webinar series on state wildlife action plan revision
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Webinar Series on State Wildlife Action Plan Revision. 4.17.14 1-2:30pm. For audio: Dial: 712-432-1500 Passcode: 882578#. Agenda 1:00pm Welcome & Purpose Mary Pfaffko, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies 1:03pm Best Practice for SWAPs—why create consistency? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Webinar Series on State Wildlife Action Plan Revision
4.17.141-2:30pmFor audio:
Dial: 712-432-1500Passcode: 882578#
Best Practice for State Wildlife Action Plans: Working together towards common terminology
Agenda
1:00pm Welcome & Purpose Mary Pfaffko, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies 1:03pm Best Practice for SWAPs—why create consistency? Cathy Haffner, Pennsylvania Game Commission 1:10pm Case Study: Northeast Regional Products
• Northeast Synthesis & Regional SGCN (Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.)• Northeast Lexicon (Elizabeth Crisfield, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.)• Delaware Database (Jonathan Mawdsley, Society for Conservation Biology)
2:10pm Case Study: USGS Species Conservation Analysis Tool (“the SGCN tool”) Abby Benson, US Geological Survey 2:20pm Questions
4.17.14
A Common Language for Species, Habitats, Threats and Conservation Actions in State Wildlife Action
Plans
Best Practices from Chapters 2 & 3Why create consistency?
CATHY HAFFNERConservation Planning CoordinatorPennsylvania Game CommissionWildlife Diversity Division
AcknowledgementsBest Practices Subgroup 2 Team (Species and Habitats)
Jimi Gragg, UT (Lead)Jon Ambrose, GARita Dixon, IDKristal Stoner, NE
PresentationMary Pfaffko, AFWAJimi Gragg, UTElizabeth Crisfield, Terwilliger Consulting Inc.
Best Practices Subgroup 3 Team (Threats and Conservation Actions)Danna Baxley, KY (Lead)Katy Reeder, IASunni Carr, KYLeslie Hawkins, SCAustin Kane, National Wildlife Federation
Hal Korber
Will your (or does your) revised State Wildlife Action Plan use standard terminology* for species, habitats, threats or conservation actions?
• Yes• No • Don’t know
Enter your state or territory name and your answer in the chat pod in the bottom right corner of your screen. Example: PA - Yes
*Refers to well-accepted or official classifications for these categories (e.g., American Ornithologists’ Union checklist for bird names, NatureServe’s Terrestrial Ecological Systems for habitat , Salafsky et al. 2008 for threats and conservation actions, etc.).
If ‘Yes’ or ‘Don’t know’, for which required element(s) are you using, or would you consider using, standard terminology*?
1. Element 1 – Species2. Element 2 – Habitats3. Element 3 – Threats4. Element 4 – Actions5. All of the above6. Still not sure
*Refers to well-accepted or official classifications for these categories (e.g., American Ornithologists’ Union checklist for bird names, NatureServe’s Terrestrial Ecological Systems for habitat , Salafsky et al. 2008 for threats and conservation actions, etc.).
Enter your state or territory name and your answer in the chat pod in the bottom right corner of your screen. Example: PA – 5; UT – 2, 3, 4
Overview• Genesis for Best Practices
document• Why create consistency in
State Wildlife Action Plans? • Utah example• Highlights of Best Practices
chapters 2 & 3
2011 survey of Wildlife Diversity Program Managers, State Wildlife Action Plan Coordinators and partners
What’s working? What’s not?STRENGTHS
8 required elements (similar content)
Some standardized terms (e.g., species of greatest conservation need)
All states and territories have one
Nationally sanctioned platform for conservation discussion
OPPORTUNITIES
Inconsistencies make them hard to use by national groups
Difficult to use for large landscape planning; need better communication among statesPlans have not been institutionalized and have not led to agency change; actions not incorporated into agency work plans
Overwhelming response was that plans should be more consistent.
Voluntary practices to enhance conservation and consistency across plans.
con·sis·ten·cynoun \kən-ˈsis-tən(t)-sē\
agreement or harmony of parts or features to one another or a whole
Merriam-Webster
“…our hope [is] that we can and should achieve greater consistency and standardization across our plans.”
- Carter Smith (TX), Teaming With Wildlife Chair, Best Practices foreword
Why create consistency? Improve Communication - Enhance Coordination
Affect Conservation
It can work! Utah example (thanks Jimi!)
Count of Species Common NameVery High High Medium Low No data Unknown Grand Total
Agricultural and Forestry Effluents 2 8 15 25Air-borne pollutants 1 4 1 1 7Annual and Perennial Non-timber Crops 5 5Commercial and Industrial Areas 7 2 9Dams and Water Management / Use 15 60 44 51 2 172Excess energy 4 4 8Fire and Fire Suppression 8 13 7 32 7 67Habitat Shifting and Alteration 4 3 10 1 18Household Sewage and Urban Wastewater 1 4 6 11Hunting and Collecting Terrestrial Animals 1 2 22 25Industrial and military effluents 2 2Invasive Non-native / Alien Species 45 29 35 49 158Livestock Farming and Ranching 12 6 46 64Logging and Wood Harvesting 2 2 9 13Marine and Freshwater Aquaculture 7 5 12Mining and Quarrying 1 14 28 43Oil and gas drilling 7 2 9 18Other ecosystem modifications 3 8 23 34Problematic Native Species 19 30 20 15 2 86Recreational Activities 2 12 108 1 123Renewable Energy 2 4 28 34Roads and Railroads 13 5 48 1 67Tourism and Recreational Areas 10 10Utility and Service Lines 7 38 45Work and Other Activities 5 5
Grand Total 92 202 184 567 1 15 1061
Categorized threats for all species in Utah following a standard classification system (Salafsky et al. 2008).
Agricultu
ral an
d Fores
try Effl
uents
Air-born
e pollu
tants
Annual and Pere
nnial Non-timber
Crops
Commercial
and In
dustrial
Areas
Dams a
nd Wate
r Man
agemen
t / Use
Excess
energ
y
Fire a
nd Fire S
uppressio
n
Habita
t Shifting a
nd Alterati
on
Household Se
wage an
d Urban
Wast
ewate
r
Hunting and Collec
ting Terr
estria
l Anim
als
Industrial
and m
ilitary
effluen
ts
Invasiv
e Non-nati
ve / A
lien Sp
ecies
Livest
ock Fa
rming a
nd Ranching
Logging a
nd Wood Harv
esting
Marine a
nd Fresh
water A
quacultu
re
Mining and Q
uarryin
g
Oil and ga
s drill
ing
Other eco
system
modificati
ons
Problem
atic N
ative
Speci
es
Recreati
onal Activiti
es
Renew
able E
nergy
Roads a
nd Railroad
s
Touris
m and Recr
eational A
reas
Utility an
d Servi
ce Lin
es
Work an
d Other Acti
vities
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Very High High Medium Low No data Unknown
Tota
l Cou
ntSidebar: Consistent terms allow for communicating information in different ways.
Utah example… continued
Count of Species Common Name
Row Labels Very High High Medium No data Low Unknown Data Gap Grand Total
amphibian 5 13 15 78 1 5 117
bird 1 13 36 96 19 165
fish 79 149 118 1 208 14 20 589
invertebrate 16 37 27 34 1 115 230
mammal 4 16 28 135 17 200
reptile 16 18 5 103 11 153
Grand Total 121 246 229 1 654 16 187 1454
Fish are facing the greatest number of threats in Utah. Dams are primary issue, but hard to do anything about. Second highest threat – non-natives: FISH STOCKING!
Which taxonomic group or groups is most impacted?
Utah threats assessment -Result
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will be switching all non-native sport fish production to sterile hybrids to reduce this threat.
Mike Cline/Wikimedia Commons
Make State Wildlife Action Plans the best they can be!
Selected Best Practices (Chapters 2 & 3)Use accepted or official taxonomic standards
for species of greatest conservation need (p. 10) - Note: The American Fisheries Society Special Publication 34 is the
recommended list of common and scientific names of fishes from the US, Canada, and Mexico (Nelson et al. 2013)
Use common habitat classifications that align with ecological boundaries (p. 8)
Use standard terms for threats and conservation actions (p. 12 & 14)
Thank you!
CATHY HAFFNERPennsylvania Game CommissionWildlife Diversity [email protected]. 275. 3934
Conservation Made More Efficient And Effective
Regional Coordination for NE SWAP Revision
and Fish and Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee
Karen Terwilliger, Elizabeth Crisfield, and TCI Teamfor the Northeast Fish and Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee
States have similar information needs
Habitat and species conservation crosses state lines
Cost-effective conservation requires coordinated action.
The committee has addressed their shared needs through
the Regional Conservation Needs Grant Program (RCN) The NEFWDTC prioritize projects that meet their documented needs
Results are shared on the RCN website
Why coordinate?
50 + RCN projects
Synthesis Report
Lexicon Report
Culture of Coordination
NE lead and recognition
Results of Regional Coordination
Advantages:Use shared resources to
address shared needsPrevent redundancyProvide needed data to
all states
Tracking project progressDisseminating information to
all state staff who can use itTranslating products for
states
Results: RCN 50+ Projects
Challenge:
Reviewed ALL 50+ RCN projects (along with SWG and NALCC)
Organized results by SWAP element, year, topic
TOC and index – easy to find
Reasons for Synthesis Report
ALSO Reviewed State SGCN to develop a set of Regional SGCN (RSGCN) for inclusion in SWAP revisions
Incomplete for invertebrates
Time intensive for taxa teams
Results: Synthesis Report
Broader ApplicationsRCN habitat , Threats and climate change geospatial projects are of use across
state agencies
Synthesis Report helps translate these powerful products in context
For SWAPs and Beyond
States Ranked factors last year at NEAFWA
(development, connectivity, etc)
Shows condition, threats, opportunities
For ALL species
Geospatial Condition Analysis
Conservation Assessment
Aquatic Connectivity
Data, maps and tools
Aquatic Connectivity
Results: RCN Projects
• Climate Change Projects
• NWF- Habitat Vulnerability
• NatureServe- Species
Vulnerability
• Resiliency project
Chapter 1—Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need .............................................................. 18
Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need ................................................................................................... 18
Mammals ............................................................................................................................................................ 33
Birds ................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Reptiles and Amphibians .................................................................................................................................... 45
Fishes .................................................................................................................................................................. 49
Invertebrates ....................................................................................................................................................... 55
Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need ................................................................................................... 65
RSGCN Species Selection Criteria and Methods .................................................................................................... 66
Ongoing Development of Future RSGCN Screening Methods .......................................................................... 68
Data Describing the Distribution of RSGCN ..................................................................................................... 69
Data Access and Delivery to States .................................................................................................................... 75
Chapter 2—Regional Habitat Description and Condition .................................................................... 88
Northeast Habitat Condition and Connectivity ........................................................................................................ 89
Conservation Status Assessment ............................................................................................................................. 90
Eastern Forests ................................................................................................................................................... 90
Wetlands ............................................................................................................................................................. 91
Unique Habitats of the Northeast ....................................................................................................................... 91
Lakes and Ponds ................................................................................................................................................. 92
Rivers and Streams ............................................................................................................................................. 93
Geospatial Condition Analysis ................................................................................................................................ 94
Metrics Used by the Geospatial Condition Analysis to Describe Habitat Condition ......................................... 95
Permeable Landscapes for Species of Conservation Need .................................................................................... 102
Integrity of Ecological Systems ............................................................................................................................. 103
Resilient Sites for Species Conservation in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic ........................................................ 104
Northeast Habitat Classification Systems .............................................................................................................. 104
Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitat Maps .................................................................................................................... 105
Chapter 3—Threats to Northeast Fish, Wildlife, and Their Habitats ............................................... 118
Threats in the Northeast: Common Conservation Concerns .................................................................................. 118
Threats Facing Regionally Significant Habitats and Selected Species Groups ..................................................... 120
Habitat Loss and Degradation in the Northeast ................................................................................................ 121
Threats to Northeast Forests ............................................................................................................................. 123
Threats to Northeast Wetlands ......................................................................................................................... 123
Threats to Northeast Lakes and Ponds.............................................................................................................. 124
Threats to Northeast Rivers and Streams .......................................................................................................... 124
Threats to Unique Habitats of the Northeast .................................................................................................... 125
Threats to Selected Species of Greatest Conservation Need ............................................................................ 126
Threats to Terrestrial Habitats: Results of the Geospatial Condition Analysis ...................................................... 126
Threats Identified in RCN Collaborative Projects ................................................................................................. 128
Climate Change ................................................................................................................................................ 128
Threats to Aquatic Systems .............................................................................................................................. 134
Invasive Species Threats in the Northeast ........................................................................................................ 137
Wildlife Disease ............................................................................................................................................... 137
New Energy Developments .............................................................................................................................. 138
Threat Guidance in the Northeast Lexicon and IUCN-coded RCN Grants Project Summary ......................... 139
Additional Threats Identified by the Northeast Fish and Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee................. 139
Chapter 4—Conservation Actions in the Northeast ...................................................................... 142
RCN Grant Project Case Studies .............................................................................................................................145
The Staying Connected Initative ........................................................................................................................146
New England Cottontail Conservation Planning to Address Priority Needs .....................................................147
Integrated Monitoring to Inform Conservation and Management .....................................................................148
RCN Projects Identify Actions to Address Priority Threats ...................................................................................149
Addressing Climate Change in the Northeast ....................................................................................................149
Efforts to Address Water Quality, Quantity and Connectivity in the Northeast ................................................152
Addressing Invasive Species ..............................................................................................................................154
Addressing Wildlife Diseases ............................................................................................................................154
Analyzing New Energy Developments ..............................................................................................................155
Decision Support Tools to Address Key Threats in the Northeast ....................................................................156
Tools to Design Sustainable and Permeable Landscapes ..................................................................................157
Tools to Address Aquatic Habitats and Threats in North Atlantic Watersheds and Estuaries ..........................158
Conservation Actions Guidance in the Northeast Lexicon and IUCN-coded RCN Grants Project Summary ..159
Additional Regional Actions Identified ..................................................................................................................159
Chapter 5—Monitoring of RSGCN Species and Key Habitats in the Northeast and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Conservation Actions .......................................................................................................................... 161
The Monitoring and Performance Reporting Framework ...................................................................................... 162
State Wildlife Grants Effectiveness Measures Project .......................................................................................... 166
Wildlife TRACS .................................................................................................................................................... 166
Northeast Lexicon for Common Planning and State Wildlife Action Plan Database ............................................ 167
Region-wide Taxa-specific Surveys and Monitoring ............................................................................................ 168
Regional Monitoring Protocols and Databases ...................................................................................................... 168
Conservation Status of Northeast Fish, Wildlife, and Natural Habitats ................................................................ 169
Table 1.1 RSGCN Species by Major Taxonomic Group.
Taxonomic Group Number of RSGCN Species
Mammals 45
Birds 110
Reptiles 29
Amphibians 36
Fish 102
Tiger Beetles 11
Freshwater Mussels 23
Other Federally Listed Invertebrates
11
Total 367
Results: RSGCN list update
Follow-up on Synthesis and Lexicon recommendations
Synthesis and Lexicon updating- project progress
SWAP revision support- how to use it
Keeping the coordination system up and running to help with emerging needs.
Coordination Next Steps
Regional threats assessmentMaintain synthesis as a dynamic
documentRegional landscape conservation designWork with NE Climate Change Working
GroupWork with NE Information & EducationStates need to advance and review of the
RSGCN list and process because it is based on state data and expertise
Synthesis Recommendations
Continue work toward a regional web-accessible database of SWAPs
Work with NE Conservation Information & Education Association to support implementation of Elements 7&8
Lexicon Recommendations
The Synthesis is being updated as new RCN projects are completed
As SWAP coordinators use both documents, corrections and improvements are needed
As the Lexicon is applied during SWAP revision, improvements or better solutions are suggested and resolved
Synthesis and Lexicon Updates
Coordinated efforts to support communication plans
A website to share tips and tricks is available to support SWAP revision
SWAP Revision Support
Holding monthly conference calls and 3 meetings
System for coordination is kept in place to be invoked quickly when needed
NEFWDTC members know they are part of a team of people that is ready, willing, and able to help
Maintaining a Culture of Coordination
Delaware Wildlife Action Plan:Database Development
& Web-Enabling
Jonathan MawdsleySociety for Conservation Biology
Role of Database in Delaware Wildlife Action Plan Revision
• Capture and store data collected during plan revision about the major plan elements
• Support development and refinement of Species of Greatest Conservation Need list
• Support comparisons with legacy data from first edition of plan
• Support queries that combine multiple plan elements (e.g. species and habitats, threats and actions)
• Support web-enabling (Web GIS, data visualization tools)
Software Considerations
• Cost• Easily accessible and easily
used by biologists, state agency staff
• Meets Delaware state information technology specifications
• Support for complex queries, analyses
• Support for web-enabling
Existing Microsoft Access Database
• Developed for first edition of Delaware Wildlife Action Plan
• Main function was to support development of the list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need for Delaware
• Included basic information about other elements (threats, habitats, actions)
Biotics Species List for Delaware
Other Species Lists Other Species Lists
Habitat Associations
Threats and Actions
Database Development
• Used existing database architecture as starting point
• Normalized tables and relationships for habitats, threats, and actions
• Added fields from the Northeast Lexicon for species, habitats, threats, and actions
• Added logical relationships between tables using links on common fields
New Features
• Added tables for storing elements of results chains• Added tables for storing full data from the
NatureServe Climate Change Vulnerability Index• Added fields for both TRACS and IUCN Threats and
Action classifications• Added Northeast Terrestrial & Aquatic Habitat
Classifications• Added tables for information about performance
measures, monitoring programs
Species List from BioticsOther Lists of Priority Species
Terrestrial Habitats
Aquatic Habitats
Threats Module
Actions Module
Results Chain Module Effectiveness Measures
And Monitoring Module
CCVI
Capturing Data from the CCVI
• CCVI = NatureServe Climate Change Vulnerability Index v. 2.1
• Could just capture the overall index value (Extremely, Highly, Moderately, Not Vulnerable, etc.)
• BUT, much richness in the data that contribute to calculating this value!
SOLUTION: Table that includes index value PLUS all of the data that go into calculating the index value for a species
Capturing Data from Results Chains
• Results Chains are useful tools for showing relationships between the basic plan elements
SOLUTION: Table that includes key elements of results chains: actions, outcomes, threats, species/habitats, indicators of effects
Next Steps in Delaware
• Migration to SQL Server and cloud hosting
• Populating database as revision moves forward
• Development of open source web GIS platform for geospatial data
• Development of data visualization tools
Database Template for States
• MS Access file available from Kevin Kalasz (DE) or Jonathan Mawdsley (SCB)
• Pre-loaded with US Endangered Species Act listings, IUCN Red List, Northeast regional species of concern list, Northeast Terrestrial and Aquatic Habitat Classifications
• Incorporates fields from the Northeast Lexicon• Basic table designs for required elements and for
the relationships between tables
SPECIES CONSERVATION ANALYSIS TOOLA national look at Species of Greatest Conservation Need reported in the State Wildlife Action Plans
Abby Benson, Biologist, US Geological Survey
Painter? Catamount?
Integrated Taxonomic Information System
• Authoritative taxonomic information
• Taxonomic serial numbers• Marginaria polypodiodes = 15
articles • Add in Pleopeltis polypodiodes,
Polypodium polypodiodes (synonyms) = 814 articles
Species Conservation Analysis Tool 1.0
• Compiled after original SWAPs were completed• Lists pulled from pdfs (labor intensive, error prone)• Discovered 1,000 SGCN not represented in ITIS and ITIS
added them over the following year
Species Conservation Analysis Tool 2.0• Excel spreadsheet
• Fields: • Scientific Name, • Common Name, • Scientific Name
Source*, • Taxonomy Group, • Ecoregion/Habitat*, • Reference used for
Ecoregion/Habitat*, • Listed in Previous
SWAP?
• Taxonomic match using ITIS
• Future tools* If applicable http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/
Species Conservation Analysis Tool 2.0
http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/
Species Conservation Analysis Tool 2.0
http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/
Species Conservation Analysis Tool 2.0
http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/
Species Conservation Analysis Tool 2.0
http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/
Contact InformationAbby BensonBiologistUS Geological [email protected]
contacts & resources
4.17.14
PresentersCathy Haffner, PA Game Commission [email protected] Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc. [email protected] Elizabeth Crisfield, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc. [email protected] Jonathan Mawdsley, Society for Conservation Biology [email protected] Abby Benson, US Geological Survey, [email protected]
LinksNortheast Lexicon: http://www.teaming.com/toolkit/Publications SGCN Tool: http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/