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This
conservation plan is a referenced
guide for the protection
and management of the Presqu'ile
Important Bird Area (IBA).
This is the first IBA Conservation
plan to be completed in
Ontario. It is the result
of over one year of research,
consultation, and public
feedback. The Presqu'ile
IBA Stewardship Steering
Committee, a committee of
local people with considerable
interest in, and knowledge
of the area and its birds,
contributed significantly
to the development of the
Presqu'ile IBA Conservation
Plan and will oversee its
implementation. In the plan,
background information on
the area is presented, conservation
targets are identified,
threats to those targets
are defined and strategies
addressing the threats are
proposed. This plan provides
Presqu'ile Provincial Park,
the main landowner on the
peninsula and the key stakeholder,
with clear and unambiguous
direction for conserving
the significance of Presqu'ile
for birds at an important
moment in the development
of their own management
plan.
The IBA program was developed
by Bird Life International,
a non-governmental organization
dedicated to the protection
of birds and their habitats
in the world. The Canadian
Nature Federation and Bird
Studies Canada are Bird
Life International's Canadian
partners and are leading
IBA implementation in Canada.
The Federation of Ontario
Naturalists is working with
these groups to implement
IBAs in Ontario.
The
goal of the IBA program
is to identify those sites
that are exceptionally important
for birds at some period
during the year and to try
to ensure the conservation
of these areas through action
in the local community.
The origin of the program
was the recognition of the
need for a well-based, carefully
thought-out approach to
conservation, one that identifies
the truly outstanding sites
-- ones of significance
both nationally and internationally.
Presqu'ile has been identified
as a globally significant
IBA because it has greater
than one percent of the
global or national populations
of seven species, during
least at one moment in their
yearly cycles. These include
three colonial species,
Double-crested Cormorant,
Ring-billed Gull, and Caspian
Tern; two waterfowl, Brant
and Greater Scaup; and two
species of shorebird, Dunlin
and Whimbrel. Presqu'ile
is also significant for
its breeding marshbirds
and migrating landbirds.
Presqu'ile,
is a large, boot-shaped
barrier bar peninsula and
island landform along the
northern shore of Lake Ontario,
approximately 135 kilometres
east of Toronto. The peninsula
points to the east, and
two small islands, Gulland
High Bluff, are located
just off the "heel".
The sand beach, dune system
and marsh system join the
main limestone island to
the mainland. The peninsula
shelters Presqu'ile Bay
from Lake Ontario. The bay,
beach, marshes, islands
and woodlands are all of
high significance for birds.
The park itself is a popular
camping and day-use destination.
In addition to camping,
beach recreation, wind surfing,
boating, fishing and birding
are popular pastimes. Numerous
private cottages line a
private road along the north
shore of the peninsula.
It
is proposed that the Presqu'ile
IBA comprise all of Presqu'ile
peninsula excluding the
private lands, High Bluff
and Gull Islands, all of
the waters within approximately
200 metres of the shoreline
and all of Presqu'ile Bay
including the abutting marshes.
The actions and strategies
described in the plan are
voluntary, and may apply
only to public lands and
waters, and private lands
where the landowner chooses
to participate in and support
the plan. Since much of
the Presqu'ile IBA is within
Presqu'ile Provincial Park,
the park is the key stakeholder
in the plan's implementation
and success. The public
in Brighton, the Township
of Brighton and other nearby
communities have also had
opportunities to comment
on an earlier version of
this plan which has positive
influenced the content of
this plan.
The
viability of IBA species
and species groups depends
on healthy, productive and
well-managed habitats. These
species and habitats are
subject to stresses that
influence their future viability.
Twelve major stresses are
identified in the plan,
many of which are related
to human activity or human-induced
changes to the ecosystem.
Stresses identified range
from disturbance by a range
of human activities to the
presence and influence of
exotic species in key habitats
such as the marshes. The
sources of each stress are
identified, enabling this
plan to focus strategic
conservation actions and
tasks where they may be
most effective.
The
"Action Plan"
section begins with a vision
statement, then proceeds
with conservation goals
and a series of actions
organized for groups of
species sharing common habitats,
including colonial birds,
waterfowl, shorebirds, marshbirds
and landbirds. Thirty-nine
actions are presented under
the broad conservation categories
of Protection, Management,
Monitoring and Research,
and Education.
The
plan itself is a flexible
document that should be
reviewed and modified as
information and situations
change. It will be submitted
to the Park Planner for
Ontario Parks, Presqu'ile
Provincial Park itself,
the sponsoring organizations,
members of the Stewardship
Steering Committee, the
local library and the local
municipal offices.
Introduction
In 1996, the Federation of
Ontario Naturalists introduced
Towards Conserving the Birds
of Ontario, a guide describing
the elements of a bird conservation
strategy for Ontario. One
element of this strategy is
a site-based conservation
program called “Important
Bird Areas.”
This conservation plan is
a guide for the protection
and management of the Presqu’ile
Important Bird Area (IBA).
It is the result of research
and consultation with people
knowledgeable about Presqu’ile
and its birds. A planning
document is useful only if
it has the ‘ownership’ of
those involved in its implementation.
The Steering Committee members
for this plan not only share
a common vision with regard
to the natural heritage values
of the area, but also possess
considerable knowledge and
expertise with regard to the
issue, and have some influence
over the management of the
area’s resources. In many
ways, this plan reflects their
hopes and aspirations for
the protection and management
of bird habitat at Presqu’ile.
Since much of the Presqu’ile
IBA is within Presqu’ile Provincial
Park, the park is the key
stakeholder in the plan’s
implementation and success.
While it is recognized that
the park has its own planning
process to follow and a myriad
of management issues to consider,
this plan will provide the
park with clear and unambiguous
directions for conserving
the significance of Presqu’ile
for birds.
Conservation planning is neither
science nor art, but a blend
of both. It involves setting
goals and targets, managing
resources and working with
people to meet those targets.
It requires careful monitoring
of populations, habitats and
other conditions that could
affect the targeted populations,
and using these data to inform
decisions and actions in an
iterative process.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC),
has been at the forefront
of conservation planning in
North America. In 1996, TNC
developed a planning process
for their nature reserve system
(TNC 1996). The approach chosen
for the current undertaking
borrows from the TNC approach,
and involves the following
steps (the first four of which
are the focus of this document):
- describe
conditions and context
(background: geophysical,
ecological, cultural)
- identify
targets (IBA species and
related species and their
habitats) and goals (conserve
populations and supporting
habitats)
- identify
stresses to populations
(stresses and threats
section)
- propose
strategies to address
source of stresses (conservation
goals and strategies)
- assess
and prioritize strategies
(based on resources, urgency,
confidence, etc.)
- monitor
populations and conditions
- implement
plan
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