Bolander’s Quillwort: report on the implementation of the recovery strategy and action plan, 2007 to 2017

Official title: Report on the Implementation of the Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada (2011 – 2017)

Parks Canada Agency. 2018. Report on the Implementation of the Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada (2011-2017).

The final Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada was posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry on February 7, 2011. The recovery strategy and action plan included a population and distribution objective for the species, a description of activities required to meet the population and distribution objective, and timelines for implementation. Under section 46 and 55 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA), the competent minister must report on implementation of the recovery strategy and action plan, progress towards meeting its objectives, and its ecological and socio-economics impacts within five years after it is included in the public registry and in every subsequent five-year period, until its objectives have been achieved or the species’ recovery is no longer feasible. This document reports on implementation of the Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada from 2011 through 2017, the progress towards meeting its objectives, and its ecological and socio-economic impacts.

The Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada included a population and distribution objective “…to maintain the three self-sustaining populations (Summit Lake, Upper and Lower Boundary Ponds) and, if feasible, to restore the extirpated population (Carthew Pond).” The objective has been met for the three existing populations. Additional work to determine the appropriateness of restoring the extirpated population is required. Specific, prioritized actions identified to achieve the objective have been implemented, and additional research and monitoring programs will continue to inform management of the species into the future.

As presented in Appendix 1, population monitoring to date shows a steady, increasing population of the Bolander’s Quillwort at Summit Lake and Lower Boundary Pond. Monitoring of Upper Boundary Pond indicates a decrease in cover but an increase in presence at sample locations. Monitoring of all sites is scheduled to occur again in 2019 and at five year intervals into the future, interspersed with opportunistic site visits to check for presence/absence.

In September 2017 a large, high intensity wildfire burned through Waterton Lakes National Park effectively removing approximately 50% of the forest cover. The fire completely burned around Summit Lake leaving most of the shoreline and area without the tree cover it has had for decades. What effect this will have on the lake’s capacity to sustain Bolander’s Quillwort will be a subject of study in the years to come. Questions to be explored will include monitoring changes in water temperature, chemistry and siltation as they pertain to the requirements of the quillwort.

Summit Lake Pre-fire

Overview photograph of Summit Lake pre-fire

Summit Lake Post-fire

Side-view photograph of Summit Lake post-fire

To date, monitoring efforts have focused on determining changes in the population of Bolander’s Quillwort at the three known locations. Programs that include monitoring of habitat variables (e.g. water pH, water level and temperature fluctuations) will be implemented at all three locations over the next five years in conjunction with the need to understand the Summit Lake population’s response to the Kenow Fire (see Sidebar).

Assessment of the feasibility of restoring Bolander’s Quillwort to the Carthew Pond is on hold until a core sample from the lake can be collected and analysed to confirm the historic presence of the species at this site. Some question remains as to whether this site was correctly identified in the historic records, so it is essential to confirm historic presence before restoration attempts are undertaken.

The reduction of disturbance to the Summit Lake population by visitors and domestic animals (dogs and horses) was achieved through the 2007 restructuring of the Carthew – Alderson trail to allow for access at only one focused area of the lake. Intermittent monitoring of the site indicates a need to update these structures to reduce the watering of horses at the edge of the lake, which appears to be increasing. As mentioned above, the population of quillworts at this location has seen a substantial increase since 2002 indicating the actions taken to date may be having a positive effect, although this has not been specifically studied. To improve understanding of this perceived relationship, a concurrent program to monitor the effectiveness of additional modifications to the visitor access area to Summit Lake will be implemented.

Improved and consistent messaging with respect to the fragility of this sensitive plant species is required at the Summit Lake location. This may take the form of information signage located on site and through the use of pamphlets or other printed media to be made available at the Park’s information centre.

The restrictions on the Fire Management program’s ability to use the lakes containing Bolander’s Quillwort as a water source for use on wildfires or prescribed fires has been met positively. Implementation of this restriction has occurred during past prescribed fire programs for Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) habitat restoration near Summit Lake and during the recent Kenow wildfire.

In 2017, Parks Canada posted the final version of the Multi-species Action Plan for Waterton Lakes National Park and Bar U Ranch National Historic Site. The plan took a holistic approach, incorporating all species at risk that required an action plan, plus additional species of conservation concern. Actions were collated and prioritized to focus recovery efforts and maximize benefits to the species. Within this site-level plan, the population and distribution objective for Bolander’s Quillwort remained the same as in the national recovery strategy and action plan. In addition, all actions associated with meeting this objective described above have been maintained as priority actions in the site-level action plan, towards effective conservation of the species.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Statement provided in the Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada presented the potential positive and negative impacts on the environment in the implementation of that strategy and plan. This statement is provided 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.

Species at risk recovery planning is intended to benefit species at risk and biodiversity in general. However, it is recognized that recovery strategies and action plans may also inadvertently lead to environmental effects beyond the intended benefits. For Bolander’s Quillwort, no negative environmental impacts to other species or their habitat have been observed through the course of implementation of the recovery strategy and action plan.

The socio-economic evaluation provided in the Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Bolander’s Quillwort (Isoetes bolanderi) in Canada presented the forecasted costs and benefits as a result of implementation of the action plan. The total costs of implementing the recovery strategy and action plan was borne by Parks Canada out of existing salaries and budgets. No significant socio-economic costs have been incurred by partners, stakeholders or Indigenous Peoples as a result of implementation of the recovery strategy and action plan.

The greatest potential for negative socio-economic impacts to have occurred are associated with restrictions in place around public access to the shoreline and waters of Summit Lake (the Boundary Ponds are inaccessible by visitors). It is expected that any social or economic costs that may occur due to restrictions on human activity near Bolander’s Quillwort populations will be balanced by the social and economic benefits of ensuring that the species and its habitat remain unimpaired for future generations. Additionally, this cost has been somewhat reduced by the inclusion of a controlled access point for visitors to approach the lake to fill water bottles. Ongoing trail reconstruction and maintenance are facilitating this balance of protection and public appreciation and enjoyment.

Population changes for Bolander’s Quillwort at the three known locations in Waterton Lakes National Park. The bars represent the mean percent cover of the quillwort with 95% confidence intervals. The numbers above the bars indicate the percent of sampled locations with Bolander’s Quillwort present.

Population changes for Bolander’s Quillwort at the three known locations in Waterton Lakes National Park

Population changes for Bolander’s Quillwort at the three known locations in Waterton Lakes National Park. Long description follows.
Long Description for Population changes for Bolander’s Quillwort at the three known locations in Waterton Lakes National Park
Year
2002 2004 2006 2014
Percent Cover Error Percent Cover Error Percent Cover Error Percent Cover Error
Upper Boundary NA NA NA NA 70 96 54 100
Lower Boundary NA NA NA NA 78 100 90 100
Summit 11 77 25 87 26 91 38 87

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