of the pacific northwest...inairie-oak pr habitats of the pacific northwest toir the ultimate...

A conservation business plan to revitalize the prairie-oak habitats

OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Thank you to the following individuals for their review of this document:

Bradley Bales (Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture), Marko Bey (Lomakatsi Restoration Project), Kevin Blakely (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), Greg Block (Sustainable Northwest), Belinda Brown (Lomakatsi Restoration Project), CalLee Davenport (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Caitlyn Gillespie (Klamath Bird Observatory), Terry Fairbanks (Bureau of Land Management), Matthew Gibbons (The Nature Conservancy), Mary Linders (Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife), James Miskelly (Saanich Native Plants), Kristen Miskelly (Sannich Native Plants), Steve Niemela (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), Ann Rothe (Halcyon Consultants), Jonathan Soll (Metro Regional Government), Elaine Stewart (Metro Regional Government)

AUTHORS

Bob Altman American Bird Conservancy

Sara Evans-Peters Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture

Elspeth Hilton Kim Center for Natural Lands Management

Nicole Maness Willamette Partnership

Jaime Stephens Klamath Bird Observatory

Bruce Taylor Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture

Photo: Bruce Taylor

Cover Photo: Bruce Taylor

04 FOREWORD

06 INTRODUCTION

07 PRAIRIE,OAKS, AND BIRDS AND THE PACIFIC FLYWAY

08 NEED FOR A CONSERVATION BUSINESS PLAN

09 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

10 CHALLENGES

11 CHANGING CLIMATE

12 BYTHENUMBERS:PRAIRIE-OAKSPECIESANDHABITATS

14 OPPORTUNITIES

15 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

18 COST OF RECOVERY AND RESTORATION

20 MOVING FORWARD

21 CROSS-CUTTINGSTRATEGIES

24 PARTNERSHIPS

25 OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE

26 SUCCESS STORIES

32 TABLE1.REGULATORYSTATUSOFPRIORITYPRAIRIE-OAKSPECIES

35 TABLE2.ECOREGIONALPOPULATIONSTATUSOFPRIORITYPRAIRIE-OAKSPECIES

38 TABLE3.GENERALHABITATASSOCIATIONSOFPRIORITYPRAIRIE-OAKSPECIES

41 LITERATURE CITED

TABLE OF CONTENTSAdrian W

olf © South Sound Prairies 2016

S urrounded by the vast conifer forests of the PacificNorthwest, prairie-oak habitats were once a haven

of open spaces and big oak trees. People historically had a strongconnectionwiththeprairie-oakecosysteminauniqueandamutuallybeneficialrelationship.Nativepeoplesneed-ed resources provided by the prairie-oak ecosystem – acorns, camas bulbs, deer and elk, shelter and cover of the big oak trees–thatwereessentialfortheirsurvival.Theprairie-oakecosystemneededpeopletoregularlyinitiatetheprocessofrenewal through fire. Today, however, that bond betweenpeople, prairies, and oaks is tenuous in many places, and completely gone in others. These have always been the plac-eswherepeoplehavewantedto live.Overtime,however,the historic partnership has been fractured and nearly lost with the expanding impact of the human footprint.

The prairie-oak ecosystem needs help. In some places it is on life support – species are gone or barely hanging on, and inothers, thenativehabitathasbeensooverwhelmedbyinvasive species as to become unrecognizable. Rescue is now dependent on us to step up with the necessary resources to startrebuildingtherelationship.Itwillneverbethesameasbefore;theshifttohumandominanceiscomplete.However,insomeplaceswithimmediateinterventionandregularnur-turing,thehumanconnectionstoprairiesandoakscanbereestablished, not only to save this imperiled ecosystem and its species, but to rekindle a lost heritage.

FOREWORD

Prairie, Oaks, and People

THE VISIONThe Pacific Northwest has an interconnected network of prairie-oak habitat that sustains native species across the region and provides ecological services for future generations.

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Distribution of Oregon White

Oak (U.S. Forest Service)

Photo: Bruce Taylor

PRAIRIE, OAKS, AND PEOPLE 4

https://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/garryana.htm

https://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/quercus/garryana.htm

When I think about oak trees I think about a really important cultural plant to our people. Myself, I’m Kalapuya. My family signed theWillametteValleyTreaty of 1855. Oak trees are something you need to manageforgenerationstoproduce food. So one gen-erationproducesenoughfood for a person. 25 years. 50 years enough for 3 peo-ple. 75 years, then a whole familyofpeoplecanliveoffthe food.”

—DAVIDHARRELSON, TRIBAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER, CONFEDERATE TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE

SOURCE: From Oregon’s Oak – A Vanishing Legacy. 2015. Produced by Yamhill Watershed Stewardship Fund and AH Creative.

“MeredithRafferty©

SouthSoundPrairies


https://youtu.be/oVzUzbO9JX4

INTRODUCTION

T woiconicfeaturesdefinetheprairie-oakecosystemsofthePacificNorthwest.First is thesignatureoaktree–

typically Oregon white oak (quercus Garryana) from north-ernCalifornia toBritishColumbia,andCaliforniablackoak(quercus Kelloggii) at the southern end of the region. Oak treesprovidenestinghabitatforalmost200wildlifespecies,representingallclassesofterrestrialvertebrates,sustainingareservoirofnativebiodiversity.

The second feature is the open prairies that dominate some parts of the landscape and are scattered among the oakhabitats in other areas. Prairies support the most vulnerable elements of the region’s biodiversity, including endangered butterflieswhosesurvivalisinextricablylinkedtotheflowersof threatened and endangered plant species found only in these increasingly rare habitats.

Many other vulnerable and threatened plants and animals thatdependonPacificNorthwest’sprairie-oakhabitats, in-cludingbirdsandsquirrels,arealreadylistedasthreatenedor endangered in the U.S. or Canada.

Prairie-oak landscapes also support the majority of the hu-manpopulationinthePacificNorthwest–fromsettlement

to today, these continue to be the places where peoplewant to live and farm. As a result, these intertwined mixes of meadows, tree-dotted savannas and dense woodlandsextending fromnorthernCalifornia toBritishColumbiaaredisappearing at an alarming rate and are among the region’s highestprioritiesforconservation.

Withoutproactiveapproaches tomaintainandrestore im-portant prairie-oak habitats, the endangered species list will grow, resulting in ecological crisis and regulatory conflict.Withasoundconservationbusinessstrategy,strongpartner-ships, and carefully targeted investments, however, we can protect and restore the habitat needed to sustain species as these landscapes change.

We have started by bringing together a network that unites participating organizations, agencies, tribal sovereign gov-ernments, private landowners, and land managers around acommonvision for long-termconservationofprairie-oakhabitatsinthePacificNorthwest.

Integratingthemorespecializedneedsofvulnerableprairiespecies into conservation of oak habitats creates holisticstrategies that optimize biodiversity conservation benefits.

By bringing together people with common goals that tran-scend geographic and organizational boundaries, we canalign and unite our efforts to achieve larger conservationgains across the region.

This business plan seeks to create the economic, social, andpoliticalclimatetofundandsupportthe interventionsnecessary to preserve and enhance prairie-oak habitat and thespeciesthatrelyonitthroughoutthePacificNorthwestfortheuseandenjoymentoffuturegenerations.Withthisoverarching strategic framework, this document presents the business case for a 10 to 15-year investment strategy for prairie-oakconservation.

– Bob Altman, Sara Evans-Peters, Elspeth Hilton Kim, Nicole Maness, Jaime Stephens, and Bruce Taylor, on behalf of the Cascadia Prairie-Oak Partnership, Klamath-Siskiyou Oak Network, Pacific Birds, and our many participating partners.

By bringing together people with common

goals that transcend geographic and

organizational boundaries, we can align and

unite our efforts to achieve larger conservation

gains across the region.”

“Photo: Bruce Taylor


PRAIRIE-OAKBIRDSANDTHEPACIFICFLYWAY

M igratory birds traveling from their breeding sites in prairie-oak habitats of the Pacific Northwest

to their ultimate wintering destinations to the southand back again are both a shared natural resource and a shared responsibility. Most of the approximately 50 species highly associated with these habitats make this journeyeveryyearalongthePacificFlyway.Some, likeOregon vesper sparrow and Lewis’s woodpecker, spend their winters in California, but many go well into Mexico and Central America and some, like common nighthawk, all the way to South America. These birds link our prai-rie-oak conservation efforts with other peoples andplaces on their journey and amplify the impact of our workfarbeyondthePacificNorthwest.Thesharedinter-nationalresponsibilitytosupportthefulllifecycleneedsof migratory birds extends to the cultural heritage of the many places they go.

AdeleButtolph©

2016CommonN

ighthawk


FRAMEWORK

Need for a conservationbusiness plan

A cross thePacificNorthwest, fromMendocinoCounty,CaliforniatoVancouverIsland,BritishColumbia,dozens

of partners are working to protect and restore prairie-oak habitats and implement recovery actions for species listedunder the United States’ Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA). For many species, population and habitat objectives based on science quan-tifythemagnitudeofworkneeded.Althoughtherequiredinvestmentsare substantial, andavailable funding remainsfarshortoflevelsneededtoachieveobjectives,publicandprivatefundingisbeginningtoflowintoconservationeffortsacross the region.

What we need now is a shared vision and overarching frame-work to coordinate conservation actions and investmentsacross geographic and institutional boundaries and thesilos created by narrowly focused missions and mandates. Withoutacommonframework,weriskduplicationofefforts

andinefficientallocationofscarceconservationresourcestomeet our goals. We also risk failure.

Toattractinvestment,wearepresentingourstrategiesintheformofaconservationbusinessplan.Conservationbusinessplans present clear strategies, outline the resources neces-sarytomeetconservationgoals,andcreateaccountabilitybydefiningmeasurableoutcomes.

Thisconservationbusinessplanisintendedtoshowcaseourvisionforhealthyandabundantpopulationsofnativeprai-rie-oak plants and animals within the context of human needs and a changing climate. The business plan demonstrates ourcollectivecapacitytorespondtoreal-worlddemandforproductsandservicesaroundprairie-oakconservationandgenerate outcomes that are important to people as well as to anaturallyfunctioningecosystem.

Anne Schuster © South Sound Prairies 2015


Goal and ObjectivesThe goal and objectiveswehaveestablisheddefineourvision for success

A holistic systems approach

addresses conservation goals within a changing landscape

and the context of human needs, maintaining the region’s natural biological diversity as habitats evolve and species shift over

time, and preserving our cultural heritage.

OBJECTIVE 1:

Recover populations of 41 imperiled species and es-tablish the ecological and social

foundations to support their persistence over time.

Providing security for the most vulnerable species

is critical to the success of broader efforts to conserve

regional biodiversity.

OBJECTIVE 2:

Restore and maintain habitats

needed to conserve the biolog-ical diversity of prairie-oak

ecosystems throughout their historic range.

Conservation needs for most species can be

addressed through broader and more flexible strategies tar-geted to lands that offer the best

opportunities for maintaining the diversity and abundance

of prairie-oak habitats over time.

GOAL: Healthy and resilient prairie-oak habitats

across the Pacific Northwest that sustain all of their native species and

generate benefits for current and future generations.


Challenges Toachieveourconservationgoals,significantecological,social,andpoliticalchallengesneedtobeaddressed:

→ Existinghabitatisfragmentedandinsufficienttosupporttargetpopulationsofpriorityspecies.

→ Populationsofmanyimperiledspeciesareisolatedandcontinuetodecline.

→ Key components of the ecosystem, such as large oak trees and large, open prairie landscapes, are being lost and will take decades to replace.

→ The majority of remaining habitat is on private lands, where owners have few incentivestotakeconservationactions.

→ Supportforessentialandongoingmaintenancefollowinginitialrestorationisinadequate.

→ Organizationalcapacityandsupportinginfrastructureareinadequatetomeetconservationneedsandlimitopportunitiesformoreefficientactionacrossmultiplegeographicand

politicalscales.Engagementstrategiesare needed to foster partnerships with federal and state agencies, tribal sovereign governments, and private landowners.

→ Policy and regulatory support are weak or non-existent across most of the region, and in some cases create disincentivesforneededconservationactions.

→ Funding, policy, and resources devoted toconservationfallfarshortofthoseneeded to address the widespread losses of prairie-oak habitats and the continuingdeclineofimperiledspecies.


CHANGINGCLIMATE

P acificNorthwestprairie-oakhabitats areexpectedto see warmer temperatures, drier summers, and

anincreasedlikelihoodofdroughtandsummerwildfire.Because prairie-oak plants are fairly drought tolerant and fire resistant, healthy systems may weather wellin a changing climate. For example, persistent drought conditionscouldnegativelyaffectlessdroughttoleranttree species likeDouglas-fir, resulting inprairieexpan-sion.But althoughfiresmaybeadvantageous toprai-rie-oak systems, years of fire suppression has allowedabnormalamountsofflammablevegetationandgroundcover to accumulate, making normal fires potentiallydevastating.Incorporatingclimateadaptationstrategiesintoourrestorationactivitiesandchoicescan increasethepotentialofoakecosystemstowithstandthelikelyeffectsofclimatechange.Investinginthinning,reintro-duction of beneficial fire, and generally reducing fuelloads canprepareprairie-oakhabitats tobenefit fromthechangingclimatewhilereducingwildfireriskstolocalcommunities.



BY THE NUMBERS

Prairie-Oak Species Nativeprairie-oak species are at a crossroads. Populationsaredeclining,rangesarecontracting,andmanyspeciesaregone from parts of their historic range. Some have received officialstatustoassistinconservation,manyothershavenot.Our goal is to save the most imperiled, and keep the rest from becoming imperiled.

Threatened or Endangered species havebeenextirpatedornear-extirpated

from Canada

arevulnerableandatriskofcontinueddeclinetolevelsqualifyingforlistingasThreatenedorEndangered

41 listed as Threatened or Endangered at Federal, State, or Provincial levels

SPECIES

+50OTHERSPECIES

listed as Threatened or

Endangered in both United States and

Canada4

13

SPECIES

SPECIES

havebeenextirpatedornear-extirpatedfromatleast one ecoregion in their range

23 SPECIES


BY THE NUMBERS

Prairie-Oak Habitats The remnant habitats of the prairie-oak landscape are great-lyreducedinarea,degradedinstructureandcomposition,fragmentedand isolated indistribution. Anexpandinghu-manfootprintandthespreadofinvasiveplantcompetitorspresent continuing threats. Remaining habitats in manyareas are deficient in biodiversity, and inadequate to sup-portpopulationsofimperiledspecies.Ourgoalistoprotectwhat we have, and restore what we can to preserve this natural legacy.

Habitatlossesaredifficulttoquantifypreciselyinmanyareas,butmappingof historic conditions suggests thatreductionsinprairie-oakhabitatarewidespreadandsubstantial.

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Ecoregions:

BRITISHCOLUMBIA

InBritishColumbia,more than 95% of the prairie-oak habitat is

gone. (Lea 2002)

PUGETLOWLANDS

More than 65% of the oak habitat in the Puget Lowlands is gone. (Public

Forestry Foundation 1995)

WILLAMETTEVALLEYMore than 99% of prairie

and savanna habitat in the WillametteValleyisgone.

(Christy et al. 1999, Alverson 2005)

EAST CASCADES

Oak woodlands and savannas have declined by

more than two-thirds in the East Cascades (Defenders

of Wildlife 1998).

PUGETLOWLANDS

In the Puget Lowlands, loss of prairie habitat

exceeds 90%. (Crawford and Hall

1997)

UMPQUAVALLEY

In the Umpqua Valley, there has been a 64% loss of prairie and savanna and

a oak woodlands have declined by 56% (TNC

and Kreuger 2013)

NORTHFORKEELRIVER

Oak woodlands in the North Fork Eel River water-shed had been reduced by more than 80% from 1855

to 1985 (Keter 1989).

WILLAMETTEVALLEY

Oak woodlands and savanna in the Willamette Valley have been reduced by about 80% (Defenders

of Wildlife 1998)

Adapted from Omernik 1987


Opportunities Severalecologicalfactorsalsofavorsuccessfulconservationofprairie-oakspeciesandhabitats:

→ Many imperiled prairie-oak species can persist inrelativelysmallareasandinconjunctionwith a range of land uses.

→ Conservationactionsthatbenefitindividualimperiled species can also address broader prairie-oakconservationpriorities,providingopportunitiesforefficientinvestmentonaregional scale.

→ Climate change is projected to enhance long-term prospects for prairie-oak habitats in the PacificNorthwest,ifweareabletosustainspeciesastheseecosystemsshiftacrosslatitudeandelevation.

→ Prairie-oakhabitatisahighconservationpriority among natural resource managers andconservationinterestsinthePacificNorthwest.

→ Publicsupportisrelativelystrong,withaconcernedandactiveconstituency.

→ Many partners have been working on prairie-oakhabitatprotectionandrestorationandspeciesconservationeffortsformorethanadecade.

However,afoundationforsuccessisalreadyinplaceforconservingprairie-oakspeciesandhabitats:

AdamM

artin©SouthSoundPrairies


ACTION

StrategicFramework

PROTECTPRAIRIE-OAKHABITAT

RESTORE AND MANAGE PRAIRIE-OAK HABITAT

SUPPORT RECOVERY OF IMPERILED PRAIRIE-OAK SPECIES

STRENGTHEN CONSERVATION INFRASTRUCTURE

INFORM CONSERVATION EFFORTS THROUGH MONITORING AND RESEARCH

EXPAND SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PRAIRIE-OAK CONSERVATION

Thisconservationbusinessplanidentifiesprioritystrategiesthat address the major threats to prairie-oak systems. These include:conservingandmanaginghabitat;supportingspe-ciesrecoveryefforts;strengtheningconservationinfrastruc-ture; improvingourunderstandingof limiting factors;andexpandingpolicyandfinancialsupport.

Photo: Bruce Taylor


PROTECT PRAIRIE-OAK HABITAT

Secure long-termprotectionfor landswithhighconserva-tionvaluetopreventactivitiesthatdegradehabitat.Createanetworkofpublicandprivateconservationlandsthatsus-tainfunctioningecosystemsacrossthelandscape.

RESTOREANDMANAGE PRAIRIE-OAK HABITAT

Manage habitats to improve natural ecosystem processes and functions, improve connectivity, and ensure that de-siredhabitatconditionsaremaintainedovertime.

SUPPORT RECOVERYOFIMPERILED PRAIRIE-OAK SPECIES

Increasepopulationsofpriorityspeciesandstabilizepopu-lationsofdecliningspeciesbeforetheybecomeimperiled.

PRIORITYACTIONS:

Protectanetworkoflandscapableofsupportinghealthyhabitatsthroughfeetitleacquisitions,conservationeasements,andotherlegalmechanisms.

Targetlandconservationeffortstoincreaseconnectivityandresilienceofhabitatsacrosstherange of imperiled and vulnerable species.

Managehabitattosupportdesirednativehabitatconditions,incorporatingtraditionalecologicalknowledge and removing or reducing threats that compromisethoseconditions.

Work with landowners, land managers, and tribal governments to achieve desired habitat conditionsonlandsmanagedprimarilyforagriculture, forestry, subsistence, and other economic purposes.

Implementsite-specifichabitatrestorationandenhancementactionsdesignedtoincreasepopulationsofpriorityspecies.

Improvegeneticdiversityofpriorityspecies’populationsthroughspeciestranslocationsandreintroductions.

ACTION

StrategicFramework


STRENGTHEN CONSERVATIONINFRASTRUCTURE

Expanduseofeffectiveconservationtoolsanddeveloptheconservationworkforceneededtosupportimplementation.

INFORM CONSERVATIONEFFORTS THROUGH MONITORING AND RESEARCH

Improveunderstandingofmanagementeffectsonspeciesandhabitatconditions,aswellasspecies’populationstatusand limiting factors to prioritize actions thatwill bemostefficientandcost-effective.

EXPANDSOCIAL, POLITICAL,ANDFINANCIALSUPPORTFOR PRAIRIE-OAK CONSERVATION

Raise awareness to increase support for prairie-oak conser-vationandincreaseconservationcommitmentsandactionsin the private sector and at all levels of government.

PRIORITYACTIONS:

Increaseaccesstosharedconservationtoolssuchasspecializedequipmentandplantmaterials.

Strengthenorganizationalcapacityandexpertisetofosteraregionalnetworkofpractitionerswithuniquequalificationsandspecializedtraining.

Build a community-based workforce to support implementationofconservationactionsandleveragebenefitstolocaleconomies.

Monitor species and habitat response to restorationactionsandprogresstowardpopulationobjectives.

Determinelimitingfactorsforpersistenceofspecies and habitats.

Understandpotentialclimatechangeimpactstospecies’populationandhabitattargets.

Evaluatethecost-effectivenessofconservationactionsandshareinformationandlessonslearnedtosupportadaptivemanagement.

Advocateforpoliciesthatencourageconservationactionsandremovepolicybarriersthatinhibitconservationactions.

Buildrelationshipswithtribalsovereignnationstoadvancerestorationofvital,traditionalsubsistence resources.

Build a compelling case and educate policy makers about the important ecological and economic role of prairie-oak species and habitats andtheimplicationsoftheircontinuingdecline.

Advocate for increased investment and more strategictargetingofpublicandprivatefundinginhabitatconservation.

ACTION

StrategicFramework


ACTION

CostofRecoveryandRestoration In these graphics, we have estimated how we think resources will be needed by objectives and type of projects. These projections are presented to show the magnitude and distribution of the effort re-quired, and the range of opportunities for investments.

HABITATRESTORATION

41%

POPULATION RECOVERY

15%

4% INFASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY

6% PUBLIC POLICY

RESEARCH AND MONITORING

34%

$55,250,000TOTAL NEED SPECIES RECOCVERY

TOTAL NEED FOR

SPECIES RECOVERY BY AREA

SPECIES RECOVERY

HABITATRESTORATION

79%

4% INFASTRUCTURE AND CAPACITY

RESEARCH AND MONITORING

17%

$27,812,500TOTAL NEED ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

KLAMATH MOUNTAINS

$11,500,000

TOTAL NEED FOR

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATIONBY AREA

GEORGIA BASIN$812,500

WILLAMETTE VALLEY

$8,125,000PUGET

LOWLANDS$4,625,000

EAST CASCADES $2,750,000

PUGET LOWLANDS$15,635,000

WILLAMETTE VALLEY$14,880,000

GEORGIA BASIN$13,495,000

KLAMATH MOUNTAINS

$6,850,000

EAST CASCADES

$4,390,000


ACTION

CostofRecoveryandRestoration

PUGET LOWLANDS

$20,260,00024%

GEORGIABASIN

$14,307,50017%

WILLAMETTE VALLEY$23,005,000

28%

KLAMATH MOUNTAINS

$18,350,00022%

EASTCASCADES $7,140,000

9%

$83,062,500SPECIES RECOVERY AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

OBJECTIVE 1 + 2

Weenvisionimplementationoccurringinmanyforms,rangingfrommajor initiativesorcampaigns tosmaller-scaled regionaland local partnerships and projects.


ACTION

MovingForward T heconservationeffortwearepromoting in thisdocu-ment is challenging, important, urgent, and – most sig-

nificantly–largeinscope.Itwilltakesignificantresourcestorebuildameaningfulandfunctionalprairie-oakecosystem.We estimate costs of approximately $83 million over thenext 10-15 years to achieve sustainability for the vulnerable speciesanddesiredhabitatconditionsacrossseveralecore-gions.Thisfigure isbasedonapproximationsofeffortandcosts by tasks from examples of species recovery and general prairie-oakrestorationanddoesnotincludehabitatprotec-tion.We fully recognize theneed forhabitatprotectionasaconservationstrategy,butconsider itanactivitythathasbeenandwillcontinuetobedonebyvariousagenciesandorganizationsasopportunitiespresentthemselvesindepen-dent of the impetus generated by this document for species recovery. Further, costs for habitat protections are highlyvariable within and among ecoregions (compared to habitat restoration),andthusdifficulttoprojectincostsanalyses.

→ Researchisasignificantneedforspeciesrecoverysinceweknowlittleaboutlimitingfactorsforthe41imperiled species.

→ Species recovery is a much greater need in the Georgia Depression, Puget Lowlands, and WillametteValleyecoregions;ecosystemrestorationis the dominant need in the Klamath Mountains and East Cascades ecoregions.

→ Thereisoverlapbetweenhabitatrestorationforspeciesrecoveryandgeneralhabitatrestorationfortheprairie-oakecosystem,sincehabitatrestorationfor species recovery is also helping to achieve ecosystemrestorationobjectives.

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DO

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INV

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AC

RES

RES

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ED (Thousands)

SPECIES RECOVERED

SPECIES PREVENTED FROM LISTING

COSTPOINTS:

Thisconceptualfigureshowshowfinancialsupporttoaccomplishbusinessplanobjectivesofspeciesrecoveryandhabitatrestorationcanbecost-effective,rapid,andextensive.Greatestgainsareearlywheremulti-taxaandhabitatobjectivesoverlap,andlongestformostimperiledandmostuniquetaxa.

Populationrecoveryforindividualspecieswilltakemoreresourcesandtime,withthemostimperiledlistedspeciesandthemostsensitiveat-riskspeciestakingthemostresourcesandlongesttimetorecover.The visual demon-stratestheaddedvalueofthismulti-taxaapproach,whereindividualpopulationrecoverywillalsobenefitanumberofat-riskspecies.


I n concert with the priority ac-tions, these complementary

strategies are intended to amplify theeffectivenessofourconserva-tionactionsthroughcollaborationwith private landowners, public outreach and community engage-ment,andimprovedcoordinationandtargetingofresourcestomax-imize the efficiency of conserva-tioninvestments.

Cross-CuttingStrategies

ACTION

MULTI-SPECIESAPPROACHES

ECOCULTURALANDTRADITIONAL

SUBSISTENCE

WORKING LANDSCAPES

PARTNER

COORDINATIONCOMMUNITY

ENGAGEMENT

WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTAND

TRAINING

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT

Photos left to right: © South Sound Prairies 2011, Vines and Oaks © Creative Commons, Ann Schuster © South Sound Prairies 2015, © South South Prairies 2012, Thomas Munson, Moonjass © Creative Commons


WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT ANDTRAININGTrain local foresters,practitioners, tribalmembers,andun-derservedcommunitiesinoakrestorationpractices.

Existing expertise in the Pacific Northwest often is rooted in timber management. Training current practitioners and developing new workforces with expertise needed to achieve ecological goals will expand social and economic opportunities in local communities.

WORKINGLANDSCAPESPartner with private landowners (ranchers, farmers, and timberlandownersamongothers)tomaintainandexpandthe habitat base for prairie-oak species that also gener-atesdirecteconomicbenefitsforlandownersandlocalcommunities.

Many prairie-oak species can persist on landscapes that support livestock grazing, commercial forestry, hunting, and other relatively low-intensity human uses. Landowner assistance and incentives to maintain these habitats and their traditional cultural values can reduce the need for costly land protection and restoration measures.


ACTIONMULTI-SPECIESAPPROACHESTargetconservationinvestmentsanddesignprojectstobenefitmultipleprairie-oakspecieswhereappropriatetomanageecosystemsholisticallyandreduceper-speciesrecovery costs.

Habitat needs for at-risk species (e.g., endangered plants and butterflies) can often be addressed on sites where management can also contribute to broader conservation goals for birds and other wildlife with relatively little additional investment.

ECOCULTURALAND TRADITIONALSUBSISTENCEPartner with tribal sovereign governments to maintain and promoteculturalpracticesthatsustainfoodandwatersourcesandintegrityforfuturegenerations.

Traditional ecological knowledge provides historical and cultural insights that can be woven into oak restoration on all lands.



ACTION

COMMUNITYENGAGEMENTEngagediversecommunitiestoincreaseunderstandingofandsupportforconservationbyreconnectingpeopletoprairie-oak ecosystems, increasing public access for com-patiblerecreationandeducation,andfosteringvolunteerscience.

Few natural landscapes hold more intrinsic cultural appeal for people than prairie-oak habitats, which survive in many areas only as small fragments in urban and agricultural settings. Reconnecting people to this part of their natural heritage is critical to building public support for prairie-oak conservation.

ADAPTIVEMANAGEMENTInstitutionalizeeffectivenessmonitoringtosupportimplementationofconservationstrategiesandactions.Coordinatemonitoringtofillsharedinformationgaps,involvestakeholdersinprogrammaticevaluation,andpromotecollaborationindevelopingnewapproachestoimproveimplementation.

It is easy to celebrate successes, harder to acknowledge failures. Partners and stakeholders need to be able to learn from both and recalibrate their strategies to improve outcomes. Monitoring is critical to understanding why actions did or did not work, and a comprehensive approach is needed to improve and build on current practices.

PARTNERCOORDINATIONStrengthenrelationshipsandimprovenetworkingandcoordinationamongpartnersatmultiplelevelstoleveragefunding and communicate outcomes. Facilitate sharing of expertise,labor,andequipmenttoimproveefficiencyandreduce project costs.

Minor investments in coordination and communications can generate significant cost savings for partners and funders as conservation efforts are scaled up.


COORDINATION

Partnerships A handful of local and ecoregional partnerships focus on coordination of prairie-oak conservation work within

thePacificNorthwest.Thesepartnershipsprovideavehiclefor coordinated implementation of on-the-ground effortsbyindividualagenciesandorganizations,outreach,andad-vocacy for funding and policy. Partnerswith scientific andtechnicalexpertisehelpshapeconservationdesignandassistwith monitoring and research. A broad range of funders – in-cludingprivatefoundations,individualandcorporatedonors,andlocal,stateandfederalagencies–providefinancialsup-portthroughgrants,programmaticinvestmentsandin-kindcontributions.

Initialwork by Pacific Birds, CPOP, and other partnerswillfocus on organizing additional local partnerships including

the Northwest California Oak Network, the WillametteValley Oak and Prairie Cooperative, the East CascadesOak Network, and the Intertwine Alliance Oak and Prairie Working Group; strategic planning for those partnerships; development of policy, funding, and outreach strategies; and expandingandimprovingcommunicationsamongpartners.Fundraising effortswill seek to expand capacity for imple-mentationofthesestrategiesthroughthelocalpartnerships.

Highlighted in the following section are Success Storiesthat are strong examples of projects and the power of partnerships.

CASCADIAPRAIRIE-OAKPARTNERSHIP

CPOPfacilitatesinformationsharingandbringsto-gethertheprairie-oakconservationcommunityoftheWillametteValley,PugetTrough,andGeorgiaBasin ecoregions through workshops, confer-ences, and online resources. CPOP’s website is the primary clearinghouse for technical informationsharingaroundprairie-oakconservationinthere-gion. The partnership also maintains a 700-mem-berlistservthatsupportsdialogueonrestorationand research. CPOP is coordinated by the Center for Natural Lands Management.

KLAMATH-SISKIYOUOAKNETWORK

The Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network conserves oak habitats on private and public lands in southern

Oregon and northern California. The collabo-rative regional partnership provides a forumfor education and community engagement;encourages science, adaptive management,anddevelopmentofbestmanagementpractic-

es; and integrates social, economic, and eco-cul-turalperspectives intoourunderstandingofoak plantcommunities.

PACIFICBIRDSHABITATJOINTVENTURE

Pacific Birds is an international partnership offederal, state, provincial, local, and non-govern-mentalorganizationswith a25-year recordofsuccessinadvancinglarge-scaleeffortstocon-serve important habitats for migratory birds from the north coast of California to Alaska and islandhabitatsinthePacific,includingHawaii.

Photo: Bruce Taylor PRAIRIE, OAKS, AND PEOPLE 24

OUTCOMESFORPEOPLE

C onservationofprairie-oakhabitatsisimportantnotonlyforimperiledspeciesandthelegacyofanaturalheritage,butalsoforpeoplethroughoutthePacific

Northwest. A functioning prairie-oak ecosystem provides numerous other valuesandservicesthatbenefitsociety,including:

Open space and scenic values, reduced stress, improved quality of life

Recreation opportunities,

including birding, photography, hiking,

nature watching, hunting

Native American cultural resource

harvest

Forage production and shade for cattle and

other livestock

Wood and other forest products

Increased property values

Improved air quality, oxygen production and

carbon storage

Improved water quality, with reduced

runoff and erosion

Photo:NaturalResourceConservationService


SUCCESS STORIES

ENLISTINGTHEWINEINDUSTRYINPRAIRIE-OAKCONSERVATIONFocusingprimarilyonthewineindustry,theWillametteValleyOakAccord brings together landowners around a commitment to protect and restore some of the last remaining oak habitat in the region. The voluntary agreement is inspired by local landowners’ vision for management of vineyards and forestland in harmony with healthy, resilientoakhabitat.Signatoriesofthe�ccordcommittoundertakinga baseline assessment of oak habitat on their property and then to improvinghabitatconditionthrougheitheronsiteoroffsiterestoration.Periodicassessmentswillhelplandownerstoquantifythebenefitsoftheirstewardshipactivitiesandcommunicatetheircommitmenttooakconservation.LedbytheWillamettePartnership,theaccordcreatesamechanismtointroducecurrentandnewWillametteValleylandownerstotheimportanceofoakwoodlandandprairieconservation,andcreates a stewardship standard for land managers and owners. Leaders hopetohave50landownerssignedupandimplementingrestorationactivitieswithinthenextthreeyears.

CreativeCommons©

OaksandVines


SUCCESS STORIES

IMPROVINGOAKRESTORATIONSUCCESSTHROUGHADAPTIVEMANAGEMENTOverthepastfiveyears,theKlamathSiskiyouOakNetwork(KSON)partnershiphasspent$3millionrestoringmorethan3,000acresofoak woodland across federal and private lands in southern Oregon andnorthernCalifornia,withanadditional$4.65millionsecuredforrestorationofanadditional3,400acres.Thepartnershipispursuinganadaptivemanagementstrategythatreliesonbothimplementationreviewandeffectivenessmonitoringtoquantifyhowspeciesrespondtovegetationchangesassociatedwithrestorationpractices.Forexample,asbirdshavewellestablishedhabitatrelationships,respondquicklytohabitat change, and are easily surveyed, biologists can reliably monitor changesinoakhabitatconditionsbymonitoringchangesintheoak-associatedsongbirdcommunities.KSONpartnershavealsoinitiatedlong-termmonitoringtobetterunderstandrestorationoutcomesunderfuture climate change scenarios. Monitoring change and measuring successwillinformfuturerestorationprojects.

MeredithRafferty©

SouthSoundPrairies


SUCCESS STORIES

REMOVINGPOLICYBARRIERSTOOAKRESTORATIONINCALIFORNIAIn northwestern California, where invading conifers are one of the biggestthreatstotheregion’soakwoodlands,habitatrestorationeffortshavelongbeenhinderedbyregulatoryrestrictions.Landownerswhowerewillingtoworkthroughlongandexpensivepermittingprocessestoremoveconifersfromtheiroakwoodlandsoftenfacedrequirementsto replant conifers to replace the ones they wanted to cut. Thanks to theeffortsofmembersoftheNorthwesternCaliforniaOaksNetworkandareceptivestatelegislator,thoseroadblockshavenowbeenremoved. The California Board of Forestry adopted new rules in July 2016thateliminaterequirementsforreplantingofconiferswhentimberharvests are designed to restore oak woodlands in northern California. Legislationspecificallyauthorizingtheexemptionwonfinalapprovalandwas signed into law in September 2016.

Photo: Bruce Taylor


SUCCESS STORIES

SCALINGUPFORMOREAFFORDABLESEEDWith funding support from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department ofDefense,andconservationpartners,andincooperationwithEvergreen’s Sustainability in Prisons Project, the Center for Natural LandsManagement(CNLM)hasbuiltaconservationnurseryprogramthatprovidesnativeseedtopartnersthroughouttheSouthSound.Thephysicalinfrastructurerequiredtoproducenativeseedissubstantial.Byhavingacentralizedcomplexofseedfields,greenhouses,equipment,seedcleaningfacilities,andstorage,CNLMhasbeenabletoachieveaneconomyofscale,makingseedavailableatamoreaffordablecosttothemultipleconservationpartnersimplementingprairieandoakconservationintheSouthSound.Inrecentyears,theconservationnurseryhasexpandedtoprovideseedtoadditionalregionsbyobtaininggeneticallyappropriateseedsourcesandimplementinggrow-outinaseparatefield.Thismaintainsthegeneticmaterialoftheregionalseedbututilizestheequipmentandprocessinginfrastructurethathelpskeepcosts low.

MeredithRafferty©

SouthSoundPrairies


SUCCESS STORIES

WORKINGONALANDSCAPESCALETOBENEFITMULTIPLESPECIESTheU.S.FishandWildlifeService’sCompetitiveStateWildlifeGrantprovidesfundingtostateagenciesandpartnerstosupportactionsoutlinedinStateWildlifeActionPlans(SWAPs).WashingtonDepartmentof Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Fish Wildlife, along with The Center for Natural Land Management and the American Bird Conservancy applied for and received two rounds of funding to implementhabitatrestoration,standardizedmonitoring,andoutreachtoconservationpartnersandthepublic,withafocusonprairie-oakhabitats and species. This funding allowed the two state agencies to partnerwithovertennon-profitandlocalagenciestoimplementworkon a landscape scale, working together to share strategies, methods, and information,andtobenefitover20bird,butterfly,andmammalSpeciesofGreatestConservationNeedacrossmultiplesites.

Photo: Elspeth Kim


There are a number of steps involved with gathering and processing acorns including gathering, drying, grinding, and leaching. Rocks like this were used by Native Americans to grind acorns and other seeds into meal, slowly forming depressions in the stone.


FolsomNaturals©

CreativeCommons

SUCCESS STORIES

INDIGENOUSRESTORATIONOFOAKHABITATS IN SHASTA COUNTYCALIFORNIAThroughacollaborativepartnershipbetweentheIllmawiBandofthePitRiverTribeandLomakatsiRestorationProject,partnersarerestoring California black oak and Oregon white oak habitats in Northern California. Located on Illmawi ancestral lands, tribal crews are enhancing oakresiliencebyremovingencroachingconifersandreducingwildfireriskthatwouldimpactacorncrops.Theaboriginalfireprocessisbeingreintroducedandherbaceousunderstoryrestorationimplemented.Objectivesfocusonsurvivalofboththeindigenousoakecosystemandculturalbeneficialuseofresources.Twenty-fourtribalmembershavebeen employed by Lomakatsi over the past three years restoring this ecocultural oak landscape.


REGULATORY STATUS OF PRIORITY PRAIRIE-OAKSPECIESTABLE 1. PART 01/03

SPECIES

U.S. FEDERAL CANADA SPECIES AT RISK WASHINGTON OREGON BRITISH COLUMBIA

MAMMALS

HERPTILES

BIRDS

KEY:

Endangered

Threatened

Candidate

E

E

E E ET

T

T T T RC

C

C C C B

Mazama Pocket Gopher (4 subspecies)

Columbian White-tailed Deer

Western Gray Squirrel

Gray-tailed Vole

Western Pond Turtle

PacificGopherSnake

Sharp-tailed Snake

California Mountain Kingsnake

Streaked Horned Lark

Oregon Vesper Sparrow

Lewis’s Woodpecker

Slender-billed White-breasted Nuthatch

Common Nighthawk

1

*

*

*

*

*

*=Extirpated(breedingstatusforbirds)

1 onlyappliestoColumbiaRiverpopulation

Priority species are those listed as endangered, threatened, or candidate at federal, state, or provincial levels.



SPECIES


BUTTERFLIES

PLANTS

INVERTEBRATES

KEY:

Endangered

Threatened

Candidate

E

E

E E ET

T

T T T RC

C

C C C B

Taylor’s Checkerspot

Fender’s Blue

Island Marble

Island Blue

Mardon Skipper

Puget Blue

Valley Silverspot

Willamette Daisy

Bradshaw’s Lomatium

Golden Paintbrush

Kincaid’s Lupine

Nelson’s Checkermallow

Deltoid Balsamroot

Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp



*

*



SPECIES


PLANTS(...CONTINUED)

KEY:

Endangered

Threatened

Candidate

E

E

E E ET

T

T T T RC

C

C C C B

Fragrant Popcornflower

White-topped Aster

Small-flowered Tonella

Yellow Montane Violet

Gentner's Fritillaria

Large-flowered Wooly Meadow-foam

Cook's Lomatium

Rough Popcorn Flower

Pale Larkspur

Willamette Valley Larkspur

Peacock Larkspur

Shaggy Horkelia

White Meconella

Marigold Navarretia



*


ECOREGIONAL POPULATION STATUS OF PRIORITYPRAIRIE-OAKSPECIESTABLE 2. PART 01/03

SPECIES

GEORGIADEPRESSION

PUGETLOWLANDS

WILLAMETTEVALLEY

KLAMATH MOUNTAINS EAST

CASCADES

MAMMALS

ECOREGION

BIRDS

HERPTILES

KEY:

Extirpationornear-extirpation(breedingstatusforbirds)withreintroductionpotential(somehavebeeninitiated)

Substantialpopulationdeclinesand/orsmall,vulnerablepopulations;recoveryneeded

Populationsgenerallystable;norecoveryemphasisneededatthistime

*Blank cells indicate range generally does not include this ecoregion




Gray-tailed Vole





Common Nighthawk

Western Pond Turtle

Pacific Gopher Snake

Sharp-tailed Snake


NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH UMPQUA ROGUE/CA



SPECIES

GEORGIADEPRESSION

PUGETLOWLANDS

WILLAMETTEVALLEY


CASCADES

BUTTERFLIES

INVERTEBRATES

PLANTS

KEY:






Fender’s Blue

Island Marble

Island Blue

Mardon Skipper

Puget Blue

Valley Silverspot


Willamette Daisy


Golden Paintbrush

Kincaid’s Lupine


Deltoid Balsamroot

NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH UMPQUA ROGUE/CA

ECOREGION



SPECIES

GEORGIADEPRESSION

PUGETLOWLANDS

WILLAMETTEVALLEY


CASCADES


KEY:






White-topped Aster





Cook's Lomatium


Pale Larkspur


Peacock Larkspur

Shaggy Horkelia

White Meconella

Marigold Navarretia

NORTH SOUTH NORTH SOUTH UMPQUA ROGUE /CA

ECOREGION


GENERAL HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OFPRIORITYPRAIRIE-OAKSPECIESTABLE 3. PART 01/03

SPECIESWET PRAIRIE UPLAND PRAIRIE OAK-SAVANNA

OPEN OAK WOODLAND

CLOSED OAK WOODLAND

OAK FOREST OAK CONIFER

MAMMALS

HERPTILES

BIRDS

HABITATTYPE




Gray-tailed Vole

Western Pond Turtle

Pacific Gopher Snake

Sharp-tailed Snake






Common Nighthawk

KEY:

Habitattypethattypicallyhashighestoccurrence/densityifhabitatconditionsaresuitableandwithinspeciesrange

Habitattypethathasregularoroccasionaloccurrenceifhabitatconditionsaresuitableandwithinspeciesrange

*Blank cells indicate species generally does not occur in this habitat type




OPEN OAK WOODLAND

CLOSED OAK WOODLAND


BUTTERFLIES

PLANTS

INVERTEBRATES

HABITATTYPE


Fender’s Blue

Island Marble

Island Blue

Mardon Skipper

Puget Blue

Valley Silverspot

Willamette Daisy


Golden Paintbrush

Kincaid’s Lupine


Deltoid Balsamroot


KEY:







OPEN OAK WOODLAND

CLOSED OAK WOODLAND



HABITATTYPE


White-topped Aster





Cook's Lomatium


Pale Larkspur


Peacock Larkspur

Shaggy Horkelia

White Meconella

Marigold Navarretia

KEY:




NOTE: Species may also occur in other habitats that are not addressed here (e.g., riparian, wetlands).NOTE: Wet prairie also includes vernal pools.


LiteratureCited

Alverson,E.R.2005.Recoveringprairiesandsavannasinaseaofforest:aconservationchallengeinthePacificNorthwest. Plant Talk 40:23-27.

Christy,J.,E.Alverson,M.Dougherty,S.Kolar,L.Ashkenas,andP.Minnear.1999.Pre-settlementvegetationmapforthe WillametteValley,Oregon,compiledfromrecordsoftheGeneralLandOfficeSurveyors(c.1850).Oregon Natural Heritage Program, Portland, OR.

Crawford, R.C. and H. Hall. 1997. Changes in the South Puget prairie landscape. Pp. 11-16 in P.V. Dunn and K. Ewing (editors) EcologyandconservationoftheSouthPugetSoundprairielandscape.TheNatureConservancy,SeattleWA. 289 pp.

Defenders of Wildlife. 1998. Oregon’s Living Landscape. Defenders of Wildlife, West Linn, Oregon. 218 pp.

Lea, T. 2002. Historical Garry oak ecosystems of greater Victoria and Saanich Peninsula – a 1:20,000 Map. In P. J. Burton (editor),GarryOakEcosystemRestoration:ProgressandPrognosis.Proceedingsofthethirdannualmeetingofthe BritishColumbiachapteroftheSocietyforEcologicalRestoration,April27-28,2002.UniversityofVictoria,British Columbia. Pp. 24-27.

Omernik,J.M.1987.EcoregionsoftheconterminousUnitedStates.Map(scale1:7,500,000).AnnalsoftheAssociationof American Geographers 77(1):118-125.

PublicForestryFoundation.1995.ForestmanagementstrategyfortheFortLewisMilitaryReservation.PreparedforU.S. ArmyI-Corps,FortLewisMilitaryReservation,EnvironmentalandNaturalResourcesDivision,ForestryBranch,and The Nature Conservancy of Washington. Eugene, Oregon.

TheNatureConservancy[TNC]andJ.Kreuger.2013.UmpquaPrairieOakPartnershipConservationStrategy.TheNature Conservancy, Portland, OR. 11 pp.

T. S. Keter. 1989. Overview of the Prehistoric and Historic: Grasslands of the North Fork Basin of the Eel River. Presented at the 23rdAnnualMeetingofTheSocietyforCaliforniaArchaeology.SixRiversNationalForest,Eureka,CA.


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