New Jersey Audubon Society’sImportant Bird and Birding AreasImportant Bird and Birding AreasImportant Bird and Birding Areas Important Bird and Birding Areas

Program:Program:Mapping Priority Areas for Conservation Mapping Priority Areas for Conservation pp g ypp g y

in the Delaware Estuaryin the Delaware Estuary

Cristina FrankCristina Frank P C di tP C di t

Garden State Audubon CouncilA Non-Profit Organization

Cristina Frank, Cristina Frank, Program CoordinatorProgram CoordinatorBeth Ciuzio, Beth Ciuzio, Stewardship Project Director Stewardship Project Director -- SouthSouthSteph Adams, Steph Adams, Conservation AssociateConservation Associate

Recognized: Important Recognized: Important BIRDBIRD AreasAreas

• 123 sites recognized for providing p gessential habitat for 1+ species of birds

IBA Boundaries: Applications1. Increase protection of IBAs

• Identify habitats to target for conservation• Encourage effective regulationcou age e ect e egu at o

2. Share data • Provide additional tool to guide regulatory, planning,

land acquisition and landowner decisionsland acquisition and landowner decisions• Inform land trusts, planning groups and other land use

advocacy groups• Inclusion of IBA data in municipal Natural Resource c us o o data u c pa atu a esou ce

Inventories with recommended standards for planning and zoning

• Inform regulatory programs, including CAFRA• T&E observations to Natural Heritage Database

3. Help implement the NJ WAP• targeted stewardship areas are identified as priority g p p y

areas in WAP

IBA Model: Goals and ObjectivesIBA Model: Goals and Objectivesode Goa s a d Object esode Goa s a d Object esContracted with Rutgers University’s Center

f d l lg

for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis

Goal:• Goal:– develop a consistent and computer automated

methodology of delineating the boundaries of Important Bird Areas (IBAs)Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

• Objective:– develop a methodology that is consistent

fp gy

statewide and to formulate that methodology into a model that can be shared, refined and repeated

Data LayersData Layers• Preliminary polygons• NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s

(NJDEP) Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) Landscape Project Versions 2.1 and 3.0(ENSP) Landscape Project Versions 2.1 and 3.0 (www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/landscape/index.htm)

• NJAS Habitat Analysis• NJAS Habitat Analysis• Site information and bird data provided in the

initial nomination (htt // j d b /T l 2 N t/Ibb /Sit Li ti(http://njaudubon.org/Tools2.Net/Ibba/SiteListing.aspx)

• GIS data of NJDEP’s 2002 Land use/Land cover (water)

Preliminary Polygons

• Based on the original site description provided in the initial nomination

• Often based on ownership or political boundaries

New Jersey Landscape ProjectNew Jersey Landscape ProjectJ y p jJ y p j

Bird species of special concern

Forested wetlandSuitable Habitat

GrasslandSuitable Habitat (1)Priority Species (2)State Threatened (3)State Endangered (4)Federal T & E (5)

Nesting bobolinksBird species of special concern

Bald eagle nest buffer

ForestSuitable Habitat (1)Priority Species (2)State Threatened (3)State Endangered (4)Federal T & E (5)

Priority SpeciesState ThreatenedState EndangeredFederal T & E

Beach Suitable Habitat (1)P i it S i (2)

Water

Emergent marshSuitable Habitat (1)Priority Species (2)State Threatened (3)State Endangered (4)Federal T & E (5)

Federal T & E (5)

Priority Species (2)State Threatened (3)State Endangered (4)Federal T & E (5)

NJAS Habitat AnalysisNJAS Habitat Analysis

• Top 30% (by area) ofTop 30% (by area) of highest ranking patches in each habitat type.

• Rank determined by patch index value

C bi d i d f bi d– Combined indexes of bird diversity, patch characteristics, characteristics of landscapecharacteristics of landscape surrounding patch

Overall Process flowOverall Process flow• The model was developed using ESRI ArcMap

version 9.2 software using the geoprocessing l b hi l d l i f dtool box graphical modeler interface and

translated into Python scripting language.

Step 1: Initial NJAS BoundariesStep 1: Initial NJAS BoundariesStep t a J S ou da esStep t a J S ou da es• Preliminary IBA polygons with target habitat

designations were provided to CRSSA bydesignations were provided to CRSSA by NJAS.

• Target habitats based on criteria that IBA satisfied

• Up to four target habitats were provided for each IBA including:each IBA including:

upland forest (includes scrub-shrub)forested wetlandforested wetlandgrasslandemergent wetlandbeachwater

Example: Kittatinny Camp/Van Ness RoadExample: Kittatinny Camp/Van Ness Roadp y p/p y p/IBA Criteria:

Criterion SpeciesConservation Concern – State-threatened (B)

Golden winged Warbler

Regional Responsibility Species - BCR Various Speciesg p y p29 Scrub-shrub/Barrens (B) Various Species

Target Habitats: Forest (includes scrub-shrub) g ( )

Step 2: Identify Habitats within Step 2: Identify Habitats within P li i IBAP li i IBAPreliminary IBAsPreliminary IBAs

• Within the Preliminary IBA polygon, all y p yg ,habitat areas that include the target habitat designations were identified from the following data sets: -NJ DEP V2.1 Landscape Project. This i l d d ll h i h k 1 5included all patches with rank 1-5. - NJAS Habitat Analysis patches.

• These identified patches were unioned, dissolved and labeled as a Preliminary IBA

Example: Step 2Example: Step 2Example: Step 2Example: Step 2

Step 3: Identify adjacent habitatsStep 3: Identify adjacent habitats

• Identify Landscape Project/NJAS Habitat Analysis patches adjacent to preliminary IBA polygons.

Adj d fi d i hi 100 f h IBA l– Adjacency was defined as within 100 meters of the IBA polygon boundary. All Landscape Project patches with rank 3,4 or 5 were included.

– Rank 1-2 landscape Project and NJAS Habitat analysis patches p j J y pwere included if the majority of the patch (> 75%) falls within the IBA boundary.

• All polygons selected or created in step 3 were i d di l d d l b l d t tunioned, dissolved and labeled to create a

Representative IBA. • The Representative IBAs were further “blocked out”

i l d i l i l d ll li ito include internal islands, as well as eliminate small adjacent polygons not integral to the Representative

Example: Step 3Example: Step 3

Step 4: Conservation BuffersStep 4: Conservation BuffersStep 4: Conservation BuffersStep 4: Conservation Buffers

• To determine if revised site boundaryTo determine if revised site boundary requires a conservation buffer, the Preliminary IBA boundary was bufferedPreliminary IBA boundary was buffered out to a distance of 300 meters.

• All those areas that are not included• All those areas that are not included within the encompassing or adjacent Representative IBA were identified asRepresentative IBA were identified as potential conservation buffer.

Post-model ProcessingPost model Processing

• Remove outliers and repair geometryRemove outliers and repair geometry• Complete comprehensive attribute

tabletable• Complete metadata• Technical Committee review and

approval• Submit to NJDEP for inclusion in

Landscape Project V 3.1, Spring 2009p j p g

Comprehensive Attribute TableComprehensive Attribute TableCo p e e s e tt bute ab eCo p e e s e tt bute ab e• Site name• IBA Type: Individual or Macro• Region: Landscape region• NJAS Link: to site summary contained in• NJAS Link: to site summary contained in

Guide to NJ IBAs• Comments

d• Criteria and species• NAS Link: to site report for IBA in

National’s website• X and Y Coordinates• Acres

H t• Hectares

NJDEP Landscape ProjectNJDEP Landscape Project

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/gis/depsplash.htm

Questions?Cristina Frank, IBBA Program Coordinator

New Jersey Audubon Society(609) 861-0700 ext 23

cristina.frank@njaudubon.org

IBBAProgramIBBAProgramhttp://njaudubon.org/Conservation/IBBA/

Stewardship Programhttp://njaudubon.org/Conservation/Stewardship.

htmlhtml

How does mapping aid How does mapping aid conservation efforts?conservation efforts?

•• Provides a “coarseProvides a “coarse--filter” approach to identifying filter” approach to identifying important sitesimportant sites

•• Delineates habitat important to birds Delineates habitat important to birds Provides focal area to target conservation activitiesProvides focal area to target conservation activities•• Provides focal area to target conservation activitiesProvides focal area to target conservation activities

•• Identifies priority land for acquisition or Identifies priority land for acquisition or conservation easements, and helps to guide conservation easements, and helps to guide , p g, p gmanagementmanagement

•• Inclusion in NJDEP Landscape ProjectInclusion in NJDEP Landscape Project