Native Plant Society of
Saskatchewan
Meeting February 12th, 2011
Restoration and maintenance of
fescue grasslands in Prince Albert
National Park
This presentation will describe:
• The regional distribution of plains rough fescue
grassland
• The distribution of fescue grasslands in PANP
• Principle threats to fescue grasslands in PANP
• PANP’s response to these threats
Regional distribution of plains
rough fescue grassland:
• Part of the aspen parkland ecoregion
• Historic extent 255,000 ha
• Marks the transition of forest to the
north and open grassland to the
south
• A dynamic mix of aspen groves
and fescue grasslands
• Gradual transition - southern areas
dominated by grassland, northern
areas dominated by aspen
(Acton et al. 1998)
Regional distribution of
plains rough fescue
grassland (Cont.):
• Grassland on
drier sites, forest
on wetter sites
• Floristically
diverse
community
Current distribution:
• ~ 6% of the historic
grassland remains in
Saskatchewan
• 85 % of the remaining
patches are < than 65 ha
• Within Parks Canada,
plains rough fescue
grassland are located in
– Prince Albert and Riding
Mountain National Parks, and
– Batoche and Fort Walsh
National Historic Sites
(Gerry and Anderson 2002)
Threats to the
remaining grassland:
• Settlement
– land use change
• Lack of fire disturbance
– encroachment of aspen
• Invasive non-native plants
– disturbed sites
– edge effect
• Overgrazing
• Reduction in species
richness and genetic
isolation of remnant patches
Fescue grasslands in Prince Albert National
Park:
• Northern outliers
of contiguous
aspen parkland
eco-region
• 1968 aerial
extent ~670 ha,
2010 currently
unknown
(Padbury et al. 1978)
• Map shows the location of the 18 largest (12-115 ha)
grasslands. Many smaller patches are located in this area
Fescue grasslands in PANP:
Sugar Creek fescue
grasslands:
• Core areas
• Seral areas
• Forest
Fescue grasslands in PANP:
Aerial Extent of Fescue Grasslands
Sugar Creek Meadows
N
• Aerial photographs
used to determine
historic extent of
grasslands:
• 1947
• 1962
• 1996
1995 - 20.1 hectares
1962 - 36.0 hectares
1947 - 88.5 hectares
Westside Road
0.5
0
0.5
1 Kilometers
Approximately 67% of
the fescue grassland in
Prince Albert National
Park was overgrow by
aspen forest between
1947 and 1995.
Name of
Meadow
1947
area
(ha)
95.0
1962
area
(ha)
58.4
Decrease in
area to 1962
(%)
39%
1995
area
(ha)
40.6
Decrease in
area to 1995
(%)
57%
9.5
8.7
8%
5.4
43%
Wasstrom’s
Flats
239.5
132.3
45%
46.2
80%
South End
Meadow
79.9
74.5
7%
16.0
80%
Sugar Creek
Meadows
88.5
36.0
59%
20.1
77%
Jonasson’s
Flats
Twelve Mile
Meadow
Average
decrease (%)
31.6%
67.4%
Currently:
Seral grassland
support mature
(>50 years) forest
Only core grasslands
remain
Principle threats to fescue grasslands in
PANP:
• An altered fire regime
 Encroachment by aspen and
shrubs
• Small and highly fragmented
grasslands
 Potential for local extinction
 Reduction in genetic diversity
• Introduction and spread of
invasive non-native plants
 Management of disturbed sites
• Lack of public understanding
of the dynamic nature of
native grasslands
PANP’s response to these threats
• Complete a fescue grassland management plan for
Prince Albert National Park
• Re-introduce a representative fire regime to the area
known to support fescue grasslands
• By 2025, restore select fescue grasslands to between 50
and 100% of their 1947 distribution
• Invasive non-native plant species control
• Increase public awareness , understanding and
appreciation of fescue grasslands
Complete a fescue grassland management
plan for Prince Albert National Park
A draft plan has been
completed and is about to
be distributed for external
review.
Re-introduce a representative fire regime to
the area known to support fescue grasslands
Establish an aspen
parkland management
unit ( ~ 53,500 ha)
Randomly introduce a 40
year fire cycle to the unit by
implementing prescribed
fires (~1,350 ha/yr)
Aspen Parkland
Expected vs Actual Area Burned
20
Area burned ( X 1000 ha)
18
16
14
12
Prescribed fires will be
large (100 to 5,000 ha)
10
8
6
4
2
0
Five Year Period
Expected Area Burned
Actual Area Burned
Older forest will be
maintained throughout
the unit
By 2025, restore specific fescue grasslands to
between 50 and 100% of their 1947 distribution
Sugar Creek, Wasstrom’s Flats,
and South End grasslands will
be burned 3-5 times in a 15
year period
Name of
Grassland
Wasstrom’s
Flats
South End
Sugar Creek
Total
1947 area
(ha)
1995
Minimum
area (ha) target area in
2025 (ha)
Maximum
target area
in 2025 (ha)
239.5
46.2
120.0
239.5
79.9
16.0
40.0
79.9
88.5
407.9
20.1
82.3
44.0
204
88.5
407.9
Sugar Creek Grassland Prescribed Burn
~900 ha
Burned in spring of 2006 and 2009.
Wasstrom’s Flats
Grassland ~ 1500 ha
• Attempted 2010,
• Planned for spring 2011
Invasive non-native plant species control
Complete an inventory
of the invasive nonnative plant species in
the park’s largest
fescue grasslands
Use the inventory to
prioritize control
actions
Re-habilitate large disturbed areas that support
invasive non-native plants
Gravel pits are located in 12
Mile and South End
grasslands
Smooth brome and yellow
toad flax threaten surrounding
grasslands
12 Mile Pit
A re-habilitation plan was
completed for 12 Mile pit in
2010
The plan for the South End pit
will be completed in 2012
12 mile gravel pit restoration
2010
• Baseline monitoring
• Initial weed control
• Grading to reduce slopes
• Cap site with overburden
• Collect native seed
12 mile gravel pit restoration
Plans for 2011:
• Grow out 8,000 fescue plugs
• Early June, control emerging
weeds
• Mid June, seed site and plant
fescue plugs
• Irrigate site throughout growing
season
• follow up monitoring
Test the feasibility of pilot invasive nonnative plant control projects
Smooth brome control in fescue
grasslands
Pilot control program initiated in
2010
Canada thistle control in wetland
meadows
Pilot control strategy will be
completed in 2011
As these species grow alongside native species, control programs must be targeted.
Smooth Brome control in the 12 mile meadow:
• Weed wicker is used to directly
apply glyphosate to target plants
• Maximize height difference
between target and non-target
plants
• Multiple applications
• Mow yearly prior to seed set,
reduce seed bank
• Fall mowing to facilitate a
targeted spring application
• Monitor to evaluate the program
Increase public awareness of the dynamic
nature of native grasslands
Provide opportunities
for the public to
experience, learn about,
and appreciate fescue
grassland
– On site and offsite
opportunities
– Opportunities for
volunteers
For more information :
Please contact:
Jeff Weir
Fire/Vegetation Specialist
Prince Albert National Park
Box 100
Waskesiu Lake, Sk.
S0J 0N0
Phone: (306) 663-4544
Email: [email protected]