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

Management Unit 10: Dune, Grassland, Seral Shrub
1.0 Existing Conditions
Management Unit 10 (Drawing 7) is a dry area that supports vegetation species able to grow under
dry, sandy conditions. Several plant associations occur, forming a progression from the grasses of
the central, drier area to the forest of MU 8. The predominant species in the driest, central areas is
European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria), with some sweet clover, seedling broom, and
introduced species (Figure 31, across trail, on right).
The second vegetation “zone” is largely introduced European lawn and pasture grasses, and forbs,
including plantain (Plantago lanceolata, P. major), tansy, and tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
(Figure 31, across trail, on left). Invading woody plants include alder, some blackberry, and
especially Scotch broom.
The third vegetation “zone,” lying between the grasses and woodlot consists primarily of blackberries
and knotweed with a few shrubs, such as elderberry or small trees, such as alder, willow, oak, black
hawthorne, and birch (Figure 31, between grass and trees).
2.0 Goals and Objectives
Species Management Goal
Dune and grassland vegetation as cover for cottontails, sparrows, finches, and other wildlife.
Seral shrub land as habitat for sparrows, and small resident passerines (e.g downy woodpeckers,
chickadees, bushtits).
Habitat Management Objectives
• Permit dune vegetation community of existing introduced grass species to remain;
• Plant native dune vegetation species wherever/whenever revegetation is required;
• Continue to remove invasive woody vegetation, both introduced (e.g. broom, blackberry,
knotweed) and native in dune areas;
• Include information on dune vegetation and ecosystems, and dune management in Blackie Spit
literature;
• Manage invasive species areas between dune and forest as a transitional seral habitat by
controlling invasive species and planting native shrubs and small trees;
• Exclude this MU from dog-off-leash area.
• Reduce trails to one connecting the multi use trail with the west parking lot.
3.0 Management Prescriptions
This unit contains both grass habitats (dune and grass/forb) and a seral shrub habitat. Ecologically,
the seral shrub provides transition zones between the grassland and shrub and between the shrub and
adjacent woodlot. Thus wildlife species common to both transition zones will occur, as well as
species that prefer the shrub. For example, downy woodpeckers and black-capped chickadees will
use the forest and shrub, bushtits will occur most commonly in the shrub, and species of sparrows will
take shelter in the shrubs while foraging into the grassland. The integration of these habitats will
Blackie Spit Park: Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Plan – Management Unit 10 52