Jefferson Salamander Government Response Statement
This document outlines the actions the government intends to take or support to help recover the Jefferson salamander.
Jefferson Salamanders have grey or brown backs, with lighter undersides. Adults are 12-20 cm long with the tail making up half this length. In Canada, the species is found only in southern Ontario, mainly along the Niagara Escarpment. Major threats to the Jefferson Salamander include habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, road-related threats, and introduction of carnivorous fish to breeding ponds.
Protecting and recovering species at risk in Ontario
Species at risk recovery is a key part of protecting Ontario’s biodiversity. Biodiversity – the variety of living organisms on Earth – provides us with clean air and water, food, fibre, medicine and other resources that we need to survive.
The Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA) is the Government of Ontario’s legislative commitment to protecting and recovering species at risk and their habitats. As soon as a species is listed as extirpated, endangered or threatened under the ESA, it is automatically protected from harm or harassment. Also, immediately upon listing, the habitats of endangered and threatened species are protected from damage or destruction.
Under the ESA, the Ministry of Natural Resources (the Ministry) must ensure that a recovery strategy is prepared for each species that is listed as endangered or threatened. A recovery strategy provides science-based advice to government on what is required to achieve recovery of a species.
Government response statements
Within nine months after a recovery strategy is prepared, the ESA requires the Ministry to publish a statement summarizing the government’s intended actions and priorities in response to the recovery strategy. The recovery strategy for Jefferson Salamander was completed on February 18, 2010.
The response statement is the government’s policy response to the scientific advice provided in the recovery strategy. In addition to the strategy, the response statement is based on input from stakeholders, other jurisdictions, Aboriginal communities and members of the public. It reflects the best available traditional, local and scientific knowledge at this time and may be adapted if new information becomes available. In implementing the actions in the response statement, the ESA allows the Ministry to determine what is feasible, taking into account social and economic factors.
Moving forward to protect and recover Jefferson Salamander
The Jefferson Salamander is listed as a threatened species under the ESA which protects both the species and its habitat. The Government of Ontario has demonstrated its commitment to protecting the Jefferson Salamander by prescribing its specific habitat in regulation. The Act prohibits any damage or destruction of that habitat without authorization. Such authorization would require that conditions established by the Ministry be met.
The government’s goal for the recovery of the Jefferson Salamander is to ensure that threats to populations and habitat are addressed, in order to allow for the long-term persistence and expansion of the species within its existing Ontario range.
Protecting and recovering species at risk is a shared responsibility. No single agency or organization has the knowledge, authority, or financial resources to protect and recover all of Ontario’s species at risk. Successful recovery requires inter-governmental co-operation and the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities.
In developing the government response statement, the Ministry considered what actions are feasible for the government to lead directly, and what actions are feasible for the government to support its conservation partners to undertake.
Moving forward to protect and recover Jefferson Salamander
The Jefferson Salamander is listed as a threatened species under the ESA which protects both the species and its habitat. The Government of Ontario has demonstrated its commitment to protecting the Jefferson Salamander by prescribing its specific habitat in regulation. The Act prohibits any damage or destruction of that habitat without authorization. Such authorization would require that conditions established by the Ministry be met.
The government’s goal for the recovery of the Jefferson Salamander is to ensure that threats to populations and habitat are addressed, in order to allow for the long-term persistence and expansion of the species within its existing Ontario range.
Protecting and recovering species at risk is a shared responsibility. No single agency or organization has the knowledge, authority, or financial resources to protect and recover all of Ontario’s species at risk. Successful recovery requires inter-governmental co-operation and the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities.
In developing the government response statement, the Ministry considered what actions are feasible for the government to lead directly, and what actions are feasible for the government to support its conservation partners to undertake.
Government-led actions
To help protect and recover the Jefferson Salamander, the government will directly undertake the following actions:
- Ensure appropriate timing windows for activities undertaken in and around Jefferson Salamander habitat are considered in the application of the ESA.
- Educate other agencies and planning authorities on the requirement to consider the protection of the Jefferson Salamander and its habitat in planning activities and environmental assessment processes.
- Encourage the submission of Jefferson Salamander data to the Ministry of Natural Resources' central repository at the Natural Heritage Information Centre.
- Undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario.
- Protect the Jefferson Salamander through the ESA and enforce the regulation protecting the specific habitat of the species.
- Support conservation, agency, municipal and industry partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the Jefferson Salamander. Support will be provided through funding, agreements, permits (including conditions) and advisory services.
- Establish and communicate annual priority actions for government support in order to encourage collaboration and reduce duplication of efforts.
Government-supported actions
The government endorses the following actions as being necessary for the protection and recovery of the Jefferson Salamander. Actions which are noted as "high" will be given priority consideration for funding or for authorizations under the ESA. The government will focus its support on these high priority actions over the next five years.
Focus area:
Monitoring
Objective:
Identify and monitor populations of the Jefferson Salamander in Ontario.
Actions:
- (High) Verify and document the locations of historic, existing and potential populations and the characteristics of their habitat.
- (High) Implement a standardized monitoring protocol to measure the presence or absence of salamanders, the site-specific and cumulative impacts at the locations, and trends in habitat condition. The monitoring frequency of the locations should be prioritized on the basis of current and potential threats. Each year, monitoring should include both unaltered sites and sites under threat, in order to allow for comparison of impacts.
Focus area:
Threat management
Objective:
Evaluate and implement threat mitigation and habitat restoration techniques.
Actions:
- (High) Investigate the tolerance of the species to environmental and cultural stressors (e.g., environmental contaminants, agricultural activities, urban development and resource extraction) and potential approaches to mitigate these threats.
- At sites where Jefferson Salamander used to occur, identify factors that likely caused the loss of the population (e.g., water-level fluctuations, addition of fish, or loss of egg attachment sites).
- Identify currently unoccupied sites where the species used to occur and where the habitat has the potential to be enhanced or restored.
- Where appropriate, implement habitat restoration and threat mitigation techniques at priority sites.
- As opportunities arise, support the securement of habitat of the Jefferson Salamander through existing land securement and stewardship programs.
Focus area:
Habitat research
Objective:
Address knowledge gaps on the species' movements and habitat use to inform protection of habitat.
Actions:
- Continue research on the species' use of habitat with a focus on gaining information about fall movements, overwintering areas and juvenile dispersal.
- Conduct research on the hydrology of breeding habitat to determine the sensitivity of breeding habitat to changes in the quantity and quality of water.
Focus area:
Awareness
Objective:
Raise awareness and promote stewardship of Jefferson Salamanders and their habitat in Ontario.
Actions:
- Develop communication products and tools to provide information to landowners, property managers, industry, local stewardship councils, conservation authorities and other stakeholders to assist in the recovery of the species and promote land stewardship.
Implementing actions
Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Fund, Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program, or Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program. Conservation partners are encouraged to discuss project proposals related to the actions in this response statement with the Ministry of Natural Resources. The Ministry can also advise whether any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required for undertaking the project.
Implementation of the actions may be subject to changing priorities across the multitude of species at risk, available resources and the capacity of partners to undertake recovery activities. Where appropriate, the implementation of actions for multiple species will be co-ordinated across government response statements.
Reviewing progress
The ESA requires the Ministry to conduct a review of progress towards protecting and recovering a species not later than five years from the publication of this response statement. The review will help identify whether adjustments are needed to achieve the protection and recovery of the Jefferson Salamander.
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank everyone who participated in the development of the "Recovery Strategy for the Jefferson Salamander in Ontario" for their dedication to protecting and recovering species at risk.