Willowleaf aster (Symphyotrichum praealtum) COSEWIC status assessment and status report chapter 8

Limiting Factors and Threats

Many of the known populations occur in southwestern Ontario in or near Windsor, or on Walpole Is. These areas have been heavily disturbed by industrial uses, house construction, and agriculture practices. Locality 8 (Table 1) is under Secondary Plan review for development purposes with an Environmental Impact Assessment study under way as of August 2002 (pers. comm. from Dan Lebedyk, Conservation Biologist, Essex Region Conservation Authority; Aug. 2002). The potential for loss of more populations due to human activities is real.

No specific data is available on consequences of modification of specific habitats. It is likely that changing drainage patterns has a critical impact. On Walpole Is., house construction in the last 15 years has eliminated several sites observed by J. Semple in 1982. Most populations are on private property, e.g., Walpole Is. sites.

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