laterifolia blue skullcap NA H
Teucrium canadense American germander NA H
Lenticulariaceae
Utricularia vulgaris greater bladderwort circum Cr
Nymphaeaceae
Nuphar lutea
var. variegatum yellow water-lily NA Cr
Onagraceae
Circaea alpina enchanter’s nightshade circum H
Epilobium angustifolium fireweed circum H
Epilobium brachycarpum tall annual willowherb NA Th
Epilobium ciliatum purple-leaved willowherb WNA (a) H
Epilobium minutum small-flowered willowherb WNA Th
Epilobium sp. H
Plantaginaceae
Plantago major common plantain I H
Polemoniaceae
Microsteris gracilis pink microsteris NA Th
Polemonium micranthum annual polemonium NA Th
Polemonium pulcherrimum showy jacobs-ladder WNA H
Polygonaceae
Eriogonum heracleoides parsnip-flowered buckwheat WNA Ch
Polygonum amphibium water smartweed NA Cr
Polygonum aviculare common knotweed I Th
Polygonum convolvulus black bindweed I Th
Polygonum douglasii Douglas’s knotweed NA Th
Rumex acetosella sheep sorrel I H
Rumex crispus curled dock I H
Rumex maritimus golden dock circum H
Rumex occidentalis western dock NA H
Portulacaceae
Claytonia lanceolata western springbeauty WNA Cr
Claytonia rubra red miner’s lettuce WNA Th
Primulaceae
Dodecatheon pulchellum few-flowered shooting star NA H
Lysimachia thyrsiflora tufted loosestrife NA H
Ranunculaceae
Actaea rubra baneberry NA H
Clematis columbiana Columbia clematis WNA Ph
Clematis ligusticifolia white clematis
Ranunculus aquatilis white water crowfoot NA Cr
Ranunculus glaberrimus sagebrush buttercup WNA H
Ranunculus gmelinii small yellow water buttercup WNA (a) `Cr
Ranunculaceae (cont.)
Ranunculus macounii Macoun’s buttercup NA H
Ranunculus pensylvanicus Pennsylvania buttercup NA Th
Rhamnaceae
Ceanothus sanguineus redstem ceanothus WNA Ph
Ceanothus velutinus snowbrush WNA Ch
Rosaceae
Amelanchier alnifolia saskatoon WNA Ph
Fragaria vesca wood strawberry NA H
Fragaria virginiana wild strawberry NA H
Geum macrophyllum large-leaved avens WNA (a) H
Geum triflorum old man’s whiskers NA H
Holodiscus discolor ocean spray WNA Ph
Physocarpus malvaceus mallow ninebark WNA Ph
Potentilla anserina silverweed circum H
Potentilla argentea silvery cinquefoil I H
Potentilla arguta white cinquefoil NA H
Potentilla palustris marsh cinquefoil circum H
Potentilla recta sulphur cinquefoil I H
Prunus emarginata bitter cherry WNA Ph
Prunus virginiana choke cherry NA Ph
Rosa acicularis prickly rose circum Ph
Rosa canina dog rose I Ph
Rosa gymnocarpa baldhip rose WNA Ph
Rosa nutkana Nootka rose WNA Ph
Rosa woodsii Wood’s rose NA Ph
Rubus idaeus red raspberry NA H
Rubus leucodermis black raspberry WNA Ph
Rubus parviflorus thimbleberry NA Ph
Sorbus scopulina western mountain-ash WNA Ph
Spiraea betulifolia birch-leaved spirea WNA Ph
Rubiaceae
Galium aparine cleavers circum Th
Galium bifolium thin-leaved bedstraw WNA Th
Galium boreale northern bedstraw circum H
Galium trifidum small bedstraw circum H
Galium triflorum sweet-scented bedstraw circum H
Salicaceae
Populus balsamifera
ssp. trichocarpa black cottonwood WNA Ph
Populus tremuloides trembling aspen NA Ph
Salix bebbiana Bebb’s willow NA Ph
Salix prolixa Mackenzie’s willow WNA Ph
Salix scouleriana Scouler’s willow WNA Ph
Santalaceae
Comandra umbellata pale comandra NA H
Saxifragaceae
Heuchera cylindrica round-leaved alumroot WNA H
Lithophragma glabra smooth fringe cup WNA Cr
Lithophragma parviflora small-flowered fringe cup WNA Cr
Mitella nuda common mitrewort NA H
Saxifraga bronchialis spotted saxifrage WNA Ch
Saxifraga nidifica meadow saxifrage WNA H
Saxifraga occidentalis western saxifrage WNA H
Tiarella trifoliata
var. unifoliata one-leaved foamflower WNA H
Scrophulariaceae
Castilleja hispida harsh paintbrush WNA H
Castilleja thonpsonii Thompson’s paintbrush WNA H
Collinsia parviflora small-flowered blue-eyed Mary NA Th
Mimulus guttatus yellow monkeyflower NA H
Penstemon fruticosus shrubby penstemon WNA Ch
Verbascum thapsus common mullein I H
Veronica arvensis field speedwell I Th
Veronica beccabunga
ssp. americana American brooklime NA H
Solanaceae
Solanum dulcamara European bittersweet I Ph
Urticaceae
Parietaria pensylvanica Pennsylvania pellitory NA Th
Urtica dioica stinging nettle NA H
Violaceae
Viola adunca early blue violet NA H
Viola canadensis Canada violet NA H
Viola glabella yellow wood violet WNA H
Alismataceae
Alisma plantago-aquatica American water-plantain NA H
Araceae
Lysichiton americanum skunk cabbage WNA H
Cyperaceae
Carex atherodes awned sedge circum H
Carex bebbii Bebb’s sedge NA H
Carex comosa bearded sedge NA H
Carex concinnoides northwestern sedge WNA H
Carex deweyana Dewey’s sedge NA H
Carex feta green-sheathed sedge WNA H
Carex interior inland sedge NA H
Carex lasiocarpa slender sedge NA H
Carex retrorsa long-bracted sedge NA H
Carex rossii Ross’s sedge WNA H
Carex stipata sawback sedge NA H
Carex utriculata beaked sedge NA H
Cyperaceae (cont.)
Eleocharis palustris common spike-rush circum H
Scirpus acutus hard-stemmed bulrush circum H
Scirpus maritimus alkali bulrush NA H
Hydrocharitaceae
Elodea canadensis Canadian waterweed NA Cr
Iridaceae
Sisyrinchium montanum mountain blue-eyed-grass WNA H
Juncaceae
Juncus articulatus jointed rush NA H
Lemnaceae
Lemna minor lesser duckweed circum Cr
Spirodela polyrhiza greater duckweed circum Cr
Liliaceae
Asparagus officinaliis garden asparagus I Cr
Calochortus macrocarpus sagebrush mariposa lily WNA Cr
Disporum trachycarpum rough-fruited fairybells WNA H
Fritillaria affinis chocolate lily WNA Cr
Lilium columbianum tiger lily WNA Cr
Smilacina racemosa false solomon’s seal NA H
Smilacina stellata star-flowered false solomon’s seal NA H
Streptopus amplexifolius clasping twisted stalk circum H
Zygadenus venenosus grass-leaved death-camas WNA Cr
Najadaceae
Najas flexilis wavy water nymph circum Cr
Orchidaceae
Calypso bulbosa fairyslipper circum H
Corallorhiza maculata spotted coralroot NA H
Corallorhiza striata striped coralroot NA H
Cypripedium montanum mountain ladyslipper WNA H
Goodyera oblongifolia rattlesnake-plantain NA H
Pipera elegans elegant rein orchid WNA H
Poaceae
Achnatherum nelsonii Columbian needlegrass WNA H
Agrostis scabra hair bentgrass WNA (a) H
Agrostis stolonifera creeping bentgrass I H
Alopecurus aequalis little meadow-foxtail circum H
Apera interrupta dense silky bentgrass I Th
Aristida longiseta red three-awn WNA H
Bromus hordeaceus soft brome I Th
Bromus japonicus Japanese brome I Th
Bromus tectorum downy brome I Th
Calamagrostis canadensis Canada reed grass circum H
Calamagrostis rubescens pinegrass WNA H
Cinna latifolia nodding wood-reed circum H
Poacaea (cont.)
Dactylis glomerata orchardgrass I H Deschampsia elongata slender hairgrass WNA H
Echinocloa crusgalli large barnyard grass I H
Elymus glaucus blue wildrye NA H
Elymus spicatus bluebunch wheatgrass WNA H
Festuca campestris rough fescue WNA H
Festuca occidentalis western fescue NA H
Glyceria striata fowl mannagrass WNA H
Hordeum jubatum foxtail barley circum H
Koeleria macrantha junegrass circum H
Oryzopsis asperifolia rough-leaved ricegrass NA H
Panicum capillare common witchgrass NA Th
Phalaris arundinacea reed canarygrass circum H
Phleum pratense common timothy I H
Poa annua annual bluegrass I Th
Poa compressa Canada bluegrass I H
Poa cusickii Cusick’s bluegrass WNA H
Poa pratensis Kentucky bluegrass I H
Poa secunda Sandberg’s bluegrass NA H
Trisetum cernuum nodding trisetum WNA H
Trisetum spicatum spike trisetum circum H
Vulpia octoflora six-week fescue NA Th
Potamogetonaceae
Potamogeton pusillus small pondweed circum Cr
Potamogeton zosteriformis eel-grass pondweed NA Cr
Sparganiaceae
Sparganium angustifolium narrow-leaved bur-reed circum Cr
Sparganium natans small bur-reed circum Cr
Typhaceae
Typha latifolia common cattail circum H
Description
This area of the North Okanagan Basin ecosection is mapped under the Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification as falling in the Interior Douglas-fir very dry, hot sub-zone, Okanagan variant (IDF xh 1). At its highest along the east boundary the upper part of the reserve nears the slightly wetter and cooler Interior Douglas-fir moist, warm sub-zone
(IDF mw 1) and small sections of the canyon bottom at the north end have a resemblance with that category.
Floristics
The inventory of higher plants as now comprised lists 336 species or sub-species in 74 families and 207 genera. Up-dated data for the whole province will await completion of the release of Illustrated Flora of British Columbia but for comparison purposes approximate figures would be in the order of 3,000 species and sub-species in 135 families and 750 genera.
Included in these figures are exotics introduced from elsewhere to the reserve totalling 52 species, compared with an approximate 575 for the province as a whole. Most are either at the south extremity of the reserve where cattle have access along both sides of Lake 11, or close to the West Kootenay Power transmission line right-of-way which follows the ridge top along the west boundary. From there and from pylon sites, some of which are within the reserve, weeds have expanded but only by short distances or where disturbance has taken place.
In allocating provenance to the 281 native species for which range is know (i.e. the total present of 336 less 52 exotics and 3 natives for which the correct taxonomic description is not available) the following categories have been used :
circumboreal = throughout the northern hemisphere but including a few that are cosmopolitan,
North American = continent-wide but including a few that are also found in South America,
Western North America= western provinces and states including those specifically referred to as amphiberingian (additionally annoted (a))
which have a range of western North America and east
Asia.
The result of this analysis gives –
circumboreal 58
North American 102
Western North American121
Introduced 52
unallocated __3
336
One of the unallocated species is an unidentified Grape fern (Botrychium sp.) with a very restricted range. When a determination has been made it will almost certainly be placed on either Red or Blue List of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. Two other Blue Listed plants in the reserve are the sedges Carex comosa and Carex feta.
Raunkiaer Life Form Classes
In order to compare the structure of vegetation in relation to climate this system was produced some time ago and bases its divisions on the over-wintering habit of individual species according to where the perennation bud (i.e. the point from which the following season’s growth develops) is situated in relation to soil surface. Categories used are:
Ph = phanerophyte…..bud at least 0.25 m above soil surface (mostly trees
and shrubs;
Ch = chamaephyte…..bud between 0 and 0.25 m above soil surface (mostly
prostrate and low-growing shrubs);
H = hemicryptophyte…..but in soil surface (most herbaceous perennials);
Cr = cryptophyte…..bud below surface of soil or water (most bulbous and
aquatic plants);
Th = therophyte…..annuals i.e. bud contained in seed.
Of the plants listed for Cougar Canyon 58% are herbaceous perennials (H), 14% annuals (Th), 13% woody trees and shrubs (Ph), 9% perennials springing from below soil or water level (Cr) and 5% creeping or low shrubs (Ch).
Maps
Forest Cover The first map has transposed information by species or combination of species from the most recent Forest Service cover map. It shows that practically all of the steep and exposed west side of the canyon facing south to south-east is covered by widely spaced Ponderosa pine (primarily) and Douglas-fir (secondarily) that would not be considered commercial from a forestry point of view. The east side slope with a west to north-west aspect is heavier in Douglas-fir. Deciduous trees occur mainly in the valley bottom – Paper birch at the south end and Aspen to the north as well as in gullies and a few damp sites on the ridge top. Forest Service coverage does not include Black cottonwood which is intermittent along some of the lakes, or Western red-cedar which is present at the north end of Lake 1 and more sparely at the ends of one or two other lakes.
Forest Age
Mapping by the Ministry of Forests indicates that over the greater part of the reserve trees are in the 141 to 250 age class. The agency recognizes only one older age class, that being 251 years and up, which for many species is regarded as old growth. The fact that tree height in the subject area falls into the three lowest classes, i.e. up to 28.4 m or 85 ft., shows that difficult growing conditions presented by steep slopes, rock outcrop, aridity and exposure have a pronounced effect considering the age of trees.
Tree age can also be used as an indicator of disturbance. Limited areas of a young class adjoining the east boundary outline routes of possible periodic destructive water run-off where Aspen, a short-lived tree, shows preference. On the west side between the reserve boundary and Kalamalka Lake one block aged 41 tp 60 years probably represents the focus of a fire about that long ago. As the full extent as remembered by observors at that time was larger than this one block it must have left sufficient veterans of the existing age class as not to require revision following the fire. There is no sign of its having reached into the present reserve except possibly on a very limited scale.
Environmental Sensitivity
In its mapping the Forest Service indicates areas considered as presenting environmental constraints to forestry according to its own categories. These have not been transposed because a map rendition does not provide much insight, however it should be noted that the steeply angled canyon walls are mostly qualified as being sensitive on account of fragile or unstable soil, with additional qualifications to reflect moderate wildlife and recreational values.
Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification
The location of Cougar Canyon Ecological Reserve is within the Interior Douglas-fir very hot, dry sub-zone (IDF xh 1) however its orientation exposes it more to drier and warmer south-west wind circulation in its southern half than in the north, to the point where greater enclosure and channelling of cold winter air at the north end makes certain small sections there best regarded as belonging to the Interior Douglas-fir moist, warm sub-zone (IDF mw 1). Western red-cedar and Lodgepole pine are indicative of that higher and cooler category and would not normally be expected to occur in the IDF xh 1. These small areas in the bottom of the canyon do not correspond exactly with vegetation composition of any of the site units described for the IDF mw 1 but are noted on the accompanying map to the nearest similar unit.
The BEC system was devised by workers associated with forestry so its emphasis as a result is mostly on treed environments. Wetlands and grasslands are not dealt with in as comprehensive manner. Rather than make an allocation to the wettest site units in the IDF xh 1 to which they do not make a good match, wet areas are shown on the BEC map according to the main components, i.e. cattail and sedge beds between or fringing the lakes; alder scrub mainly at Lakes 5 and 6, with red-osier dogwood and hawthorn on the west side of Lake 1; and Aspen/willow scrub in damp spots on the ridge top. The IDF mw 1 wet areas occur north and south of Lake 1.
Physical Features
The final map numbers the individual lakes from north to south and shows prominent cliff outcrop.
Malcolm Martin,
Vernon,
February 1999