340821-001 FINAL United Keno HHERA 4 May 2011

Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for the Historic Keno Hill Mine Site
2.3.2.2 Terrestrial Vegetation
Terrestrial vegetation data have been collected during four separate sampling programs (2007
through to 2010), three of which have been discussed in detail in the Elsa Tailings Terrestrial
Effects Assessment Phase 1, 2 and 3 reports (EDI 2008, 2009, 2010). The data from 2010 were
collected in December and a report was not available at the time this report was prepared. The
data were provided in two separate database files from EDI for various species. Based on
information from community consultation on plant species and portions harvested by the
FNNND for medicinal purposes (EDI 2009), and based on the part of the plant sampled, for this
assessment the data have been broken down into the following classifications:
• Berries: bog blueberry fruit (Vaccinium uliginosum), crowberry (Empetrum sp.) and
prickly rose fruit (Rosa acicularis)
• Browse: alder (Alder sp.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), prickly rose (Rosa acicularis),
scrub birch (Betula glandulosa), and willow (Salix sp.)
• Forage: bog blueberry leaf (Vaccinium uliginosum), Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicus)
and Indian rhubarb leaf/yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Moss & lichen: moss (Sphagnum sp.), caribou lichen (Cladina mitis) and snow lichen
(Stereocaulon tomentosum)
In addition, data are available for fungus (puffball mushroom [Bovista plumbea]), and for inner
bark and/or sap from black spruce (Picea mariana), balsam fir (Abies lasiocarpa), and white
spruce (Picea glauca). Samples have been collected from the Elsa tailings area, the Mackeno
tailings area (around Christal Lake) and/or two ‘control’ areas (South McQuesten and Galena
Hill). Additionally, the 2010 sampling program analyzed browse and forage samples from the
No Cash, Silver King and Husky Shaft areas. A few samples have also been collected from
Minto Bridge as it has been identified that FNNND collect medicinal plants from this area;
however, it should be noted that this area is quite a distance from the historic Keno Hill Mine
site. The summary statistics for all years are presented below on a dry weight basis for lichen and
moss (Table 2.8), berries (Table 2.9), browse (Table 2.10), forage (Table 2.11), fungus (Table
2.12) and inner bark/sap (Table 2.13). Background averages were calculated from data collected
in the South McQuesten and Galena Hill areas.
340821-001 – FINAL – May 2011 2-21 SENES Consultants Limited