Appendix 3: Candidate Ecological Benchmark

Source Type: Criteria for Important Areas

Source Name: Criteria for Migratory Bird Sanctuaries

Number: 36/82

Benchmark:
An area will be considered suitable for the establishment or maintenance of a Migratory Bird Sanctuary if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. It supports populations which are concentrated, for any part of the year, in order to meet one or several essential needs and which are vulnerable to site-specific threats;

As a significant portion of the populations could be affected, threats may include intensive hunting, exploration, or development, etc. Such key habitat sites could include nesting colonies, moulting areas, wintering areas or staging areas.

2. It supports populations that occupy habitats of restricted geographical area and are vulnerable to human disturbance;

Areas that support threatened, endangered or rare species are examples.

3. It regularly supports at least 1 percent of a population of one species or subspecies [Note: In the north, a higher percentage is often used]; or

In the Northwest Territories and Yukon (the latter north of the Arctic Circle), national population totals (when known) will be used as benchmarks. In the south and southern Yukon, provincial or regional populations will be considered. Regions should review the population status of the featured species every five years and provide appropriate recommendations to Headquarters.

4. The site figures prominently in the requirement for the management or regional populations of migratory birds and/or has high capabilities for educational or interpretive purposes.

Applies to whom: All

Applies to what: Migratory bird habitat

Applies where: Canada

Reference:
Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service. 1988. Migratory Bird Sanctuary Policy, Criteria and Procedures. Internal Report. Ottawa, Ontario.

Evaluation:

Effective: 3

Effective Comments:
Ambiguous terms; lacks thresholds like IBA site criteria. Adverse effects to the ecological attributes or habitat functions for which the area is identified as important should be considered significant.

Authoritative: 3

Authoritative Comments: Environment Canada; backed by Act

Relevant: 6

Relevant Comments:
Loss of habitat, obstruction of migration, geographic extent, magnitude of effect

Sound: 3

Sound Comments:
No fundamental biological reason why 1 percent should be used as a threshold. However, used globally as it seems to afford appropriate degree of protection.

Straightforward: 0

Straightforward Comments:

Practical: 4

Practical Comments:

Total Effective + Authority Score: 6

Total Overall Score: 19

|  Appendix 3 - Criteria for Important Areas |