Elphinstone Provincial Park Expansion Proposal

High-res Elphinstone Master Rep final 5 June 2015

PART 1

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This preliminary report examines the conservation values of the Elphinstone area located on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia and known locally as the “Elphinstone park expansion proposal,” the “Mount Elphinstone park proposal,” “Elphinstone 1500” (referring to the assumed 1500 hectare size), the “Elphinstone slope,” and other names. In my analysis for this report, I have referred to it as the Elphinstone park proposal study area, Elphinstone study area, study area, or Elphinstone slope.

The current proponents for full protection of the expanded provincial park proposal are known as Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) and are generally mentioned throughout this report as “ELF” or “the client group.”

Despite some 29% of the study area having been logged over the past 80 years or so, the Elphinstone study area was found to be 2,137 ha in size, considerably larger than the 1,500 hectares originally estimated, and still has some 1,514 of pristine or near-pristine semi-mature to older forests up to 150-155 years of age, with scattered old-growth trees and downed structures. Biodiversity values are very high, including numerous old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees, critical old forest winter range for Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti), rare plant communities of snow bramble (Rubus nivalis) and Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum), significant macrofungi (mushroom) diversity of some 165 species (including the rare scented night mushroom or Tricholoma apium), and eight amphibian species whose life cycles and habitat needs are not well understood.

The study area is within the traditional territories of the Sechelt (Shíshálh) and Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) First Nations. Keystone cultural species include Roosevelt elk and western redcedar. A background study by Dr. Nancy Turner demonstrated that in terms of overall biodiversity values to First Peoples across the province, some 400-500 species are named and utilized or have had specific cultural importance. Certainly loss of these biodiversity values to First Nations on the Sunshine Coast has already been significant. Protection of places like the Elphinstone study area will be important to help preserve what is left.

Further clearcut logging and associated roading is the greatest threat to the rich biodiversity of the Elphinstone study area and should not be allowed to continue.

see the full pdf here: High-res Elphinstone Master Rep final 5 June 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Disclaimers, Professional Background, Qualifications

PART 1

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………………………………………………..1

Recommendations ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..1

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS ……………………………………………………………………………..3

1. Elphinstone Provincial Park Expansion Proposal Study Area………………………………..3

1a. The study area ………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

1b. Redefining the proposal study area and size …………………………………………………………4

2. State of the Elphinstone Study Area Forests ………………………………………………………….5

2a. Ages of forests in the Elphinstone study area ……………………………………………………….5

2b. How much of the Elphinstone study area has been roaded and clearcut? …………………7

2c. Contribution of Elphinstone study area older forests (age classes 7 & 8) to surviving older forests in the Chapman Landscape Unit (LU) ………………………………..8

2d. Biogeoclimatic characteristics of the Elphinstone study area, including provincially at-risk biogeoclimatic site series as ecosystem health indicators & vectors for protection …………………………………………………………………………………….9

3. Importance of the Biodiversity of the Elphinstone Forests to First Nations …………..12

4. Biodiversity & Biological Features of Forest Habitats in the Elphinstone Study Area ……………………………………………………………………………………..13

4a. Roosevelt elk as an indicator species …………………………………………………………………13

4b. Rare plant communities in the Elphinstone proposal area as biodiversity indicator species ……………………………………………………………………………………………..14

4c. Macrofungi (mushrooms) as biodiversity indicator species ………………………………….16

4d. Amphibians as indicator species ……………………………………………………………………….18

5. Comments on Sufficiency of Existing Ministry Logging Protection Measures – Management Implications & Threats to Protection of the Biodiversity of the Elphinstone Forest ……………………………………………………………………………………………..20

PART 2

1.0 INTRODUCTION & STUDY APPROACH ………………………………………………………..21

2.0 RESULTS & DISCUSSION ……………………………………………………………………………….21

2.1 Study Area …………………………………………………………………………………………………………21

2.1.1 General site description…………………………………………………………………………………21

2.1.2 History of the Elphinstone park proposal ………………………………………………………..22

2.1.3 Assessing the core “Elphinstone 1500” park proposal study area, minor boundary adjustments ……………………………………………………………………………24

2.1.4 Assessing the core “Elphinstone 1500” park proposal study area; review of adding adjacent old forests …………………………………………………………………………..25

2.1.5 Evaluation of the size of the final core study area …………………………………………….25 A Conservation Review of Elphinstone Provincial Park Expansion Proposal June 2015

2.2 State of the Forests in the Study Area ………………………………………………………………….25

2.2.1 Analysis of ages (age classes) of the forests in the Elphinstone study area ………….26

2.2.2 Current clearcut/altered versus native/undisturbed state of the forests of the Elphinstone study area …………………………………………………………………………………….31

2.2.3 How much old-growth and older forest is left in the Chapman Landscape Unit (LU) and how much would protection of the Elphinstone proposal contribute? ………32

2.2.4 Biogeoclimatic characteristics of the Elphinstone forest, including provincially at-risk biogeoclimatic site series or plant communities ………………………………………..32

2.3 Importance of Elphinstone Forests & Their Biodiversity to First Nations …………….35

2.4 Biodiversity & Biological Features of the Forest Habitats in the Elphinstone Study Area ………………………………………………………………………………………36

2.4.1 Mammal indicator species …………………………………………………………………………….36

2.4.2 Rare plant communities identified in the Elphinstone proposal area as indicator species ……………………………………………………………………………………………..40

2.4.3 Macrofungi (mushrooms) as biodiversity indicator species ……………………………….43

2.4.4 Amphibians as biodiversity indicator species …………………………………………………..48

2.5 Comments on Sufficiency of Existing Ministry Logging Protection Measures – Management Implications & Threats to Protection of the Biodiversity of the Elphinstone Forest ……………………………………………………………………………………………..51

2.5.1 Insufficient protection for high macrofungi biodiversity ……………………………………52

2.5.2 Old-growth Management Areas (OGMAs) & Wildlife Tree Patches (WTPs)………52

2.5.3 WTPs insufficient to protect rare plant communities ………………………………………..56

2.6 Conclusions and Recommendations …………………………………………………………………….59

2.7 Literature Cited …………………………………………………………………………………………………60

LIST OF MAPS

Map 1. Original “Elphinstone 1500” park proposal …………………………………………………………4

Map 2. Preliminary map showing different forest ages in Elphinstone study area ……………….8

Map 3. Red areas showing parts of study area that have been logged…………………………………9

Map 4. Red- and blue-listed plant communities/site series threatened by logging ……………..10

Map 5. Most (80%) of study area has blue-listed plant communities and site series …………..11

Map 6. Mt. Elphinstone rhododendron subpopulations …………………………………………………..17

Map 7. Field map showing three snow bramble sites ……………………………………………………..43

Map 8. Low-elevation OGMAs in Chapman Landscape Unit …………………………………………55

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Large Douglas-fir in Roberts Creek ravine within the proposed Elphinstone park expansion area. …………………………………………………………………………….6

Figure 2. Western redcedar with bark stripped for traditional uses, also known as a Culturally Modified Tree (CMT). …………………………………………………………………………..12

Figure 3. Large community of blue-listed snow bramble in a proposed cutblock ………………15 A Conservation Review of Elphinstone Provincial Park Expansion Proposal June 2015

Figure 4. Rare, genetically unique wild rhododendron colony …………………………………………16

Figure 5. Scented night forest mushroom is rare in North America ………………………………….18

Figure 6. Blue-listed juvenile coastal tailed frog ……………………………………………………………18

Figure 7. Ensatina spp., a lungless salamander found in the Elphinstone study area ………….19

Figure 8. Older-aged western redcedar in study area representative of mixed-age forests of high biodiversity values typical of the Elphinstone proposed park expansion area. ………26

Figure 9. Example of older selection logging of old-growth western redcedar…………………..30

Figure 10. Elk scat (droppings) near Health Trail ………………………………………………………….38

Figure 11. Northernmost occurrence of genetically unique strain of Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum)…………………………………………………………42

Figure 12. Red-legged frog, a blue-listed amphibian, from near Clack Creek in Elphinstone study area. The distribution of this species is not well known in the study area, but their presence in older forested habitats highlights high biodiversity values. ………………………………………………………………………………………………50

Figure 13. Proposed BC Timber Sales falling boundary (A87126) ………………………………….52

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Comparison of forest age classes …………………………………………………………………….29