MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 1

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1 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 1 Region of Peel NAI Area # 9568 Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Town of Caledon Size: 128 hectares Watershed: Etobicoke Creek Con 4 WHS, Lots Ownership: 100% private Subwatershed: Upper Etobicoke Creek General Summary This large natural area is biologically rich and presents a wide variety of habitats. It is in good condition with only small amounts of disturbance. Situated at the watershed boundary between Etobicoke Creek and the Credit River, it forms a natural habitat linkage between these watersheds. This area features a variety of wetlands and young to mid-aged treed communities with interior forest habitat. TRCA 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. Table 1: TRCA Field Visits Visit Date Inventory Type 12 Apr Fauna 18 Apr Fauna 27 Apr Fauna 08 May 2003 ELC, Flora 11 June 2003 Fauna 12 June 2003 Fauna 09 July 2003 Fauna 18 July 2003 ELC, Flora 28 July 2003 ELC, Flora 29 July 2003 ELC, Flora 27 Aug ELC 28 Aug ELC, Flora 02 Sept ELC, Flora 26 Sept ELC, Flora 29 Sept ELC, Flora 06 Oct ELC, Flora Natural Feature Classifications and Planning Areas This natural area is part of: Greenbelt Plan Natural Heritage System Physical Features This area is in the South Slope physiographic region; characterized by low-lying ground moraines. The topography of this area is gently undulating over the north part of the area but relatively flat in the large block at the south that has forest with interspersed wetlands. 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. While the topography of the north portion provides for good drainage, the lack of vertical relief and retentive soils of the south portion of the area have led to the construction of an agricultural drain, apparently following the course of a natural swale, to better drain adjacent lands for agricultural usage. The drain cuts across the natural area through the forest and curves along the edge of a cultural meadow on the northeast side and then continues east across agricultural fields, forming the headwaters of a branch of Etobicoke Creek. The position of this natural area is important. It lies along the watershed boundary between Etobicoke Creek and the Credit River (approximately 0.5 km to the northwest), with two small parts of the

2 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 2 natural area extending across the divide and thus draining into the Credit River. Thus this area serves as a naturally vegetated linkage between the two watersheds. Human History This area was settled around The nearby community of Cheltenham had a sawmill by 1827, and by 1847 it had expanded to include a grain mill to process local wheat (Caledon Public Library, 2009). In 1914, Interprovincial Brick Company opened a brickworks 2 km north of this natural area at the corner of Mississauga Rd and Mill St. The brickworks harvested shale that was fired in kilns to form bricks. It offered seasonal employment for local men. It closed in 1958, however the brickworks remain. In 1993 the land was repurchased for Queenston shale extraction (Scheinman, 2009). Surrounding land use is predominantly agricultural with a few rural residential and rural estate lots. While most of the surrounding agriculture is field cropping, one adjacent portion is cattle pasture. Half of this pasture has abundant Hawthorn shrub vegetation, providing an additional type of open-country habitat for birds and favouring species that require shrubland instead of grassland. The poorlydraining nature of this area has likely been responsible for allowing it to remain in (or return to) a natural state. Vegetation Communities The general community types present here are coniferous forest (1%), deciduous forest (35%), mixed forest (9%), meadow marsh (5%), shallow marsh (2%), deciduous swamp (15%), thicket swamp (3%), floating-leaved shallow aquatic (1%), mixed shallow aquatic (0.1%), open aquatic (0.01%), cultural meadow (3%), cultural woodland (2%) and plantation (24%). Seventy-seven plant communities were mapped for this area, comprised of 39 different vegetation types (Table 2). One of these communities, a Winterberry Organic Thicket Swamp, is provincially rare (S-rank S3S4) and two communities, Fresh-Moist Sugar Maple - Hemlock Mixed Forest (FOM6-1) and Willow Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-2) are regionally rare. Several of the communities are considered to be TRCA regional Communities of Conservation Concern: Fresh-Moist Red Maple Lowland Deciduous Forest (FOD7-D, L-rank L3), Broad-leaved Sedge Organic Meadow Marsh (MAM3-6, L-rank L2), Broad-leaved Cattail Organic Shallow Marsh (MAS3-1A, L-rank L3), Red Maple Mineral Deciduous Swamp (SWD3-1, L-rank L3), Red Maple Organic Deciduous Swamp (SWD6-1, L-rank L2), Swamp Maple Organic Deciduous Swamp (SWD6-3, L-rank L3), Winterberry Mineral Thicket Swamp (SWT2-B, L-rank L2), Willow Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-2, L-rank L3), Winterberry Organic Thicket Swamp (SWT3-7, L-rank L2) and Duckweed Mixed Shallow Aquatic (SAM1-2, L-rank L3). One community was only classified to the ecosite level. All of the forest communities are young to mid-aged with the exception of the Dry-Fresh Poplar Deciduous Forest and two Dry-Fresh Hemlock - Sugar Maple Mixed Forest communities which are mature. Table 2: ELC Vegetation Communities Map reference * Vegetation type Size in hectares % of natural area FOC3-1 Fresh-Moist Hemlock Coniferous Forest FOD3-1 Dry-Fresh Poplar Deciduous Forest FOD5-1 Dry-Fresh Sugar Maple Deciduous Forest FOD6-5 Fresh-Moist Sugar Maple - Hardwood Deciduous Forest FOD7-c Fresh-Moist Exotic Lowland Deciduous Forest FOD7-D Fresh-Moist Red Maple Lowland Deciduous Forest (4 communities)

3 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 3 FOD8-1 Fresh-Moist Poplar Deciduous Forest (7 communities) FOM2-A Dry-Fresh White Pine - Hardwood Mixed Forest FOM3-2 Dry-Fresh Hemlock - Sugar Maple Mixed Forest (2 communities) FOM6-1 Fresh-Moist Sugar Maple - Hemlock Mixed Forest MAM2-2 Reed Canary Grass Mineral Meadow Marsh (2 communities) MAM2-10 Forb Mineral Meadow Marsh MAM2-E Bulrush Mineral Meadow Marsh (2 communities) MAM3-6 Broad-leaved Sedge Organic Meadow Marsh MAS2-1A Broad-leaved Cattail Mineral Shallow Marsh ( communities) MAS2-1b Narrow-Leaved Cattail Mineral Shallow Marsh (3 communities) MAS3-1A Broad-leaved Cattail Organic Shallow Marsh (3 communities) SWD3-1 Red Maple Mineral Deciduous Swamp (3 communities) SWD3-3 Swamp Maple Mineral Deciduous Swamp (8 communities) SWD4-2 White Elm Mineral Deciduous Swamp SWD6-1 Red Maple Organic Deciduous Swamp (2 communities) SWD6-3 Swamp Maple Organic Deciduous Swamp (3 communities) SWT2-2 Willow Mineral Thicket Swamp (4 communities) SWT2-5 Red-osier Mineral Thicket swamp SWT2-B Winterberry Mineral Thicket Swamp SWT3-2 Willow Organic Thicket Swamp SWT3-7 Winterberry Organic Thicket Swamp PROVINCIALLY RARE S-rank S3S4 SAF1-3 Duckweed Floating-leaved Shallow Aquatic (2 communities) SAM1-2 Duckweed Mixed Shallow Aquatic OAO1 Open Aquatic Ecosite CUM1-A Native Forb Old Field Meadow (4 communities) CUM1-b Exotic Cool-season Grass Old Field Meadow CUW1-b Exotic Cultural Woodland CUP1-5 Silver Maple Deciduous Plantation CUP1-8 Red Oak Deciduous Plantation CUP3-1 Red Pine Coniferous Plantation CUP3-2 White Pine Coniferous Plantation (2 communities) CUP3-C White Spruce Coniferous Plantation CUP3-H Mixed Conifer 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.

4 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 4 Species Presence Vascular Plants A total of 208 species of vascular plants are present, of which 175 (84%) are native. None are at risk or provincially rare. Eleven regionally rare species occur here (Table 4). Forty-six species are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 4). Breeding Birds A total of 55 species of breeding birds are present in this natural area, of which 54 (98%) are native. One of these is a Species At Risk (Table 3). Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is Threatened nationally. Eleven species are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 4). Two species of colonial-nesting birds, Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) and Barn Swallow, breed in this area. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) nest in the wetlands of the area. The interior forest habitat of this natural area supports four species of area-sensitive forest interior birds, namely Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis), Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) and Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea). This natural area and the surrounding agricultural lands provide nesting habitat for four species of grassland birds, namely Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) and Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii). One of these grassland bird species (Savannah Sparrow) is areasensitive. Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are commonly seen during winter in the pasture immediately adjacent to this area and they likely range over and shelter in the natural area itself (D. Renfrew, pers. comm, 2010). Herpetofauna Five species of frog and one snake species are present in this natural area, all of which are native. None are at risk or provincially rare. Four of the frog species are TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 4). A Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) was observed by CVC staff crossing King St near this natural area during breeding season in Mammals Seven species occur at this site recorded as incidental observations, all of which are native and most of which are common mid-sized mammals. The Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is a TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern (Table 4). Targeted inventories for mammals, particularly for more difficult to detect species (such as small mammals and bats) would likely reveal the presence of additional mammal species. Invertebrates While invertebrate inventories were not conducted at this site, one TRCA regional Species of Conservation Concern, the Chimney Crayfish (Fallicambarus fodiens, L-rank L2) was noted as an incidental observation. Table 3: Designated Species At Risk Scientific name Common name COSEWIC COSSARO S rank G rank BIRDS Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow THR S5B G5

5 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 5 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 Anemone acutiloba Liverleaf S5 G5 L3 Calla palustris Water Arum S5 G5 L2 Carex crinita Fringed Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex lupulina Hop Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex scoparia Pointed Broom Sedge S5 G5 L3 Carex tribuloides Blunt Broom Sedge S4S5 G5 Carex tuckermanii Tuckerman Sedge S4 G4 L3 Cicuta bulbifera Bulb-bearing Water-hemlock S5 G5 L3 Circaea alpina Small Enchanter's Nightshade S5 G5 L3 Clintonia borealis Blue Bead-lily S5 G5 L3 Coptis trifolia Goldthread S5 G5T5 L2 Cornus canadensis Bunchberry S5 G5 L2 Diphasiastrum digitatum Fan Clubmoss S5 G5 L2 Dryopteris cristata Crested Shield-fern S5 G5 L3 Equisetum sylvaticum Woodland Horsetail S5 G5 L3 Euonymus obovatus Running Strawberry-bush S5 G5 L3 Gaultheria procumbens Eastern Teaberry S5 G5 L2 Glyceria canadensis Rattlesnake Manna-grass S4S5 G5 L2 Glyceria septentrionalis Floating Manna-grass S4 G5 L3 Gymnocarpium dryopteris Oak Fern S5 G5 L3 Ilex verticillatus Winterberry S5 G5 L3 Iris versicolor Blue Flag S5 G5 L3 Lemna trisulca Star Duckweed S5 G5 L3 Lonicera canadensis American Fly-honeysuckle S5 G5 L3 Lycopodium dendroideum Round-branched Ground-pine S5 G5 L2 Mitchella repens Partridge-berry S5 G5 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 claytoniana Interrupted Fern S5 G5 L2 Osmunda regalis Royal Fern S5 G5T5 L2 Oxalis acetosella ssp. Mountain Woodsorrel S5 G5 L2 montana Picea glauca White Spruce S5 G5 L3 Pinus resinosa Red Pine S5 G5 L2 Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern S5 G5 L3 Pyrola elliptica Shinleaf S5 G5 L3 Salix lucida Shining Willow S5 G5 L3 Scirpus cyperinus Cottongrass Bulrush S5 G5 L3 Sicyos angulatus One-seed Bur-cucumber S5 G5 L3 Sparganium emersum Green-fruited Bur-reed S5 G5 L3 (syn. S. chlorocarpum) Taxus canadensis Canadian Yew S4 G5 L3 Trientalis borealis Star-flower S5 G5T5 L3 Vaccinium myrtilloides Velvetleaf Blueberry S5 G5 L3

6 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 6 Viburnum cassinoides Northern Wild-raisin S5 G5T5 L2 BIRDS Setophaga ruticilla American Redstart S5B G5 L3 Scolopax minor American Woodcock S4B G5 L2 Dolichonyx oryzivorus Bobolink S4B G5 L3 Dendroica pensylvanica Chestnut-sided Warbler S5B G5 L3 Oporornis philadelphia Mourning Warbler S4B G5 L3 Seiurus aurocapilla Ovenbird S4B G5 L3 Dryocopus pileatus Pileated Woodpecker S5 G5 L3 Dendroica pinus Pine Warbler S5B G5 L3 Piranga olivacea Scarlet Tanager S4B G5 L3 Aix sponsa Wood Duck S5B G5 L3 Hylocichla mustelina Wood Thrush S4B G5 L3 HERPETOFAUNA 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 MAMMALS Glaucomys sabrinus Northern Flying Squirrel S5 G5 L2 INVERTEBRATES Fallicambarus fodiens Chimney Crayfish S4 G5 L2 Site Condition and Disturbances This large natural area is in good condition. Its size, high diversity of plant communities, and location in the headwaters of Etobicoke Creek, near the Credit River, and near the Niagara Escarpment, all contribute to its resiliency. Part of the natural area is Poplar Deciduous Forest. Poplar forests are early successional forests that indicate land regenerating from previous large-scale disturbances, in this case likely agricultural use. Only one community, a Swamp Maple organic deciduous swamp, shows evidence of logging (light). A few communities have light trail disturbance. These communities are generally associated with residences. There is some light trash disturbance with one area severely disturbed by trash (in one of the Poplar deciduous forest communities associated with vehicle access). There is light to moderate disturbance from exotics throughout many of the communities, with wetlands being less impacted. More moderate levels of disturbance from exotics are usually due to the presence of invasive species. In this area, the communities with invasive species are associated with ponds, the drain and the pasture. Ecological Features and Functions With forest communities greater than 4 ha 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 along the upstream part of the drain, 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. 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

7 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 7 provincially and regionally rare vegetation communities and thus has the potential to support additional biodiversity above and beyond that found in common community types. Good connectivity exists to the naturally vegetated Credit River valley corridor. The Credit River serves as a major regional species movement corridor. A short distance to the north of this natural area, the Credit River corridor links with the Niagara Escarpment which is a major provincial species movement corridor. The relatively close proximity of other areas of natural habitat creates aboveaverage potential for wildlife movement between natural areas, species dispersal and recovery from disturbance, creating additional resilience for the ecosystem. Linkage of this natural area with the Etobicoke Creek watershed is minimal, existing only along a very narrow strip of the drain. Approximately 0.5 km to the southeast, the drain reverts to a natural watercourse with a slightly wider vegetated riparian strip. The Credit River runs near this area and thus supports this natural area supports the connectivity function of the Credit River and its tributaries by providing a natural habitat corridor and facilitating the cross-regional movement of wildlife along this corridor between major provincial corridors. This area contains a provincially rare vegetation community and two regionally rare vegetation communities. This natural area supports a bird Species At Risk. Eleven regionally rare plant species occur in this natural area. This natural area contains over 16 ha of contiguous woodland and provides interior forest habitat that supports four species of area-sensitive forest interior birds. In conjunction with adjacent agricultural fields, this area supports four species of grassland birds, of which one is area-sensitive. The area also supports one species of waterfowl and two species of colonial-nesting birds. The wetlands of this area provide habitat for 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 Connectivity to the Credit River should be maintained and enhanced where possible. Any opportunities to establish and enhance linkage along the drain and tributaries of Etobicoke Creek would be of great benefit to wildlife movement between the Credit and Etobicoke watersheds. Further fragmentation of the natural area is discouraged. Portions of adjacent fields appear to be undergoing regeneration to natural communities. In some parts of the area succession to treed communities will be beneficial in improving the size and shape of woodland communities. In other parts of the area, maintaining the community as grassland by periodic mowing will benefit the breeding of grassland bird species. With most of the exotic species disturbance occurring at only light levels, there is an opportunity to monitor for the establishment of invasive species, and to remove them before they can become widespread. This would be particularly effective along woodland trails as this can be a mechanism for the introduction of invasive species deep into otherwise undisturbed areas. Additional monitoring along natural area edges can help stop the establishment of invasive species.

8 MISSISSAUGA RD - KING 8 Additional inventories of some mammal groups (e.g. small mammals, bats), dragonflies/damselflies, butterflies and reptiles might provide interesting results due to the variety of habitat types present in this large area. A Midland Painted Turtle was reported crossing King St near this natural area. Targeted surveys could be done to confirm their use of this natural area, and also to determine their population numbers and breeding status. Most turtles that cross roads are nesting females and their loss to road mortality has a sustained impact on the overall population. Wildlife road mortality surveys, particularly of turtle species, could be carried out. Mitigation measures could include constructed crossing or signage, as warranted. Since some of the forest communities are mature, they could be checked for characteristics of old growth. 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. Scheinman, A Town of Caledon Cultural Heritage Landscapes Inventory. Envision The Hough Group. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Terrestrial Natural Heritage Program Data Collection Methodology.

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