Heart-leaved Plantain

Species information

This chapter provides a review of progress towards the protection and recovery of Heart-leaved Plantain in Ontario from 2007 to 2017.

Heart-leaved Plantain (Plantago cordata) is a perennial herb that consists of flower spikes growing from a basal rosette of distinct, heart-shaped leaves. The leaves are approximately 10 to 25 centimeters long and are visible only in summer seasons as narrow, longer leaves are produced in the spring and autumn. The flower stems are leafless with small, fleshy green flowers present on the upper portions. Heart-leaved Plantain is semi-aquatic and possesses large, branching roots.

The distribution of Heart-leaved Plantain in Ontario is limited to the southwest portion of the province with the largest noted areas of occupation occurring south of Windsor along the Detroit River. Additional populations have been recorded in small patches between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. In areas where it has been found, the Heart-leaved Plantain prefers wet woods in areas that are undisturbed. The species is most commonly found along slow-moving clear streams with rocky or gravelly beds containing limestone. Heart-leaved Plantain is commonly found in woodlands with wet soils containing Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum), Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Blue-beech (Carpinus caroliniana), Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) and Basswood (Tilia americana).

Heart-leaved Plantain faces several threats to its survival and recovery, including impacts to water quality, and habitat loss resulting from land-use changes. The high density of agricultural land use in the areas where this species lives has resulted in a general decrease in water quality from runoff, land clearing upstream, diversion of ditches and watercourses, and removal of riparian vegetation. Many of the historical habitat sites of Heart-leaved Plantain have also been cleared for development, agricultural use, and forestry practices, and remaining patches are geographically isolated.

The survival and recovery of Heart-leaved Plantain are influenced by other factors as well. This species of plantain has a very slow rate of reproductive success, potentially due to the resources expended to produce the large roots and broad leaves. A small number of seeds are produced with limited water-based distribution in slow-moving streams. The Heart-leaved Plantain has highly specialized habitat requirements thereby further limiting the opportunities for this plant to colonize new areas or expand into adjacent lands. In recent years invasive species have become a potential concern as non-native invertebrates including slugs, snails, weevils, and caterpillars may be increasingly consuming this species.

Heart-leaved Plantain is listed as endangered at the provincial level (Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List) and endangered at the federal level (Schedule 1 under the Species at Risk Act). Globally, it is considered to be secure (NatureServe Explorer).

Provincial status

The Heart-leaved Plantain was regulated under the previous Endangered Species Act and has been listed as endangered since 1985. Under the Endangered Species Act, 2007(ESA or “the Act”), Heart-leaved Plantain retained its status as endangered. The Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) assessed the Heart-leaved Plantain in 1997, 2000 and 2011, and the species maintained its status as endangered on the SARO List. In future assessments, COSSARO may consider information gained through protection and recovery actions regarding the species’ threats and trends in population and distribution.

Species and habitat protection

Protecting Heart-leaved Plantain and its habitat are key components in the implementation of the ESA and continue to be government-led actions, as identified in the government response statement (GRS). As a species that was regulated under the previous Endangered Species Act, Heart-leaved Plantain has received species and habitat protection since 1985 and retained these protections under the ESA. The Act prohibits the species from being killed, harmed, harassed, captured or taken and its habitat from being damaged or destroyed. Habitat protection for this species is based on the general habitat definition in the Act. The ESA does not require a habitat regulation to be developed for transition^{footnote 1[1]} species such as Heart-leaved Plantain.

Any person who negatively impacts Heart-leaved Plantain or its habitat without prior authorization may be prosecuted under the ESA.

Recovery strategy

A recovery strategy for Heart-leaved Plantain was published on June 15, 2012, which was in advance of the date required by the ESA. Recovery strategies are advice to government and represent the best available scientific knowledge. The strategy identifies the habitat needs of the species and the threats that it faces, while recommending objectives and approaches for its protection and recovery. The recovery strategy also includes recommendations on the areas of habitat to be considered in the development of a habitat regulation.

Government response statement

The government published the GRS for Heart-leaved Plantain on May 31, 2013. The GRS is the Government of Ontario’s species-specific policy on what is needed to protect and recover a given species, and includes the associated recovery goal.

To help achieve this goal, the government leads, supports and prioritizes recovery actions identified in the GRS. Common actions for the government to lead as it works towards achieving a species’ recovery goal are provided in section 2.5 of the Species at Risk Program Status (2008-2015). An action in the GRS for the government to lead that is specific to this species, and not included in the typical actions in section 2.5 is:

• Develop a survey protocol to be used by proponents and partners to detect the presence or absence of Heart-leaved Plantain.

The GRS for Heart-leaved Plantain also lists five actions the government supports others to undertake for the species. These government-supported actions fall under the objectives identified in the GRS, which are:

• Protect and promote habitat management at existing sites in Ontario; and
• Improve knowledge of the species' biology, habitat, and threats.

Government-funded projects

An important government-led action in the GRS for Heart-leaved Plantain is to support partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the species. Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, the government has supported seven projects ($809,600) designed to contribute to the protection and recovery of Heart-leaved Plantain. All of these projects targeted multiple species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain. In addition to the government funding, the partners reported that they were successful in securing additional funding ($898,790) from other sources. This amount includes in-kind support in the form of time and expertise provided by volunteers.

Stewardship partners reported that provincial funding helped them to secure in-kind support by involving 905 individuals who volunteered 17,298 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for multiple species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain, which has an estimated value of $346,280. The stewardship partners also reported that through both their efforts and the efforts of their volunteers to implement actions contained in the GRS, they were successful in enhancing 20 hectares of habitat that will benefit multiple species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain. In addition, the partners reported providing outreach to multiple species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain, to over 4,000 individuals.

The government also supports proponents in conducting research that addresses important knowledge gaps for species at risk. Through the Species at Risk Research Fund for Ontario, the government provided funding to several partners to conduct research on the current distribution and habitat requirements of Heart-leaved Plantain as an identified objective to improve knowledge of the species’ biology, habitat and threats in the GRS.

The remainder of this section highlights a project supported through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program as well as the corresponding government-supported recovery actions for the species.

In 2017 Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority received funding from the Species at Risk Stewardship Program to implement a project entitled “Recovery Actions for Species at Risk in the Ausable River Watershed.” Heart-leaved Plantain and three fish species at risk were targeted, which all occur along watercourses and rely on healthy riparian forest habitats in southern Ontario. The project objectives relevant to Heart-leaved Plantain were to:

• Plant trees, shrubs and native vegetation to restore naturally vegetated riparian buffers to establish connecting corridors for terrestrial species at risk in the Ausable River, Parkhill Creek and Mud Creek watersheds
• Conduct terrestrial species at risk surveys, specifically targeting Heart-leaved Plantain and False Rue-anemone (Enemion biternatum), on Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority properties to confirm and quantify existing known occurrences and search for new occurrences
• Host educational Ausable River Recovery information sessions for targeted watershed residents to provide aquatic species at risk awareness and information, as well as encourage implementation of beneficial stewardship actions

Key project activities included: site occupancy surveys; landowner outreach and educational events; stewardship activities; and habitat mapping. The project results were used to document current distribution and abundance of the target species at risk as part of a long term study. A total of four educational outreach events were held with an attendance of approximately 700 individuals. Information about local species at risk was provided at these events and stewardship resources were provided to encourage landowners to enhance habitat on their property.

During the 2017 growing season, surveys were completed on Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority lands which documented the presence of individual plants or small clusters of small plants in seven locations. These observations all occurred within the existing known distribution, and specific information was collected as to the habitat conditions in which they were found.

This project supports three of the GRS actions for Heart-leaved Plantain, including:

• Develop outreach materials that highlight the significance, vulnerability and threats to the Heart-leaved Plantain and distribute these materials to appropriate conservation authorities, Indigenous communities, partners, land owners, municipal planners and other key stakeholders
• Conduct surveys for the Heart-leaved Plantain in association with other priority species to monitor current habitat quality and extent, population size and health, and major threats
• Survey areas of suitable habitat along streams that have historical reports of the species, and additional sites with suitable habitat in order to identify additional populations

Species at Risk Stewardship Fund

• 
  7

  projects included Heart-leaved Plantain

• 
  $809,600

  for multi-species projects that included Heart-leaved Plantain

• 
  $898,790

  in additional funding and in-kind support

• 
  905

  volunteers

• 
  17,298

  volunteer hours

• 
  4,000

  people received outreach

Efforts to minimize adverse effects on Heart-leaved Plantain

Supporting partners through permits and their associated conditions is an important government-led action. To date, no permits have been issued for Heart-leaved Plantain.

One activity that may affect Heart-leaved Plantain or its habitat has been registered under ‘Possession for educational purposes, etc.’ (section 23.15) of Ontario Regulation 242/08 under the ESA.

The registration requires the registered individual to comply with all conditions of the regulation, such as:

• After acquiring the member of the species, the part or the thing, the educational organization must create a record relating to it containing the following information:
  • A statement describing what was acquired, whether a living or dead member of a species, a part of a member of a species or a thing derived from a member of a species, and identifying the relevant species
  • The date the member of the species, the part or the thing comes into the possession of the educational organization
  • The person from whom the member of the species, the part or the thing was acquired and a description of the circumstances under which it was acquired
• The educational organization must maintain the records required for as long as the member of the species, the part or the thing is in its possession and provide copies of the records to the government on request
• In the case of a living member of a species, the educational organization must take reasonable steps to ensure that the member is safe from harm while in its possession

Occurrences of Heart-leaved Plantain in Ontario

Six populations^{footnote 2[2]} of Heart-leaved Plantain have been documented in Ontario. Two are considered to be extant (i.e., observed within the past 20 years) and four are considered to be extirpated.

Since 2008, the government’s central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received 19 records of the species. These records are based on observations between 1984 and 2010, with 14 of the confirmed observations occurring after 2008. Records submitted come from a variety of sources and have helped to refine where the species is known and has been known to occur and can provide additional information on the species’ habitat and threats.

The two extant populations of Heart-leaved Plantain have maintained a consistently positive viability since 2008. Confirmed NHIC records for both populations are available from 2010, although information on the comparative size and extent of the populations is not available.

In 2017, a concentrated effort was undertaken by Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority to monitor the Heart-leaved Plantain population present on a local parcel of land known to contain the species. This effort resulted in documentation of the plant at seven microsites within the property and observation of both established adult plants and new growth. These records have not yet been processed and evaluated by NHIC.

It should be noted that in 2008 there were two additional populations identified that were later determined to be part of existing populations due to their proximity and not independent locations. In 2018, these two populations were combined with the appropriate extant populations.

It should also be noted that concentrated search efforts for Heart-leaved Plantain have been documented at the extirpated sites, and the high level of general plant monitoring in the area is likely to have identified any remaining plants if they existed. The extirpated populations of Heart-leaved Plantain were designated as such prior to the ESA implementation with the most recent observations for each occurring prior to 1968.

It is possible that there are observations of Heart-leaved Plantain that have not been submitted to the government. Encouraging the submission of observations of this species to the government is included in the GRS as a government-led action. Submission of species the government increases our knowledge of where they occur and can play an important role in assessing the viability of species populations.

Everyone is encouraged, or may be required by an authorization or approval, to submit observations of Heart-leaved Plantain, and any other species at risk observed, to the government’s NHIC for incorporation into the provincial record of observations.

Summary of progress towards meeting the recovery goal

Summary of progress

Progress has been made towards the majority of the government-led actions and the majority of the government-supported actions outlined in the GRS for Heart-leaved Plantain. The Government of Ontario has directly undertaken actions to:

• Educate other agencies and authorities involved in planning and environmental assessment processes on the protection requirements under the ESA
• Encourage the submission of Heart-leaved Plantain data to the government’s central repository at the NHIC
• Undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario
• Protect the Heart-leaved Plantain and its habitat through the ESA
• Support conservation, agency, municipal, industry partners and Indigenous communities to undertake activities to protect and recover the Heart-leaved Plantain. Support will be provided where appropriate through funding, agreements, permits (including conditions) and advisory services

Government-supported actions are organized under recovery objective focus areas. Progress has been made towards all of the government-supported recovery objectives and the majority of the associated actions identified in the GRS for Heart-leaved Plantain.

Under the objective to protect and promote habitat management at existing sites in Ontario, considerable progress has been made towards all of the actions.

• Develop and distribute best management practices for appropriate forest, watershed, and upstream agricultural management within the watersheds of existing populations (Action No. 1 – High Priority).
• Develop outreach materials that highlight the significance, vulnerability and threats to the Heart-leaved Plantain and distribute these materials to appropriate conservation authorities, Indigenous communities, partners, land owners, municipal planners and other key stakeholders (Action No. 2).

These actions have been implemented through multiple projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The projects were delivered by Conservation Authorities and non-profits that developed and delivered materials geared specifically towards landowners, farmers, residents, and other groups in the respective areas. Materials provided included both best management practices and general educational material about Heart-leaved Plantain and other local species at risk.

Under the objective to improve knowledge of the species' biology, habitat, and threats considerable progress has been made towards Action No. 3 and Action No. 4, while initial progress has been made towards Action No. 5.

• Conduct surveys for the Heart-leaved Plantain in association with other priority species to monitor current habitat quality and extent, population size and health, and major threats (Action No. 3 – High Priority).
• Survey areas of suitable habitat along streams that have historical reports of the species, and additional sites with suitable habitat in order to identify additional populations (Action No. 4).
• Investigate major threats to the Heart-leaved Plantain and its habitat, such as whether collection of the plant is occurring and impacting population viability, and the effects of changes in water quality and hydrologic regime (Action No. 5).

Action No. 3 and Action No. 4 have been implemented through multiple monitoring programs supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. These monitoring activities were undertaken by local Conservation Authorities that made concerted efforts to survey for Heart-leaved Plantain in both known and potential habitat areas. Action No. 5 however has only minor progress achieved through incidental documentation of potential threats and information garnered from studies on other species. No projects were documented that included a targeted effort to measure and assess major threats such as those noted in the GRS Action.

The recovery goal for Heart-leaved Plantain is to promote or maintain a self-sustaining Ontario population. Effort made towards the government-led and government-supported actions has helped to make progress towards the recovery goal for Heart-leaved Plantain. For example, considerable efforts have been made to ensure appropriate information and education is provided to landowners and decision makers that may influence land use decisions. Continued efforts have been made to monitor both existing populations and potential habitat areas to ensure accurate information as to the health and sustainability of populations. In alignment with the recovery goal the provincial record of observation suggests the species continues to persist and maintain positive viabilities at the two extant sites with no change since 2008.

Recommendations

As stated in the GRS, this review of progress can be used to help identify whether adjustments are needed to achieve the protection and recovery of the species. Based on progress to date, the overall direction provided in the GRS for Heart-leaved Plantain should continue to guide protection and recovery of the species, particularly those actions identified as high priority in the GRS. Relative to actions that have received a stronger level of support, the following actions have received less support and may be prioritized in future activities and associated decisions regarding the protection and recovery of the species:

• Develop a survey protocol to be used by proponents and partners to detect the presence or absence of Heart-leaved Plantain (government-led action)
• Investigate major threats to the Heart-leaved Plantain and its habitat, such as whether collection of the plant is occurring and impacting population viability, and the effects of changes in water quality and hydrologic regime (Action No. 5)

Moving forward, protecting and recovering Heart-leaved Plantain will continue to be a shared responsibility that will require the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities. Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The government can also advise if any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required to undertake a project. By working together, progress can continue to be made towards protecting and recovering Heart-leaved Plantain in Ontario.

Summary of progress towards the protection and recovery of Heart-leaved Plantain (2007 to 2017)

Provincial status

Heart-leaved Plantain is classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA). Heart-leaved Plantain was also listed under the previous Endangered Species Act, and has retained the same status since transition to the ESA. Heart-leaved Plantain has received species and habitat protection since 1987.

Species-specific documents and guidance published by the government

• Recovery Strategy for Heart-leaved Plantain (2012)
• Heart-leaved Plantain: Ontario Government Response Statement (2013)

Government supported stewardship projects

• Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, the Government of Ontario has enabled its stewardship partners to complete seven projects ($809,600) that have supported the protection and recovery of multiple species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain.
• The government’s support helped its stewardship partners to involve 905 individuals who volunteered 17,298 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain. The estimated value of these voluntary contributions, as well as additional funding and in-kind support, is $898,790.
• Stewardship partners reported that through their actions 20 hectares of habitat were enhanced for Heart-leaved Plantain and other species at risk that inhabit the same ecosystem.
• Stewardship partners reported providing outreach on multiple species at risk, including Heart-leaved Plantain, to 4,000 individuals.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

• One activity has been registered for the species under ‘Possession for educational purposes, etc.’ (section 23.15), under Ontario Regulation 242/08 of the ESA.

Occurrences and distribution

• Six populations of Heart-leaved Plantain have been documented in southwestern Ontario. Currently, two of these populations are extant, whereas the remaining four have been deemed extirpated prior to the ESA implementation. Since 2008 the extant populations have continued to persist and maintained a positive viability based on observations occurring as recently as 2017. No populations of Heart-leaved Plantain have been newly-identified since 2008.

Related information

• Categorizing and Protecting Habitat under the Endangered Species Act
• Natural Heritage Information Centre
• Ontario’s Endangered Species Act
• Ontario’s Endangered Species Act Regulation 242/08
• Ontario Recovery Strategy and Government Response Statement for Heart-leaved Plantain
• Policy Guidance on Harm and Harass under the Endangered Species Act
• Species at Risk in Ontario List
• Species at Risk Stewardship Program