Appendix 3: Candidate Ecological Benchmark

Source Type: Ecosystem Initiatives

Source Name: Biodiversity Investment Areas

Number: 14/84

Benchmark:
This project identifies areas of the Great Lakes shoreline that contain high quality faunal habitat that could be identified as "Biodiversity Investment Areas" (Holland and Reid 1996). In attempting to use the Holland and Reid approach for the coastal wetlands, this project identified eco-reaches of Great Lakes shoreline that support extensive use by birds for breeding habitat, and by fish for spawning and/or nursery habitat. The results show that the eco-reaches of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence should be protected for faunal use, especially OS3a and OS4, which are used extensively by many fish and breeding birds. Wetlands in E3 (Lake Erie), SC1 (along the Detroit River), and SC2 (in Lake St. Clair) also deserve high priority not only because they serve important habitat for a large number of fish and bird species, but especially because there are so few wetlands remaining in these coastal stretches.

Applies to whom: All

Applies to what: Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Ecosystems

Applies where: Great Lakes Basin

Reference:
Chow-Fraser, Patricia and Dennis A. Albert. 1999. Biodiversity Investment Areas: Coastal Wetland Ecosystems. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office, and Environment Canada, Ontario Region. [http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/solec/98/papers /coastabia/bia.html]. Chicago, Illinois and Toronto, Ontario.

Evaluation:

Effective: 5

Effective Comments:
Two questions: Do related effects of proposed project fall within or outside of Biodiversity Investment Areas? How would project affect faunal use of Biodiversity Investment Areas? Any adverse effects on faunal use should be considered significant.

Authoritative: 3

Authoritative Comments:
Environment Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; backed by the Convention on Biological Diversity, commits each contracting party to "introduce appropriate procedures requiring EA of proposed projects that are likely to have significant adverse effects on biological diversity with a view to avoiding or minimizing such effects."

Relevant: 5

Relevant Comments: Species diversity

Sound: 5

Sound Comments: Based on science, but few references

Straightforward: 4

Straightforward Comments:

Practical: 3

Practical Comments:
Identifies eco-reaches where habitat function should be protected; functional assessment required

Total Effective + Authority Score: 8

Total Overall Score: 25

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