wildlife habitat connectivity planning in washington · wildlife connections symposiumwildlife...
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Wildlife Connections SymposiumWildlife Connections SymposiumWildlife Connections SymposiumOregon ZooOregon ZooOregon Zoo
October 20, 2008October 20, 2008October 20, 2008
Kelly McAllister WSDOTKelly McAllister WSDOTKelly McAllister WSDOTJoanne SchuettJoanne SchuettJoanne Schuett---Hames WDFWHames WDFWHames WDFW
Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Planning in Washington
Photo credit M. Vasquez
What We’ll Cover…
• Roots of connectivity planning in Washington• Washington’s collaborative connectivity working
group• Some next steps in Washington
But first…
Habitat Connectivity What is it? Why?
Most animals need to move to:● Find food
● Find mates
● Find security from predators and other threats
● Access critical seasonal habitats like winter and summer range
● Maintain gene flow which is critical to population health in species that naturally exist at low densities (Cougar, Grizzly Bear, Wolverine)
● Colonize vacant habitat areas
The Roots ofHabitat ConnectivityPlanning in Washington
The I-90, Snoqualmie Pass East project was formative for WSDOT, engaging staff at many levels and multiple disciplines with issues of habitat connectivity and a permeable transportation system
Very importantly, a collaborative NGO and agency group worked together to make this a success “The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition”
WSDOT Secretary’s Executive Order 1031
Protections and Connections for High Quality Natural Habitats
“Washington State Department of Transportation, in partnership with other agencies, organizations, and the public, must assure that road and highway programs recognize, together with other needs, the importance of protecting ecosystem health, the viability of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species, and the preservation of biodiversity”
Pierce County’s Biodiversity Network and Spokane County’s Parks to Peaks planning efforts both identified core habitat blocks and connecting corridors. Corridors generally followed stream courses.
Spokane County’s plan included linkages to habitat blocks in Idaho.
Connectivity and Local Governments
Connectivity and Local Governments
Birch Bay Watershed, Whatcom County•Multi-agency
•Landscape planning for water quality, fish, and wildlife
•Extensive population growth expected
Example Connectivity Results•Great Blue Heron flight pathways (yellow)
•Amphibian connectivity zone (green hatches)
•Arrows indicate importance of connecting to adjacent watersheds (white)
Lynx Wolverine
Wolf Grizzly Bear
Singleton, Gaines, and Lehmkuhl identified core habitat patches and linkages for four rare forest carnivores
Washington’s Biodiversity Conservation Opportunity Maps:-
Classify the state relative to Biodiversity significance as well as future risk of loss of biodiversity
Identifying corridors to connect habitat patches was not part of the initial strategy
The Western Governors’Association has created a new impetus for habitat connectivity planning, with an emphasis on planning that crosses state boundaries
Washington’s Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Working Group
• Mission Statement • Who we are• Collaboration with other efforts• Importance of science and communications• Timeframe & products• Progress report on statewide effort• Next steps
Mission Statement
“To promote the long-term viability of wildlife populations in Washington State through a science-based, collaborative approach that identifies opportunities and priorities to conserve and restore habitat connectivity.’’
Conservation Northwest
The Nature Conservancy
Western Transportation Institute
South Coast Wildlands
University of Washington
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Forest Service
WA Biodiversity Council
WA Department of Transportation
WA Department of Fish and Wildlife
WA Department of Natural Resources
WA Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development
Working Group Participants
Full Group: Science, Communication, Policy
Core Team: Responsible for preparation and coordination of state and ecoregional plans
Sub-groups: The Core Team is supported by Community Involvement and Science Groups
Working Group Structure
Collaboration with Other Efforts
Washington’s Connectivity Working Group supports strong linkages between efforts, common goals, and common products:
•Wildlife Action Plans
•State Biodiversity Plan
•Western Governor’s Wildlife Corridors Initiative
Working Group Linkage to Western Governors’ Wildlife Corridors Initiative
Washington Habitat
Connectivity Working Group
•Scientific focus
•Produce state and ecoregional connectivity scientific analyses and products
•Lead on communication products
WA Governor’s Office
•Member WGA Wildlife Corridors Initiative
•Provides information about the Initiative
•Facilitates implementation of connectivity plans
Biodiversity Council•Communications bridge between Working Group & Governor’s office
•Address policy
•Assist on guiding landowner communications
•Add connectivity to biodiversity opportunity products
•Participate in scientific discussions with Working Group
Science and Social Issues
Science-based approach• Working Group includes local species experts as well
as nationally recognized connectivity scientists• Scientific peer review by national experts Communications / outreach• Sub-group focusing on laying groundwork for
connectivity understanding and project acceptance• Communications strategy & web-site under-
development
Timeframe and Products
Statewide products: Dec. 2009Ecoregion products: Dec. 2011• Maps will identify best places to invest resources to conserve or
restore native plant communities situated between important core habitat areas
• Extensive public outreach & dialogue with local communities• Scientific peer review
The Science…
STRESSORS
Wildlife Population ImpactsBiodiversity & Ecosystem Effectse.g., reduced native species diversity
Wildlife Movement Requirements:• Daily movements • Seasonal movements to breeding, birthing, summer, and winter habitats • Dispersal and colonization of vacant habitat
Habitat Alterations:
• Land clearing• Development• Roads / Traffic• People
Habitat Effects Alienation
Impacts to Individual Animals
Connectivity “Conceptual Model”
Direct Mortality
STRESSORS
Wildlife Population ImpactsBiodiversity & Ecosystem Effectse.g., reduced native species diversity
Wildlife Movement Requirements:• Daily movements • Seasonal movements to breeding, birthing, summer, and winter habitats • Dispersal and colonization of vacant habitat
Habitat Alterations:
• Land clearing• Development• Roads / Traffic• People
Habitat Effects Alienation
Impacts to Individual Animals
Connectivity “Conceptual Model”
Direct Mortality
STRESSORS
Wildlife Population ImpactsBiodiversity & Ecosystem Effectse.g., reduced native species diversity
Wildlife Movement Requirements:• Daily movements • Seasonal movements to breeding, birthing, summer, and winter habitats • Dispersal and colonization of vacant habitat
Habitat Alterations:
• Land clearing• Development• Roads / Traffic• People
Habitat Effects Alienation
Impacts to Individual Animals
Connectivity “Conceptual Model”
Direct Mortality
STRESSORS
Wildlife Population ImpactsBiodiversity & Ecosystem Effectse.g., reduced native species diversity
Wildlife Movement Requirements:• Daily movements • Seasonal movements to breeding, birthing, summer, and winter habitats • Dispersal and colonization of vacant habitat
Habitat Alterations:
• Land clearing• Development• Roads / Traffic• People
Habitat Effects Alienation
Impacts to Individual Animals
Connectivity “Conceptual Model”
Direct Mortality
STRESSORS
Wildlife Population ImpactsBiodiversity & Ecosystem Effectse.g., reduced native species diversity
Wildlife Movement Requirements:• Daily movements • Seasonal movements to breeding, birthing, summer, and winter habitats • Dispersal and colonization of vacant habitat
Habitat Alterations:
• Land clearing• Development• Roads / Traffic• People
Habitat Effects Alienation
Impacts to Individual Animals
Connectivity “Conceptual Model”
Direct Mortality
STRESSORS
Wildlife Population ImpactsBiodiversity & Ecosystem Effectse.g., reduced native species diversity
Wildlife Movement Requirements:• Daily movements • Seasonal movements to breeding, birthing, summer, and winter habitats • Dispersal and colonization of vacant habitat
Habitat Alterations:
• Land clearing• Development• Roads / Traffic• People
Habitat Effects Alienation
Impacts to Individual Animals
Direct Mortality
CLIMATE CHANGE
Connectivity “Conceptual Model”
Structural and Functional Connectivity
Structural Connectivity:The spatial arrangement of different types of habitat or other elements in the landscape
Functional Connectivity:The behavioral response of individuals, species, or ecological processes to the physical structure of the landscape
Focal species are used to understand functional connectivity
Connectivity Plan to be Built from Three Mapping Outputs
Primary mapping output:Focal species approach
Public lands connectivity map(s)
Biodiversity significance map(s)
This will be reviewed and interpreted with the products below:
Current Work Efforts…Statewide Focal Species Selection
Focal Species Selection - Statewide Analyses
Assemble a statewide vertebrate species database
Characterize species based on vulnerability to connectivity threats and selected criteria
Link species to major vegetation classes
Evaluate species, by vegetation class, to determine which ones best meet focal species criteria
Preliminary List of Focal Species
• Washington vertebrates• State Rank 1-3, Global Rank 1-3• Species with movements over a broad spatial scale• Species highly sensitive to loss of connectivity from
development, roads, or traffic• Preliminary list - 200 vertebrates
Alpine, shrub, grass, rock
Link Species to Washington’s Major Vegetation Associations
Northern Rocky Mt. Forests
Semi-desert
Vancouverian low to mid elevation forests
Subalpine forests
National Vegetation Classification System: 5 Major Vegetation Associations
Assess Each Species Based on Criteria
• Representative of vegetation class• Representative of threat classes• Adequate information for modeling• Movement choices made at proper scale• Species is limited by loss of connectivity• Do we know how to monitor the species for
response to our actions?
Select Candidate State Focal Species – draft list
Wolverine Available Habitat – Core habitat plus 100 km weighted distance
areas
Singleton, Gaines, and Lehmkuhl
Wolverine Available Habitat Plus Least Cost Corridors
Singleton, Gaines, and Lehmkuhl
Combining Outputs - Identifying Areas Serving Multiple Species’ Needs
Next Steps & Future Directions…• Complete state-wide effort• Ecoregional-scale connectivity mapping• Collaboration across state/provincial boundaries• Climate change
Questions ???