Gold-edged gem (Schinia avemensis) recovery strategy 2014: chapter 3

10. References

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Personal Communications

Andrew Taylor – Range Biologist, Canadian Forces Base Suffield, Alberta

Chuck Harp - Season Summary Coordinator, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado

Gary Anweiler – Associate, University of Alberta, Strickland Entomology Museum, Alberta

Joel Perry – Park Supervisor - Douglas Provincial Park, Saskatchewan

Sharilyn Westworth – Wildlife Technician, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Alberta

Appendix A – Maps of Gold-edged Gem critical habitat in Canada

Figure A1 is a map showing areas of critical habitat for Gold-edged Gem, marked by a star, in Alberta and Western Saskatchewan.

Critical habitat for the Gold-edged Gem in the Empress Meander (Dune Point) (near Bindloss), Pakowki Lake (near Manyberries) and Middle sand hills (in Suffield NWA) of Alberta, and the Burstall, and Tunstall (near Golden Prairie) sand hills of Saskatchewan.

Figure A2 is a map showing an area of critical habitat for Gold-edged Gem, marked by a star, in Abbey, Saskatchewan.

Critical habitat for the Gold-edged Gem in the Cramersburg (near Abbey) sand hills of Saskatchewan.

Figure A3 is a map showing areas of critical habitat for Gold-edged Gem, marked by a star, in Elbow, Saskatchewan.

Critical habitat for the Gold-edged Gem in the Elbow sand hills, Saskatchewan.

Figure A4 is a map showing an area of critical habitat for Gold-edged Gem, marked by a star, in Dundurn, Saskatchewan.

Critical habitat for the Gold-edged Gem in the Dundurn sand hills, Saskatchewan.

Figure A5 is a map showing areas of critical habitat for Gold-edged Gem, marked by a star, in Manitoba.

Critical habitat for the Gold-edged Gem in the Brandon sand hills, Manitoba.

Appendix B – Quarter sections containing Gold-edged Gem critical habitat in Canada[8]

Quarter sections containing Gold-edged Gem critical habitat Canada.

 
Saskatchewan
Dune field Quarter section Section Township Range Meridian
Tunstall sand hills NW 6 14 28 3
Tunstall sand hills NE 6 14 28 3
Tunstall sand hills SE 6 14 28 3
Tunstall sand hills NE 3 14 28 3
Tunstall sand hills NW 2 14 28 3
Burstall sand hills NE 14 20 29 3
Cramersburg sand hills NE 9 22 19 3
Cramersburg sand hills SE 12 22 20 3
Elbow sand hills SE 23 24 4 3
Elbow sand hills SW 24 24 4 3
Elbow sand hills NW 13 24 4 3
Elbow sand hills NE 14 24 4 3
Elbow sand hills NE 15 24 4 3
Elbow sand hills NW 14 24 4 3
Elbow sand hills NW 15 24 3 3
Elbow sand hills NE 15 24 3 3
Elbow sand hills SE 15 24 3 3
Dundurn sand hills NW 30 32 5 3
Alberta
Dune field Quarter section Section Township Range Meridian
Pakowki Lake sand hills SE 21 5 7 4
Pakowki Lake sand hills SW 22 5 7 4
Pakowki Lake sand hills NW 22 5 7 4
Pakowki Lake sand hills NE 22 5 7 4
Pakowki Lake sand hills SE 22 5 7 4
Middle sand hills NE 6 16 5 4
Middle sand hills NW 11 18 4 4
Middle sand hills SW 14 18 4 4
Middle sand hills NE 11 18 4 4
Middle sand hills SE 11 18 4 4
Middle sand hills SW 31 18 3 4
Middle sand hills NW 27 19 3 4
Middle sand hills SW 27 19 3 4
Middle sand hills NE 10 20 3 4
Middle sand hills SW 14 19 3 4
Middle sand hills SE 15 19 3 4
Middle sand hills NW 14 19 3 4
Middle sand hills NW 23 19 3 4
Middle sand hills NE 19 19 3 4
Middle sand hills NW 19 19 3 4
Middle sand hills SW 19 19 3 4
Empress Meander (Dune Point) sand hills NE 12 23 4 4
Empress Meander (Dune Point) sand hills SW 7 23 3 4
Manitoba
Dune field Quarter section Section Township Range Meridian
Brandon sand hills NW 22 8 14 1
Brandon sand hills NE 21 8 14 1
Brandon sand hills SE 21 8 14 1
Brandon sand hills SW 22 8 14 1
Brandon sand hills SE 22 8 14 1
Brandon sand hills NE 15 8 14 1
Brandon sand hills NW 15 8 14 1

Appendix C - Effects on the Environment and Other Species

A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is conducted on all SARA recovery planning documents, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. The purpose of a SEA is to incorporate environmental considerations into the development of public policies, plans, and program proposals to support environmentally sound decision-making.

Recovery planning is intended to benefit species at risk and biodiversity in general. However, it is recognized that strategies may also inadvertently lead to environmental effects beyond the intended benefits. The planning process based on national guidelines directly incorporates consideration of all environmental effects, with a particular focus on possible impacts upon non-target species or habitats. The results of the SEA are incorporated directly into the strategy itself, but are also summarized below in this statement.

Sand dune ecosystems support a wide range of rare and highly specialized plants and animals, many of which are at risk of extinction in Canada. As such, it is anticipated that the activities identified in this recovery strategy will benefit several species and the environment. In particular, the endangered Ord’s Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii) that sometimes occurs in the same habitat as Gold-edged Gem, would benefit from management and research activities identified in this strategy. Several at risk plants occur in sand dunes including the endangered Small-flowered Sand-verbena (Tripterocalyx micranthus) and Tiny Cryptantha (Cryptantha minima), as well as the threatened Hairy Prairie-clover (Dalea villosa var. villosa), Smooth Goosefoot (Chenopodium subglabrum) and Western Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis). Several rare moths are also found in association with Gold-edged Gem habitat including the endangered White Flower Moth (Schinia bimatris), Aweme Borer Moth (Papaipema aweme) and Dusky Dune Moth (Copablepharon longipenne), as well as the special concern Pale Yellow Dune Moth (Copablepharon grandis).

Accordingly, management and conservation measures aimed at Gold-edged Gem recovery will benefit many of these rare and sensitive species and overall, will contribute to the future conservation of active dune ecosystems.

8 As described in Section 7.1, critical habitat is identified at each Gold-edged Gem location as the active open sand dunes and/or blowouts, encompassing the area from the crest of the dune to the edge where native vegetation grows and the dune is stabilized.

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