conservation action planning process target viability/integrity: an iterative process

Conservation Action Planning Process

Target Viability/Integrity:An Iterative Process

Defining Your Project

Developing Strategies &

Measures

Implementing Strategies &

Measures

Using Results to Adapt & Improve

Developing Strategies & Measures

· Target viability· Critical threats· Situation analysis· Objectives & actions· Measures

What is “viability”?ViabilityViability of a conservation target is the measure to which the target is…….

resistant to change in its structure and composition in the face of external stresses and

What is Viability?

resilient – able to recover upon experiencing occasional severe stress

Why Assess Viability?

(1) To clearly define targets (esp. ecological systems)

(2) Science-based foundation for establishing current status of a target and setting desired future condition (goals)

(3) Helps to identify stresses to the ecological integrity of each target and understand with more precision how these threats disrupt the target

(4) Assists in developing good objectives and focused strategies

(5) Guides the design of monitoring protocol and measures of success

(6) Helps identify critical knowledge gaps about the system

Viability analysis has three steps

Step One. Define Key Ecological Attributes

Step two. Identify indicators of status of these Attributes

Step three. Rank the indicators

Select: KEY ECOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

Aspects of the conservation target (species, community or ecological system) that clearly define or characterize the target and determine its distribution and variation over space and time.

Characteristics of the target, that if eliminated or significantly altered, would result in the demise of the target or would shift it into something quite different.

Step One

Characteristics of Conservation Targets – assigned to categories of……Size

• Area or abundance• Minimum dynamic area

Size• Area or abundance• Minimum dynamic area

Condition • Composition (e.g., native vs. nonnative)• Structure (e.g., age)• Biotic Interactions (e.g., reproduction)

Condition • Composition (e.g., native vs. nonnative)• Structure (e.g., age)• Biotic Interactions (e.g., reproduction)

Landscape Context • Dominant environmental regimes (e.g. fire, hydrology)• Connectivity (e.g., access to habitats/resources, ability to

disperse, migrate, re-colonize)

Landscape Context • Dominant environmental regimes (e.g. fire, hydrology)• Connectivity (e.g., access to habitats/resources, ability to

disperse, migrate, re-colonize)

FocalTarget

CategoryKey

Attribute

Mangrove Forest

Size Habitat Size

KEA for Mangrove Forest

FocalTarget

CategoryKey

Attribute

Coral Reef ConditionPresence of

Invasive species

KEA for Coral Reef

Tips for Selecting Key Ecological Attributes• Pick factors that are critical for long-term viability…

Characteristics, if degraded, would seriously jeopardize the target’s ability to persist for 100+ years?

• When in doubt, pick characteristics that can be or are likely to be affected by human activities

• Look for a few really key ecological attributes … versus many desirable or descriptive characteristics

Key Ecological Attributes are what’s important…….

• Pick factors that are critical for long-term viability… Characteristics, if degraded, would seriously jeopardize

the target’s ability to persist for 100+ years?

• When in doubt, pick characteristics that can be or are likely to be affected by human activities

• Look for a few really key ecological attributes … versus many desirable or descriptive characteristics

Key Ecological Attributes are what’s important…….

Indicators are measurable aspects of the Key Ecological Attribute that inform us of its status or “health”

Second Step: Select Indicators

Indicators are what you measure

Key Attribute: Circulatory system Indicator: Blood pressure

FocalTarget

CategoryKey

AttributeIndicator

Mangrove Forest

Size Habitat Size% of original forest

Indicator for Mangrove Forest

FocalTarget

CategoryKey

AttributeIndicator


Invasive species

Crown of thorns on reef

Indicator for Coral Reef

Look for indicators that ... • Strongly relate to the status of the key ecological attribute

• Are efficient & affordable to measure

• Where you can reasonably define what constitutes “Good”

• Desirable indicators ...– Might provide an early warning to serious stresses– Might assess two or more key ecological attributes

e.g. Presence of young cypress in a floodplain forest as an indicator for both hydrological regime & reproduction of dominant species

Indicator RatingsBold=Current Italics=Desired

FocalTarget

CategoryKey

AttributeIndicator Poor Fair Good

Very Good

Targetname

- Size- Condition- Landscape Context

Key Attribute A

Indicator 1 Criteria for Poor

Criteria for Fair

Criteria for

Good

Criteria for Very Good

Very Good: Ecologically

desirable status; Requires little intervention for maintenance

Fair:Outside acceptable range

of variation; Requires human intervention

Good:Indicator w/in acceptable range of variation; Some intervention required for

maintenance

Poor: Restoration

increasingly difficult; May result in extirpation

Step Three: “Ranking” Target Viability


FocalTarget

CategoryKey


Very Good

Mangrove Forest

Size Habitat Size% of original forest

< 25 25-50 51-75 > 75

Viability Ratings for Mangrove Forest


FocalTarget

CategoryKey


Very Good


Invasive species

Crown of thorns on reef

Lots Few None

Viability Ratings for Coral Reef

CONDITIONSIZE

LANDSCAPECONTEXT

CONDITIONSIZE

LANDSCAPECONTEXT

Target A Viability

Target B Viability

Target C Viability

Target D

Viability

CONDITIONSIZE

LANDSCAPECONTEXT

CONDITIONSIZE

LANDSCAPECONTEXT

Biodiversity Health or Landscape Functionality

Overall “Picture” of Project Viability

Final Product: Target Viability

Summary

Grade Weight Grade Weight Grade Weight

1 Eucalypt woodlands Fair 1 Good 1 Very Good 1

2 Malleefowl Fair 1 Fair 1 Fair 1

3 Priority flora of the greenstone rangesGood 1 Fair 1 Fair 1

4 Succulent steppe mosaic Good 1 - 0 Very Good 1

5 Critical weight mammals Good 1 Poor 1 Poor 1

6 Shrublands Fair 1 Good 1 Good 1

7 - 1 - 1 - 1

8 - 1 - 1 - 1

Site Biodiversity Health Rank

Viability Rank

Condition Size

Northern Wheatbelt Woodlands

Conservation TargetsLandscape Context

Good

Fair

Fair

Very Good

Good

Fair

Good

-

-

Conducting the Assessment

An iterative process with “successive approximations”Begin with a “credible first iteration” -- your first approximation

• Identify 3 - 5 really key ecological attributes for each focal target (maybe one each for size, condition and landscape context)

• Determine what you’ll measure for each attribute – indicator

• Discuss and describe what would constitute a “good” status

• Rate the “Current Status” for each attribute, based on informed expert opinion + available information

• Present your initial findings to colleagues/experts for review

FocalTarget

Category Key Attribute IndicatorCurrentStatus

LandscapeContext

Example - 1st Pass

• Grassland focal target identified• Fire regime = Key Attribute (Landscape Context)• Fire frequency = Indicator• Dense woody cover suggests not enough fire• Current status deemed not viable - assigned “Fair”

FairGrassland Target

Fire regime

Fire frequency


FocalTarget

Category Key Attribute Indicator Poor Fair GoodVery Good

grassland - Type X

Landscape Context

fire regime fire frequency not

enough fire

1st Pass - table

1st pass results in Indicator Rating table


FocalTarget


grassland - Type X

Landscape Context


enough fire

grassland - Type X

Landscape Context

fire regime fire frequency > 10 years5-10 years

Phone call to local grassland expert indicates natural fire frequency of 5-10 years.

2nd Pass


FocalTarget


grassland - Type X

Landscape Context


enough fire

grassland - Type X

Landscape Context


grassland - Type X

Landscape Context

fire regime% grassland with 5-10 yr fire return

<25% 25-50% 51-75% >75%

• % of the area that is burned at acceptable frequency deemed important

• Decision made > 50% of area = viable or key attribute = “Good”

• Current status is < 50% is burned at this interval

3rd Pass


FocalTarget


grassland - Type X

Landscape Context


enough fire

grassland - Type X

Landscape Context


grassland - Type X

Landscape Context

fire regime% grassland with 5-10 yr fire return

<25% 25-50% 51-75% >75%

The project team could have settled on any one of these 3 alternatives as part of their initial CAP plan

Flexible level of detail

1

2

3


FocalTarget

Category Key Attribute Indicator Poor Fair Good Very Good

grassland - Type X

Size

Size/extent of characteristic communities / ecosystems

aerial extent in acres

> 100,000

acres

How important is it to fill out all ratings in this case where Current & Desired

status is Very Good?

Probably Not Important!- Unless grassland area is threatened by large-scale habitat destruction. - In this case, determining the Fair rating might guide efforts to determine how much to save

Incomplete is OK!

General Guidance• View main purpose as capturing the current state

of knowledge

• Don’t worry about information gaps

• Don’t focus on filling out all indicator ratings

• Can return during later planning stages to add more detail (if necessary)

Accept uncertainty!

Indicator Ratings

Bold=Current Italics=Desired


Landscape Context

Availability of medium to large trees for nesting

Number of large trees low density of large trees

high density of large trees

Condition Natural predation (e.g.

by Red-tailed Hawk & Yellow Boa)

Nest predation between March and July

>50% of nests predated

10-50% of nests predated

<10% of nests predated

Size Population size Number of individuals per sample

point decrease from

Davis' 2001 baseline

>= from Davis' 2001 baseline

Condition Population structure Fledging rates (use predator monitoring data): number of successful nests

Very good

Size Availability of large forest blocks for population refuges

Average Block Size measured from satellite imagery or aerial photography (every 5 yrs)

Decreasing average block size

increasing average block size

A Reasonable First Pass Example

Target: Black-billed and Yellow-billed Parrots – Cockpit Country

• Select one target from your project area.

• Develop 3 - 5 key ecological attributes

• Identify one indicator for each key ecological attribute

• Develop indicator rating criteria for one indicator (based on your collective expert opinion) – Define “good” and the current status

• Qualitative ratings are OK! (e.g. “Lots of in-stream barriers”, “not enough fire” etc.)

Breakout Group Instructions: Viability Assessment

Task

• What are the key attributes you selected?• Why is each attribute “key” for the target?• Which key ecological attributes did you select

indicators for?• What indicators were selected?• Which indicator did you develop rating criteria for?• How confident are you in your rating?

Very Briefly Report Back:

Breakout Group Instructions: Viability Assessment

What follows are a set of additional examples you might want to substitute in the presentation for your use. Or you might want to use an example from a previous project you have worked on.

FocalTarget

Category Key Attribute IndicatorCurrentStatus

Example - 1st Pass

• American eel focal target identified

• Population size & dynamics = Key Attribute (size)

• Number of adult (silver) eel harvested = Indicator

• Few mature (silver) eels caught by fisherman during out-migration.

• Current status deemed not viable - assigned “Fair”

FairDiadromous fish

Size Population size & dynamics

# of adult (silver) eel harvested


FocalTarget


Diadromous Fish SizePopulation size & dynamics

Number of adult (silver) eel harvested

No eels caught during

out migratio

n

Few mature

eels caught during out-

migration

1st Pass - table

1st pass results within Indicator Rating table

2nd PassIndicator Ratings


FocalTarget


Diadromous fish Size

Population size & dynamics


No eels caught during

outmigration

Few mature eels caught

during outmigratio

n



# of adult (silver) eels harvested/night

< 1,000 lbs/night

>1,000 lbs/night

Conversation with local eel expert indicates silver eel harvest used cover the bottom of weirs with eels, approx 1,000 lbs a night.

3rd PassIndicator Ratings


FocalTarget


Diadromous fish

SizePopulation size & dynamics


No eels caught during out-

migration

Few mature eels caught during out-migration

Diadromous fish

SizePopulation size & dynamics


< 1,000 lbs/night

>1,000 lbs/night



% fish biomass

< 25% 25 – 35% 35 – 50% > 50%

• % of fish biomass deemed to be important• Decision made > 35% biomass = viable KEA

= “Good”

Flexible level of detail

1

2

3

>1,000 lbs/night

< 1,000 lbs/night



SizeDiadromous fish

> 50%35 – 50%25 – 35%< 25% % fish biomassPopulation size & dynamics

SizeDiadromous fish

Few mature

eels caught during

out-migration

No eels caught during out-

migration



SizeDiadromous fish

Very Good

GoodFairPoorIndicatorKey AttributeCategoryFocal

Target


The project team could have settled on any one of these 3 alternatives as part of their initial CAP plan


FocalTarget


Catches from the

Sea

From Viability assessment in

Indonesian village

• Catches from the Sea identified as a focal target for fish caught for local consumption and sale

• Key attribute & indicator selected• Fisherman observe that catch is much less than they

remember in recent times• Current status considered not viable (Fair)

XPopulation size

Fish catch per day

Size


FocalTarget


Catches from the

SeaSize Population size

fish catch per day

catch = 0

1 - 30 strings of

fish

From Viability assessment in

Indonesian village

• Interviews indicate current harvest < 30 strings of fish

• Ten years ago, harvest yielded up to 200 strings of fish

• > 100 considered Very Good

• 31-100 considered Good

> 100 strings of fish

31-100 strings of fish

Size/Minimum Dynamic Area

for Northern Appalachians Matrix Forests

DISTURBANCES:

(4 X's the historic severe-destructionpatch size)

SPECIES:(25 X's the mean female home range)

0 2 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 // 75 //

Scaling Factors and Reserve Size

Neotropical birds

HurricanesTornados

Barred Owl F isher*

Lynx*

Fires (NH)

Moose*

Downbursts

Spruce Grouse

Fires (SF)?

Marten

Fires (SF)?

Bobcat *

Acres (000’s)

Systems Viability Worksheet Mount Grant

Size ConditionLandscape

Context Grade Grade Grade

Surface Water Good 1 Good 1 Fair 1 Good

Riparian Forests and Shrublands Very Good 1 Good 1 Good 1 Good

Montane Meadows Good 1 Fair 1 Good 1 Good

Springs and Seeps Very Good 1 Good 1 Good 1 Good

Sagebrush/Pinyon Woodlands Good 1 Fair 1 Fair 1 Fair

Greater Sage Grouse Fair 1 Poor 1 Fair 1 Fair

Subalpine and Alpine Systems Very Good 1 Very Good 1 Good 1 Very Good

Lakeshore Wetlands Good 1 Fair 1 Good 1 Good

Site Biodiversity Health Rank Good

Viability Rank

Systems(Target) Viability

Final Product: Target Viability Summary

• Key Ecological Attributes– Critical component of target’s life history, physical or

biological processes, composition, structure– Clearly define target– Limit its distribution– Determine its natural variation over space and time– On a time scale of 50-100+ years

• Viability Indicators– Measurable entities used to assess the status of

Key Ecological Attribute(s).

• Indicator Rating Categories– Criteria to enable objective status assessments

Viability Assessment: Fundamentals

conservation action planning process target viability/integrity: an iterative process

Documents

key ecological attributesstep

ecological integrity

target assists

conservation target

indicators of status

focused strategies

targets ability

current status