Santa Fe County Focal Santa Fe County Focal Species WorkshopSpecies Workshop

Thank you all for participating with a special Thank you all for participating with a special thanks to:thanks to:– Santa Fe CountySanta Fe County– NM Department of Game and FishNM Department of Game and Fish– The Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy– Earth Works Institute & PathwaysEarth Works Institute & Pathways– New Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State University– Federal, State and Community Galisteo Federal, State and Community Galisteo

Watershed PartnersWatershed Partners

Galisteo Watershed Galisteo Watershed PartnershipPartnership

This Focal Species effort started with the This Focal Species effort started with the Galisteo Watershed Partnership (GWP):Galisteo Watershed Partnership (GWP):– The GWP was formed in 2005 as a network The GWP was formed in 2005 as a network

of Federal, State, County and Community of Federal, State, County and Community partnerspartners

– In 2008 it hosted two meetings on wildlife in In 2008 it hosted two meetings on wildlife in the Watershedthe Watershed

– From those meetings the From those meetings the Galisteo Galisteo Watershed Wildlife Corridor Group Watershed Wildlife Corridor Group was was formed.formed.

Galisteo Watershed Wildlife Galisteo Watershed Wildlife Corridor Group Corridor Group

The The Galisteo Watershed Wildlife Corridor Galisteo Watershed Wildlife Corridor Group worked on:Group worked on:– Letter to the Governor sent on 6/23/08 Letter to the Governor sent on 6/23/08

proposing the Galisteo Basin Wildlife proposing the Galisteo Basin Wildlife CorridorCorridor

– Collaborating with Santa Fe County to define Collaborating with Santa Fe County to define the Corridorthe Corridor

– Developing an approach to help the County Developing an approach to help the County identify identify wildlife, habitat and corridorswildlife, habitat and corridors

Galisteo Wildlife Corridor StudyGalisteo Wildlife Corridor Study

Santa Fe County General Santa Fe County General Plan Plan

The Oil and Gas Element of the Santa Fe The Oil and Gas Element of the Santa Fe County General Plan calls for protecting County General Plan calls for protecting wildlife by: wildlife by: – Preserving wildlife habitat and migration Preserving wildlife habitat and migration

corridorscorridors– Promoting biodiversity in rural areas of the Promoting biodiversity in rural areas of the

County County – Increasing data on wildlife and its habitat Increasing data on wildlife and its habitat

resources. resources.

Oil and Gas Element Bird Richness Oil and Gas Element Bird Richness Based on 324 Species Based on 324 Species

Oil and Gas Element Mammal Oil and Gas Element Mammal Richness Based on 138 Species Richness Based on 138 Species

Setting Santa Fe County Setting Santa Fe County Conservation PrioritiesConservation Priorities

To integrate wildlife into its conservation To integrate wildlife into its conservation priorities, Santa Fe County needed:priorities, Santa Fe County needed:– Identification of Focal Species based on a Identification of Focal Species based on a

defensible methoddefensible method– Identification and revision of predicted habitat for Identification and revision of predicted habitat for

each of those Focal Specieseach of those Focal Species– Identification of possible corridors within and across Identification of possible corridors within and across

its boundaries for Focal Speciesits boundaries for Focal Species– Establishing Establishing ongoingongoing data collection to updated data collection to updated

and validate its conservation priorities.and validate its conservation priorities.

The Simplified ViewThe Simplified View– Community & ProfessionalsCommunity & Professionals

– Focal Species IdentificationFocal Species Identification

– Potential Key Habitat ModelingPotential Key Habitat Modeling

– Preliminary Conservation PrioritiesPreliminary Conservation Priorities

– Community & Professional Data CollectionCommunity & Professional Data Collection

– Wildlife Corridor ModelingWildlife Corridor Modeling

– Ongoing Community RevisionsOngoing Community Revisions

Focal Species DefinedFocal Species Defined

• Focal Species Focal Species : A group of species : A group of species selected for a particular purpose or selected for a particular purpose or study (Eycott, Watts, Moseley, & Ray, study (Eycott, Watts, Moseley, & Ray, 2007), in this case, for setting 2007), in this case, for setting conservation priorities in Santa Fe conservation priorities in Santa Fe County. Please keep in mind that this is County. Please keep in mind that this is a a community/volunteer community/volunteer effort.effort.

Focal Species and HabitatFocal Species and Habitat

The approach being proposed for and tested in The approach being proposed for and tested in Phase 1 is based on: Phase 1 is based on:

1.1. Specification and prioritization of Focal SpeciesSpecification and prioritization of Focal Species

2.2. Modeling Modeling predictedpredicted habitats based on the habitats based on the Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project Southwest Regional Gap Analysis Project (SWReGAP) data (SWReGAP) data

3.3. Revising the key habitat patches based on Revising the key habitat patches based on additional soil, vegetation and wetlands data additional soil, vegetation and wetlands data specific to the Galisteo Watershed. specific to the Galisteo Watershed.

SWReGAP Predicted HabitatSWReGAP Predicted Habitat

SWReGAP Predicted HabitatSWReGAP Predicted Habitat

Selecting Focal SpeciesSelecting Focal SpeciesStep 1Step 1

FirstFirst, , BISON-M was used to gather the 621 in BISON-M was used to gather the 621 in Santa Fe County. From that list, amphibians, Santa Fe County. From that list, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals (those in reptiles, birds and mammals (those in SWReGAP) were selected that met one or more SWReGAP) were selected that met one or more of the following criteria:of the following criteria:

– Federal Endangered or ThreatenedFederal Endangered or Threatened– NM Endangered or ThreatenedNM Endangered or Threatened– NM Species of Greatest Conservation NeedNM Species of Greatest Conservation Need– Pueblo Tribes: Cultural Importance Pueblo Tribes: Cultural Importance

Selecting Focal SpeciesSelecting Focal SpeciesStep 2: TodayStep 2: Today

The above filtering results in 91 species that The above filtering results in 91 species that were compared against a list of all species in were compared against a list of all species in Santa Fe County designated as Santa Fe County designated as Demonstrably Secure. Demonstrably Secure. –Removing the Demonstrably Secure Removing the Demonstrably Secure species from the 91 results in the 59 species. species from the 91 results in the 59 species. –This list will be used as a starting point This list will be used as a starting point today for the rating process at the Focal today for the rating process at the Focal Species Workshop.Species Workshop.

Species Deleted from the 63Species Deleted from the 63

Selecting Focal SpeciesSelecting Focal SpeciesStep 3: TodayStep 3: Today

The Focal Species Workshop will:The Focal Species Workshop will:1.1. Present an overview of Species of Greatest Present an overview of Species of Greatest

Conservation Need in SF CountyConservation Need in SF County

2.2. Provide you with an opportunity to add/delete species Provide you with an opportunity to add/delete species that are Vulnerable or have Ecological Significancethat are Vulnerable or have Ecological Significance

3.3. Present an overview of Cultural ImportancePresent an overview of Cultural Importance

4.4. Provide you with an opportunity to add/delete species Provide you with an opportunity to add/delete species that have cultural or economic importancethat have cultural or economic importance

5.5. Have you rate up to 70 species on Vulnerability, Have you rate up to 70 species on Vulnerability, Ecological Significance and Cultural Importance.Ecological Significance and Cultural Importance.

Time ConsiderationsTime Considerations

Time is limited today and we have a lot to Time is limited today and we have a lot to accomplish. To help with this, accomplish. To help with this, pleaseplease::

– Keep comments focused on adding/deleting Keep comments focused on adding/deleting species to/from Rating Listspecies to/from Rating List

– Give everyone a chance to participate before Give everyone a chance to participate before making a second commentmaking a second comment

– We will all vote on additions/deletions before We will all vote on additions/deletions before the BREAKthe BREAK

– Save most questions for the BREAKSave most questions for the BREAK

Selecting Focal SpeciesSelecting Focal SpeciesStep 4Step 4

Santa Fe County will work with NMSU to:Santa Fe County will work with NMSU to:– Analyze your ratings data and identify the top 15 for Analyze your ratings data and identify the top 15 for

their first round of Focal Speciestheir first round of Focal Species– Review SWReGAP models for those Focal Species Review SWReGAP models for those Focal Species

and identify additional data with the and identify additional data with the initial focus on initial focus on the Galisteo Watershedthe Galisteo Watershed

– Revise predicted habitat for the Galisteo Watershed Revise predicted habitat for the Galisteo Watershed and then for the rest of SF Countyand then for the rest of SF County

– Specify additional data (like tracking data) that can Specify additional data (like tracking data) that can be collected and verified to support and adjust be collected and verified to support and adjust habitat models.habitat models.

Future StepsFuture Steps

We invite all participants to help SF County:We invite all participants to help SF County:– In the February 23 GIS Workshop with Ken In the February 23 GIS Workshop with Ken

Boykin from NMSUBoykin from NMSU– Develop and promote an ongoing process to Develop and promote an ongoing process to

update focal species and conservation prioritiesupdate focal species and conservation priorities– Develop community and scientifically based Develop community and scientifically based

wildlife data collection activitieswildlife data collection activities– Refine these methods so that they can be used Refine these methods so that they can be used

by other wildlife corridor and county efforts in by other wildlife corridor and county efforts in New Mexico.New Mexico.