trcarecommendations for humber bay park

7/24/2019 TRCARecommendations for Humber Bay Park

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TRCA RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HUMBER BAY PARK

The following informaion i! from he Torono Regional Con!er"aion A#hori$%!

Terrestrial Biological Inventory, Mar&h '()*+ ,,- ''.'/0

1-( Re&ommen2aion!

The recommendations for the Humber Bay Park study area are given in relation to the regional

targets for natural heritage in the TRCA jurisdiction. Every site no matter ho! small makes its

o!n contribution to the natural system and !ill re"uire its o!n individuali#ed $lan of action.

%ollo!ing is a short summary of the site highlights follo!ed by s$ecific recommendations.

1-) Sie Highligh!

&. The site is $art of the 'ake (ntario shoreline corridor enhancing the natural connection

bet!een the mouths of the )imico Creek and the Humber River.

*. A total of *++ naturally,occurring and &- $lanted flora s$ecies !ere observed sho!ingrelatively lo! s$ecies richness augmented by intensive habitat restoration.

/. %ive flora s$ecies of regional concern 0'&,'/1 including !ater star,grass and

troublesome sedge and &2 s$ecies of urban #one concern 0'+1 !ere found as naturally,

coloni#ed $o$ulations.

+. 3umerous $lantings date from the &4-s to the $resent including tree groves !etlands

and $rairie5 !ith fair to good success rates. Tree $lantings have largely had good survival

but are being com$romised by invasive s$ecies es$ecially in the shrub and ground

layers.2. The Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat $lanting !hich includes a diversity of sensitive

tallgrass $rairie s$ecies has had successful establishment although it is due formaintenance to remove invasive s$ecies. 6t is one of the more successful $rairie $lantings

in the Toronto area having lasted over &- years.

7. 8etland $lantings have been constrained by heavy com$etition from common reed and

hybrid cattail5 as !ell as herbivory by car$ and Canada geese5 ho!ever $atches of robust

s$ecies such as river bulrush and giant bur,reed have gro!n !ell. T!o emergent forbs

common arro!,head and !ater smart!eed have established abundantly.9. Plantings and restoration !ork have resulted in several communities of conservation

concern on site.4. There is a landlocked $ond and channel feature fed by a $um$ing station on the east

$eninsula 0Humber Bay East1. This feature has the $otential to $rovide a different kind of!etland environment more sheltered from disturbing influences although it is currently

dominated by Eurasian !ater,milfoil.

. 6nvasive s$ecies infestations include common reed Eurasian !ater,milfoil dogstrangling

vine hedge $arsley garlic mustard 3or!ay and )anitoba ma$les and oriental

bitters!eet.&-. A total of +7 fauna s$ecies !ere documented as $otentially breeding at Humber Bay

Park: overall this is lo! s$ecies richness ty$ical of an urban site.


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&&. The site $rovides foraging o$$ortunities for several aerial,foraging bird s$ecies such as

$ur$le martin and cliff s!allo!. This suite of s$ecies is subject to a !ell,documented but

$oorly,understood decline across 3orth America.&*. At least three $airs of barn s!allo! a Threatened ;$ecies at Risk nest on manmade

structures !ithin the study area.

&/. The sheltered lagoon at the base of the $eninsula $rovides o$$ortunities for nesting!aterfo!l s$ecifically hooded merganser and the regionally rare red,necked grebe.

(ver!inter the $eninsula affords e any vegetation cover on site native or other!ise > !ill

be utilised by migrant songbirds $articularly on mornings !hen unfavourable !eather

conditions have forced them to make landfall.

1-' Sie Re&ommen2aion!

6n order to establish and maintain a healthy level of biodiversity at the Humber Bay Park study

area the overall integrity of the natural heritage system that includes the site must be enhanced

and $rotected. Therefore habitat $atch si#e and sha$e needs to be o$timi#ed so as to $rovide

large enough habitat $atches to su$$ort sensitive flora and fauna sustainably. 6n addition

connectivity bet!een natural habitats !ithin and beyond the study area must be im$roved.

%urthermore at this urban site habitat "uality and integrity must be $rotected from the negative

matri< influences described in the body of the re$ort. This includes managing $ublic use

allo!ing healthy dynamic natural $rocesses to $roceed and controlling invasive s$ecies.

The follo!ing recommendations address the above natural heritage concerns !ith $erha$s an

em$hasis u$on matri< issues and habitat "uality given that o$$ortunities for increasing $atch si#e

are limited !ithin the study area. Thus !e recommend overall that &1 e


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a1 A general increase in natural cover 0es$ecially !etland and thicket1 should be a continuing

goal for this site.

b1 The Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat $lanting should be the highest $riority. 6n this case the

focus should be less on further $lanting and more on maintenance. The $lanting #one should

be thoroughly assessed for invasive s$ecies and these removed. These !ould include reedcanary grass 0Phalaris arundinacea1 !hich in this conte


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i1 Consider turtle,nesting o$$ortunities !ithin the site. Attention should be $aid to the

viability given the high degree of foot traffic !ithin the $ark and also to the $ossible

e


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locations that host e


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of &onne&i"i$ along hi! !e&ion of la8e !hore i! "ial o he enhan&emen of he

9#ri!2i&ion%! la8e !hore na#ral !$!em-

a1 6m$rove natural habitat $lantings along the mainland shoreline section of the study area.

)anicured areas should be e

trcarecommendations for humber bay park

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