strategic habitat conservation for endangered species:

Strategic Habitat Conservation for Endangered Species:

Applying an adaptive management framework to lead to the recovery

of North Carolina’s rare aquatic species

Presented by:Sarah McRae

12 January 2012

Presentation Overview• US Fish and Wildlife Service in NC• Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) concepts• Recovery Planning using SHC for listed species

Cape Fear shiner Dwarf wedgemussel Tar River spinymussel

• Future Steps How YOU can help

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Our Mission:

Working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

USFWS in North Carolina

LEGEND

National Wildlife Refuges

Migratory Bird Field

Station

Law Enforcement

Offices

LE Port

National Fish

Hatcheries

Fish Resource

Coordinators Offices

Ecological Services

Realty Offices

Ecological Services Program Areas• Endangered Species

(listing, candidate conservation, consultation, recovery)• Conservation Planning Assistance

(NEPA, FERC, federal permit reviews)• Coastal Program

(coastal ecosystem restoration, fish passage, invasive control)

• Partners for Fish and Wildlife (habitat restoration/improvement/protection on private

lands through partnerships)• Environmental Contaminants

(evaluating effects of contaminants for pollution prevention and environmental restoration)

Assumption-driven Research

USFWS’s Strategic Habitat Conservation Framework

• What is SHC?An adaptive resource management framework for making management decisions about where and how to deliver conservation efficiently to achieve specific biological outcomes.

EvaluateLimitingFactors

Model CriticalFeatures:

1. Populations2. Habitats3. Landscape

Feedback Loop:Target Research at Key Assumptions

ReviseModels

Assess Current State of the Populations

Develop and IntegrateDecision Support Tools for:


Assess Current State of the Habitats

Assess Current State of the Landscape

Evaluate ProgrammaticPriorities Relative to:


Monitor the Effects ofManagement Actions on:

1. Focal Species Populations2. Selected Habitats3. The Landscape

Feedback Loop:Assess Net ProgressToward Objectives:1. Populations2. Habitats3. Landscape

Delivery of Conservation Actions

FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

PopulationObjectives

Select (reassess)

Habitats inthe Landscape

Figure 1. SHC for populations: SHCPopulations

Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design

ConservationDelivery

Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

Using SHC for Cape Fear shiner





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

ResarchCape Fear

shiner

BIOLOGICAL PLANNING

Upper Cape Fear River basin

Priority Stream reaches/patches


Biological Planning: Formulating Objectives

• Population: What constitutes a robust population? Densities in optimal habitat patches Minimum viable population size

• Landscape: Where in the Upper Cape Fear River basin will we focus efforts? Prioritize watersheds to focus conservation actions

• Habitat: What are the essential habitat constituents? Focus on water willow beds – what habitat variables are

important for water willow? How many stream miles need to be occupied?





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

RESEARCH

Water Quality studies

Captive propagation

CFS eggs

CFS larva


Assumption-driven Research• Summary:

http://www.fws.gov/raleigh/species/es_cfshiner_biblio.htmlo 1971 – Species is describedo 1987 – Species is listedo 1997 – USFWS RFO & WRC start funding science needs

identified in the Recovery Plan• Habitat requirements (2 studies)• Reproductive behavior (1 study)• Sensitivity to water-borne contaminants (4 studies)• Genetic diversity (4 studies)• Mortality risk due to electroshocking (1 study)• Suitable surrogate species for future water quality studies (1

study)• Population status across the shiner’s historic range (4 studies)• Threats analysis (1 study)

Interesting Findings• Overall, CFS populations remain genetically similar. But

differences do emerge as the distance between populations increases. Dams, therefore, remain a threat.

• CFS not as sensitive to chemical pollutants as previously thought. Meeting State water quality standards is primary need.

Future Research Priorities• Water Quality tests on all life cycle stages• Establish techniques to assess

reintroduction/augmentation success• Quantify water willow distribution and habitat

needs• Comparison of Rocky/Deep River habitats vs Haw

River habitats and species associates: What are the limiting factors in the Haw?

• Emerging threats:– Shale Gas– Invasive species interactions (e.g., cut grass)





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

CONSERVATION DESIGN

Decision Support Tools:Section 7 Ranges defined“Canned” GIS projectExpert CFS-SHC team

Programmatic Priorities:RFO Top Office PriorityWRC “Section 6” priority for species in

Piedmont


Needed Conservation ActionsCATEGORIES OF ACTION:

•Education•Write SHC Plan/Re-write Recovery Plan•Augmentation/Reintroduction•Dam Removals•Instream Flows•Habitat Restoration and Protection•Surveys and Mapping•Policy•Water Quality•Research

Possible Programmatic Priorities• Populations:

Upper Rocky River augmentation project

• Habitats: Water willow distribution surveys Identified threat abatement projects

• Landscape: Lee County Conservation Partnership Proactive planning in Harnett County


• Carbonton Dam Removal Project• Continue to work with partners to achieve

conservation:

• Utilize WRC’s Green Growth Toolbox throughout region

• Utilize Chatham Conservation Partnership for education/outreach opportunities; project ideas and recommendations

Haw River AssemblyNC Zoological ParkConservation Fisheries, Inc.Citizens

NC Wildlife Resources CommissionNC Natural Heritage ProgramNC Parks and Recreation Chatham Conservation PartnershipTriangle Land Conservancy





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch





ReviseModels












FeedbackLoop:Assess

ProgramAccomplish-

ments

Delineate(reassess)

the Landscape

Formulate(reassess)

HabitatObjectives

Formulate(reassess)

LandscapeObjectives

Formulate(reassess)


Select (reassess)



Select(reassess)

Focal Species

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

Conservation

Design


Mon

itor

ing

SHCPopulation

Biological Planning

Resarch

OUTCOME-BASED MONITORING

• Identify data needs and data collection strategies that will fit into the overall adaptive management scheme

• Collaborate with partners to collect information/data

• Assess effects of management• Assess agency accomplishments• Assess net progress toward

population, landscape and habitat objectives


Future Steps for CFSUSFWS has a draft SHC framework report

availableWorking with WRC on Rocky River augmentation

projectWorking with SWCD’s along the Deep River to

address NPS pollution problemsExploring dam removal projects to improve

connectivityExpand conservation partnerships to other

counties that contain habitat for CFSHold additional CFS-SHC team meetings to

discuss path forward and assess progress• Ultimate Goal: De-list the CFS!

Using SHC for dwarf wedgemusselUtilizing a Structured Decision Making Approach

DWM-SHC workshop

OBJECTIVES

• Management and Conservation Actions: Actions that affect habitat, such as, regulation or ordinances,

acquisition of land through purchase or easements, restoration, and beaver control.

Actions that directly affect populations, such as, augmentation, reintroduction, or salvage.

Actions that affect public support, such as, outreach or public education.

DWM-SHC workshop

DWM-SHC workshop

Future Steps for DWM

• Ultimate Goal: Recover DWM in NC!

Developing Models

Initial Conceptual Model

Life History Meta-population

Continue to engage DWM-SHC team

Consider propagation efforts

Utilize Section 7 process to benefit species

Using SHC for Tar River spinymussel

Diagram from 2010

More on this from Ashton in a minute…

Questions?U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicewww.fws.gov

Raleigh office of USFWSwww.fws.gov/raleigh/

Check out our new fact sheets!www.fws.gov/raleigh/es_tes.html

Sarah [email protected]; 919-856-4520x16

strategic habitat conservation for endangered species:

Documents

habitat variables

described1987 species

fish passage

candidate conservation

conservation actionshabitat

future water quality

essential habitat constituents

presentation overviewus