Opportunities to Use Science, Information, and Tools in Large

Landscape Conservation

STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING WHITEFISH, MT

22 SEPTEMBER 2011

Our Challenges

Habitat fragmentation

Invasive Species

Energy Development

Genetic isolation

Water Scarcity

Others…

All compounded by a rapidly changing climate

Temperature Change,°C 1958-2008

Questions

Analysis

Tools

Data

Needs

Application

Outcome

Work Environments

Portals

Data

Data

Tools

Science Applied to Practice

Decision

Interpretation

Science Applied to Practice

Questions

Analysis

Tools

Data

Needs

Application Outcome

Work Environments

Portals

Data Data

Tools

Decision Interpretation

Monitoring & Adaptation

How do we…. • Data

– Discover, identify and evaluate data? – Integrate at local, regional & national scales? – Format for efficient use? – Identify what/where our critical needs are?

• Tools – Discover, understand what is available? – Identify what is needed and link developers who can build

them?

• Work Environment(s) – Transcend traditional barriers (security, policy, cultural, etc)? – Address the needs of many partners with the minimum number

of options? – Transfer science outputs into useful management information? – Please the broad array of users with common platforms?

Strategic deployment of cutting edge tools, data, and work environments linked by custom computer programs that read the products of one step and translate into inputs of following steps

GNLCC Science Delivery

Document Catalog Integrate Conceptualize

Deliver Coordinated Science

Questions

Data

Tools

Decision

Developing a recipe?

Monitoring & Adaptation

Conservation

Questions Initiation

Process Based:

Consensus Based:

FWS Region 6 Needs Template Questions

Data Management Policy

Geospatial Data Management Working Group

LCC Network

Data

GNLCC Science Products Data

Tools for Conservation

• Connectivity Analysis – Circuitscape – Linkage Mapper – Habitat Concentration Areas

Toolkit – Corridor Design

• Vulnerability Assessment – NatureServe Climate

Vulnerability Index – NOAA Risk and Vulnerability

Assessment Tool – ForGRAS: Forest Genetic Risk

Assessment System

• Optimization Models – Restoration Treatment

Optimization Models – Stochastic Optimization and

Importance Sampling

• Decision Support – Wildland Fire DSS – Montana Crucial Area Planning

System (CAPS) – EAGLES: Ecosystem Assessment,

Geospatial Analysis and Landscape Evaluation System

– Web-based GIS Salmon Conservation Decision Support Tool

– Natural Resource Assessment and Decision Support Tools for Bird Conservation Planning

• Scenario Planning – Scenario Planning for Climate

Change in the National Parks – Scenario Planning for

Biodiversity Conservation

Tools

Intuitive Knowledge Management

Translate Into

Action

Tools

LC MAP: Landscape Conservation Management and Analysis Portal

An integrated network of people, hardware and software:

that facilitates real-time information sharing, processing, and delivery while honoring the contributions, mandates, and securities of all partners

Feds

States

Provinces Tribes & First Nations

NGOs

Universities

Tools

Public

Conservation through Integration

Discovery & Acquisition • Search broadly for source data • Access common data themes

(lineages, versions) • Efficiently vet data for uses &

limitations

Analysis & Modeling • Shared work environment for real-

time, distributed collaboration • Supporting communication pieces

an “open door” • Automated metadata

updates

Storage & Sharing • Data stored/delivered from

readily accessible (and replicated) sources • Common workspaces set up and managed for

project-level data • State-of-the-art documentation and data

manipulation tools • Data security inherent in distributed system

Delivery & Outcomes • Integrated QA/QC tools • Fine-tune control of data sharing

and publication • Flexible output formats, easily

ingestible by most data viewers • User-friendly visualization interface

(coming soon!)

Tools

LC MAP: Analysis “in the Cloud”

Tools

Conceptualize and Deliver

Phase 1: Meta-analysis Phase 2: LC MAP and other custom software

Phase 3: A ‘Conservation Cookbook’ Working through ‘Lessons Learned’ and

building user stories and case histories grounded in sound data documentation and science-management coordination, GNLCC is building an information base to lead coordinated, landscape-scale conservation and adaptive management for the benefit or people and the environment

Questions

Data

Tools

Decision Conservation

Decision Custom Decision Support

Cutthroat refugia?

Gage Data, Climate Network Biophysical

Model, Network Analyst

Riparian Veg Management

The Power of C

Conceptualize Communicate Coordinate Collaborate Crowd Cloud Conservation?