Rangeland monitoring in Willmore Wilderness Park · 9th Floor Great Westlife Building 9920 108th...

RANGELAND ECOLOGY AND RARE PLANT MONITORING

IN WILLMORE WILDERNESS PARK

Progress Report for

Foothills Model Forest

Project Leader

Cam Lane

Contributions by

Michael Willoughby, Joyce Gould, Lorna Allen, Rene Bellend

March 2001

Contributors:

Mike Willoughby, M.Sc.

Range Ecologist

Land Administration Division, Sustainable Resource Development

9th

Floor Great Westlife Building

9920 108th St.

Edmonton, AB T5K 2M4

Joyce Gould, M.Sc., P. Biol.

Botanist

Parks and Protected Areas, Community Development

2nd Floor, Oxbridge Place

9820 106 Street

Edmonton, AB T5K 2C6

Lorna Allen

Ecologist

Parks and Protected Areas, Community Development

2nd. Floor, Oxbridge

9820 - 106 St.

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5K 2J6

phone 780 427-6621, fax 780 427-5980

email [email protected]

René J. Belland, Ph.D.

Director of Research/FSO

Devonian Botanic Garden & Dept of Renewable Resources,

University of Alberta

Edmonton, Canada. T6G 2E1

Cam Lane, M.Sc., P. Ag.

Range Forester

Alberta Forest Service, Sustainable Resource Development

9th

Floor South Petroleum Plaza

9915 108 St.

Edmonton, AB T5k 2G8

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Methods

2.1 Rangeland reference area sites

2.2 Rare plant monitoring

2.3 Rare plant communities

3.0 Results


3.1.1 Northern rough fescue dominated communities

3.1.1.1 Grazing effects_

3.1.2 Tufted hairgrass dominated communities

3.1.2.1 Grazing effects

3.1.3 Slender wheatgrass dominated community type

3.1.4 White mountain avens community

3.1.5 Willow-bog birch dominated community types

3.1.5.1 Shrub encroachment

3.1.6 Aspen dominated community types

3.2 Rare Plant Monitoring - Appendix B


4.0 Discussion and Management Implications

4.1 Rangeland classification

4.2 Rangeland succession and ecological site

4.2.1 Northern rough fescue community types

4.2.2 Tufted hairgrass dominated communities_

4.2.3 Slender wheatgrass and shrub communities

4.2.4 Aspen dominated community types_

4.3 Range health

4.4 Rare plant monitoring_

4.5 Rare plant communities__

5.0 Literature Cited

List of Figures

Figure1. Ordination and cluster analysis of the rangeland reference areas for

Willmore Wilderness Park.

Figure 2. Ordination and cluster analysis of all northern rough fescue dominated plots

described in the Willmore Wilderness Park in the 1980's and 1990's.

Figure 3. 1952 aerial photography of northern rough fescue - tufted hairgrass community

at Eaglesnest pass.

Figure 4. 1996 aerial photography of northern rough fescue - tufted hairgrass community

at Eaglesnest pass.

Figure 5. 1952 northern rough fescue - tufted hairgrass community boundary overlayed on

1996 aerial photography.

Figure 6. Foothills rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community southwest of Sundre, AB also shows a

slow rate of shrub encroachment in the absence of fire and grazing over a 27-year period

(Willoughby 2001).

Figure 7. Tufted hairgrass-sedge at Ram River showing an 25% increase in shrub cover of over a

25-year period succeeding to a willow-sedge community (Willoughby 1998).

Figure 8. Ordination and cluster analysis of the tufted hairgrass dominated sites in

Willmore Wilderness Park in the 1980's and 1990's.

Figure 9. Ordination and cluster analysis of slender wheatgrass dominated sites in

Willmore Wilderness Park in the 1980's and 1990's.

Figure 10. Ordination and cluster analysis of the shrub dominated sites in Willmore

Wilderness Park in the 1980's and 1990's.

Figure 11. State and transition model for the northern rough fescue dominated community

types in the Willmore Wilderness Park.

Figure 12. Landscape profile of plant community types across the Wildhay River valley at Eagles

Nest cabin, Willmore Wilderness Park.

Figure 13. State and transition model for the tufted hairgrass dominated community


Figure 14. State and transition model for the slender wheatgrass dominated community


Figure 15. State and transition model for the aspen dominated community types in


List of Tables

Table 1. Canopy cover of selected species in the northern rough fescue dominated community

types of Willmore Wilderness Park outlined in Figure 1.

Table 2. Species composition of the moderately grazed sites in the Thoreau Creek Valley.

Table 3. Canopy cover (%) of selected species in the tufted hairgrass dominated

community types outlined in Figure 8.

Table 4. Canopy cover (%) of selected species for the community types outlined in Figure 9.

Table 5. Canopy cover (%) of a white mountain avens community in the presence

and absence of grazing in Willmore Wilderness Park.

Table 6. Canopy cover (%) of selected species in the shrub dominated community

types in Willmore Wilderness Park outlined in Figure 10.

Table 7. Canopy cover (%) of the dominant species in the burned and unburned

transects at Kvass Flats, Willmore Wilderness Park.

Table 8. Preliminary plant community tracking list (Allen 2001) for Willmore Wilderness Park.

List of Appendices

Appendix A: Rangeland Reference Area Site Descriptions and photos for


Appendix B: Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre Reconnaissance Rare

Plant Survey for Willmore Wilderness Park and Northern JNP.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Willmore Wilderness Park is a 4597 square

kilometre area in west central Alberta located

adjacent to the north side of Jasper National

Park and east of the British Columbia border.

Established in 1959, it spans a broad transition

zone from boreal forest to Rocky Mountains.

Being a wilderness park, and managed under

such legislation, the main use of the park is for

recreation. Motorised vehicle use is

prohibited within the park, however cross

country skiers, hikers and back country horse

users provide significant levels of traffic on

the network of trails scattered throughout the

park’s valleys and mountain passes. The

majority of use in the park each year is during

the summer and fall months. The use on the

rangelands comes in the form of recreational

horse use, commercial guides and outfitters,

offering backcountry trail

riding, camping in the summer, and hunting in

the fall.

Willmore Wilderness Park is a poplar

destination for many recreationalists.

The increasing level of horse use in Willmore has created concern for the condition of native ranges

found throughout the park. With most of the park being heavily forested, grazing opportunities are

limited to the valley bottoms and moist, semi-open drainages. Trails throughout the park generally

follow the more accessible valley bottoms. Traditional camping sites located along many trails are

receiving heavier intensities of grazing pressure than they can presently sustain. As a result, change

to the species composition and the productivity of these native ranges is occurring in some areas. The

invasion of non-native species on heavily used areas and the retention of adequate supplies of winter

forage for wildlife are also areas of concern.

Recently, there has also been concern with the rate that native grasslands have been encroached by

shrubs. This is a serious problem because most of the productive grasslands become inaccessible

and less productive for both horses and wildlife. It is believed that the lack of fire within the Park

has allowed shrubs to expand onto the remaining grassland community types.

Bork (1994) completed a detailed classification of the rangeland resource in Willmore. It included

lists of plant community types, major plant species, forage production and response to grazing

pressure. At this time it was also recognised that long-term monitoring of these types was required to

determine the following: range condition and trend, the effect of horse and wildlife grazing on

biomass production, soils and watersheds, and to determine the successional changes on these

rangelands in the presence and absence of grazing and fire disturbance.

In 1998 a number of sites were established to examine the effects of shrub encroachment onto

grasslands, the effect of prescribed burning on shrub and tree cover and the effect of horse and

wildlife grazing on grassland and shrubland vegetation. In 1999 rare plant occurrences and an

inventory of noxious weeds in selected areas of Willmore were also examined (Lane et al. 2000).

During the summer of 2000 the rangeland reference areas established in 1998 were monitored and

the relationship of the northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community at Eagles Nest, the tufted

hairgrass-sedge community at Sunset Creek the slender wheatgrass community at Sulphur were

compared to the 1984, 1985 and 1988 range inventory of these same community types (Bork 1994).

Further reconnaissance rare plant surveys were expanded to include Hardscrabble, Rocky Pass,

Jacknife Pass, and Mount Cote of Willmore Wilderness Park, and Azure Lake, Jasper National Park.

As a result of these 2000 inventories the northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass and the northern

rough fescue-hairy wild rye plant community types were added to the Alberta Natural Heritage

Information Centre Preliminary Plant Community Tracking List (Allen 2001) and are considered rare

in Alberta.

2.0 METHODS


The transects established in Willmore are part of the Alberta Environment’s permanent rangeland

reference area program. The rangeland reference area program administered by the Land and Forest

Service was established by the Eastern Rockies Forest Conservation Board to assess range condition

and monitor trend on rangelands within the boundaries of the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve

(RMFR). To date fifty-nine reference areas have been established throughout the foothills of Alberta

extending from south of Blairmore to Willmore Park. These areas include permanently marked

grazed and ungrazed transects. Species composition data has been recorded on these transects since

1953 when many of the sites were established. Recently, the data of many of these sites has been

analyzed in order to determine the successional pathways in the presence and absence of grazing.

This long-term data used in conjunction with a detailed ecological classification of the range

community types will help to determine the health of the forested rangelands in the province.

All Willmore rangeland reference area transects are 30 m long and each transect were read every two

metres. Forbs, grass, moss and lichen canopy cover was recorded in a 20x50-cm quadrat and canopy

cover of shrubs was recorded in a 1-m2 quadrat. At each transect one to five 50x100 cm quadrats

were clipped, separated into trees, shrubs, forbs and graminoids, oven dried and weighed. The

recommended stocking rate is based on 50% of the total production and the fact one-horse unit

requires 682 kg of dry weight material for one month of grazing.

A combination of both ordination (DECORANA) (Gauch 1982) and cluster analysis (SAS) were

used to group the inside and outside transects of different years. These techniques combine the sites

based on the similarity of species composition. The groupings from cluster analysis are overlain on

the site ordination. All of the permanently marked transects in Willmore were classified and

compared to the original rangeland classification of Bork’s (1994) in an effort to examine how

representative these sites were of the Willmore rangelands. The original transects done in the Rough

fescue-Tufted hairgrass, Tufted hairgrass-Sedge, Slender wheatgrass and shrub dominated

community types in 1984, 1985 and 1988 were also compared with the rangeland reference areas at

Eagles Nest and Sunset Creek in order to develop successional models for these community types in

Willmore.


Reconnaissance surveys for rare plants were conducted for Willmore Wilderness Park and adjoining

northern Jasper National Park August 4-6 and 24, 2000. Sites were accessed by helicopter with

approximately 2-4 hours spent at each site and attempts were made to visit sites of various

lithologies. The focus of the survey was on alpine areas since these are most easily accessed by

helicopter. Surveys of more accessible areas can be done at a later date. Attempts were made to visit

selected areas where rare plants had been noted previously (as determined by a search of the Alberta

Natural Heritage Information Centre (ANHIC) databases) however, most of the effort was directed

toward areas that had not been surveyed in the past. As many habitats as possible were surveyed for

rare plants during each stop and a verbal description of habitat and population size was taken for

each rare plant noted. Rare plants are those listed on the Alberta Natural Heritage Information

Centre Plant Species of Special Concern, February 1999 (Gould 1999). Locations of rare species

were noted with the Garmin 45 hand held GPS unit and photographs of rare plants and/or their

habitats were taken where possible. Voucher specimens were collected for many taxa to confirm

identification against annotated material at the University of Alberta herbarium and/or to document a

new occurrence for Willmore Wilderness Park or Jasper National Park. These specimens will be

deposited in the University of Alberta herbarium.

Joyce Gould conducted the surveys on August 4-6 and 24 and Dr. Peter Achuff, Jasper National Park

assisted on August 6 and 24. Dr. René Belland, Devonian Botanic Garden, University of Alberta

joined the party on August 24 to search for rare bryophytes.

All occurrences of rare plants were entered into the ANHIC databases. The tracking lists for rare

species were updated in November and December 2000 and species that had been noted for

Willmore Wilderness Park and/or Jasper National Park that are now included on this list were

included in this report.


A preliminary tracking list for plant communities that are rare in Alberta is being developed through

reference review, discussions with knowledgeable individuals and field studies. Natural communities

that have been described as limited in extent have been considered for inclusion on this list.

Verification of the composition and location of some occurrences of communities on the tracking list

was carried out as part of the fieldwork done to document the composition of the rangeland reference

points. Communities identified through the cluster and ordination analysis as detailed in section 2.1,

above, will be reviewed for possible additions to the preliminary tracking list for rare plant

communities.

3.0 RESULTS


The classification of the various reference area sites in Willmore is outlined in Figure 1.

EN00

EN98EN99

HAY98IHAY98O

KVA00I

KVA00O

KVA98I

KVA98O

KVAUNB

MLFS00

MLFS98

MONA90

MONA91

MONA98

SUL00I

SUL00O

SUL98ISUL98O

SUN00

SUN98

Willmore reference areas

Axis 1

Axi

s 2

Aspen/Rose/Hairy wildrye

Rose/Hairy wildrye

Tufted hairgrass/Sedge

Rough fescue-Tufted

hairgrass

Slender wheatgrass-Sedge

Willow-Bog birch/Hairy

wildrye-Bog sedge

White

Mountain

Avens

Figure 1. Ordination and cluster analysis of the rangeland reference areas for Willmore Wilderness

Park.

The rangeland reference areas in Willmore represent six different community types. These include

one burned Aspen forest, four grassland and one shrub dominated community type. The grassland

communities include the white mountain avens community on Hayden ridge (HAY), the slender

wheatgrass community at Sulphur (SUL), the northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community at

Eagles Nest cabin (EN) and the tufted hairgrass-sedge community at Sunset Creek (SUN). The one

shrub dominated plot at Monaghan flats (MON, MLF) represents a willow-bog birch/hairy wildrye-

bog sedge community type and the burned aspen forest at Kvass flats (KVA) represents a rose/hairy

wildrye dominated community type. These community types will be compared to the original

rangeland classification of Willmore by Bork (1994).

3.1.1 Northern rough fescue dominated communities

Bork (1994) described five rough fescue dominated communities in his original classification. These

included the northern rough fescue/globeflower, northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye, northern rough

fescue, northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass and northern rough fescue-sedge dominated

community types. Bork’s original data was combined with the reference area data from Eagles Nest

cabin (EN) and reclassified. The results of this classification are outlined in Figure 2.

EN00

EN2'88

EN98

EN99

ENC1'84

IT1'88

MUSK1

NBERLA3

PERSIM1

PERSIM2

RC1'88

SNOWCR2SNOWCR3

SR2'84

TC1'88

TC3'88

WR1'88

Axis 1 (47%)

Axis

2 (1

5%)

northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye-

california oatgrass

northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass

northern rough

fescue/globeflower

Figure 2. Ordination and cluster analysis of all northern rough fescue dominated plots described in

Willmore Wilderness Park in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

This classification reduced the number of northern rough fescue dominated plots in Bork’s

classification from five to three. The three types included the northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass,

northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye-California oatgrass and northern rough fescue/globeflower. It

would appear that the northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye, northern rough fescue-sedge and northern

rough fescue dominated types described by Bork (1994) are well represented by the northern rough

fescue-hairy wildrye-California oatgrass community type. The ordination also indicates that the

northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye-California oatgrass and the northern rough fescue-tufted

hairgrass dominated communities are very similar. Table 1 indicates that there is an overlap in

species composition of these two community types and that the only real difference is the amount of

tufted hairgrass found in each type. The northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community has on

average 24% cover of tufted hairgrass compared to the northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye

dominated community type, which has only 4% cover.

The northern rough fescue/globeflower community is very distinct from the other northern rough

fescue dominated communities (Figure 1). This community type was described at an elevation of

over 1800-m along the Snow Creek trail. This community type is dominated by northern rough

fescue and forb species characteristic of the upper Subalpine (globeflower, alpine speedwell) (Table

1).

Table 1. Canopy cover of selected species in the northern rough fescue dominated community types

of Willmore Wilderness Park outlined in Figure 1.

n. rough fescue-

n. rough fescue- hairy wildrye- n. rough fescue/

Species tufted hairgrass C. oatgrass globeflower

Shrubs

willow spp. - 1 -

shrubby cinquefoil - 1 -

Forbs

bearberry - 2 -

strawberry 1 5 -

monkshood 5 4 1

small flowered penstemon 8 1 9

tall lungwort 5 1 -

smooth leaved cinquefoil 4 4 2

veiny meadow rue 2 2 -

globeflower - - 6

alpine speedwell - - 1

Graminoids

n. rough fescue 37 37 55

tufted hairgrass 24 4 -

slender wheatgrass 3 9 3

alpine timothy 1 2 3

hairy wildrye 5 1 -

sedge spp. 16 21 7

California oatgrass 1 12 -

small flowered wood rush - - 1

Forage production (kg/ha) 13741

9822 895

2

1 Rangeland Reference Area production

2 Production from Bork (1994)

Preliminary inventory work done on the near Eagles Nest cabin along the Wildhay River and

Thoreau Creek valleys in 2000 described a number of northern rough fescue dominated grasslands.

Aerial photography from 1951 and 1996 of a northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass grassland

(Figure 3,4, and 5) indicate that there has been little shrub invasion onto these northern rough fescue

dominated grasslands. The comparison showed a 0.6-hectare decrease in the grassland due to

willow-bog birch encroachment over 44 years. This indicates an 18% increase in shrub composition

over this timeframe. A similar response has been shown south-west of Sundre,AB at the Harold

Creek rangeland reference area, with little shrub encroachment occurring on a foothills rough fescue

- tufted hairgrass community with 27 years of protection from grazing of fire (figure 6) (Willoughby

2001). This rate of shrub encroachment appear to be much slower compared with other grassland

communities within the Upper Foothills or Subalpine Natural Subregions where shrub encroachment

is a dominant trend overtime, i.e. tufted hairgrass-sedge (figure 7) (Willoughby 1998).

Fire incident maps from the Willmore Wilderness Park (Land and Forest Service 1997) indicate there

is no documentation of these valleys effected by wildfire, although records only exist since 1958.

Therefore, it would appear that the maintenance of these northern rough fescue dominant community

types in Willmore are not fire dependent, whereas other communities, i.e. tufted hairgrass dominated

communities show a more distinct trend towards a shrub climax community and therefore are more

fire dependent.


Bork (1994), felt that overgrazing of these rough fescue dominated communities led to a decline in

northern rough fescue cover and allowed sedge and slender wheatgrass to increase to form a slender

wheatgrass-sedge dominated community type. Indeed a number of moderately grazed sites described

in the Thoreau Creek valley were dominated by sedge, hairy wildrye and slender wheatgrass (Table

2). It is likely that the grazed sites in the Thoreau Creek valley are representative of the northern

rough fescue-hairy wildrye dominated community. Willoughby (2001) has found that increased

grazing pressure on a northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community causes a decline in northern

rough fescue with an initial increase in tufted hairgrass and sedge cover. At the Thoreau Creek site

there was no tufted hairgrass described in the transect.

Continued heavy grazing pressure eventually leads to a decline in all native species and the site is

often dominated by Kentucky bluegrass, dandelion and clover. Bork did describe some Kentucky

bluegrass dominated communities in Willmore, but it is not clear if these community types were

once northern rough fescue or tufted hairgrass dominated.

Figure 6. Foothills rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community south-west of Sundre, AB also

shows a slow rate of shrub encroachment in the absence of fire and grazing over a 27 year period

(Willoughby 2001).

Figure 7. Tufted hairgrass-sedge at Ram River showing an increase in shrub cover of 25% over a

25 year period succeeding to a willow/sedge community (Willoughby 1998).

1963

2000

1968

1988

Table 2. Species composition of the moderately grazed sites in the Thoreau Creek valley.

Species Cover(%)

Forbs

fireweed 27

veiny meadow rue 21

common yarrow 9

strawberry 8

mountain valerian 8

monkshood 1

Graminoids

sedge spp 50

hairy wildrye 31

slender wheatgrass 5

n. rough fescue 19

alpine timothy 9

Forage production (kg/ha) 17332



Bork (1994) described two tufted hairgrass dominated communities in his original classification.

These included the tufted hairgrass-slender wheatgrass and tufted hairgrass-wetland sedges

dominated community types. Bork’s original data was combined with the reference area data from

Sunset Creek (SUN) and reclassified. The results of this classification are outlined in Figure 8.

Bork’s split of the tufted hairgrass dominated communities were based on moisture. It was inferred

that the tufted hairgrass-slender wheatgrass dominated community was drier than the tufted

hairgrass-wetland sedge community type. In this classification a gradient of moisture regime was not

evident, but there was a distinct difference in the higher elevation tufted hairgrass dominated

community described at Snow Creek (tufted hairgrass/forb) and the other tufted hairgrass dominated

sites (tufted hairgrass-sedge). Two plots were loosely connected to the tufted hairgrass-sedge

dominated group (EN3’88, MH2’85). These plots had fairly high covers of northern rough fescue

(15%) and appear to represent the transition to the drier northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass

dominated community type.

ADAMCR1 ADAMCR3

BERMEAD

CC1'84

EN1'88

EN3'88

EN4'88

MH2'85

NBERLA2

SBERLA1

SNOWCR1

SUN00

SUN98

SUNCRK1SUNCRK4

WALT2

WR2'88

Axis 1(45%)

Axis

2 (1

5%)

tufted hairgrass-sedge

tufted hairgrass/

forb

Figure 8. Ordination and cluster analysis of the tufted hairgrass dominated sites in Willmore

Wilderness Park in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Table 3 outlines the canopy cover of the dominant species in the two tufted hairgrass dominated

community types. The tufted hairgrass/forb dominated community was described in the Snow

Creek area at over 1800 m. This community is dominated by forb species characteristic of the upper

subalpine (alpine speedwell, northern valerian, monkshood, alpine bistort). This community type

also had a high cover of lapland reedgrass a species characteristic of alpine ridges. In contrast the

tufted hairgrass-sedge dominated community is characterized by forb and grass species of lower

altitudes in the subalpine. These include veiny meadow rue, strawberry, tall lungwort, northern

rough fescue, California oatgrass and slender wheatgrass.

Table 3. Canopy cover (%) of selected species in the tufted hairgrass dominated community types

outlined in Figure 8.

tufted hairgrass tufted hairgrass/

Species -sedge forb

Shrubs

willow spp 1 -

Forbs

monkshood 2 15

alpine bistort - 15

northern valerian 1 15

alpine speedwell 1 15

veiny meadow rue 9 -

strawberry 5 -

small flowered penstemon 3 -

tall lungwort 3 -

Graminoids

tufted hairgrass 45 62

lapland reedgrass - 38

graceful sedge 21 15

small flowered wood rush - 5

slender wheatgrass 11 -

n. rough fescue 3 -

California oatgrass 5 -

Forage production (kg/ha) 22641 562

2




Bork (1994), felt that overgrazing of these tufted hairgrass dominated communities led to a decline in

tufted hairgrass cover and allowed sedge and slender wheatgrass to increase to form a slender

wheatgrass-sedge dominated community type. However, Willoughby (1998) has found that increased

grazing pressure on a tufted hairgrass community generally causes a decline in sedge and slender

wheatgrass before there is a decline in tufted hairgrass cover. Willoughby also found that continued

heavy grazing pressure on a tufted hairgrass community eventually leads to a decline in all native

species and the site is often dominated by Kentucky bluegrass, dandelion and clover. Bork did

describe some Kentucky bluegrass dominated communities in Willmore, but it is not clear if these

community types were once rough fescue or tufted hairgrass dominated prior to disturbance.

3.1.3. Slender wheatgrass dominated community types

Bork (1994) described two slender wheatgrass dominated communities in his original classification.

These included the slender wheatgrass-sedge and slender wheatgrass dominated community types.

Bork’s original data was combined with the reference area data from Sulphur River (SUL) and

reclassified. The results of this classification are outlined in Figure 9.

slender wheatgrass-

sedge

CL1'84

LA1'85

MC1'87

MH1'87

ML1'85

MUSK2

SK1'85

SK7'84

SUL00I

SUL00O

SUL98I

SUL98O

SUNCRK5

TC2'88

Axis 1(55%)

Axi

s 2

(11%

)

slender wheatgrass

Figure 9. Ordination and cluster analysis of slender wheatgrass dominated sites described in

Willmore Wilderness Park in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

This classification distinguished the same community types that Bork classified. Bork felt the

slender wheatgrass-sedge dominated community developed from grazing a modal tufted hairgrass or

northern rough fescue dominated community type. Indeed there was both tufted hairgrass and

northern rough fescue found at the sites described within this community type (Table 4). In contrast

Bork was unsure of the ecology of the slender wheatgrass dominated community. This community

type has little cover of sedge and the forbs and grass species described on this community type tend

to prefer drier site conditions (bearberry, cut leaved anemone, showy locoweed, Rocky Mountain

fescue, hairy wildrye). The Sulphur River reference area is representative of this community type.

This site is located on the gravel deposits adjacent to the Sulphur River. The site is rapidly drained

and has little soil development. It would appear that this slender wheatgrass community type maybe

representative of well drained fluvial, gravely sites throughout Willmore.

Table 4. Canopy cover (%) of selected species for the community types outlined in Figure 9.

slender wheatgrass slender

Species -sedge wheatgrass

Shrubs

willow spp 1 1

Forbs

strawberry 19 9

yarrow 8 3

tall lungwort 4 T

veiny meadow rue 16 T

small flowered penstemon 5 3

fireweed 4 T

bearberry - 2

dandelion 2 3

monkshood 2 -

cut leaved anemone - 4

showy locoweed - 2

Graminoids

tufted hairgrass 4 -

spiked trisetum 3 1

sedge 27 3

hairy wildrye 8 7

slender wheatgrass 24 21

n. rough fescue 4 -

California oatgrass 4 -

Rocky Mountain fescue 2 6

Kentucky bluegrass 5 2

Forage production (kg/ha) 17332 693

1



3.1.4 White Mountain Avens community

Bork’s classification was limited to the valley bottoms throughout Willmore. Consequently, Bork

did not describe this community type in his original classification. These white mountain aven

communities are found on the windswept ridges of the upper Subalpine subregion. They are

extensively utilised by bighorn sheep during the winter months because they remain snow free. This

site is represented by a wildlife exclosure, which was established in the 1970’s. Transect readings

from both inside and outside the exclosure indicate only slight differences between the grazed and

ungrazed transects (Table 5). The outside transect has a larger number of species which one would

expect in a grazed situation (Willoughby 1995). The inside transect has a lower number of species

and evidence of low growing woody species (willow, bilberry) which are not found on the outside

transect. The increase in woody species inside the exclosure maybe the result of increased moisture

and not the result of being ungrazed by wildlife. Exclosures in Southern Alberta tend to be moister

in the absence of grazing because the increased litter inside the exclosure tends to catch more snow.

Table 5. Species canopy cover of a white mountain avens community in the presence and absence

of grazing in Willmore Wilderness Park.

Species Ungrazed Grazed

_________________________________________________________________________

Grasses

bog sedge 6 1

hairy wildrye 6 9

northern rough fescue T T

Forbs

white mountain avens 39 42

alpine hedysarum 2 T

alpine bistort 4 3

white camas 1 1

Shrubs

dwarf bilberry T -

rock willow T -

Lichens

reindeer lichen 40 10

dog lichen - 2

Species richness 19 25

Forage production (kg/ha) n/a 2891

__________________________________________________________________ 1 Rangeland Reference Area production

3.1.5 Willow-bog birch dominated community types

Bork (1994) described six shrub dominated communities in his original classification. These

included the willow/arctic sage/alpine bluegrass, willow/northern rough fescue, willow/California

oatgrass, willow/wheatgrass-sedge, willow/tufted hairgrass-wheatgrass and willow-bog

birch/wetland sedges. Bork’s original data was combined with the reference area data from

Monaghan flats (MON,MLFS) and reclassified. The results of this classification are outlined in

Figure 10.

willow/California

oatgrass

ADAMCR2

CC284

CL2'84

MLFS00

MLFS98

MO2'84

MONA90

MONA91

MONA98

NBERLA1

NDC2'84

SC2'85

SK1'84

SK2'84

SK3'84

SK4'84

SK6'84

SK8'84

SUNCRK2

SUNCRK6

WH484

Axis 1 (81%)

Axis

2 (

6%

)

willow-bog birch/slender

wheatgrass

willow/water sedge

Figure 10. Ordination and cluster analysis of the shrub dominated plots described in Willmore

Wilderness Park in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Both the willow/arctic sage/alpine bluegrass-mountain timothy and willow/northern rough fescue

communities were described by Land Information Services Division. These community types were

not included in this analysis. Of the four remaining shrub dominated community types described by

Bork only three were identified in this classification. These included the willow/California oatgrass,

the willow-bog birch/slender wheatgrass and willow/water sedge communities. These community

types are similar to Bork’s community type classification, but Bork also identified a willow/tufted

hairgrass-slender wheatgrass community type. This community type was not evident in this

classification and the plots with significant tufted hairgrass cover were included in the willow-bog

birch/slender wheatgrass community type.

Table 6 outlines the species composition of the various shrub dominated communities described in

Willmore. The willow/California oatgrass community is dominated by California oatgrass and bog

sedge in the understory. The willow-bog birch/slender wheatgrass community is dominated by

slender wheatgrass, sedge, strawberry and veiny meadow rue. On moister sites tufted hairgrass is

found in this community type. This community appears to be the most extensive shrub dominated

community in Willmore. It tends to occupy well drained sites within the valley bottoms throughout

Willmore. It appears that there is some moisture at depth, which favours the growth of willow and

bog birch. The other willow dominated community represents willow invasion onto wet sedge

meadows. These sites are very moist, poorly drained and are dominated by water sedge in the

understory (Table 6).

Table 6. Canopy cover of selected species in the shrub dominated community types of Willmore

Wilderness Park outlined in Figure 10.

willow/ willow-bog willow/

California birch/slender water

Species oatgrass wheatgrass sedge

Shrubs

willow spp. 17 57 20

bog birch 6 6 -

Forbs

strawberry 10 13 -

fireweed 2 4 -

small flowered penstemon 2 - -

veiny meadow rue 4 9 -

yarrow 2 6 -

tall lungwort T 5 -

alpine bistort T 3 -

dewberry T 3 -

Graminoids

water sedge - - 91

alpine bluegrass - T 2

California oatgrass 19 T -

slender wheatgrass 7 17 -

graceful sedge 5 7 -

bog sedge 10 - -

tufted hairgrass T 9 -

Forage production (kg/ha)

(Forbs and Grass) 3781 550

2 1200

2



3.1.5.1 Shrub encroachment

The shrub dominated communities in Willmore are well adapted to fire. A willow/California

oatgrass dominated site was burned in 1990. Shrub cover on the site was reduced from 54% to 12%

and production of forbs and grass increased from 378 kg/ha to 1423 kg/ha the year after the burn

(Lane et al. 2000). However, after 10 years of no disturbance shrub cover had increased and forage

production had declined to preburn levels.

3.1.6 Aspen dominated community types

Bork (1994) described one dominated aspen type in Willmore (aspen-white

spruce/buffaloberry/hairy wildrye). This type is not common in Willmore and is restricted to south

facing slopes along the Smoky, Sulphur and Sheep rivers at lower altitudes. It is believed that the

lack of fire within the park has allowed aspen to expand onto many of the south facing grassland

communities. In 1987 a prescribed burn was done in these aspen communities in an effort to

increase the forage supply and remove 80-90% of the willow and aspen growth. The rangeland

reference area at Kvass flats (KVA) (Figure 1) represents one of these burned aspen communities.

The burned transects represents a community that is dominated by rose, hairy wildrye and various

forb species (Table 7). In contrast the unburned transects (KVAUNB) (Figure 1) represents an

aspen/rose/hairy wildrye dominated community type. Species richness, diversity and forage

production are much lower on the unburned site compared to the burned site (Table 7).

Table 7 also outlines the change in canopy cover of selected species. The fires have had a dramatic

effect on aspen. Reducing the cover of aspen from 55 to 1%. There also was a dramatic increase in

hairy wildrye cover from 12 to 32% and sedge cover to 6%. Lindley aster and strawberry increased

under burning, whereas, shrub cover was hardly affected remaining relatively uniform between the

two treatments (Table 7). The increase in cover of grass and forbs from the unburned to burned site

resulted in an increase in forage production from 1000 kg/ha to over 1600 kg/ha.

Table 7. Canopy cover (%) of the dominant species in the burned and unburned transects at Kvass

Flats, Willmore Wilderness Park.

Trees

aspen 1 55

white spruce 0 7

Shrubs

prickly rose 8 6

snowberry 3 3

buffaloberry 0 2

Forbs

lindley’s aster 9 1

showy aster 3 8

strawberry 6 1

fireweed 1 0

peavine 1 4

Graminoids

hairy wildrye 32 12

slender wheatgrass 1 4

sedge 6 T

Kentucky bluegrass 3 0

Species richness 24 21

Species diversity 2.25 1.98

Forage Production (kg/ha) 1645 1040

3.2 Rare plant monitoring - refer to Appendix B.

3.3 Rare Plant Communities

Northern rough fescue (Festuca altaica) is a rare species in Alberta, so logically the plant

communities that it dominates are also rare. The northern rough fescue / hairy wild rye and the

northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass communities are on the current preliminary plant community

tracking list (Allen 2000). The fieldwork and subsequent cluster and ordination analysis confirm that

these as valid community types. In addition, the analysis suggests that another rare plant community

dominated by northern rough fescue, northern rough fescue/globeflower may also be present, but

further fieldwork is needed to verify its validity as a community type. This will be considered for

addition to the Preliminary Plant Community Tracking List in 2001. The list is reviewed and updated

annually.

Species Burned Unburned

4.0 DISCUSSION AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

4.1 Rangeland classification

Bork’s (1994) classification identified 16 grass and six shrub dominated community types in the

valley bottoms of Willmore Wilderness Park. Of the 16 grassland community types Bork felt that

eight represented modal grassland communities and eight represented grazing disclimax community

types. Initial analysis increased the number of modal grassland communities from eight to nine and

reduced the grazing disclimax communities from eight to five. The nine modal grassland

communities now include the northern rough fescue/globeflower, northern rough fescue-hairy

wildrye-California oatgrass, northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass, junegrass/sage, tufted hairgrass-

sedge, tufted hairgrass/forb, water sedge, California oatgrass and slender wheatgrass. The grazing

disclimax communities now include the slender wheatgrass-sedge, Kentucky bluegrass-slender

wheatgrass-sedge, Kentucky bluegrass-tufted hairgrass and creeping red fescue-Kentucky bluegrass

dominated community types. Bork also felt that the northern rough fescue-sedge community was a

grazing disclimax community type, but it appears this community type is part of the northern rough

fescue-hairy wildrye-California oatgrass community type.

Two of the six-shrubland community types (willow/arctic sage/alpine bluegrass, willow/northern

rough fescue) could not be assessed because the data was not available. However, the remaining

four shrub dominated types appear to represent three types (willow/California oatgrass, willow-bog

birch/slender wheatgrass and willow/water sedge). Bork’s willow/tufted hairgrass-slender

wheatgrass community appears to be well represented by the willow-bog birch/slender wheatgrass

community type.

The rangeland reference area sites represent three of the nine modal grassland communities, one of

five shrublands and one of one aspen dominated forests. The three grassland communities that are

currently being monitored include the northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass, tufted hairgrass-sedge

and slender wheatgrass community types. Further sites should be considered for monitoring on the

junegrass/sage, California oatgrass and northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye dominated communities.

The junegrass/sage community represents steep south-facing slopes, which are found throughout the

park. Further work should also be done in the California oatgrass dominated community type.

Willoughby (1999) has found that this community type occupies small areas throughout the Upper

foothills and Subalpine subregions, but the ecology is not clearly understood. Monitoring is

occurring on the northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community type, but no monitoring is

occurring on the northern rough fescue-hairy wildrye community. It is not clear which northern

rough fescue dominated community is the most extensive in Willmore. These northern rough fescue

dominated grasslands are some of the most important foraging areas for wildlife and domestic

livestock in Willmore. Further identification of these sites should be a priority. The remaining

modal grassland community types are either too wet (water sedge) or too high and too limited in

distribution (northern rough fescue/globeflower, tufted hairgrass/forb) to be considered for future

rangeland monitoring.

No grazing disclimax communities are currently being monitored. It was initially thought that the

slender wheatgrass dominated rangeland reference area at the Sulphur River was a grazing disclimax

community, but further analysis indicates that this community type is likely a modal grassland.

Exclosure sites should be considered for the slender wheatgrass-sedge and/or Kentucky bluegrass

dominated communities. Monitoring of these grazing disclimax community types in the presence

and absence of grazing will help to determine the condition of these grasslands.

Monitoring should be considered in the willow-bog birch/ slender wheatgrass community type. This

community type has the most grazing potential of all the shrub dominated communities in Willmore.

This community type is also the most extensive rangeland community type found in the valley

bottoms of Willmore.

4.2. Rangeland succession and Ecological site

Before condition and health of these rangelands can be determined the ecological site of the

rangeland communities must be defined. An ecological site is a distinctive kind of land with specific

physical characteristics that differs from other kinds of land in its ability to produce a distinctive kind

and amount of vegetation (Task Group on Unity and Concepts 1995). An ecological site is the

product of all the environmental factors responsible for its development, and it has a set of key

characteristics that are included in the ecological site description. Ecological sites have characteristic

soils, hydrology, plant communities, herbivory and fire regimes.

In order to develop ecological site descriptions the Reference Plant Community (RPC) must be

known. The RPC community is that assemblage of plants presumed to occur on the site at the time

of European settlement of North America. Both primary and secondary succession occurs on the

climax community in response to interactions with climate, soil development, plant growth and

disturbances. These interactions lead the RPC to a different “state” or plant community that

develops in response to that interaction. The processes that cause shifts form one state to another are

called transitional pathways. It is possible to start developing some preliminary “state and transition”

(successional) models for the rangelands in Willmore from the data available.

4.2.1 Northern rough fescue community types

The state and transition diagram for the northern rough fescue dominated communities in Willmore

is outlined in Figure 11.

Rough fescue-Hairy wildrye

Rough fescue-Tufted hairgrass

Slender wheatgrass-Sedge

Tufted hairgrass-Sedge

Kentucky bluegrass/Dandelion-Clover

Rough fescue-Kentucky bluegrass

Rough fescue-Tufted hairgrass-Kentucky bluegrass

Increased grazing pressure

Protection fromgrazing




Figure 11. State and transition model for the northern rough fescue

dominated community types in Willmore Wilderness Park.

Increased grazing pressure on the rough fescue-hairy wildrye dominated community will cause rough

fescue to decline and allow hairy wildrye, slender wheatgrass and sedge to increase forming the

slender wheatgrass-sedge dominated community type. Similarly increased grazing pressure on the

rough fescue-tufted hairgrass community will cause rough fescue to decline and there will be an

increase in tufted hairgrass and sedge cover to form the tufted hairgrass-sedge dominated community

type. Continued grazing pressure on either of these community types will cause a further decline in

all native species and the site will be dominated by Kentucky bluegrass, dandelion and clover.

Willoughby and Alexander (2000) have found in Southern Alberta that once Kentucky bluegrass

invades the community it will remain co-dominant with rough fescue in the absence of disturbance to

form the rough fescue-Kentucky bluegrass and rough fescue-tufted hairgrass-Kentucky bluegrass

dominated communities.

In the absence of disturbance (fire and grazing) northern rough fescue dominate communities do not

seem to be effected by shrub encroachment (figure 5) at the rate of other grasslands within the Upper

Foothills or Subalpine natural subregions. These Willmore northern rough fescue grasslands are

commonly found on north facing alluvial terraces surrounded by willow-bog birch communities in

the drainage below and white spruce and lodgepole pine stands further upslope (figure 12). These

elevated alluvial terraces are likely effected by edaphic conditions such as cold air drainage or

relatively low snow depth that reduces the root growth of these characteristically invasive willow and

birch shrubs.

Figure 12. Landscape profile of plant community types across the Wildhay River valley at Eagles

Nest cabin, Willmore Wilderness Park.

Figure 12, lists plant community types characteristics of the Upper Foothills subregion, and with

increased elevation there are distinct communities of the Subalpine and Alpine subregions. White

spruce/moss, northern rough fescue-tufted hairgrass, willow-bog birch/water sedge, willow-bog birch

slender wheatgrass, aspen/ hairy wildrye, and lodgepole pine/hairy wildrye are all characteristic

community types for the Upper Foothills subregion. Upslope from this Upper Foothills river valley

two distinctive grassland community types are apparent. Hairy wild rye/bearberry-juniper is

characteristic of the Subalpine natural subregion (Willoughby 1999) this is found at approximately

1942 MASL. Further upslope at approximately 2100 MASL we see a change into the Alpine natural

subregion to a bog sedge/ white mountain avens community also described by Willoughby (1999). It

is important to understand these plant community type characteristics in order to manage for

domestic grazing activities to sustain native plant species diversity.

northern

rough fescue

- tufted

hairgrass Willow-

bog birch/

water sedge

willow-bog

birch/slender

wheatgrass

Sw/moss

N

Aw/hairy

wild rye

Pl/hairy

wild rye

Hairy wildrye/

bearberry-

juniper

bog sedge/

white

mountain

avens

1942 M

2100 M


Figure 13 outlines the state and transition model for the tufted hairgrass dominated communities in


Protection from grazing and fire Increased grazing pressure

Figure 13. State and transition model for tufted hairgrass dominated community

types within Willmore Wilderness Park.

Willow/

sedge

Tufted

hairgrass-

sedge

Tufted hairgrass-

Kentucky

bluegrass

Kentucky

bluegrass/

dandelion

Protection from grazing and fire on the tufted hairgrass-sedge dominated community will allow

shrubs to invade to form the willow/sedge dominated community type. Willoughby (1998) showed a

25% increase in willow cover over 25 years coinciding with a 23% decline in tufted hairgrass

without fire or grazing (figure 7). In contrast increased grazing pressure on the tufted hairgrass

community causes sedge and slender wheatgrass to decrease and allows Kentucky bluegrass to

invade onto the site. Continued heavy grazing pressure will eventually cause all native plant species

to decline in cover and the site is dominated by Kentucky bluegrass, clover and dandelion.

4.2.3 Slender wheatgrass and shrub communities

Figure 14 outlines the state and transition model for the slender wheatgrass dominated communities

in Willmore Wilderness Park.


Figure 14. State and transition model for slender wheatgrass dominated

community types within Willmore Wilderness Park.

Willow/

slender

wheatgrass

Slender

wheatgrass

Slender wheatgrass-

Kentucky bluegrass

Kentucky

bluegrass-sedge

Protection from grazing and fire on the slender wheatgrass community allows willow to invade onto

these grasslands to form the willow/slender wheatgrass community type. It appears that this

willow/slender wheatgrass community type is the most extensive rangeland community in Willmore

and has the greatest potential for range improvement through prescribed burning. Burning will likely

decrease the cover of willow and improve the supply of forage for both domestic livestock and

wildlife. Presently it is not clear how the slender wheatgrass community will respond to increased

grazing pressure. It would appear that Kentucky bluegrass cover does increase, but the site

conditions are too dry for complete bluegrass invasion and it is likely the site will be dominated by

Kentucky bluegrass and sedge species.

4.2.4. Aspen dominated community types

Figure 15 outlines the state and transition model for the aspen dominated community types in


Aw/Rose/Hairy wildrye

White spruceAw/Rose/Clover

Aw/Kentuckybluegrass


Rose/Hairywildrye

Kentucky bluegrass/dandelion

FireNo fire

Figure 15. State and transition model for aspen dominated community types

within Willmore Wilderness Park.

These aspen dominated communities are found on the south facing slopes along the Smoky, Sulphur

and Sheep rivers in Willmore. In the absence of disturbance they will slowly succeed to a white

spruce dominated forest. However, fire reduces the cover of aspen and the plant community moves

to a rose/hairy wildrye dominated community type. Forage production increases from 1000 kg/ha in

the aspen dominated community type to over 1400 kg/ha in the Rose/Hairy wildrye type.

In Willmore no grazed aspen community types have been described, but data from the Lower

Foothills subregion in central Alberta (Lane et al. 2000) indicates that good condition aspen forest

has a wide diversity of grass, forb and shrub species growing in five understory layers (tree, tall

shrubs, shrubs, tall forbs, low forbs and grass). As grazing pressure increases the five vegetation

layers are reduced to two (trees, low forbs and grass). This overgrazed aspen community is

represented by the Aw/Kentucky bluegrass-clover dominated community type.

4.3 Range health

Traditionally, range condition has been defined by comparing species present with species of the

climax community (Dyksterhuis 1949). This climax range condition model suggests that vegetation

will be directional, predictable and revert back to the original predisturbance plant community in

time. However, this concept has a number of shortcomings. For example a key assumption is that

all declines in range condition are reversible. Experience shows that this may not be the case. Stable

states in plant succession may be established that are relatively resistant to change, even with decades

of rest. A very significant shortcoming relates to those communities that become invaded by non-

native species and will show no apparent trend back towards climax. Furthermore, the concept of a

single climax or reference plant community under a forest community does not address the dynamic

character of the forest under-story as stand succession proceeds.

These problems with the climax range condition model have led the range scientific community to

define rangeland health on a broader list of functions, not just plant species integrity (Alberta

Rangeland Health Task Group 1999). The term Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) is now applied

to rangeland health. New rangeland health protocols have been developed for Alberta rangelands,

which include measures of plant community integrity, site stability, hydrologic function, nutrient

cycling and energy flow, community structure and noxious weeds (Adams et al 2000). Ratings are

based on a percentage of possible scores for each category. The total possible score is 60 and

rangelands are rated as Healthy=75-100%, Healthy with problems=50-75% and Unhealthy<50%.

The health rating for the Sunset Creek, Eagles Nest cabin, Monoghan flats and Hayden ridge

rangeland reference areas is 100%.

Clearly, the desired plant community of the vegetation has to be defined before a range health score

can be determined for the Kvass burn and Sulphur river reference areas. If the primary resource of

the vegetation is for wildlife and livestock production, then continued burning is required to control

shrub and tree growth and health ratings should be based on secondary succession. If there is some

other resource that is valued that requires succession to a willow dominated shrubland or aspen forest

then these sites should be left undisturbed. Historically, these grassland communities in the foothills

of West-Central Alberta have been burned and grazed by wild and domestic ungulates. Currently,

the resource value for these rangelands is recreation, wildlife and livestock production.


Several rare plants are known in Alberta only from Willmore and/or adjacent northern Jasper

National Park. However, large portions of these two areas have never been surveyed for rare taxa

particularly for rare bryophytes.

Rare species are important components of the ecosystem and are often used as indicators for various

monitoring programs related to the conservation of biodiversity. Collection of baseline information

on rare species, such as population size and habitats, is the first step in the implementation of any

monitoring program. This study was an attempt to document such baseline information for a portion

of the area.

This survey has resulted in the discovery of several new rare taxa for either Willmore and/or Jasper

National Parks. Additional surveys in previously unexplored areas will be of great value in

determining the distribution and population sizes of these, and other rare taxa, within Willmore and

northern Jasper National Parks. Ultimately, this information can be used to determine the

significance of these taxa in a provincial context.

Documentation of the location of these taxa, along with information on population sizes, habitats and

management concerns, will form the basis for subsequent monitoring actions. Accurate

documentation of location, with supplemental information on the population, can be used to revisit

the sites in subsequent years.

Relocation of previously documented taxa is in large part dependent upon accurate locational

information. We were able to relocate some taxa that had been reported in the past however, given

the poor locational information on the original data, it is uncertain whether these represented

rediscovery of the original sites or new locations. Further attempts at mapping populations of rare

plants within the entire area of interest will help to ascertain distribution and status within such.

Such information can then be used as a foundation for management planning and a rare plant

monitoring program.


Two northern rough fescue rare plant communities have been confirmed as occurring in Willmore

Wilderness Park. Further inventory work is required to document other rare plant communities that

occur in Willmore and to better document the northern rough fescue/globeflower type. Some rare

plant communities are dominated by rare species, such as the northern rough fescue communities of

Willmore. However, there are other plant communities that are rare because they are associated with

specialized habitats or correlated to some unusual attribute such as saline seepage. These may not

include any rare species, but it is the overall combination of species and habitat, the communities

themselves that are rare. The following table lists communities on the Preliminary Plant Community

Tracking List (Allen 2001) that should be looked for in Willmore.

Table 8. Preliminary plant community tracking list (Allen 2001) for Willmore Wilderness Park.

SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME SRANK COMMENTS

Agropyron albicans –

Artemisia frigida

awned northern wheat

grass - pasture sagewort

SU Reported on south-facing slopes of the

Smokey River in the Grande Cache area, little

information.

Antennaria lanata –

Artemisia norvegica

woolly everlasting -

mountain sagewort

S1 An upper subalpine to alpine, front range CT

reported from the Whitehorse Wildland

Provincial Park area

Artemisia norvegica –

Mertensia paniculata –

Leymus innovatus

mountain sagewort - tall

lungwort - hairy wild rye

S1 An upper subalpine to alpine, front range CT

reported from the Whitehorse Wildland

Provincial Park area

Dryas integrifolia –

Carex rupestris

white mountain avens -

rock sedge

S1 Found on steep, subalpine moraine in Jasper

National Park

Elaeagnus commutata silverberry S2 Shrublands that form stingers along subalpine

and foothill streams. Known to occur in Jasper

National Park.

Festuca altaica – Leymus

innovatus (Elymus

innovatus)

northern rough fescue -

hairy wild rye

S2 Confirmed through present study

Lupinus nootkatensis

meadow

Nootka lupine meadow S2? An upper subalpine seepage meadow reported

for Jasper National Park, little information

Picea engelmannii -

Abies lasiocarpa / Dryas

octopetala

Engelmann spruce -

subalpine fir / white

mountain avens

S2S3 Dry, high elevation, front range type, known

from Jasper National Park.

Picea engelmannii –

Abies lasiocarpa / Salix

planifolia / Hylocomium

splendens

Engelmann spruce -

subalpine fir / flat-leaved

willow / stair-step moss

S1 Old growth forest, known from Whitehorse

Wildland Provincial Park area

Picea engelmannii –

Abies lasiocarpa / Salix

vestita / Cassiope

tetragona

Engelmann spruce -

subalpine fir / rock willow

/ white mountain-heather

S2 A subalpine, front range community on

permafrost

Picea engelmannii /

Leymus innovatus

Engelmann spruce / hairy

wild rye

S2 A community of steep, south-facing upper

subalpine slopes,

Picea engelmannii / Salix

drummondiana

Engelmann spruce /

Drummond's willow

S1? An open forest found on subalpine alluvial

flats, known from the White Goat Wilderness

Area

Populus tremuloides /

Leymus innovatus –

Aster conspicuus

aspen / hairy wild rye -

showy aster

S2 A stunted woodland restricted to avalanche

slopes

Populus tremuloides /

Menziesia ferruginea

aspen / false azalea S1 A community known only from one location

in Jasper National Park

Rhododendron

lapponicum floodplain

Lapland rose-bay

floodplain

S1 Shrubland along floodplains known from a

few locations in Jasper National Park

Salix drummondiana –

Thalictrum venulosum

Drummond's willow -

veiny meadow rue

S1 A stream side shrubland of Whitehorse

Wildland Provincial Park

Stipa richardsonii –

Koeleria macrantha –

Richardson's needle grass -

June grass - small-leaved

S2S3 A montane community known from Jasper

National Park

Antennaria parvifolia everlasting

Rare plant communities are often associated with specific, usual combinations of site attributes.

Occasionally they are extensive, but found only in a limited area of the province. More often, they

are small patch communities associated with localized conditions such as calcareous springs.

Although they may not cover large areas of the landscape, they add significantly to the biodiversity

of a site, often contributing a disproportionately high number of species to the area’s flora and may

provide habitat for specialized flora and fauna (Anderson et al 1999). Documenting these

communities and taking them into consideration during management planning will be important to

maintaining the biodiversity of the Willmore Wilderness Park.

6.0 LITERATURE CITED

Adams, B., A.Robertson, M.Willoughby, G.Ehlert, M.Alexander, D.Downing, D. Lawerence,

C.Lane, and C. Stone. 2000. Range/Pasture Health Assessement Short form. Agriculture, Food and

Rural Development, Alberta Environment. Edmonton. AB. 18pp

Alberta Rangeland Health Task Group. 1999. Terms of Reference. Agriculture, Food and

Rural Development. Alberta Environment. Edmonton. AB. 12pp.

Allen, L. 2000. Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre Preliminary Plant Community

Tracking List. Alberta Environment. Edmonton, Alberta.

Anderson, M., P. Comer, D. Grossman, C. Groves, K. Poiani, M. Reid, R. Schneider, B.

Vickery, A. Weakley. 1999. Guidelines for representing ecological communities in ecoregional

conservation plans. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington VA. 74 pp.

Bork, E. 1994. Ecological classification and management of native range in Willmore

Wilderness Park. Alberta Environmental Protection. Forest Management Division. Edmonton, AB.

Pub. no. T/282. 65pp.

Dysterhuis, E.J. 1949. Condition and management of rangeland based on quantitative

ecology. J. Range Manage. 2: 104-115.

Gauch, H.G. 1982. Multivariate analysis in community ecology. Cambridge University Press.

Cambridge, 298 pp.

Gould, J. 1999. Plant Species of Special Concern. Alberta Natural Heritage Information

Centre, Alberta Environmental Protection, Edmonton, AB.

Lane, C.T., M.G. Willoughby and M.J. Alexander. 2000. Range plant community types and

carrying capacity for the Lower foothills subregion. Dept. of Environment. Land and Forest Service.

Edmonton. AB. Pub. No. T/532. 232pp.

Lane, C.T., J.Gould, M.G.Willougbhy and E. Lee. 2000. Rangeland, rare plant and weed

monitoring in Willmore Wilderness Park. A progress report for the Foothills Model Forest. Land and

Forest Service. Edmonton. AB.

Task Group on Unity and Concepts. 1995. New concepts for assessement of rangeland

condition. J. Range Manage. 38:220-225.

Willoughby, M.G. 1995. Species diversity and how it is affected by livestock grazing on

Alberta’s Eastern slopes. Proceedings Fifth International Rangeland Congress. Salt Lake City, Utah.

July 1995. Pg 610-611.

Willoughby, M.G. and M.J. Alexander. 2000. A range condition dilemma. Rangelands.

22:23-26.

Willoughby, M.G. 1999. Range plant community types and carrying capacity for the

Subalpine subregion. Dept. of Environment. Land and Forest Service. Edmonton. AB. Pub. No.

T/438. 109pp.

Willoughby, M.G. and D. Smith. 1998. Range plant community types and carrying capacity

for the Subalpine subregion. Dept. of Environmental Protection. Land and Forest Service. Edmonton.

AB. 108pp.

Willoughby, M.G. 1997. Rangeland Reference Areas; Castle River range condition and trend

from 1953-1995. Dept. of Environmental Protection. Land and Forest Service. Edmonton. AB. Pub.

No. T/358. 22pp.

Willoughby, M.G. 1998. Rangeland Reference Areas; Seven mile creek range condition and

trend from 1964-1997. Dept. of Environmental Protection. Land and Forest Service. Edmonton. AB.

Pub. No. T/403. 20pp.

Willoughby, M.G. 2001. The Rough fescue dominated community types of the Foothills of

North-Central Alberta. Land and Forest Service. Range Management Section. Edmonton. AB. 18pp.

Willoughby, M.G. and C.T. Lane. 2001. Species composition changes in the presence and

absence of disturbance on the Rough fescue-Tufted hairgrass dominated community type. Land and

Forest Service. Edmonton. AB.

APPENDIX A:

Rangeland Reference Area Site Descriptions and photos for


Eagle’s nest cabin transect

Region – Northeast Slopes; District – Foothills; Date established – 1998; Location – Twp. 52, Rge. 4

Sec. 22 NW W6 (N 53.30.477, W118.29.946); Elevation –1614 m; Nutrients – permesotrophic;

Drainage – well; Moisture – subhygric; Geological formation: Old flood plain, glacial alluvial

terrace; Soil Classification – Orthic Regosol; Description of Area – northern rough fescue, hairy

wildrye, tufted hairgrass meadow surrounded by willow and bog birch shrublands; Major species

present, northern rough fescue (Festuca altaica), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), slender

wheatgrass (Agropyron trachycaulum), hairy wildrye (Elymus innovatus) sedge spp (Carex spp.)

Veiny meadow rue (Thalictrum venulosum), yellow beardtongue (Penstemon confertus); Seral stage

– young edaphic climax; Transect locations – 30 m long, read every 2 m starting at 2 m, read on right

hand side of the tape, read from west to east; This transect was one of a number of transects

established to monitor shrub encroachment onto the remaining grassland meadows within Willmore

Wilderness Park.

Sunset transect


Sec. 30 SE W6 (N 53.41.982, W 118.43.600); Elevation –1630 m; Nutrients – permesotrophic;

Drainage – well; Moisture – subhygric-hygric; Parent material: Fluvial; Soil Classification: Cumulic

Humic Regosol; Description of Area – tufted hairgrass meadow surrounded by willow and bog birch

shrublands; Major species present tall lungwort (Mertensia paniculata), monkshood (Aconitum

delphinifolium), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), slender wheatgrass (Agropyron

trachycaulum), sedge spp (Carex spp.) veiny meadow rue (Thalictrum venulosum); Seral stage –

young edaphic climax; Transect locations – 30 m long, read every 2 m starting at 2 m, read on right

hand side of tape from north to south; This transect was one of a number of transects established to

monitor shrub encroachment onto the remaining grassland meadows within Willmore Wilderness

Park.

Monoghan burn transect


Sec. 23 SE W6 (N 53.35.227, W118.55.172); Elevation –1530 m; Nutrients – permesotrophic;

Drainage – well; Moisture – subhygric; Soil Classification – Orthic Humic Regosol; Parent material-

alluvial deposits on top of outwash gravels; Description of Area – bog birch , willow shrubland

which was burned in the spring of 1990; Major species present, bog birch (Betula glandulosa),

willow (Salix spp.), bog sedge (Kobresia myosuroides), slender wheatgrass (Agropyron

trachycaulum), sedge spp (Carex spp.) california oatgrass (Danthonia californica), strawberry

(Fragaria virginiana); Seral stage – young edaphic climax; Transect locations – 30 m long, read every

2 m starting at 2 m, read on right hand side of tape from east to west; This transect was established to

monitor the effects of the 1990 burn on bog birch and willow cover at Monoghan flats within


Sulphur exclosure


Sec. 13 NE W6 (N 53.40.080, W119.02.196); Elevation –1634 m; Nutrients – mesotrophic;

Drainage – well; Moisture – mesic - subhygric; Soil Classification – Orthic Regosol; Parent material

– coarse textured fluvial deposits, adjacent to the Sulphur River; Description of Area – grazed sedge,

slender wheatgrass meadow surrounded by willow and bog birch shrublands; Major species present,

slender wheatgrass (Agropyron trachycaulum), sedge spp (Carex spp.) , sheep fescue (Festuca

saximontana), alpine milkvetch (Astragalus alpinus), mouse eared chickweed (Cerastium arvense),

strawberry (Fragaria virginiana); Seral stage – young edaphic climax; Exclosure construction – 20 x

30 m with wood and steel posts and two strands of barbed wire; Transect locations – 30 m long, read

every 2 m starting at 2 m, read on right hand side of tape from north to south, outside transect located

3 m on north side of the exclosure and read from south to north; This exclosure was established to

monitor shrub encroachment and recovery of heavily grazed grassland meadows within Willmore

Wilderness Park.

Kvass burn exclosure


Sec. 3 NE W6 (N 53.49.02, W119.14.850); Elevation –1060 m; Aspect – 180o; Slope – 20%;

Nutrients – mesotrophic; Drainage – well; Moisture – mesic; Soil Classification – Orthic Humic

Regosol; Parent material – coarse textured colluvial deposits, on slopes above the Smoky River;

Description of Area – aspen stands which were burned in 1996; Major species present, slender

wheatgrass (Agropyron trachycaulum), sedge spp (Carex spp.) hairy wildrye (Elymus innovatus)

snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), rose (Rosa acicularis), strawberry (Fragaria virginiana),

Lindley’s aster (Aster ciliolatus), showy aster (Aster conspicuus); Seral stage – early seral; Exclosure

construction – 20 x 30 m with wood and steel posts and two strands of barbed wire; Transect

locations – 30 m long, read every 2 m starting at 2 m, read on right hand side of tape from north to

south, the outside transect is located 3 m to the east of the exclosure and is read from north to south;

This exclosure was established to monitor the effects of the prescribed burn at Kvass flats in

Willmore Wilderness Park

Hayden ridge exclosure

Region – Northeast Slopes; District – Foothills; Date established – 1976?; Location – Twp. 55, Rge.

7 Sec. 21 NE W6 (N53.46.170 W118.58.608); Elevation – 1878 m; Aspect – 180o; Slope – 30%;

Nutrients – submesotrophic; Drainage – rapidly; Moisture – subxeric; Soil Classification – non-soil;

Parent material – coarse textured sandstone shale deposits, on ridge tops overlooking the Sulphur

River; Description of Area – dry windswept snow free ridges; Major species present, white mountain

avens (Dryas integrifolia, D. octopetala), bog sedge (Kobresia myosuroides), hairy wildrye (Elymus

innovatus) alpine bistort (Polygonum viviparum), reindeer lichen (Cladina spp); Seral stage – mature

edaphic climax; Exclosure construction – 20 x 30 m with wood and steel posts and 8 ft page wire;

Transect locations – 30 m long, read every 2 m starting at 2 m, read on right hand side of tape from

northeast to southwest, the outside transect is located 3 m to the east of the exclosure and is read

from south to north; This exclosure was established in the mid 1970’s to monitor the effects of the

bighorn sheep grazing in Willmore Wilderness Park

APPENDIX B:

Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre

Reconnaissance Rare Plant Survey

for


and

Northern Jasper National Park.

RECONNAISSANCE RARE PLANT SURVEY OF WILLMORE WILDERNESS

PARK AND NORTHERN JASPER NATIONAL PARK, 2000

Joyce Gould, Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas Division, Natural

Resources Services, Alberta Environment

René J. Belland

Devonian Botanic Garden, University of Alberta

February 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION_

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

METHODS_

SITE DESCRIPTIONS

RARE PLANTS

SUMMARY

REFERENCES

APPENDIX: LIST OF VASCULAR PLANTS OBSERVERED DURING THE COURSE OF THIS STUDY

INTRODUCTION

The work done last year (Gould et al 1999) was the first survey for rare plants in Willmore

Wilderness Park. Conservation of biodiversity, or maintenance of ecological integrity, often

highlights rare taxa. In addition, there is federal and provincial legislation that now deals with

endangered species. Management plans are often done without knowledge of the distribution and

population sizes of rare species within the area being examined, often due to lack of resources to

conduct suitable inventories. It is the objective of this work to document rare plant taxa within

Willmore Wilderness and northern Jasper National Park so that this information can be used in

management planning. The information gained from this study is also being used by the Alberta

Natural Heritage Information Centre in the review of ranks for tracked plant species.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mike Willoughby and Cam Lane, Land and Forest Service, Alberta Environment and the Foothills

Model Forest provided logistical assistance. Staff of the Alberta Natural Heritage Information

Centre assisted with various aspects of this project. Patsy Cotterill provided assistance with

identification of vascular plants, processing of element occurrences and field assistance, Drajs

Vujnovic, Ksenija Vujnovic and Coral Grove with mapping and processing element occurrences,

John Rintoul with production of occurrence information and Duke Hunter with map production. All

photographs are those of Joyce Gould.

METHODS

Reconnaissance surveys for rare plants were conducted August 2-4, 2000. A rare plant is defined as one occurring on the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre list of “Plant Species of Special Concern”, February 2000 (Gould 2000). Access to sites was by helicopter and approximated 2-4 hours was spent at each. We targeted areas of diverse lithologies as well as areas that had not been explored botanically or had been visited decades ago. We surveyed as many habitats as possible for rare plants at each site and a brief description of habitat and population size was made for each rare plant noted. Locations of rare species were noted with the Garmin 12 XL hand held GPS unit (NAD 27) and photographs of rare plants and/or their habitats were taken, where possible. Collections were made for several taxa to confirm identification against annotated material at the University of Alberta herbarium and/or to document a new occurrence for Willmore Wilderness Park or Jasper National Park. These specimens will be deposited in the University of Alberta herbarium.

Joyce Gould and René Belland conducted the surveys on August 2-4 and Dr. Bill Crins and Patsy

Cotterill assisted on August 4.

All occurrences of rare plants are being entered into the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre

databases.

SITE DESCRIPTIONS


Hardscrabble (53

o 35’ 46.3” 119

o 10’ 42.2”)

The site consists primarily of Dryas octopetala tundra although there are a couple of small ponds,

cliff faces and slopes that provide habitat diversity. The Dryas tundra harboured several rare

vascular plants including Anthoxanthum monticola, Antennaria monocephala, Gentiana glauca and

Pedicularis capitata. Rare mosses found here were Grimmia mollis, Hygrohypnum alpestre and

Racomitrium fasciculare.

Protected areas between boulders and fine sediments at the base of cliffs provided habitat for

Cardamine bellidifolia and Saxifraga ferruginea. Gentiana glauca was also observed in similar

habitats.

Mesic areas such as those along the shore of small ponds and adjoining creek contained rare species

such as Cardamine oligosperma ssp.kamtschatica, Huperzia halaekalae and Juncus biglumis.

Rocky Pass (53o 38’ 15.1” 118

o 53’ 49.8”)

The vegetation of most of the area examined was Dryas integrifolia-Carex nardina/Kobresia

myosuroides tundra with Festuca altaica, Pedicularis capitata, Pedicularis lanata and Saxifraga

flagellaris. There was a small area with Dryas octopetala tundra and here Festuca altaica and

Pedicularis capitata were present.

Areas of late snowmelt were present in a draw and had rare species such as Festuca altaica and

Pedicularis capitata.

One rare moss was found at this site: Oreas martiana.

Jacknife Pass (53o 34’ 39.2” 118

o 49’ 39’9”)

The area examined had a diversity of habitats including shale slopes, cliff faces, Dryas integrifolia-

lichen tundra and mesic draws. Rare species such as Erigeron trifidus, Minuartia elegans and Draba

longipes were associated with the shale slopes. At the edge of the shale, in Dryas octopetala tundra,

Antennaria monocephala and Pedicularis flammea were found. Pedicularis lanata was collected

from an area of Dryas integrifolia tundra. The mesic draw that was examined had Festuca altaica,

Ranunculus occidentalis, Botrychium minganense. A north-facing slope washout slope with silt had

Festuca altaica, Pedicularis capitata and P. flammea. Antennaria monocephala and Saxifraga

nelsoniana were found either at the base or between rocks and boulders of the cliff face.

Coté (11U 0307248 5977439 NAD 27)

We examined an area on the SE slope of the mountain on the north side of the pass. Here Salix

reticulata-lichen and Dryas integrifolia-Carex nardina/Kobresia myosuroides tundra were common.

There was also a small pond. Rare vascular species found from this site include Pedicularis

capitata, Antennaria monocephala, Gentiana glauca. One rare moss was found, Grimmia anomala.

The south side of pass was also visited. We examined an area of heath with Vaccinium scoparium and Phyllodoce empetriformis and found Gentiana glauca. We also looked at a mesic area on a south-facing slope with Anemone occidentalis, Pedicularis bracteosa and Sibbaldia procumbens. Here we found Ranunculus occidentalis. There is also Salix arctica-lichen tundra and both Antennaria monocephala and Gentiana glauca were observed in this habitat. A north-facing draw was examined and we found Saxifraga nelsoniana ssp. porsildiana. Saxifraga nelsoniana ssp. porsildiana was also found at the base of a rock outcrop as was Cardamine oligosperma ssp. kamtschatica. These same species along with Saxifraga ferruginea and Pedicularis capitata, were also found at the top of this same outcrop.

Jasper National Park

Azure Lake, Jasper National Park (11U 0364624 5926385)

Dryas octopetala tundra is common as are areas of Salix reticulata and Salix arctica tundra. Mesic

areas such as late-lying snowbeds and stream/lake edges are also present.

Rare vascular plants noted from this site in 2000 include Antennaria monocephala, Anthoxanthum

monticola, Gentiana glauca, Saxifraga nelsoniana ssp. porsildiana and Saxifraga nivalis. One rare

moss was found: Tayloria lingulata.

RARE PLANTS

Species accounts – Vascular plants

A brief summary of each rare species encountered in this survey is provided below. The

arrangement of species accounts is alphabetical order and provincial and global ranks, which are

based on The Nature Conservancy ranking system, are provided.

Taxonomy and nomenclature for vascular plants follows Moss (1983) unless more recent

treatments such as Flora of North America are available.

Antennaria monocephala DC (one-headed everlasting) G4G5/S2

Antennaria monocephala is a perennial herb of alpine slopes and ledges. It is often

associated with the margins of solifluction lobes or unstable gravelly tundra (Bayer

1993). In Alberta, it is known from Willmore Wilderness Park south to Banff

National Park. The global distribution of this species is Alaska, Yukon, NWT,

Nunavut, western Greenland, Labrador, BC, Alberta, Montana and Wyoming

(Bayer 1993).

Anthoxanthum monticola (Bigelow) Y. Schouten & Veldkamp. (alpine sweet grass)

G5/S2

This perennial grass, also known as Hierochloe alpina (Sw.) R.& S., grows on dry

alpine slopes. In Alberta, it is known only from the northern Rockies such as Jasper

National Park, Willmore Wilderness Park and the Cardinal Divide area. It has a

circumpolar distribution and is known from Alaska, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, BC

and Alberta.

Botrychium minganense Victorin G4/S2S3

Botrychium minganense is not listed in the Flora of Alberta (Moss 1983);

however, most collections thought to be to B. dusenii are probably B. minganense

(Wagner and Wagner 1993, p. 98): Botrychium minganense is known in Alberta

from the mountains and foothills (Willmore Wilderness Park south to Waterton

Lakes National Park), Cypress Hills Provincial Park and Fort McMurray. It is a

species that occurs throughout central North America from Alaska, and BC east to

Newfoundland and is considered rare throughout much of its range.

Cardamine bellidifolia L. (alpine bitter cress) G5/S2

Alpine bitter cress is a perennial herb that is known from the Rockies--Banff north to Jasper

National Park. The habitat is moist alpine banks and ledges (Moss 1983). It has a circumpolar

distribution occurring from Alaska, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Quebec, Labrador, BC, Alberta,

south to California (Moss 1983).

Cardamine oligosperma var. kamtschatica (Regel) Detling (mountain cress) G?/S2

This species (also known as Cardamine umbellata Greene) is a perennial member of the Mustard

Family (Brassicaeae). It prefers moist tundra, edges of ponds and streams and grassy areas of

talus slopes (Rollins 1993). In Alberta it is known from the northern and central Rockies.

Globally, it is found in eastern Asia, Yukon, NWT south to Oregon (Moss 1983).

Carex lachenalii Schk. (two-parted sedge) G5/S2

This sedge is also known as Carex bipartita All. It is a species of moist alpine areas (Moss

1983) such as wet meadows (Hermann 1970, Hurd et al. 1998). The Alberta distribution of

Carex lachenalii is Banff, Jasper and the Cadomin area. It is a circumpolar, arctic-alpine species

(Moss 1983).

Draba longipes Raup (whitlow-grass) G4/S1S2

This perennial herb is an alpine member of the Mustard Family (Brassicaeae). It is a species of

meadows and tundra, dry and wet places (Rollins 1993). In Alberta is it known from the

northern Rockies south to Waterton Lakes National Park. The North American distribution is

Alaska south to Wyoming.

Erigeron trifidus Hook. (trifid-leaved fleabane) G2?Q/S2

Erigeron trifidus is a perennial herb of alpine slopes that is closely related to E.

compositus and E. lanatus. In Alberta, it is known primarily from the northern

Rockies (Jasper National Park, Willmore Wilderness Park, Cardinal Divide area)

although it has also been found recently in Waterton Lakes National Park (Achuff

1997). Globally, it is known only from BC and Alberta.

Festuca altaica Trin. (northern rough fescue) G5/S2

Festuca altaica Trin. was formerly included in Festuca scabrellaTorr. and in Alberta is known

only from the northern Rockies. It is known from BC, Yukon, NWT, Alaska, Michigan, Quebec,

Newfoundland, eastern Siberia and central Asia (Aiken and Darbyshire 1990).

Gentiana glauca Pallas (alpine gentian) G4G5/S2

Gentiana glauca is a perennial herb of moist alpine slopes and meadows (Moss

1983). In Alberta, it is known from Banff and Jasper National Parks, Willmore

Wilderness Park and Whitegoat Wilderness Area. This species is being taken off

the tracking list given the number of occurrences and sizes of populations (Gould

in prep.).

Huperzia halaekalae (Brackenridge) Holub (alpine fir-moss)

G4?/S2

This species was formerly included within Lycopodium selago L.. It prefers exposed, moist

meadows and mossy heaths of the alpine and subalpine (Wagner and Beitel 1993). It is known

from Banff and Jasper National Parks, Whitegoat and Siffleur Wilderness Areas and the Cardinal

Divide area. Globally, it is known from AB, BC, Yukon, Alaska, Colorado, Montana,

Washington, Wyoming, Asia and Hawaii (Wagner and Beitel 1993).

Juncus biglumis L. (two-glumed rush) G5/S2

Juncus biglumis is a member of the Rush Family (Juncaceae). It is a species of moist alpine

areas (Moss 1983). In Alberta it is known in the Rockies from Jasper south to Banff, Highwood

Pass and Cadomin. It is a circumpolar species.

Minuartia elegans (Cham. & Schlecht.) Schischk. (purple alpine sandwort) G4G5/S1

Minuartia elegans is a perennial herb of moist calcareous alpine slopes. In Alberta,

it is known only from Willmore Wilderness Park. The range of this species is

eastern Siberia, Alaska, Yukon, BC, AB and NWT.

Oxytropis campestris var. davisii (locoweed) G5T3/S2?

Oxytropis campestris var. davisii is in the Flora of Alberta (Moss 1983) as O. jordallii.

However, work by S. Welsh has shown that true O. jordallii is a northern taxon (Alaska, Yukon

and NWT) and does not occur in Alberta. The habitat of Oxytropis campestris var. davisii is

gravelly sites in the northern Rockies and foothills and is known from BC, Alberta and NWT (S.

Welsh pers. comm.). In Alberta, this taxon is known only from the northern Rockies and

foothills.

Pedicularis capitata Adams (large-flowered lousewort) G4/S2

This perennial herb is restricted to calcareous alpine slopes (Moss 1983). In

Alberta, it is known from Willmore Wilderness Park south to Banff National

Park. It is a circumpolar species.

Pedicularis flammea L. (flame-coloured lousewort) G3G5/S2

This perennial member of the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae) is restricted to calcareous alpine

slopes (Moss 1983). In Alberta, it is known from the central Rockies (Moss 1983). It is known

from Greenland, Iceland, Lapland, Nunavut, Newfoundland, Hudson Bay, James Bay, southern

Labrador, Alberta and Gaspé (Moss 1983).

Pedicularis lanata Cham. & Schlecht. (woolly lousewort) G4G5/S2

Pedicularis lanata is a perennial herb of alpine slopes (Moss 1983). In Alberta it

is known only from the northern Rocky Mountains such as at Cardinal Divide. It is

a circumpolar species.

Ranunculus occidentalis Nutt. var. brevistylis Greene (western buttercup) G5T5/S2

This perennial member of the crowfoot family is a species of dry to moist subalpine slopes (Moss

1983). It was found in two locations in Willmore in 2000, one of which was previously known

(Coté). In Alberta it is a species of the northern Rockies occurring from Kakwa south to Jasper.

Globally it is known from Alaska, Yukon, N.W.T. south to California (Moss 1983).

Saxifraga ferruginea Graham (saxifrage) G5/S2

Saxifraga ferruginea is a perennial herb of moist alpine banks and ledges (Moss

1983). It is known from the Rockies from Jasper south to just north of Waterton

Lakes National Park. It is not currently known from Willmore Wilderness Park.

Saxifraga flagellaris Willd. (spiderplant) G5/S2

Saxifraga flagellaris is a perennial herb that prefers calcareous turfy alpine slopes

and ridges (Moss 1983). It occurs from Willmore Wilderness Park south to Banff

National Park. It is a circumpolar species known from Asia, Alaska, Yukon,

Northwest Territories, Nunavut, BC and Alberta (Moss 1983).

Saxifraga nelsoniana D. Don ssp. porsildiana (Calder & Savile) Hult. (Nelson’s saxifrage)

G5T3T4/S2

Nelson’s saxifrage is a perennial herb known in Alberta primarily from the northern Rockies

although there is an isolated occurrence in Banff National Park. It is a species of alpine habitats

(Moss 1983) and it is known from Asia, NWT, Nunavut, BC and Alberta south to Oregon. All

of the Alberta material of Saxifraga nelsoniana is referrable to subspecies porsildiana.

Saxifraga nivalis L. (alpine saxifrage) G4G5/S2

This is a perennial herb of alpine slopes and ridges (Moss 1983). In Alberta it is known only

from the northern Rockies (Jasper and Cardinal Divide areas). This species has a circumpolar

distribution occurring in Alaska, Nunavut, Labrador, BC, Alberta and Quebec (Moss 1983).

Species accounts – Mosses

Grimmia anomala (Hampe ex Schimp.) Monk. GG5/S2

Grimmia anomala grows mainly on siliceous boulders and cliffs in subalpine and alpine areas. In Alberta the species is frequent in Waterton Lakes National Park, and occurs sporadically north to Lake Louise. The Willmore site at Mt Coté is a small northern disjunction for the species in the province. G. anomala is an endemic boreal species which displays large gaps in its range within North America where it is known from the Western Cordillera, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence area; the species occurs also in Europe and Asia.

Grimmia mollis B.S.G. G3G5/S1

Grimmia mollis is a silicolous species found that grows on siliceous rocks in intermittent streams at

high elevations. In Alberta, G. mollis was previously known only from the quartzite areas of Jasper

National Park. The Willmore site is northern range extension for the species within the province. G.

mollis is restricted to northern hemisphere mountain regions; it occurs only in North America and

Europe.

Hygrohypnum alpestre (Hedw.) Loeske G3G5/S1

Hygrophynum alpestre grows attached to boulders in streams. In Alberta, the species has been

collected only from a handful of sites in the siliceous areas of Jasper National Park. This species is

known from a scattering of sites around the world, mainly in Europe and eastern and western North

America.

Oreas martiana (Hoppe & Hornsch.) Brid. G5?/S1

This small moss grows in small depressions within alpine tundra or on exposed, siliceous cliff faces.

Oreas martiana is known only from the Willmore area in Alberta. The species is restricted to

northern mountain regions of North America, Europe and Asia.

Racomitrium fasciculare (Hedw.) Brid. G5/S1

This moss is a silicolous species found on rocks, usually near streams. In Alberta, it was previously

known only from the quartzite areas of Jasper National Park. The Willmore site is the northern-most

location for the species in the province. R. fasciculare is a widespread circumboreal moss with

disjunctions in temperate and tropical regions.

Tayloria lingulata (Dicks.) Lindb. G3G5/S2S3

Tayloria lingulata is a subalpine-alpine species that grows either on humus or soil associated with

seepage. In Alberta, the species is found also in Banff and Jasper National Parks. The records in

Willmore are the first for this region. T. lingulata is essentially a circumboreal species that is

widespread also in arctic areas.

SUMMARY Twenty-two rare taxa were noted from the study area in 2000 and thirty-three for 1999 and 2000 combined. An additional fifteen rare vascular plants and 6 rare mosses have been reported for the area (Table 1) but were not reconfirmed during this study. Table 1: Rare vascular plants and mosses known from Willmore Wilderness Park and northern Jasper National Park but not seen in 1999

Scientific Name Common Name

Amblyodon dealbatus (Hedw.) B. S. G. Moss

Aquilegia formosa Fisch. Sitka columbine

Bryobrittonia longipes (Britt.) Horton Moss

Bryum algovicum Sendtn. ex C. Mull. Moss

Carex heleonastes Ehrh. Hudson Bay sedge

Carex petricosa Dewey stone sedge

Cryptogramma stelleri (S. G. Gmel.) Prantl Steller’s rock brake

Draba longipes Raup whitlow-grass

Epilobium lactiflorum L. Willowherb

Erigeron flagellaris A. Gray creeping fleabane

Eriophorum callitrix Cham. beautiful cotton grass

Homalothecium pinnatifidum (Sull. & Lesq.) Lawt. Moss

Loiseleuria procumbens (L.) Desv. alpine azalea

Osmorhiza purpurea (Coult. & Rose) Suksd. purple sweet cicely

Pedicularis langsdorfii ssp. arctica (R. Br.) Pennell arctic lousewort

Ranunculus nivalis L. snow buttercup

Ribes laxiflorum Pursh mountain currant

Salix commutata Bebb changeable willow

Sphagnum compactum DC. ex Lam. & DC. neat bog moss

Sphagnum lindbergii Schimp. ex Lindb. Lindberg’s bog moss

Vaccinium uliginosum L. bog bilberry

Work in northern Jasper National Park and Willmore Wilderness Park has resulted in the discovery of several new populations of tracked species. This is in part, due to the lack of surveys in inaccessible areas. As we venture into these sites, we are increasing our knowledge of population sizes and distributions of these species. Such information is subsequently being used by the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre to assist with the ranking of species ona provincial scale. It is hoped that the information will be of assistance in development of management plans for the respective protected areas. There are many more areas in the study area that need to be explored in order to understand the distribution of rare species within the Parks and also provincially.

REFERENCES

Achuff, P. L. 1997. Special Plant and Landscape Features of Waterton Lakes National Park,

Alberta. Waterton Lakes National Park, Waterton, Alberta. 75 pp.

Aiken, S. G. and S. J. Darbyshire. 1990. Fescue Grasses of Canada. Agriculture Canada

Publicaiton 1844/E. Ottawa, ON. 113 pp.

Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre. 2001. Data files. Alberta Environment, Edmonton.

Bayer, R. J. and G. L. Stebbins. 1993. A synopsis with keys for the genus Antennaria (Asteraceae:

Inuleae: Gnaphaliinae) of North America. Canadian Journal of Botany 71:1589-1604.

Bork, E. 1991. Willmore Wilderness Park Final Report Re: Classification and Management of the

Native Ranges in Willmore Wilderness Park. Range Management Section, Forest Land Use Branch,

Alberta Forest Service, Edmonton, AB.

Bork, E. 1994. Ecological Range Classification of Willmore Wilderness Park. Alberta

Environmental Protection, Edmonton, AB

Douglas, G. W., G. B. Straley and D. Meidinger. 1991. The Vascular Plants of British Columbia.

Part 3—Dicotyledons (Primulaceae through Zygophyllaceae) and Pteridophytes. BC Ministry of

Forests. Special Report Series 3. 177 pp.

Geological Survey of Canada. 1964. Geology—Mount Robson. Map 1499A, Scale 1:250 000.

Packer, J. G. 1983. Flora of Alberta: Sparganium angustifolium and Erigeron trifidus. Canadian

Journal of Botany 61(1):359-366.

Rollins, R. C. 1993. The Cruciferae of Continental North America. Stanford University Press,

Stanford, California. 976 pp.

Vitt, D. H. and René J. Belland. 1996. Attributes of rarity among Alberta mosses: patterns and

prediction of species diversity. The Bryologist 100(1):1-12.

Wagner, W. H. Jr. and J. M. Beitel. 1993. Lycopodiaceae. IN: Flora of North America, Vol. 2,

Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Flora of North America Editorial Committee, Oxford University

Press, New York. pp. 18-37.

Wolf, S. J., J. G. Packer and K. E. Denford. 1979. The taxonomy of Minuartia rossii

(Caryophyllaceae). Canadian Journal of Botany 57(16):1673-1686.

APPENDIX: VASCULAR PLANTS OBSERVED DURING 1999 and 2000

APPENDIX: VASCULAR PLANTS OBSERVED DURING 1999 and 2000

Key: * indicates a specimen exists; boldface = rare species

The following list includes observations by J. Gould, P. Achuff, P. Cotterill and W. J. Crins

Scientific Name Common Name

Achillea millefolium common yarrow

*Aconitum delphinifolium monkshood

*Agoseris aurantiaca orange false dandelion

Agoseris glauca yellow false dandelion

Agropyron trachycaulum var. glaucum slender wheat grass

*Agropyron violaceum broad-glumed wheat grass

*Androsace septentrionalis northern fairy candelabra

Anemone lithophila Drummond’s anemone

Anemone multifida cut-leaved anemone

Anemone occidentalis western anemone

Anemone parviflora small wood anemone

*Antennaria alpina alpine everlasting

Antennaria lanata woolly everlasting

*Antennaria monocephala one-headed everlasting

Antennaria rosea rosy everlasting

*Antennaria umbrinella brown-bracted mountain everlasting

*Anthoxanthum monticola alpine sweet grass

*Arabis lemmonii Lemmon’s rock cress

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi common bearberry

Arctostaphylos rubra alpine bearberry

*Arnica angustifolia alpine arnica

Arnica cordifolia heart-leaved arnica

*Arnica mollis cordilleran arnica

*Artemisia furcata var. furcata forked wormwood

*Artemisia norvegica mountain sagewort

Aster sibiricus Arctic aster

*Astragalus aboriginum Indian milk vetch

*Astragalus alpinus alpine milk vetch

*Astragalus vexilliflexus few-flowered milk vetch

Betula glandulosa bog birch

Botrychium lunaria moonwort

Botrychium minganense

Braya purpurascens alpine braya

*Bromus inermis ssp. pumpellianus awnless brome

*Caltha leptosepala mountain marsh-marigold

*Campanula lasiocarpa Alaska harebell

Campanula uniflora alpine harebell

*Cardamine bellidifolia alpine bitter cress

*Cardamine oligosperma var. kamtschatica mountain cress

*Carex albo-nigra black-and-white sedge

*Carex atrosquama dark-scaled sedge

*Carex brunnescens brownish sedge

Carex capitata capitate sedge

*Carex curta short sedge

*Carex glacialis glacier sedge

*Carex incurviformis var. incurviformis seaside sedge

*Carex lachenalii two-parted sedge

*Carex nardina fragrant sedge

*Carex nigricans black alpine sedge

*Carex paupercula bog sedge

*Carex phaeocephala head-like sedge

*Carex nigricans black alpine sedge

*Carex rossii Ross’ sedge

Carex rupestris rock sedge

*Carex scirpoidea rush-like sedge

*Carex spectabilis showy sedge

Cassiope mertensiana western mountain-heather

Cassiope tetragona white mountain-heather

*Castilleja occidentalis lance-leaved paintbrush

*Cerastium beeringianum alpine mouse-ear chickweed

*Claytonia lanceolata western spring beauty

Cornus canadensis Bunchberry

*Crepis nana dwarf hawk’s-beard

*Cystopteris fragilis fragile bladder fern

Danthonia intermedia Intermediate oat grass

Deschampsia caespitosa tufted hair grass

*Draba albertina whitlow-grass

*Draba borealis northern whitlow-grass

Draba cana whitlow-grass

*Draba crassifolia thick-leaved whitlow-grass

*Draba incerta whitlow-grass

*Draba longipes whitlow-grass

*Draba paysonii Payson’s whitlow-grass

*Draba porsildii Porsild’s whitlow-grass

Dryas integrifolia northern white mountain avens

*Dryas octopetala white mountain avens

Empetrum nigrum Crowberry

*Epilobium anagallidifolium alpine willowherb

Epilobium angustifolium common fireweed

Epilobium latifolium broad-leaved fireweed

Equisetum arvense common horsetail

Equisetum scirpoides dwarf scouring-rush

Equisetum variegatum variegated horsetail

Erigeron caespitosus tufted fleabane

*Erigeron compositus compound-leaved fleabane

*Erigeron grandiflorus large-flowered fleabane

*Erigeron humilus purple fleabane

Erigeron lanatus woolly fleabane

*Erigeron peregrinus wandering daisy

*Erigeron trifidus trifid-leaved fleabane

*Eriophorum polystachion tall cotton grass

*Eriophorum scheuchzeri one-spike cotton grass

*Festuca altaica

*Festuca baffinensis arctic fescue

*Festuca brachyphylla alpine fescue

Festuca saximontana Rocky Mountain fescue

Fragaria virginiana wild strawberry

*Gentiana glauca alpine gentian

Gentiana prostrata moss gentian

*Gentianella amarella Felwort

*Gentianella propinqua four-parted gentian

*Gymnocarpium dryopteris oak fern

*Hedysarum alpinum alpine hedysarum

Hedysarum boreale northern hedysarum

Hieracium triste alpine hawkweed

Hieracium umbellatum narrow-leaved hawkweed

Hierochloe odorata sweet grass

*Huperzia haleakalae

*Juncus biglumis two-glumed rush

*Juncus castaneus chestnut rush

*Juncus drummondii Drummond’s rush

*Juncus mertensianus slender-stemmed rush

Juniperus communis ground juniper

Kalmia microphylla mountain laurel

Kobresia myosuroides bog-sedge

Ledum groenlandicum common Labrador tea

Linnaea borealis twinflower

*Luetkea pectinata partridgefoot

Lupinus nootkatensis Nootka lupine

Luzula parviflora small-flowered wood-rush

Luzula piperi mountain wood-rush

*Luzula spicata spiked wood-rush

*Lycopodium alpinum alpine club-moss

Lycopodium annotinum stiff club-moss

Mertensia paniculata tall lungwort

Minuartia austromontana green alpine sandwort

*Minuartia biflora dwarf alpine sandwort

*Minuartia elegans purple alpine sandwort

*Minuartia rubella red-seeded sandwort

Mitella nuda bishop’s-cap

Moehringia lateriflora blunt-leaved sandwort

Myosotis alpestris alpine forget-me-not

Orthilia secunda one-sided wintergreen

Oxyria digyna mountain sorrel

*Oxytropis campestris var. davisii purple mountain locoweed

Oxytropis cf. cusickii alpine locoweed

*Oxytropis podocarpa inflated oxytrope

*Papaver kluanensis alpine poppy

Parnassia palustris northern grass-of-parnassus

Pedicularis bracteosa western lousewort

*Pedicularis capitata large-flowered lousewort

*Pedicularis flammea flame-coloured lousewort

*Pedicularis labradorica Labrador lousewort

*Pedicularis lanata woolly lousewort

*Penstemon procerus slender blue beardtongue

Petasites frigidus sweet coltsfoot

*Phacelia sericea silky scorpionweed

*Phleum commutatum mountain timothy

Phyllodoce empetriformis red heather

Phyllodoce glandulifera yellow heather

*Phyllodoce x intermedia pink heather

Picea engelmannii Engelmann spruce

Picea glauca white spruce

Platanthera hyperborea northern green bog orchid

Platanthera obtusata blunt-leaved bog orchid

*Poa alpina alpine bluegrass

*Poa arctica arctic bluegrass

*Poa glauca timberline bluegrass

*Poa cf. leptocoma bog bluegrass

*Polemonium pulcherrimum showy Jacob’s-ladder

Polygonum viviparum alpine bistort

Populus balsamifera balsam poplar

Populus tremuloides Aspen

*Potentilla diversifolia mountain cinquefoil

*Potentilla gracilis graceful cinquefoil

*Potentilla hyparctica northern cinquefoil

*Potentilla cf. multisecta smooth-leaved cinquefoil

*Potentilla nivea snow cinquefoil

*Potentilla uniflora one-flowered cinquefoil

Pyrola grandiflora Arctic wintergreen

*Ranunculus eschscholtzii mountain buttercup

Ranunculus hyperboreus boreal buttercup

*Ranunculus occidentalis var. brevistylis western buttercup

Ranunculus pedatifidus northern buttercup

*Ranunculus pygmaeus dwarf buttercup

Rubus arcticus dwarf raspberry

*Rumex acetosella sheep sorrel

Salix alaxensis Alaska willow

*Salix arctica Arctic willow

Salix barrattiana Barratt’s willow

Salix drummondiana Drummond’s willow

Salix glauca smooth willow

Salix myrtillifolia myrtle-leaved willow

*Salix reticulata snow willow

*Saussaurea nuda dwarf saw-wort

Saxifraga aizoides yellow mountain saxifrage

*Saxifraga adscendens wedge-leaved saxifrage

*Saxifraga caespitosa tufted saxifrage

*Saxifraga cernua nodding saxifrage

*Saxifraga ferruginea Saxifrage

*Saxifraga flagellaris Spiderplant

*Saxifraga hyperborea brook saxifrage

*Saxifraga lyallii red-stemmed saxifrage

*Saxifraga nelsoniana ssp. porsildiana Nelson’s saxifrage

Saxifraga nivalis alpine saxifrage

*Saxifraga occidentalis rhomboid-leaved saxifrage

Saxifraga oppositifolia purple saxifrage

*Saxifraga tricuspidata three-toothed saxifrage

Schizachne purpurascens purple oat grass

*Sedum lanceolatum lance-leaved stonecrop

*Selaginella densa prairie selaginella

*Senecio pauciflorus few-flowered ragwort

Senecio streptanthifolius northern ragwort

Senecio triangularis brook ragwort

Shepherdia canadensis Canada buffaloberry

*Sibbaldia procumbens sibbaldia

Silene acaulis moss campion

*Silene involucrata alpine bladder catchfly

*Silene uralensis nodding campion

Sisyrinchium montanum common blue-eyed grass

Solidago multiradiata alpine goldenrod

*Stellaria longipes long-stalked chickweed

Taraxacum ceratophorum northern dandelion

Taraxacum officinale common dandelion

*Trisetum spicatum spike trisetum

*Vaccinium caespitosum dwarf bilberry

Vaccinium membranaceum tall billberry

Vaccinium vitis-idaea bog cranberry

Vahlodea atropurpurea mountain hair grass

Valeriana sitchensis mountain valerian

Veratrum escholtzii

Veronica alpina alpine speedwell

*Viola cf epipsila marsh violet

*Viola pallens Macloskey’s violet

Zygadenus elegans white camas

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