Baseline Document for Sutil Point Parcel

I. Acknowledgement of Condition

Donor: Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

Covenant Area: the entire parcel listed below:

Parcel Identifier	Legal Description
000-913-961	NE º Section 3 Excluding S10Ch of W10Ch, Sayward District

which is shown outlined in heavy (red) line on the plan attached hereto at Exhibit A as Map 1 (the “Property”).

The Donor and Donee agree that the state of the Property as at the date of completion of the field observations for this report, being November 13, 2002, was as detailed in this report.

Donor:

Weyerhaeuser Company Limited
Per:		Date:
	Authorized Signatory

Donee:

The Nature Trust of British Columbia
Per:		Date:
	Don Lane, Administrative Director

The undersigned acknowledge having prepared this report and hereby confirm that the attached information provides an accurate representation of the Property on November 13, 2002.

By: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________

Kevin Haberl, R.P.F.

By: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________

Ken MacKenzie, R.P.Bio

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Acknowledgement of Condition.......................................................................................... 2

II. Summary Information....................................................................................................... 5

A. Property Information........................................................................................................ 5

1. Donor: Weyerhaeuser Company Limited........................................................................ 5

2. Location: E of Smelt Bay, Cortes Island........................................................................ 5

3. Easements or existing Rights-of-Way of Record: Sutil Point Road Right of Way, Smelt Bay Road Right of Way, Highfield Road Right of Way, Seascape Road Right of Way, Hydro/Telephone lines within road Rights of Way........................... 5

B. Introduction....................................................................................................................... 5

C. Methods.............................................................................................................................. 5

III. Ecosystem Characteristics............................................................................................ 6

A. Overview............................................................................................................................. 6

B. Ecosystem description....................................................................................................... 6

C. Soil Erosion Risk.............................................................................................................. 8

D. Rare Plant Species And Plant Communities................................................................. 8

IV. Wildlife Characteristics............................................................................................... 8

A. Overview:........................................................................................................................... 8

B. Wildlife Trees.................................................................................................................... 9

C. Habitat Description........................................................................................................... 9

V. Human-Engineered Features......................................................................................... 10

A. Roads................................................................................................................................. 10

1. Smelt Bay Road............................................................................................................. 11

2. Sutil Point Road............................................................................................................. 11

3. Highfield Road............................................................................................................... 11

4. Seascape Road............................................................................................................... 11

5. Six old loose surface private access roads as mapped in Exhibit A............................... 11

B. Bridges.............................................................................................................................. 11

C. Hydro Lines...................................................................................................................... 11

VI. Key Attributes................................................................................................................ 11

A. Synopsis........................................................................................................................... 11

1. Ecologically significant habitat...................................................................................... 11

2. Rare plant species.......................................................................................................... 11

3. Rare wildlife species...................................................................................................... 11

4. Watercourses................................................................................................................. 11

5. Wetlands........................................................................................................................ 12

6. Wildlife trees.................................................................................................................. 12

B. Wildlife Tree Management - Background................................................................... 12

VII. Photographs: On-site and Aerial................................................................................ 12

VIII. Maps.................................................................................................................................. 13

IX. Recommended Monitoring............................................................................................. 13

X. Caveat.............................................................................................................................. 13

XI. References....................................................................................................................... 13

EXHIBIT "A" Maps..................................................................................................................... 15

EXHIBIT "B" Vegetation List................................................................................................. 20

EXHIBIT "C" Aerial Photograph........................................................................................... 21

EXHIBIT "D" Photographic Documentation........................................................................ 22

II. Summary Information

A. Property Information

1. Donor: Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

2. Location: E of Smelt Bay, Cortes Island.

B. Introduction

This baseline report documents the condition of the Property, including description of ecosystem characteristics, wildlife characteristics, and human-engineered features such as roads and power-lines. In addition, key attributes that are significant for land management and development are described. This includes ecologically significant habitats, rare plant species, rare wildlife species, watercourses, wetlands, and wildlife trees. The baseline report describes conditions of the Property as of November 13, 2002.

C. Methods

The ecosystem, wildlife, and human-engineered features of the Property were assessed for the purposes of this report during a site visit conducted November 12 and 13, 2002. This visit was done by Kevin Haberl of B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd., North Vancouver, B.C., and by Ken MacKenzie of Iverson and MacKenzie Biological Consulting Ltd., Lac la Hache, B.C.

Prior to field visits, aerial photographs were viewed and areas with high potential for significant habitats were noted. All existing maps and a wildlife observation database (Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection) were reviewed. In addition, lists of rare plant and animal species [1], rare plant communities[2], and a database of local element occurrences (Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management) were reviewed. Any waterbodies, wetlands, rocky areas or natural open areas were noted and planned for viewing. The Property was thoroughly traversed on foot and any habitat features seen were noted. Any permanent habitat features including caves, cliffs, wetlands, and open water bodies were mapped and habitat quality for each of the evaluated species was rated.

Wildlife trees were evaluated during the field evaluation and mapped into areas of relatively consistent densities.

Ecosystem features including vegetation and soils were observed while traversing the Property on foot, and through data collected from twenty-four ecosystem assessment plots. These plots were a combination of full reconnaissance-level plots (KH plots) and quicker soil and vegetative description plots (K plots). The information gathered from the plots included data on physiography, soils (through excavation of a soil pit), understory vegetation and overstory tree species (modified from B.C. Min. of Env., Lands, and Parks, and B.C. Min. For. 1998). See Map 1 at Exhibit A for the traverse route and plot locations.

Selected features of the Property were photographed and are documented in the Photographic Documentation in Exhibit D.

III. Ecosystem Characteristics

A. Over view

The Property is a generally square shape bounded on the north side by an open canopy commercially thinned young forest, on the south by Smelt Bay Road, Sutil Point Road, and Highfield Road, on the west by private property, and on the east by private lots on Sutil Point Road or closed canopy young forest. The topography is uniform, even, and generally flat to rolling, and ranges in elevation from a low of 35m in the southeast to a high of 70m along the north edge. Soils were observed in roadcuts and at soil pits at many plot locations. The soil parent materials are predominantly deep glaciofluvial outwash, occasionally with a glaciomarine cap overlaying coarser materials. These soils are deep, coarse textured and rapidly drained except where impermeable layers occur and drainage is restricted. Root zone soil textures varied from LS (loamy sand) to S (sand) with coarse fragment content varying from 20 to 50%. The forest cover is dominated by commercially thinned second-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and western redcedar (Thuja plicata) with small components of red alder (Alnus rubra), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). The majority of the forest was established following logging in the 1930’s. There are approximately 13 small patchcuts throughout the property (see Map 4, Wildlife Polygons).

B. Ecosystem description ^[3]

This area falls within the Eastern Very Dry Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock biogeoclimatic variant (CWHxm1). The Property has been divided into four different ecosystem polygons. An ecosystem polygon represents an area featuring a characteristic structural stage (Table 1) and ecosystem or pattern of ecosystems. Ecosystems are identified using site series recognized in the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification system. Refer to Map 2 for location of the recognized ecosystem polygons.

TABLE 1. Forest structural stage classes

Code	Class	Description
NV	Non-vegetated	< 10% cover of vascular plants
HB	Herb	herb dominated communities, < 10% tree cover, < 25% shrub cover
SH	Shrub/herb	< 20 year old forest, dominated by shrubs <10 m tall including conifer regen, tree cover < 10%, < 20 years
PS	Pole/sapling	trees > 10 m tall and overtopping shrub and herb layer, generally 20 to 40 years
YF	Young forest	self-thinning evident, canopy layers developed, generally 40 to 80 years
MF	Mature forest	co-dominant trees mature, well developed understory often including advanced regen, generally 80-250 years
OF	Old forest	old, structurally complex stands with snags and CWD, generally >250 years

Ecosystem Polygon 1 is predominantly site series 03 (FdHw – Salal site series, moderately dry/nutrient poor) with a component of poorer site series 01 (HwFd – Kindbergia site series, slightly dry/nutrient poor). The soils are coarse sand on top of deep, coarse glaciofluvial outwash. The overstory is a generally Young Forest structural stage dominated by Douglas-fir (Fd) with a component of lodgepole pine (Pl). The overstory tree density is approximately 150 stems per hectare following the commercial thinning. This polygon is located in two separate units adjacent to the small property in the southwest corner of this property.

Ecosystem Polygon 2 is predominantly site series 01 (HwFd – Kindbergia site series, slightly dry-fresh/nutrient poor-medium) with a small component of site series 06 (HwCw-Deer fern site series, moist/nutrient poor-medium) and site series 03. The soils consist of a loamy sand to sand, coarse glaciofluvial outwash, with a rare glaciomarine cap of sand in a portion of the area. This polygon generally slopes gently to the south or southeast. There is a healthy and continuous cover of salal within this polygon, particularly in thinned areas. The stand is a predominately commercially thinned Young Forest structural stage comprised of Fd with a small component of western hemlock (Hw), and western redcedar (Cw), with small portions of unthinned young forest scattered within the polygon.

Ecosystem Polygon 3 is predominantly site series 06 with a component of site series 01. The soil consists of deep glaciofluvial outwash with a rare glaciomarine cap of sand in a portion of the area. This polygon has a moisture restricting layer, resulting in moist soils with mottling. This ecosystem polygon has a higher component of deciduous trees, particularly red alder (Dr), and supports moderate forest productivity. The overstory is a commercially thinned Young Forest structural stage comprised of Cw, Fd, and Dr.

Ecosystem Polygon 4 is predominantly site series 12 with some small sedge-dominated wet patches. The soil consists of deep glaciofluvial outwash with an organic cap in most of the area. This polygon has a moisture restricting layer, resulting in wet soils and scattered surface water. It is located in a broad hollow near the northeast corner of the property, and in a small depression in the southeast portion of the property. This ecosystem polygon has a higher component of deciduous trees, particularly red alder (Dr). The overstory is a commercially thinned Young Forest structural stage comprised of Cw, Hw and Dr.

C. Soil Erosion Risk

Throughout the Property, soil parent materials are predominantly deep, coarse textured glaciofluvial outwash materials on subdued topography. No areas at significant risk of erosion were found on the Property.

D. Rare Plant Species And Plant Communities

Rare species, which potentially may be found on Cortes Island, were selected from the species database maintained by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada [4] (COSEWIC). Species considered outside the range represented by the study area were excluded (e.g. high elevation alpine areas, Interior of B.C.).

Rare plant communities, which potentially may be found on Cortes Island, were obtained from the Conservation Data Center [5] (CDC) natural plant community tracking lists for the CWHxm1 biogeoclimatic variant.

No rare plant species were observed during the field examination, nor have been recorded in the CDC element occurrence reports. As vegetation was not fully developed due to the season, many of the listed species would not be visible. However, the ecosystems in which the majority of these species are typically found did not occur on the Property.

IV. Wildlife Characteristics

A. Overview:

Habitat requirements were divided into habitats used for reproduction, and general habitat used for the remainder of life history requisites. Generally, reproductive habitats are more restrictive to a species than the general habitat used for foraging or other life history requisites but often the quality of reproductive habitat depends upon proximity to and quality of adjacent foraging habitat.

Habitats for evaluation were separated into permanent habitat and temporary habitat attributes. Permanent habitats include such areas as cliffs, caves, streams, wetlands and lakes (Table 2). These features were mapped when encountered, described, areas of the habitat were estimated, and habitat value assigned. The overall habitat rating for these permanent habitats was then modified to reflect the quality of the surrounding foraging habitat.

Temporary habitat attributes include such things as forest structure and wildlife trees, and were described using structural stage (for forest structure) and density for Wildlife Tree Classes.

TABLE 2. List of permanent habitats associated with rare species potentially found on Cortes Island.

Habitat type	Designated species
Wetlands	northern red-legged frog
Caves/crevices	Keen’s long-eared myotis
Large Cliffs	Peregrine falcon
Open rangeland	Peregrine falcon
Streams/ Riparian Vegetation	Keen’s long-eared myotis, northern red-legged frog, barn owl, sharp-tailed snake
Shallow open water	northern red-legged frog

B. Wildlife Trees

Wildlife trees were classified based upon decay class and species as per the Wildlife Danger Tree Assessor’s Course Handbook (6th ed., 2000) (Table 3). Signs of use increase quality rating, as does both tree height and diameter. Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) were rated as the most valuable wildlife tree species because of the longevity of standing dead trees of these species. Any sign of use was noted during field assessments. High value wildlife trees are defined as Wildlife Tree Classes 3, 4, 5 and, if there is sign of wildlife use (cavities, usually meaning that part of the tree is dead) Wildlife Tree Class 2. Wildlife Tree Class 6 and 7 trees and, if there is no visible wildlife use, Wildlife Tree Class 2 trees are of lower value. This rating is based both upon the expected longevity of the wildlife trees and on their current habitat value.

TABLE 3. Wildlife Tree Classes¹

Class

Description

Live, healthy, no obvious decay