INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 1 NORTH

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1 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 1 Region of Peel NAI Area # 8958 Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Town of Caledon Size: 113 hectares Watershed: Humber River Con 2, Lots Ownership: 100% private Subwatershed: Main Humber River General Summary This large natural area has high biodiversity and is rich in rare species and vegetation communities. The area has a large, compact treed core, much of which is wetland. Although some of the outer portions of the area are fragmented by agriculture, these areas are still capable of supporting wildlife and they buffer this natural area. TRCA s ELC surveyors, botanists and ornithologists have provided complete data coverage for the core NAI inventories (vegetation communities, plant species, breeding birds) plus incidental observations of other fauna over the delineated area (Table 1). TRCA ecologists have also surveyed frog species in this area. Note that full species lists are not currently available so only TRCA-tracked species and species dominant in the vegetation communities are reported here. Table 1: TRCA Field Visits Visit Date Inventory Type 25 Sept ELC, Flora 26 Sept ELC, Flora 13 June 2001 Fauna 15 Apr Fauna 17 Apr Fauna 18 Apr Fauna 30 Apr ELC, Flora 27 May 2002 ELC, Flora 28 May 2002 ELC, Flora 13 June 2002 Fauna 26 June 2002 Fauna 11 July 2002 Fauna 03 July 2003 ELC 11 July 2003 Flora 18 July 2003 ELC, Flora 21 July 2003 ELC, Flora 22 July 2003 ELC, Flora 05 Aug ELC, Flora 06 Aug ELC, Flora 07 Aug ELC, Flora 11 Aug ELC, Flora 12 Aug ELC, Flora 13 Aug ELC, Flora 14 Aug ELC, Flora 19 Aug ELC, Flora 21 April 2008 Fauna Natural Feature Classifications and Planning Areas This natural area is part of: ESA - Centreville Creek Area ESA PSW - Widgett-Innis Lakes Wetland Complex Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Greenbelt Plan Physical Features This area is in the Oak Ridges Moraine physiographic region; characterized by hilly topography of fine-grained sand glacial deposits. The hilly terrain contains many kettles, which contain pocket wetlands. The kettles were created when large blocks of ice remained following the retreat of the glacial margin. The ice blocks prevented infilling of glacial till and when they eventually melted ponds or wetlands, often without outlet streams, remained. The many and extensive wetlands in this area

2 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 2 make it an important water storage area for the Humber River. Soils tend to be sandy loams that allow high rates of recharge to groundwater aquifers. A tributary of the Humber River flows through this area. Widgett Lake, a substantial sized (approximately 1.5 ha) body of open water lies near the centre of this natural area. Human History The village of Caledon East is a short distance to the west of this natural area. The village was first settled by Europeans in 1821 and was once known as Tarbox Corners after early settlers Elisha and Elizabeth Tarbox. The Tarbox family received a 200 acre United Empire Loyalist land grant. The village was later known as Munsie s Corners, then Paisley, and then Caledon East. By the late 1800 s the village was sufficiently populated and developed to warrant a stop on the rail line (Caledon Public Library, 2009). Current surrounding land use is mostly agricultural. Parts of the natural area are bounded by Centreville Creek Rd. on the east side, and Innis Lake Rd. on the west side. One large section of what was likely previously cleared land is now a plantation which connects some small natural wetland communities with the rest of the area. Most of the treed communities of the wetland core of this natural area are mature. The treed communities closer to the margins of the area are younger, ranging from pioneer to mid-aged, and likely representing gradual withdrawal of the land use from agricultural, with the more difficult-tocultivate patches allowed to naturalize first. Vegetation Communities The general community types present here are deciduous forest (18%), mixed forest (13%), meadow marsh (3%), shallow marsh (10%), coniferous swamp (0.3%), deciduous swamp (1%), mixed swamp (12%), thicket swamp (7%), floating-leaved shallow aquatic (1%), submerged shallow aquatic (10%), mixed shallow aquatic (1%), open aquatic (0.2%), cultural meadow (13%), cultural thicket (2%), cultural savannah (1%), cultural woodland (0.2%) and plantation (4%). One-hundred-and-twenty-two plant communities were mapped in this area, comprised of 63 different vegetation types (Table 2). Four of these communities fall into three provincially rare vegetation types, White Cedar - Conifer Organic Coniferous Swamp (SWC3-2; 2 communities), Red Maple - Conifer Organic Mixed Swamp (SWM5-1) and Winterberry Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-7). Two communities here belong to the regionally rare Fresh-Moist Sugar Maple - Hemlock Mixed Forest (FOM6-1) community type. Several of the communities are considered to be TRCA regional Communities of Conservation Concern: Fresh-Moist Paper Birch Mixed Forest (FOM8-2, L-rank L3), Dry-Fresh Poplar Deciduous Forest (MAM3-1, L-rank L2), Broad-leaved Sedge Organic Meadow Marsh (MAM3-6, L-rank L2), Bur-reed Mineral Shallow Marsh (MAS2-7, L-rank L3), Broad-leaved Cattail Organic Shallow Marsh (MAS3-1A, L-rank L3), Bur-reed Organic Shallow Marsh (MAS3-7, L- rank L2), Calla Lily Organic Shallow Marsh (MAS3-11, L-rank L1), White Cedar - Conifer Organic Coniferous Swamp (SWC3-2, L-rank L3), Black Ash Organic Deciduous Swamp (SWD5-1, L-rank L2), Paper Birch - Poplar Organic Deciduous Swamp (SWD7-1, L-rank L3), White Cedar - Hardwood Organic Mixed Swamp (SWM4-1, L-rank L3), Red Maple - Conifer Organic Mixed Swamp (SWM5-1, L-rank L2), Birch - Conifer Organic Mixed Swamp (SWM6-1, L-rank L3), Winterberry Mineral Thicket Swamp (SWT2-B, L-rank L2), Alder Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-1, L-rank L3), Willow Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-2, L-rank L3), Red-osier Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-5, L-rank L3), Silky Dogwood Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-B, L-rank L2), Duckweed Mixed Shallow Aquatic (SAM1-2, L-rank L3) and Water Lily - Bullhead Lily Mixed Shallow Aquatic (SAM1-A, L-rank L3). One community was only classified to the ecosite level.

3 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 3 Table 2: ELC Vegetation Communities Map reference * Vegetation type Size in hectares % of natural area FOD2-4 Dry-Fresh Oak - Hardwood Deciduous Forest 1.84 (3 communities) 0.49 FOD3-1 Dry-Fresh Poplar Deciduous Forest (2 communities) FOD5-1 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple Deciduous Forest FOD5-2 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple - Beech Deciduous Forest FOD5-7 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple - Black Cherry Deciduous 1.61 Forest 1.58 FOD5-8 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple - White Ash Deciduous 1.46 Forest 1.27 FOD5-10 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple - Paper Birch Poplar 0.85 Deciduous Forest 0.82 FOD6-5 Fresh-Moist Sugar Maple - Hardwood Deciduous 1.37 Forest (2 communities) 1.32 FOD7-1 Fresh-Moist White Elm Lowland Deciduous Forest FOD7-2 Fresh-Moist Ash Lowland Deciduous Forest 2.86 (2 communities) 3.84 FOD7-3 Fresh-Moist Willow Lowland Deciduous Forest FOD8-1 Fresh-Moist Poplar Deciduous Forest ( communities) 0.89 FOM3-2 Dry-Fresh Hemlock - Sugar Maple Mixed Forest FOM6-1 Fresh-Moist Sugar Maple - Hemlock Mixed Forest 2.51 (2 communities) 0.23 FOM7-2 Fresh-Moist White Cedar - Hardwood Mixed Forest FOM8-2 Fresh-Moist Paper Birch Mixed Forest MAM2-1 Bluejoint Mineral Meadow Marsh MAM2-10 Forb Mineral Meadow Marsh MAM3-1 Bluejoint Organic Meadow Marsh (9 communities) MAM3-6 Broad-leaved Sedge Organic Meadow Marsh MAS2-1A Broad-leaved Cattail Mineral Shallow Marsh MAS2-1b Narrow-Leaved Cattail Mineral Shallow Marsh MAS2-2 Bulrush Mineral Shallow Marsh MAS2-7 Bur-reed Mineral Shallow Marsh (2 communities) MAS2-G Manna Grass Mineral Shallow Marsh MAS3-1A Broad-leaved Cattail Organic Shallow Marsh MAS3-1b Narrow-leaved Cattail Organic Shallow Marsh MAS3-7 Bur-reed Organic Shallow Marsh MAS3-11 Calla Lily Organic Shallow Marsh (2 communities) SWC3-2 White Cedar - Conifer Organic Coniferous Swamp 1.79 (2 communities) PROVINCIALLY RARE S-rank S3S SWD4-3 Paper Birch - Poplar Mineral Deciduous Swamp SWD5-1 Black Ash Organic Deciduous Swamp SWD7-1 Paper Birch - Poplar Organic Deciduous Swamp SWM4-1 White Cedar - Hardwood Organic Mixed Swamp SWM5-1 Red Maple - Conifer Organic Mixed Swamp 4.35 PROVINCIALLY RARE S-rank S3S SWM6-1 Birch Conifer Organic Mixed Swamp SWT2-1 Alder Mineral Thicket Swamp (2 communities) SWT2-2 Willow Mineral Thicket Swamp (2 communities) SWT2-5 Red-osier Mineral Thicket Swamp

4 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 4 SWT2-B Winterberry Mineral Thicket Swamp SWT3-1 Alder Organic Thicket Swamp (9 communities) SWT3-2 Willow Organic Thicket Swamp (3 communities) SWT3-5 Red-osier Organic Thicket Swamp SWT3-7 Winterberry Organic Thicket Swamp 0.14 PROVINCIALLY RARE S-rank S3S SWT3-B Silky Dogwood Organic Thicket Swamp 1.22 (5 communities) 0.82 SAF1-3 Duckweed Floating-leaved Shallow Aquatic SAS1-2 Waterweed Submerged Shallow Aquatic SAS1-3 Stonewort Submerged Shallow Aquatic ( communities) 3.84 SAS1-A Coon-tail Submerged Shallow Aquatic SAM1-2 Duckweed Mixed Shallow Aquatic (3 communities) SAM1-A Water Lily - Bullhead Lily Mixed Shallow Aquatic 2.06 (2 communities) 0.30 OAO1 Open Aquatic Ecosite CUM1-A Native Forb Old Field Meadow CUM1-b Exotic Cool-season Grass Old Field Meadow CUT1-3 Chokecherry Cultural Thicket CUT1-A2 Native Mixed Sapling Cultural Thicket ( communities) 0.24 CUT1-c Exotic Cultural Thicket CUS1-A1 Native Deciduous Cultural Savannah CUW1-b Exotic Cultural Woodland CUP3-1 Red Pine Coniferous Plantation (5 communities) CUP3-2 White Pine Coniferous Plantation (3 communities) CUP3-6 European Larch Coniferous Plantation ( communities) 2.09 CUP3-C White Spruce Coniferous Plantation (2 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 Plant species biodiversity is high in this area. A total of 374 species of vascular plants are recorded for this area, of which 289 (77%) are native. None are Species At Risk or are provincially rare. This area supports 34 regionally rare species (Table 3). One-hundred-and-seven species are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 3). Breeding Birds At least eight species of TRCA-tracked breeding birds were observed in this natural area, all of which are native. Seven of these species are considered to be TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 3). The interior forest habitat at this site supports the breeding of at least three species of area-sensitive forest interior birds, namely Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla), Veery (Catharus fuscescens) and Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes). Wilson s Snipe (Gallinago delicata), a wetland-nesting bird species, also occurs in this area.

5 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 5 Herpetofauna At least five species of frog/toad are present in this area. All are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 3). One of the frog species present here is the Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). Table 3: Regionally Rare Species (shown in bold) and TRCA Regional Species of Conservation Concern (L1-L3) (Kaiser, 2001; Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 2007) Scientific name Common name S rank G rank L-rank VASCULAR PLANTS Abies balsamea Balsam Fir S5 G5 L3 Acer x freemanii Freeman's Maple SNR GNA L3 Alnus incana ssp. rugosa Speckled Alder S5 G5T5 L3 Alopecurus aequalis Short-awn Foxtail S4S5 G5 L3 Anaphalis margaritacea Pearly Everlasting S5 G5 L3 Anemone americana Round-lobed Hepatica S5 G5 L2 Anemone cylindrica Long-fruited Anemone S4 G5 L3 Aquilegia canadensis Wild Columbine S5 G5 L3 Arabis glabra Tower-mustard S5 G5 L3 Aralia racemosa ssp. racemosa Spikenard S5 G4G5 L3 T4T5 Aronia melanocarpa Black Chokeberry S5 G5 L2 Botrychium dissectum Cutleaf Grape-fern S5 G5 L2 Botrychium virginianum Rattlesnake Fern S5 G5 L2 Bromus ciliatus Fringed Brome S5 G5 L3 Calla palustris Water Arum S5 G5 L2 Campanula aparinoides Marsh Bellflower S5 G5 L3 Carex alopecoidea Foxtail Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex atherodes Awned Sedge S4S5 G5 L3 Carex canescens ssp. Silvery Sedge S5 G5T5 L3 canescens Carex cephalophora Oval-leaved Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex comosa Bristly Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex crinita Fringed Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex diandra Lesser Panicled Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex disperma Softleaf Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex interior Inland Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex laevivaginata Smooth-sheath Sedge S4 G5 L3 Carex lasiocarpa Slender Sedge S5 G5 L2 Carex leptalea ssp. leptalea Bristly-stalk Sedge S5 G5T5 L3 subspecies Carex lupulina Hop Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex utriculata Northwest Territory Sedge S5 G5 L3 Celastrus scandens Climbing Bittersweet S5 G5 L3 Chamaedaphne calyculata Leatherleaf S5 G5 L3 Cicuta bulbifera Bulb-bearing Water-hemlock S5 G5 L3 Cinna latifolia Slender Wood Reedgrass S5 G5 L3 Circaea alpina Small Enchanter's S5 G5 L3 Nightshade Clintonia borealis Blue Bead Lily S5 G5 L3 Coptis trifolia Goldthread subspecies S5 G5T5 L2 Cornus amomum ssp. obliqua Silky Dogwood S5 G5T5 L3 Cornus canadensis Bunchberry S5 G5 L2

6 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 6 Crataegus flabellata New England Hawthorn S4 G4 L3 Diphasiastrum digitatum Fan Clubmoss S5 G5 L2 Dryopteris cristata Crested Shield-fern S5 G5 L3 Dulichium arundinaceum Three-way Sedge S5 G5 L2 Eleocharis smallii Creeping Spike-rush S5 G5? L3 Epilobium angustifolium Fireweed S5 G5 L3 Epilobium leptophyllum Linear-leaved Willow-herb S5 G5 L3 Equisetum fluviatile Water Horsetail S5 G5 L3 Equisetum scirpoides Dwarf Scouring Rush S5 G5 L3 Erigeron pulchellus Robin's Plantain Fleabane S5 G5 L2 Galium tinctorium Stiff Marsh Bedstraw S5 G5 L3 Galium trifidum ssp. trifidum Small Bedstraw S5 G5T5 L3 Glyceria borealis Small Floating Mannagrass S5 G5 L3 Glyceria septentrionalis Floating Manna-grass S4 G5 L3 Gnaphalium obtusifolium Fragrant Cudweed S5 G5 L2 Gymnocarpium dryopteris Oak Fern S5 G5 L3 Hamamelis virginiana American Witch-hazel S5 G5 L3 Hydrocotyle americana American Marshpennywort S5 G5 L3 Ilex verticillata Common Winterberry S5 G5 L3 Iris versicolor Blue Flag S5 G5 L3 Lactuca biennis Tall Blue Lettuce S5 G5 L4 Larix laricina American Larch S5 G5 L3 Lemna trisulca Star Duckweed S5 G5 L3 Lobelia inflata Indian-tobacco S5 G5 L3 Lonicera canadensis American Fly-honeysuckle S5 G5 L3 Lonicera dioica Mountain Honeysuckle S5 G5 L3 Lonicera hirsuta Hairy Honeysuckle S5 G4G5 L3 Ludwigia palustris Marsh Seedbox S5 G5 L3 Lysimachia terrestris Swamp Loosestrife S5 G5 L3 Lysimachia thyrsiflora Water Loosestrife S5 G5 L3 Mitchella repens Partridge-berry S5 G5 L3 Mitella nuda Naked Miterwort S5 G5 L3 Monotropa hypopithys American Pinesap S4 G5 L3 Nemopanthus mucronatus Mountain Holly S5 G5 L2 Nuphar variegata Yellow Cow-lily S5 G5T5 L3 Nymphaea odorata American Water-lily S5 G5 L2 Oryzopsis asperifolia White-grained Mountainricegrass S5 G5 L3 Osmunda cinnamomea Cinnamon Fern S5 G5 L3 Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Royal Fern S5 G5T5 L2 Physalis heterophylla Clammy Ground-cherry S4 G5 L4 Picea glauca White Spruce S5 G5 L3 Polygala paucifolia Gay-wing Milkwort S5 G5 L2 Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern S5 G5 L3 Potamogeton berchtoldii Small Pondweed S4S5 G5 L2 Potamogeton foliosus Leafy Pondweed S5 G5 L3 Potamogeton natans Floating Pondweed S5 G5 L3 Potamogeton zosteriformis Flatstem Pondweed S5 G5 L2 Potentilla palustris Marsh Cinquefoil S5 G5 L2 Pyrola elliptica Shinleaf S5 G5 L3 Quercus alba White Oak S5 G5 L2

7 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 7 Ribes triste Swamp Red Currant S5 G5 L3 Scirpus cyperinus Cottongrass Bulrush S5 G5 L3 Scirpus pendulus Rufous Bulrush S5 G5 L3 Scrophularia lanceolata Lance-leaf Figwort S4 G5 L3 Sparganium emersum Greenfruit Bur-reed S5 G5 L3 Sparganium eurycarpum Large Bur-reed S5 G5 L3 Sphenopholis intermedia Slender Wedge Grass S4S5 G5 L3 Spirodela polyrrhiza Greater Duckweed S5 G5 L3 Streptopus lanceolatus Rose Twisted-stalk S5 G5 L3 Symphoricarpos albus var. albus Snowberry S4S5 G5T5 L3 Symphyotrichum urophyllum Arrow-leaved Aster S4 G4G5 L3 Taxus canadensis Canadian Yew S4 G5 L3 Triadenum fraseri Marsh St. John's-wort S5 G5 L2 Trientalis borealis ssp. borealis Starflower S5 G5T5 L3 Utricularia minor Lesser Bladderwort S5 G5 L1 Utricularia vulgaris Greater Bladderwort S5 G5 L2 Veronica scutellata Marsh Speedwell S5 G5 L3 Viburnum acerifolium Maple-leaf Viburnum S5 G5 L3 Viburnum rafinesquianum Downy Arrowwood S5 G5 L2 Wolffia borealis Dotted Watermeal S4S5 G5 L3 BIRDS Scolopax minor American Woodcock S4B G5 L3 Vermivora ruficapilla Nashville Warbler S5B G5 L3 Seiurus noveboracensis Northern Waterthrush S5B G5 L3 Seiurus aurocapilla Ovenbird S4B G5 L3 Catharus fuscescens Veery S4B G5 L3 Gallinago delicata Wilson's Snipe S5B G5 L3 Troglodytes troglodytes Winter Wren S5B G5 L3 HERPETOFAUNA Rana catesbeiana American Bullfrog S4 G5 L2 Hyla versicolor Gray Treefrog S5 G5 L2 Rana pipiens Northern Leopard Frog S5 G5 L3 Pseudacris crucifer Spring Peeper S5 G5 L2 Rana sylvatica Wood Frog S5 G5 L2 Site Condition and Disturbances This area is relatively undisturbed, with the exception for the presence of exotic species. A few of the forest communities show light disturbance from tree cutting. A few of the deciduous forest patches also show light grazing disturbance. Some moderate flooding disturbance is evident in the riparian communities. Approximately half of the communities overall have light disturbance due to exotic species. There is moderate to severe disturbance from invasive species in several communities surrounding Widgett Lake. Ecological Features and Functions This area is included in part of Centreville Creek Area ESA. Much of this natural area is included in the Widgett-Innis Lakes Provincially Significant Wetland Complex.

8 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 8 With some contiguous forest community patches greater than 4 ha and wetlands well 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 river and providing a movement corridor for plants and wildlife. By containing a wide variety of habitat types, this natural area supports biodiversity, particularly for species that require more than one habitat type for their life needs. This natural area contains three provincially rare vegetation communities and two regionally rare communities and thus has the potential to support additional biodiversity above and beyond that found in common community types. The plantation provides a broader band of connectivity with natural communities to the west across the road. Most of the remainder of the concession block is agricultural, bordered by residences along the concession roads. Some isolated patches of forest and wetland lie at a short distance from this natural area, and the establishment or maintenance of narrow corridors connecting them with the larger natural area are possible. 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. This area supports 34 regionally rare plant species. The large area of treed habitat supports at least three species of area-sensitive forest interior birds. At least one species of wetland-nesting bird occurs at this site. Wetlands of this site support Bullfrogs. Wetlands in this area support 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 area municipal Official Plan. Opportunities Prevention of further fragmentation along the margins of this natural area would be beneficial. The rolling topography of this site creates the potential for small pocket wetlands in the concession block to be isolated from other natural areas due to agricultural opportunities on the intervening higher ground. Maintenance of, and ideally widening, corridors connecting these almost-isolated wetland pockets with the larger natural area would allow for the large natural area to function as a source of resilience for the small pockets, should they become overly disturbed or damaged. Where possible, connections of this natural area with natural vegetation across the roads to the east and west could be enhanced as this connectivity is beneficial for species to be able to move across the landscape and to allow populations to maintain resilience. Some of the mature forest communities could be further checked for characteristics of old growth, which may be considered a significant habitat feature. While substantial recent biological inventory data exists for this area, some additional types of data collection would contribute to furthering understanding of the area. Additional inventories of dragonflies/damselflies and butterflies may be productive given the diversity of surveyed taxa at this site.

9 INNIS LAKE OLD CHURCH 9 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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