HURONTARIO - MAYFIELD 1

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1 HURONTARIO - MAYFIELD 1 Region of Peel NAI Area # 2075, 2088, 2089, 2096, 2495, 2634 Toronto and Region Conservation Authority City of Brampton Size: 42 hectares Watershed: Etobicoke Creek Con 1 E, Lots 16, 17 Ownership: 1% private, 99% public (TRCA) Subwatershed: Upper Etobicoke Creek General Summary This urban site consists of the vegetated valley of Etobicoke Creek. It consists predominantly of deciduous forest, with the remainder being cultural woodland, cultural savannah, marsh and swamp. Housing residences are found on the tableland above the valley. Although the area is elongated and fragmented by manicuring in some places, the area is still wide and generally compact in shape. The watercourse takes a winding route with many small eddies and oxbows and an extensive riparian area. This stream route and riparian buffer help to maintain water quality, reduce erosion and absorb excess flow. The area is part of a vegetated corridor that stretches along the Etobicoke Creek valley through Brampton. TRCA ELC surveyors, botanists and ornithologists have provided complete data coverage for the core NAI inventories (vegetation communities, plant species, breeding birds) plus incidental observation of other fauna over the delineated area (Table 1). A full plant species list is currently unavailable although TRCA-tracked species and the plant species that dominate the communities are included in this report. Table 1: TRCA Field Visits Visit Date Inventory Type 01 May 2000 Fauna 05 July 2001 Fauna 17 July 2001 ELC, Flora 18 July 2001 ELC, Flora 19 July 2001 ELC, Flora 04 May 2004 Flora 03 July 2007 Fauna Physical Features This area is in the South Slope physiographic region; characterized by low-lying ground moraines. Soils of this region tend to be clay loams with pore sizes between soil particles so small that flow of groundwater to aquifers is slow. Etobicoke Creek is the central hydrological feature of this natural area and runs through the length of the area. The creek has eroded a shallow valley into the surrounding tableland at this site. Human History The former community of Snelgrove was located nearby at the crossroads of Hurontario St. and Mayfield Rd. John Snell, an Englishman, was an early settler who received a land grant of 100 acres in Clearing the land and putting it in agricultural use was a condition of land granting in this area. In its early days the community was known as Edmonton but was changed in 1895 due to confusion with Edmonton, Alberta. Hurontario St. was then a main route north into Caledon, as it is today. By 1877, Snelgrove was a thriving town of 200 people and shortly after, the Credit Valley Railroad was extended to serve the town and it s surrounding agricultural community (Caledon Public Library, 2009). Outside the village, much of the area was farmland from the 1800 s well into the 1900 s.

2 HURONTARIO - MAYFIELD 2 This natural area shows evidence of having been cleared in the past. At least part of this area is used for passive recreation as there are walking paths winding through the area and some manicured fields creating breaks in the natural vegetation. This area of Brampton was developed over the last few decades from what was previously farmland. Current surrounding land use is single-unit housing subdivisions to the northeast and southwest. Mayfield Rd. bounds the north end of the natural area and Conservation Road Park with its manicured land and sports fields is to the south. Vegetation Communities The general community types present here are deciduous forest (33%), meadow marsh (5%), shallow marsh 2%), thicket swamp (1%), cultural meadow (48%), cultural savannah (4%) and cultural woodland (8%). Twenty-nine plant communities were mapped for this area, comprised of 13 different vegetation types, none of which are provincially rare (Table 2). Three community types are considered to be TRCA regional Communities of Urban Conservation Concern: Broad-leaved Sedge Mineral Meadow Marsh (MAM2-6, L-rank L4), Cattail Mineral Shallow Marsh (MAS2-1, L-rank L4) and Willow Mineral Thicket Swamp (SWT2-2, L-rank L4). Table 2: ELC Vegetation Communities Map reference * Vegetation type Size in hectares % of natural area FOD4-2 Dry-Fresh White Ash Deciduous Forest FOD4-b Dry-Fresh Manitoba Maple Deciduous Forest FOD5-1 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple Deciduous Forest FOD5-7 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple - Black Cherry Deciduous Forest FOD5-8 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple - White Ash Deciduous Forest (2 communities) FOD7-a Fresh-Moist Manitoba Maple Lowland Deciduous Forest (2 communities) MAM2-2 Reed Canary Grass Mineral Meadow Marsh ( communities) MAM2-6 Broad-leaved Sedge Mineral Meadow Marsh MAS2-1 Cattail Mineral Shallow Marsh SWT2-2 Willow Mineral Thicket Swamp CUM1-1 Dry-Moist Old Field Meadow (9 communities) CUS1-1 Hawthorn Cultural Savannah (3 communities) CUW1-A Native Cultural Woodland (3 communities) TOTAL AREA INVENTORIED * Note: The map reference code refers to the vegetation type shown on mapping for this area and also to the Appendix list of species typically encountered in this vegetation type. Species Presence Vascular Plants At least 81 species of vascular plants occur in this natural area, of which 66 (81%) are native. Five species of regionally rare plants occur here (Table 3). Fifteen species are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern and an additional 20 are TRCA regional Species of Urban Conservation Concern (Table 3).

3 HURONTARIO - MAYFIELD 3 Note that although a complete botanical inventory was conducted at this site, a full species list is not currently available and only the TRCA-tracked species and vegetation community dominants are recorded here. Breeding Birds A total of 39 species of breeding birds occur at this site, of which 36 (92%) are native. None are at risk or provincially rare. Three species are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern and an additional 13 species are TRCA regional Species of Urban Conservation Concern. Four species of grassland birds nest here, namely Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) and Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii). One of these grassland bird species (Savannah Sparrow) is area-sensitive. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), a waterfowl species and Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), a wetlandnesting species, both nest here. Herpetofauna At least two species of frogs are present in wetlands at this site during the breeding season and are probably breeding here. Both are native and both are considered to be TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 3). Table 3: Regionally Rare Species (shown in bold), TRCA Regional Species of Conservation Concern (L1-L3), and TRCA Regional Species of Urban Conservation Concern (L4) (Kaiser, 2001; Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 2007) Scientific name Common name S rank G rank L-rank VASCULAR PLANTS Allium tricoccum Small White Leek S5 G5 L4 Anemone quinquefolia Nightcaps SU G5T4T5 L3 Betula papyrifera Paper Birch S5 G5 L4 Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold S5 G5 L4 Cardamine concatenata Cutleaf Toothwort S5 G5 L3 Carex crinita Fringed Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex lacustris Lake-bank Sedge S5 G5 L4 Carex retrorsa Retrorse Sedge S5 G5 L4 Carex sprengelii Longbeak Sedge S5 G5? L4 Caulophyllum giganteum Giant Blue Cohosh S4? G4G5Q L4 Narrow-leaved Springbeauty S5 G5 L3 Claytonia virginica Dicentra canadensis Squirrel-corn S5 G5 L3 Dicentra cucullaria Dutchman's Breeches S5 G5 L3 Dryopteris cristata Crested Shield-fern S5 G5 L3 Dryopteris marginalis Marginal Woodfern S5 G5 L4 Euonymus obovatus Running Strawberry-bush S5 G5 L3 Fagus grandifolia American Beech S4 G5 L4 Fraxinus nigra Black Ash S5 G5 L4 Iris versicolor Blue Flag S5 G5 L3 Lilium michiganense Michigan Lily S5 G5 L3 Maianthemum canadense Canada Mayflower S5 G5 L4 Myriophyllum sibiricum Common Water-milfoil S5 G5 L1 Picea glauca White Spruce S5 G5 L3 Pinus resinosa Red Pine S5 G5 L2 Polygonatum pubescens Downy Solomon's-seal S5 G5 L4 Quercus alba White Oak S5 G5 L2 Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak S5 G5 L4 Sagittaria latifolia Broadleaf Arrowhead S5 G5 L4

4 HURONTARIO - MAYFIELD 4 Salix discolor Pussy Willow S5 G5 L4 Salix petiolaris Meadow Willow S5 G5 L4 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Soft-stem Bulrush S5 G5 L4 Sparganium eurycarpum Large Bur-reed S5 G5 L3 Thuja occidentalis Eastern White Cedar S5 G5 L4 Trillium erectum Red Trillium S5 G5 L4 Trillium grandiflorum White Trillium S5 G5 L4 Tsuga canadensis Eastern Hemlock S5 G4G5 L4 Typha latifolia Broad-leaf Cattail S5 G5 L4 BIRDS Scolopax minor American Woodcock S4B G5 L3 Geothlypis trichas Common Yellowthroat S5B G5 L4 Contopus virens Eastern Wood-pewee S4B G5 L4 Spizella pusilla Field Sparrow S4B G5 L4 Dumetella carolinensis Gray Catbird S5B G5 L4 Passerina cyanea Indigo Bunting S4B G5 L4 Colaptes auratus Northern Flicker S4B G5 L4 Vireo olivaceus Red-eyed Vireo S5B G5 L4 Passerculus sandwichensis Savannah Sparrow S4B G5 L4 Rallus limicola Virginia Rail S5B G5 L3 Sitta carolinensis White-breasted Nuthatch S5 G5 L4 Empidonax traillii Willow Flycatcher S5B G5 L4 Hylocichla mustelina Wood Thrush S4B G5 L3 HERPETOFAUNA Pseudacris crucifer Spring Peeper S5 G5 L2 Rana sylvatica Wood Frog S5 G5 L2 Site Condition and Disturbances For an urban site that supports recreational use, and where there is adjacent recreational use, this area is in good condition and is minimally disturbed. Only the presence of trails and/or trampling and the presence of exotic species are causing disturbance at this site. A network of trails, winds through this area. Some trails are wide and well-marked, causing greater localized disturbance but also likely keeping people on the trail and reducing side trails and shortcutting. This is viewed as light disturbance. Moderate disturbance occurs in the two largest forest communities, one a lowland forest on each side of the river and the other drier hardwood forest on the valley sides. These areas have more trails and more trampling because the open dry forest is more appealing to walkers and the lowland forest is crossed to gain access to the stream. The drier forest is also adjacent to a residential area and small access trails link individual houses to the valley trail system. About half of the communities have some disturbance due to exotic species, ranging from light to moderate. The wetland communities are free of exotics with the exception of a small meadow marsh beside Mayfield Rd. Ecological Features and Functions With forest communities greater than 2 ha and wetlands over 0.5 ha in size, this natural area has the potential to support and sustain biodiversity, healthy ecosystem functions and to provide long-term resilience for the natural system. The riparian area provides a transitional zone between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, helping to maintain the water quality of the stream and providing a movement corridor for plants and wildlife.

5 HURONTARIO - MAYFIELD 5 By containing a relatively wide variety of habitat types, this natural area supports biodiversity, particularly for species that require more than one habitat type for their life needs. The naturally-vegetated valley continues as another large natural area to the north across Mayfield Rd. This road is relatively busy and may pose a barrier for the movement of some species, although for many others there is good connectivity between these natural areas. Another large natural area exists to the south across Conservation Dr., as the downstream continuation of the valley. Manicured park lands intervene although most recently, it appears that a large part of the manicured area west of the stream may be now left to naturalization. The relatively close proximity of other areas of natural habitat creates above-average potential for wildlife movement between natural areas, species dispersal and recovery from disturbance, creating additional resilience for the ecosystem. Etobicoke Creek runs through this area and thus this natural area supports the connectivity function of Etobicoke Creek and its tributaries by providing a natural habitat corridor that facilitates the crossregional movement of wildlife along this corridor between major provincial corridors. Four species of grassland birds nest here, one of which is area-sensitive. One species of waterfowl nests at this site. One wetland-nesting bird species nests here. This site supports amphibian breeding. Based on the above features, this area should be evaluated to determine if significant wildlife habitat is present in accordance with the Provincial Policy Statement, Region of Peel Official Plan, and Brampton Official Plan. Opportunities Naturally vegetated linkages between this area and adjacent valley areas upstream and downstream should be maintained as this provides for wildlife movement through an otherwise built environment. Allowing some of the parkland to the south to regenerate to natural vegetation (i.e. not mowing the west side of the stream) would enhance the connectivity of this area with the valley to the south. Since grassland is not well represented among the communities at this site, the field could be maintained as a meadow by occasional mowing (once every 3-5 years) to prevent succession to treed communities, providing habitat for grassland birds. Efforts to restrict hiking to the designated trails would minimize trampling disturbance. This could be accomplished by maintaining a clear, user-friendly footpath that encourages trail use and protects the ground and tree roots from trampling. Additional inventories of herpetofauna, mammals, dragonflies/damselflies and butterflies may be productive given the presence of habitat features that favour these groups. Literature Cited Caledon Public Library Caledon s History. Available at Last Accessed 18 November 2010 Kaiser, Jeff The Vascular Plant Flora of the Region of Peel and the Credit River Watershed. Prepared for: Credit Valley Conservation, the Regional Municipality of Peel, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Terrestrial Natural Heritage Program Data Collection Methodology.

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DIXIE HIGHWAY Region of Peel NAI Area # 1304, 1320, 2449, 2625, 3961

DIXIE HIGHWAY Region of Peel NAI Area # 1304, 1320, 2449, 2625, 3961 DIXIE HIGHWAY 407 1 Region of Peel NAI Area # 1304, 1320, 2449, 2625, 3961 Toronto and Region Conservation Authority City of Brampton Size: 36 hectares Watershed: Etobicoke Creek Con 4 E, Lots 13, 14 Ownership: