Wildlife Habitat Area | 9-132
Region: Peace
Legal under OGAA: Yes
Legal under FRPA: Yes
General Wildlife Measures
No roads and no impacts to forest cover.
Established to meet the habitat requirements for black throated green warblers.
No new access structure
No impacts to forest cover or structure
Avoid disturbance during breeding season(May1-Jul31)
Maintain desired plant communities:
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Mature and old growth mixed wood forest (aspen and deciduous with good canopy closure) with lush herbaceous layer, free mid canopy space and dense low shrubby understory
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key forb/herb species required by BTGW; baneberry, rose, highbush, cranberry, fireweed, mosses, kinnikinnick, peavine and bunchberry
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mixed-wood forest including combinations of white spruce, trembling aspen and/or balsam popular.
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Mature mixed wood forest in proximity of riparian reserves.
Planning Measures:
Do not construct roads, trails or access.
No impacts to forest cover
No water structures or dugouts
Maintain:
- Mature and old growth mixed wood forest (aspen and deciduous with some conifer
- Aspen and deciduous species greater than 40yrs
- Trembling aspen stands with >80% cover
- Understory vegetation including lush herbaceous layer, free mid canopy space and dense low shrubby understory
- Key forb/herb species; baneberry, rose, highbush, cranberry, fireweed, mosses, kinnikinnick, peavine and bunchberry
- Mixed-wood forest including combinations of white spruce, trembling aspen and/or balsam popular.
Operational Measures:
Minimize disturbance during breeding season(May1-Jul31). Plan activity for after July31st.
Do not use pesticides except for spot application of herbicide to control invasive plants or noxious weeds outside of breeding season (May 1 – July 31).
- Mature and old growth mixed wood forest (aspen and deciduous with some conifer component (white spruce/spruce) and good canopy closure) with lush herbaceous layer, free mid canopy space and dense low shrubby understory; key forb/herb species (baneberry, rose, highbush, cranberry, fireweed, mosses, kinnikinnick, peavine and bunchberry).
- Mature mixed wood forested adjacent to riparian reserves.
- Mature and old deciduous-leading forest patch sizes >2 ha.
- Minimize disturbance during the breeding season.
- Maintain nesting habitat throughout all seasons.
- Maintain desired plant communities and key habitat features.
All Activities
- Identify key habitat features using appropriate measures (i.e. QP direction, desktop review, field confirmation, etc) and plan activities within the operating area accordingly.
- Retain unfragmented mature forest patches >2 ha, within identified Black-throated Green Warbler habitat.
- Within identified habitat, avoid activity within riparian areas consisting of mature coniferous or mixed wood forest.
- Avoid sensitive areas such as nest sites and foraging habitat.
- Time works such that they occur outside of the critical timing window.
All Activities
- Undertake construction and operation of oil and gas activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to desired plant communities and key habitat features.
Timing considerations when working within identified habitat:
- Avoid disturbance and/or clearing activities during the critical timing window from June 1 to July 31.
- Where an application area is within a NEBC WHA for Black-throated Green Warbler, please refer to the EIMS summary for that Order. Proponents are required to adhere to the guidance provided in that summary, including any relevant timing considerations.
ABA Guidance
Only activities with no locational flexibility, or no alternate routing, should be considered within these WHA.
Applications require a Mitigation Strategy
Avoidance is expected for all activities as these areas are (1) sensitive to edges, fragmentation and noise and (2) already have significant disturbance.
Applications subject to an Enhanced Review Process
Applications require a Mitigation Strategy