The Landscape Conservation Framework of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture

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The Landscape Conservation Framework of the
Atlantic Coast Joint Venture
Background for Discussions on Landscape
Conservation Cooperatives

• Andrew Milliken, ACJV Coordinator
• Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Management Board
  Meeting
• Baltimore, Maryland
• December 3, 2009

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ACJV Landscape Conservation Framework

• ACJV Background, Mission and Geography
• Conservation Framework and Science in the ACJV
• Biological planning in BCRs and JV wide
• Conservation design approaches
• Integrated monitoring and management
• Research
• Climate change adaptation planning

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Vision
Partners working together for the conservation
of native bird species in the Atlantic Flyway
region of the United States
Partners

• 16 A.F. States Puerto Rico
• USFWS, USGS, NPS, USFS
• TNC, DU, WMI, NFWF

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Mission

• The Atlantic Coast Joint Venture will provide a
  forum for federal, state, regional and local
  partners to coordinate and improve the
  effectiveness of bird habitat conservation
  planning, implementation and evaluation in the
  Atlantic Flyway region of the United States.

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Major Bird Conservation Initiatives
North American Waterfowl Management Plan
Partners in Flight
U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan
North American Waterbird Conservation Plan
Upland Game Bird Initiatives NBCI, Woodcock
Management Plan, IAFWA Resident Game Birds
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Lower Great LakesSt. Lawrence Plain
Atlantic Northern Forest
BirdConservationRegions
New England Mid Atlantic
Appalachian Mountains
Piedmont
Southeast Coastal Plain
Peninsular Florida
Puerto Rico
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ACJV Boundaries aligned with BCRs
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Overlay of ACJV and LCC Boundaries
Caribbean
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Plan and implement at appropriate spatial scales

• Plan using ecologically-defined units that
  reflect our best understanding of how birds
  respond to habitats at broad spatial scales
• Flyway
• Atlantic Coast
• Ecoregional (e.g. Bird Conservation Region)
• Implement at scales that recognize administrative
  or management responsibilities and local
  partnerships
• USFWS Region
• State
• Focus Area or Project
• Site

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Conservation Coordination and Delivery

• Providing the structure, information and
  resources to those funding and implementing
  habitat conservation at a variety of scales to
  achieve bird conservation goals.
• Management Board
• Game Bird Technical Committee
• Nongame Bird Technical Committee
• Integrated Bird Steering Committee and
  subcommittees
• BCR Working Groups
• Estuary Working Groups
• State and Focus Area Working Groups
• Agencies/Organizations
• Land Managers
• Private Landowners

JV/Flyway/Atl. Coast
Regional
Local
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Atlantic Flyway Council
Atlantic Flyway Migratory Gamebird Technical
Section
Atlantic Flyway Migratory Nongame Bird Technical
Section
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ACJV Plans
Plan (Date) Purpose
Strategic Plan (2004) (2009) Vision, goals, strategies, general measures of accomplishment, structure, function
Waterfowl Implementation Plan (1988)(2005) Population and habitat objectives, threats, conservation actions, focus areas with goals NAWMP step down plan
BCR Plans (2005-2008) Priority species, habitats, population and habitat objectives, threats, conservation actions and focus areas for all birds
Biological Foundation Plan (2008) Framework for Biological Foundation (biological planning, conservation design, monitoring evaluation, research)
Outreach Strategy (annual) Priorities for general, partner and congressional outreach
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ACJV Acres Conserved 1988-2009
Program Protected Restored Enhanced Total
Coastal 111,182 6,411 0 117,593
DU 171,808 98,838 108,701 379,349
NAWCA 1,668,423 90,527 40,903 1,799,853
NWR 611,329 29,621 46,798 687,748
Other 7,178 7,504 57 14,339
PFFW 87,632 184,292 115,140 387,064
States 588,861 48,145 249,595 886,601
TNC 1,267,408 0 0 1,269,408
USFS 1,359 232 2,035 3,626
WMI 12,265 12,265
Total 4,041,441 460,425 568,942 5,070,808

• Five Million Acres Conserved!

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ACJV Acres Conserved 1988-2009
Program Protected Restored Enhanced Total
Coastal 111,182 6,411 0 117,593
DU 171,808 98,838 108,701 379,349
NAWCA 1,668,423 90,527 40,903 1,799,853
NWR 611,329 29,621 46,798 687,748
Other 7,178 7,504 57 14,339
PFFW 87,632 184,292 115,140 387,064
States 588,861 48,145 249,595 886,601
TNC 1,267,408 0 0 1,269,408
USFS 1,359 232 2,035 3,626
WMI 12,265 12,265
Total 4,041,441 460,425 568,942 5,070,808

• So what?

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Questions for a Strategic Conservation Framework

• Are we doing enough of the right (habitat
  conservation) things in the right places to
  sustain bird populations?
• And will these still be enough of the right
  things in the right places in the future with
  impacts due to climate change, urban growth and
  other factors?
• How do we best (most efficiently) plan, design,
  implement and evaluate conservation in ways that
  allow us to answer these questions?
• Should we be asking these questions separately
  about birds or about other taxa at the same time?

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Strategic Habitat Conservation Framework
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Components, Goals Objectives
Biological Planning Compile and provide
information on priority bird species and their
relationship to habitats to provide a biological
basis for conservation actions

• Structure and Plans
• Biological Foundation Plan, Waterfowl
  Implementation Plan, BCR Plans, Marine Birds
  Cooperative, Web-based information
• Steps
• Priority species, representative spp., population
  objectives, threats limiting factors,
  species-habitat models

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Components, Goals Objectives
Conservation Design Provide tools to guide
management decisions to efficiently achieve bird
conservation (and associated wildlife and fish)
habitat objectives.

• Information available at appropriate scales
• Spatial databases, decision support tools
• Steps
• Existing habitat capacity, habitat objectives,
  landscape change, future habitat capacity,
  decision support tools, protected and managed
  lands databases, optimal landscape designs

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Components, Goals Objectives
Monitoring and Evaluation Facilitate monitoring
of bird populations and habitats to assess the
effectiveness of conservation actions and track
conservation projects to assess progress and
guide future actions.

• Population Monitoring
• Utilize and coordinate existing monitoring,
  design new monitoring, flyway waterbird
  monitoring
• Habitat Monitoring
• Explore options for habitat monitoring, assess
  net change in habitat types
• Conservation Tracking
• ACJV project tracking, spatial protected and
  managed lands databases

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Components, Goals Objectives
Research Provide a structure and process that
generates, attracts, leverages, and implements
priority assumption-driven research activities in
support of joint venture established objectives

• Research Coordination and Funding
• Identify research needs, seek funds through
  grants and programs
• Research Prioritization
• Target research to address key uncertainties,
  conduct sensitivity analysis

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Outside Funding 2007-2009
Funding Source Project
AFWA/USFWS Multist. Grants Northeast Coordinated Bird Monitoring
AFWA/USFWS Multist. Grants Designing Sustainable Landscapes for Birds in the Eastern U.S.
BDJV/DU/state Black duck wintering behavior and energetics
SDJV Atlantic Coast Sea Duck Surveys, Seawatch
U. of Delaware Brant wintering behavior and energetics
U.S.G.S. Science Support Optimal Landscape Design
U.S.G.S. Science Support Bird and Bat Migration on Appalachian Ridges
U.S.G.S. Science Support Atlantic Coast Sea Level Rise and Impacts on Birds
U.S.G.S. Science Support Migratory stopover habitat
U.S.G.S. Science Support Post-breeding use of early successional habitats by forest birds
U.S.G.S. NBII Atlantic Flyway SWAP Bird Information Database
Doris Duke Regional Habitat Classification and Mapping, Phase I
NEAFWA Regional Habitat Classification and Mapping, Phase II
NFWF Rangewide Longleaf Pine Decision Support Tool
MMS Seabird surveys and data compilation
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Summary
ACJV role is facilitating science and linking to
delivery

• ACJV partnership, planning and structure should
  facilitate conservation science
• And link that science to efficient and effective
  management
• With common goal of landscapes that sustain
  populations of birds at objective levels