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 Divisionchaffner@pa.gov570. 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 Surveyalbenson@usgs.gov

contacts & resources

4.17.14

PresentersCathy Haffner, PA Game Commission chaffner@pa.gov Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc. kttci@verizon.net Elizabeth Crisfield, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc. crisfield.pawap@gmail.com Jonathan Mawdsley, Society for Conservation Biology jonathan.mawdsley@hotmail.com Abby Benson, US Geological Survey, albenson@usgs.gov

LinksNortheast Lexicon: http://www.teaming.com/toolkit/Publications SGCN Tool: http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/swap/sgcn/