Aquatic Ecosystem Recovery in the Thames River Watershed

• Main Author: Ingrid Taylor
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Key Words; species at risk; ecosystem recovery; Thames River; Ontario; Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.501.9906; http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/pubdocs/bcdocs/400484/taylori_edited_final.pdf

Abstract: The Thames River drains 5285 km2 of land and is the second largest watershed in southwestern Ontario. Most of the watershed is in the Carolinian life zone, making it one of the most biologically diverse aquatic regions in Canada. The Thames River hosts 25 aquatic or semi-aquatic species at risk as designated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC); these include 12 fish species, 7 mussel species, and 6 reptile species. A recovery team was formed in 2002 that consists of representatives from federal and provincial agencies, First Nations groups, conservation authorities, and the University of Western Ontario. This diverse team has taken on the challenge of developing an ecosystem-based recovery plan for this large aquatic ecosystem, which is also situated in a highly developed urban and rural sector of southern Ontario. The associated urban and agricultural land uses contribute to siltation, nutrient and toxic loadings, altered water flows, thermal pollution, dam and barrier impacts, and exotic species invasion, all of which are identified threats to populations of the aquatic species at risk. The Thames ecosystem approach has already demonstrated success in communication and education about species at risk, and in habitat stewardship and restoration efforts. Success has also been made in forming new partnerships with the First Nations of the Thames and in coordinating efforts with two conservation authorities. The ecosystem approach has, however, presented challenges in coordinating the magnitude of species-specific scientific information and in prioritizing the needs of the 25 species at risk. The size of the Thames aquatic ecosystem with its associated division of jurisdictional coverage, and the issues presented by both urban and rural populations, present challenges to the logistics of recovery planning.