Willowleaf Aster

Species information

The following is a report on progress made towards the protection and recovery of Willowleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum praealtum) in Ontario, from 2007 to 2018, based on species-specific policy. This report meets the legislative requirement for a review of progress under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA or “the Act”). Willowleaf Aster is listed as threatened on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List under the ESA.

Willowleaf Aster has been classified as a species at risk in Ontario, since 2000. It was originally classified as vulnerable (in 2000), and then as threatened (in 2004), under the previous Endangered Species Act. It retained its “threatened” status under the ESA, when it came into force in 2008.

The species-specific policy for Willowleaf Aster, known as the Government Response Statement (GRS), was published in 2014, and includes the government's recovery goal for the species, and the actions and priorities it leads or supports to help achieve that goal. The GRS considers science advice provided in the recovery strategy, when developing recovery actions for the species. As legislated in the Act, the purpose of this Review is to report on progress made towards implementing the protection and recovery actions in the GRS. The Review can also help identify opportunities to adjust and adapt the implementation of protection and recovery actions to achieve the recovery goal for the species.

Further information about the species, including the threats it faces, and actions being taken to help protect and recover them, is available on the Government of Ontario webpage for Willowleaf Aster. A summary of progress made towards the protection and recovery of Willowleaf Aster, and an annual update on the species at risk program, are available on the Review of Progress towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario's Species at Risk webpage.

Snapshot

Progress towards the protection and recovery of Hill’s Thistle and Lakeside Daisy

• The recovery goal in the Government Response Statement (GRS) for Willowleaf Aster is to maintain populations and sub-populations at, or enable them to increase to, sustainable levels at sites where the species occurs in Ontario.
• Progress has been made towards implementing all GRS government-led actions. Progress has also been made towards achieving all government-supported recovery objectives, and implementing associated actions. Examples of progress include:
  • Developing and implementing site-specific management strategies to manage and improve Willowleaf Aster habitat and reduce threats at sites where the species occurs
  • Conducting prescribed burns and removing invasive plant species to improve habitat for the species
  • Working with landowners to inform them about the species and manage habitat on their properties
• In alignment with the GRS, more work is required to research factors influencing successful reproduction and dispersal of Willowleaf Aster, and gather Indigenous traditional knowledge and community knowledge about the species.

Occurrence and distribution

• Eighteen populations^{footnote 1[1]} of Willowleaf Aster have been documented in Ontario, of which seven are considered extant, ten are considered historical^{footnote 2[2]}, and one is considered extirpated.
• Three of the extant populations were identified for the first time since 2008, with additional observations submitted between 2008 and 2017. Records for another population have existed since 1994, but were not reported to the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) until 2009.

Government-supported stewardship projects

• Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, the Government of Ontario has enabled its stewardship partners to conduct 11 projects ($315,983) that have supported the protection and recovery of Willowleaf Aster. All of these projects focused on multiple species at risk, including Willowleaf Aster.
• The government's support helped its stewardship partners to involve 130 individuals who volunteered 1,529 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for species at risk, including Willowleaf Aster. The estimated value of these voluntary contributions, as well as additional funding and in-kind support, is $259,927.
• Stewardship partners reported that, through their actions, 201 hectares of habitat were enhanced for Willowleaf Aster and other species at risk that inhabit the same ecosystem.
• Stewardship partners reported providing outreach on multiple species at risk, including Willowleaf Aster, to 148 individuals.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

• Under the ESA, the Government of Ontario has issued one “protection of human health or safety” permit under clause 17(2)(a), two protection or recovery permits under clause 17(2)(b), two overall benefit permits under clause 17(2)(c), and one social and economic benefit permit under clause 17(2)(d), for Willowleaf Aster.
• Four agreements for Willowleaf Aster were entered into and enabled through Ontario Regulation 242/08 (prior to the July 1, 2013 amendment).
• Eighteen activities have been registered for Willowleaf Aster, under the Drainage works (section 23.9), Ecosystem protection (section 23.11), Species protection, recovery activities (section 23.17), and “Threats to human health or safety, not imminent” (section 23.18) sections of Ontario Regulation 242/08 under the ESA.

Reporting on progress towards the protection and recovery of Willowleaf Aster

The implementation of government-led and government-supported actions demonstrates progress towards reaching the desired objectives and the recovery goal set out in the GRS.

Progress towards implementing government-led actions

Progress has been made towards implementing all the government-led actions in the GRS for Willowleaf Aster. Common actions for the government to lead as it works toward achieving a species' recovery goal include:

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

Additionally, the government has directly undertaken the following species-specific action:

• Continue to implement the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan to address the invasive species (for example, Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)) that threaten Willowleaf Aster.

Key progress made towards implementing other government-led actions is described in the following sections.

Occurrence and distribution

Eighteen populations^{footnote 1[1]} of Willowleaf Aster have been documented in Ontario, of which seven are extant, ten are considered historical^{footnote 2[2]} , and one is considered extirpated. The extant populations are located across southwestern Ontario – in the Windsor area, in Essex County, and in the St. Clair National Wildlife Area. The Windsor-Lasalle population is estimated to have excellent viability^{footnote 3[3]} while the viability of the remaining six are unknown.

Since 2008, the government's central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) has received 64 records of the species, based on observations between 1956 and 2018, from a variety of sources. Records submitted have helped to refine where the species is known and has been known to occur, and have provided additional information on the species' habitat and threats.

Three of the known extant populations – at Big Creek Conservation Area, Marshfield Woods in Essex County, and the St. Clair National Wildlife Area – have been discovered since 2008. Records for another population have existed since 1994, but were not reported to the NHIC until 2009. In contrast, five populations that were previously considered extant in 2008 are now considered historical since no observations were reported in over 20 years.

It is possible that there are observations of Willowleaf Aster that have not been submitted to the government. Encouraging the submission of observations of this species is included in the GRS as a government-led action. The submission of species observations 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 Willowleaf Aster, and any other species at risk, to the NHIC for incorporation into the provincial record of observations. Observations may now be submitted to NHIC via the Rare Species of Ontario project in iNaturalist.

• 64
  observations of this species were submitted to the NHIC since 2008

Government-supported stewardship projects

An important government-led action in the GRS for Willowleaf Aster is to support partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the species. Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program the government has supported 11 projects ($315,983) designed to contribute to the protection and recovery of Willowleaf Aster. All 11 projects focused on multiple species at risk, including Willowleaf Aster ^{footnote 4[4]}. In addition to government funding, partners reported that they were successful in securing funding ($259,927) from other sources, which included 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 130 individuals who volunteered 1,529 hours of their time towards protection and recovery activities for multiple species at risk including Willowleaf Aster, which has an estimated value of $65,080. Partners also reported that, through both their efforts and those of their volunteers, to implement actions contained in the GRS, they were successful in enhancing 201 hectares of habitat that will benefit multiple species at risk, including Willowleaf Aster. In addition, stewardship partners reported providing ecosystem-based outreach on multiple species, including Willowleaf Aster, to 148 individuals.

Species at Risk Stewardship Program

• 
  11

  projects included Willowleaf Aster

• 
  $315,983

  for multi-species projects that included Willowleaf Aster

• 
  $259,927

  in additional funding and in-kind support

• 
  130

  volunteers

• 
  619

  volunteer hours

• 
  148

  people received outreach

• 
  201

  hectares of habitat enhanced

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

Supporting partners through permits and their associated conditions is an important government-led action. Several permits have been issued for Willowleaf Aster.

One health and safety (17(2)(a)) permit was issued exclusively for Willowleaf Aster, to enable municipal culvert repair and replacement work.

Two protection or recovery (17(2)(b)) permits were issued, one of which was exclusively for Willowleaf Aster, while the other was for multiple species, including Willowleaf Aster. “Protection or recovery” permits are issued if the purpose of the activity is to assist in the protection or recovery of a species at risk. These permits enabled a variety of organizations to undertake activities for the species, such as moving plants to a safe location, and taking leaf samples for genetic studies.

Three “overall benefit” (17(2)(c)) permits were issued, one exclusively for Willowleaf Aster, and the other two for multiple species, including Willowleaf Aster. The “overall benefit” permits included conditions designed to implement government-supported actions identified in the GRS for Willowleaf Aster, including:

• Providing for the long-term protection of Willowleaf Aster by granting a conservation easement to a conservation body as approved by the government
• Preparing a Management Plan to be approved by the government that guides the transplanting and subsequent monitoring of Willowleaf Aster plants
• Preparing a final monitoring report on the effectiveness of the transplanting and propagation actions

Other conditions designed to minimize adverse effects included:

• Erecting a fence that protects Willowleaf Aster plants to be removed and transplanted from construction activities
• Ensuring habitat suitable to support Willowleaf Aster will be available in the Restoration Sites before undertaking any construction activity that would impact on Willowleaf Aster individuals existing within the impact site
• Removing and transplanting of Willowleaf Aster plants, after all individuals have become dormant, including the entire depth of the root

A social and economic benefit (17(2)(d)) permit was issued for multiple species, including Willowleaf Aster, as part of the authorization process for the construction of enhanced international border crossing infrastructure between Windsor and Detroit. The “social and economic benefit” permit was issued to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and was one of the authorizations issued for the construction of the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, the access road portion of a new end-to-end border transportation system between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. Although the main purpose of an activity authorized by a 17(2)(d) permit is not to assist in the protection or recovery of the species, the Minister must be of the opinion that the activity will result in a significant social or economic benefit to Ontario. The Minister must also be of the opinion that the activity will not jeopardize the survival or recovery of the species in Ontario, that reasonable alternatives have been considered, and that reasonable steps to minimize adverse effects on the individual members of the species are required by the conditions of the permit.

General conditions in this permit to minimize adverse effects on the species included:

• Providing all workers on the site with a fact sheet identifying each of the species at risk named in the permit, and guidance on appropriate actions to take if a member of these species is encountered
• Training all persons carrying out any mitigation or monitoring activities authorized by the permit on relevant species at risk, by persons authorized by government

The permit included detailed conditions for Willowleaf Aster such as:

• A Willowleaf Aster Restoration and Management Plan shall be prepared that provides detailed information regarding the goals, methods, and techniques to be adopted for activities relating to the species
• Before any construction begins, detailed site assessments of the Candidate Restoration Sites shall be conducted to determine which sites are suitable for receiving planted and transplanted Willowleaf Aster individuals
• Two out of every three Willowleaf Aster individuals within the ESA footprint shall be removed and transplanted, with their full root systems intact, into habitat within the Final Restoration Sites that is suitable to support Willowleaf Aster
• Where Willowleaf Aster individuals are found growing in close association to one another (i.e., within 30 centimetres of each other, to a maximum size of 1 metre squared), individuals shall be removed as a clump, with earth and associated plants attached, and the entire mass transplanted into the Final Restoration Sites

More detailed information regarding “overall benefit” and social and economic permits is available through the Environment Registry of Ontario.

Four agreements were entered into for Willowleaf Aster that were enabled through Ontario Regulation 242/08 (prior to the July 1, 2013 amendment). Conditions of the agreements included requirements to implement actions such as:

• Preparing a mitigation plan that:
  • Establishes reasonable steps to be taken that will minimize the adverse effects of the activities on the species
  • Provides for monitoring of the effects of the activities on the species
  • Establishes reporting requirements
  • Identifying and marking individuals in the work area to limit equipment access and operations where any individuals occur
  • Minimizing adverse effects by avoiding compaction and disturbance of the soil, to avoid damaging roots and stems

Eighteen activities that may affect Willowleaf Aster or its habitat have been registered for under various sections of Ontario Regulation 242/08, under the ESA. Eight activities were registered under “Drainage works” (section 23.9), one under Ecosystem protection (Section 23.11), five under Species protection, recovery activities (section 23.17), and four under “Threats to human health or safety, not imminent” (section 23.19). These registrations require the registrant to comply with all conditions of the Regulation, such as preparing a mitigation plan using best available information on steps that may help minimize or avoid adverse effects on the species; ensuring the activity is carried out by or under the supervision of a person with expertise in the type of ecological conservation work involved; relocating the vascular plant to a nearby location within the species' habitat that is suitable and safe for the species so it is not killed or harmed, if it is feasible to do so; and, reporting species observations to the Natural Heritage Information Centre using the Ontario Species at Risk Observation Reporting Form.

• 1
  health or safety permit
• 2
  protection or recovery permits
• 3
  overall benefit permits

• 1
  social and economic benefit permit
• 4
  agreements
• 18
  registrations

Progress towards implementing government-supported actions

Government-supported actions are organized under overarching recovery objectives. Progress has been made towards achieving all government-supported recovery objectives, and implementing associated actions identified in the GRS.

Considerable progress has been made towards implementing high priority Action No. 1 under this objective, through several projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program which involved extensive work to remove invasive plant species, conduct prescribed burns, reduce habitat fragmentation, and plant tallgrass species to restore prairie habitat.

Under this objective, progress has been made towards implementing high priority Action No. 2, and initial progress made towards implementing Action No. 4, through several projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program as well as through the implementation of ESA authorization conditions. The stewardship projects focused on inventorying and monitoring species at risk plants, including Willowleaf Aster. Permit conditions included conducting outreach and education targeted towards local landowners and homeowners, about protecting the species and its habitat.

Under this objective, considerable progress has been made towards implementing Action No. 5, through projects supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program as well as through the implementation of ESA authorization conditions. Activities included wide-ranging surveys across southern Ontario, prescribed burns to restore tallgrass prairie habitat, invasive species removal to improve habitat, and working with landowners to inform them about the species and how to manage the species' habitat on their properties.

Summary of progress towards meeting the recovery goal

The recovery goal for Willowleaf Aster is to “maintain populations and sub-populations at, or enable them to increase to, sustainable levels at sites where the species occurs in Ontario.” The provincial record of observations indicates the Windsor-Lasalle population to have excellent estimated viability. The viability of the remaining six extant populations are unknown. Six out of seven extant populations have been recently observed (since 2008). However, further information on abundances and population trends are required to determine whether we are tracking toward maintaining populations at sustainable levels. Through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, extensive work has been completed to develop and implement site-specific management strategies for Willowleaf Aster habitat, and also to reduce threats to the species.

Recommendations

As stated in the GRS, this Review of Progress can be used to help identify whether adjustments to the implementation of GRS actions are needed, to achieve the protection and recovery of the species. Based on progress to date, the overall direction provided in the GRS for Willowleaf Aster, particularly the implementation of actions identified as high priority, should continue to guide protection and recovery of the species.

Although varying levels of progress have been made towards implementing the GRS actions for Willowleaf Aster, further work is needed to fully implement these actions and contribute to the ongoing protection and recovery of this species. Relative to actions that have received a stronger level of implementation, the following actions have received less implementation, and may be prioritized in future work towards the protection and recovery of the species:

Protecting and recovering Willowleaf Aster 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, we can continue to make progress towards protecting and recovering Willowleaf Aster in Ontario.