Blackie Spit Park: Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Plan - City of Surrey

Two documents used as reference material were discussed in Sections 1.1 and 1.2. The Blackie Spit
Master Plan (Berris et al 1999) contained goals and objectives for the park which became guidelines
within which the MU plans were developed. It also contained direction regarding the specific
management of certain features or areas. The second document referred to was the Blackie Spit
Regional Park Wildlife Habitat Management Plan (Summers 1997). It provided useful information
and enhancement activities for several areas that were adopted or adapted for MUs to which that
information could be applied.
Field visits were done on July 30, August 10 and August 14, 2001. During those visits all parts of
the park were visited to record existing vegetation, the presence of invasive species, soil
characteristics, moisture regime, topography, and the presence of trails and other use features. MU
boundaries were modified as necessary from the preliminary map, and photographs were taken of
each MU.
3.3 Management Units
Blackie Spit has been subdivided into 19 Management Units based on physiographic, vegetation, and
park use features (Figure 2). Most MU boundaries are reasonably intuitive, but occasionally, where
changes in use are proposed, some portions of MU boundaries are drawn to expand or shrink the size
of current features.
3.3.1 Management Unit Goals and Objectives
Management Unit Goals and objectives
MANAGEMENT
UNIT
WILDLIFE/HABITAT
GOALS
1. Intertidal Aquatic migratory birds
and shorebirds
2. Rail Side Mixed coniferousdeciduous
forest to
provide habitat for a wide
diversity of species
groups (e.g. salamanders,
woodpeckers, owls, bats
(eventually), furbearers)
HABITAT MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
• On Cannery Spit and the central dyke, prevent
vegetation from growing taller than 3 m to avoid
discouraging bird access to the tidal areas;
• Eliminate all trails within the management unit and
allow intertidal area to remain undisturbed;
• Support the nest box program for the red-listed purple
martin (Progne subis) on the pilings just outside the
park;
• Maintain pilings within the MU as perching structures
for marine associated birds and for possible purple
martin nest box attachment.
• Plant trees and shrubs that will develop into a
coniferous dominated mixed coniferous-deciduous
forest;
• Remove invasive species (e.g. blackberry, broom);
• Continue to provide access only via the road along the
southeast side and via the trail connecting to trails east
of the park.
Blackie Spit Park: Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Plan – PART 1: Background and Summary 9