New England Cottontail Conservation Efforts Anthony Tur US Fish
and Wildlife Service New England Field Office Concord, New
Hampshire
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Obligate users RELATIVE USE 0 1.0 102030405060708090100 AGE OF
STAND New England cottontails 0.5
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Habitat loss is the primary threat. Hawthorne Drive 1998
Hawthorne Drive 2008 I- 293 Everett Turnpike Route 3
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Summary of Findings 86% Contraction in Range Since 1960. NEC in
150 of 2,300 patches searched. ~ 60% patches are considered habitat
sinks. EC is 5x more abundant. Primary threat is habitat loss and
fragmentation
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Candidate Designation 2006
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State Wildlife Agencies have expressed a desire to preclude the
need to list the NEC.
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Candidate Conservation in the USFWS Assess species status and
assist in the development and facilitation of voluntary
conservation tools, so that those species do not need the
protection of the Endangered Species Act.
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Section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act states that
the Service will take * * * into account those efforts, if any,
being made by any State or foreign nation, or any political
subdivision of a State or foreign nation, to protect such species *
when making listing decisions. Listing Consideration
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Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making
Listing Decisions (PECE) policy is intended to facilitate voluntary
development of conservation efforts with Partners. identifies
criteria used to guide the Service when evaluating conservation
efforts. policy does not establish standards for conservation
efforts.
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Basic Elements of PECE In evaluating these efforts, the Service
will need; Certainty that the Conservation Effort will be
Implemented (9 elements) Certainty that the Conservation Effort
will be Effective (6 elements)
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Certainty of Implementation Level of effort needed to address
threats is identified. Authority for the actions is described.
Level of commitment to the effort by the Parties is described,
including funding. Implementation schedule is provided.
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Certainty of Effectiveness Threats are identified and
addressed. Adaptive management principles are incorporated.
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Adaptive Management Model
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Conservation Design Identify Conservation Focus Areas. Identify
Goals and Objectives for each. Compile Focal Area Plans into
Rangewide Conservation Strategy.
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Conservation Goal Implement conservation actions, throughout
the range, to establish: 1 NEC focal area capable of supporting
2,500 or more individuals; 5 focal areas each capable of supporting
1,000 or more individuals; and 12 focal areas each capable of
supporting 500 or more individuals;
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Objectives Avoid further loss and fragmentation of existing
populations; Implement conservation actions that increase patch
quality, quantity, and connectivity; Establish management
agreements to ensure that large, source populations remain viable
and their habitats remain suitable; Evaluate the role of eastern
cottontails as a non-native competitor and implement conservation
actions that address this threat, as appropriate.
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Green Infrastructure Model for NEC Conservation Focal Area
Patch Dispersal Corridor Step 1. Identify focal areas. Step 2.
Improve patch quality, quantity and connectivity. Step 3. Link
focal areas through dispersal.
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Identify Focal Areas and Rank Focal Areas
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75 257 2100 735 225 1575
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Legend = Task = Personnel PLANNING Focus Area Coordinator Site
Planner Project Screening Habitat Management Delivery Track
Progress Focus Area Conservation Team Acquisition Partner Easement
& Acquisition Standards State Coordinator Rangewide NEC
Management Team NEC Executive Board Prioritize Actions &
Compliance Screen FOCUS AREA ORGANIZATION Allocate Resources
Biological Planning Identify Assumptions NEC Research Team Develop
Conservation Design Outreach & Recruitment Evaluate Design
ADMINISTRATION Assess Habitat and Population Response Develop
Conservation Agreement Provide Technical Assistance Prioritize
Actions ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT NEC Survey Conduct Study Design Study
Organizational Structure for Conservation of the New England
Cottontail CONSERVATION DELIVERY Land Protection MONITORING &
REPORTING Modify Design Translocation
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Business Model Framework 1Research and Development 1 Research
and Development Investigate local opportunities and vulnerabilities
2Marketing 2 Marketing Use analytical technology to identify and
characterize landowners (the market) that may be recruited to
benefit a target resource 3Advertising 3 Advertising Conduct
outreach 4Technical Sales 4 Technical Sales Employ technical sales
expertise that is versed in land and natural resource transactions
and restoration concepts 5Delivery 5 Delivery Develop efficient
mechanisms to deliver conservation projects 6Business Information
System 6 Business Information System Track real-time spatial
information on the status of sales and delivery to measure model
approach 1.Assess focal area 2.Develop rangewide plan. 3.Quantify
needs. 4.Establish timeline.
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Ranked Parcels to Target Landowner Recruitment
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On-going research at UNH Determine detection rates. Develop
population estimation tools. Spatial Patch Occupancy Model (SPOM)?
MONITORING
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Hot Topics Formation of Executive Committee NRCS Initiative
($6.8 million request for 5 years to deliver 2,500 acres of habitat
on private land) Captive Breeding Efforts Development of Inbound
Marketing Tools April Tech. Committee mtg. at the NEFWC.
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Certainty of Implementation Level of effort needed to address
threats is identified. Authority for the actions is described.
Level of commitment to the effort by the Parties is described,
including funding. Implementation schedule is provided.
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Certainty of Effectiveness Threats are identified and
addressed. Adaptive management principles are incorporated.
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NEC as a barometer dispersal limited year round resident area
sensitive extreme habitat specialist NEC Conservation is not single
species management