www.wlci.gov

Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative

An Approach to Landscape Scale Conservation in Southwest Wyoming

October 23, 2014

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OverviewIntroduction to WLCI

•Mission Statement•Organization•Focus communities•Priority Objectives

WLCI’s Local Project Development Teams

•Locales•Conservation Action Plan

Conclusion

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WLCI Mission Statement

The WLCI will implement a long-term science-based program to assess and enhance the quality and quantity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale in Southwest Wyoming, while facilitating responsible development.

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Organization

2006 – BLM State Director, Bob Bennett and Terry Cleveland, Wyoming Game and Fish Director were enjoying cocktails after work, and began a discussion on wildlife and their habitats in the face of unprecedented oil and gas exploration and development in Southwest Wyoming

2006-2007 – Through these discussions Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative was formed.

2007 – WLCI received funding through the Healthy Lands Initiative

- Began to take projects that were “Off the Shelf” - Began work on the Organization of WLCI

-Memorandum of Understanding -Operations Plan -Strategic Plan

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OrganizationCurrent PartnershipsBureau of Land

Management*

Bureau of Reclamation

Conservation Districts*

County Commissioners*

Governor’s Office*

Jonah Interagency Office

Non-Government Organizations

National Park Service*

Natural Resources Conservation Services*

Pinedale Anticline Project Office

Private Landowners

US Fish &Wildlife Service*

US Forest Service*

US Geological Survey*

Wyoming Department of Agriculture*

Wyoming Game & Fish Department*

*Executive Committee Members

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WLCI Executive CommitteeWGFD USFWS WDA NRCSBLM USFS USGS NPS

Conservation Districts County Commissioners

 

Science and Technical Advisory Committee

USGS USFWS WGFDBLM USFS WDA

Monitoring Team

WLCI Coordination TeamWDA WGFDUSFWS USGS

BLM

Communication Team

Support Subcommittee

USGS Science Team

Local Project Development Team

Organization

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Focus Communities

Aspen

Mountain Shrub

Sagebrush

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Focus Communities

Riparian

Aquatic

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Focus CommunitiesConcept• Landscape Scale• Science Based• Partner Support &

Collaboration• Leverage Resources• Adaptive Management• Central Data

Accessibility

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Priority ObjectivesFragmented Habitat•Migration Corridors•Emphasis on WLCI identified communities•Consequences of development

Invasive Species•Loss of historic vegetation•Loss of critical forage•Changes/disturbances in cycles

Water Quality & Quantity•Livestock and wildlife access•Effect of changes on the landscape•Indigenous species concerns•Water health for fisheries, wildlife and livestock

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Local InteractionLocal Project Development Teams

Local-level project design, input using personnel frommultiple agencies incorporating local landowners and stakeholders and other interested groups (e.g., NGOs) to develop and prioritize projects

The LPDT are by county boundaries,Carbon, Lincoln and Uinta, Sublette, and Sweetwater. But thisdoes not mean the LPDT can’t cross boundaries.

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Local Interaction

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Conservation Action Plan“Road map” of our conservation actions during the next 5 years. It is designed to explain:

•What we plan to achieve or accomplish (i.e. our priorities)•Where we are focusing our activities•What approaches and tools we plan on using•How we will transition from site specific objectives to landscape level accomplishments and benefits•How we will integrate science (USGS & partners), with our partner’s areas of interest, management issues, and other entities•How we will adjust and know if or when we have met our objectives

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Conservation Action Plan

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ConclusionWLCI is a BEAST•Eight Teams and Committees•Over 40 agencies and entities that have ties to WLCI

Partnerships and Communication are Vital to the Success•Without these, there is no WLCI