Post on 06-Oct-2020
Avian Conservation Science Tools for
Strategic Forest Planning:
A New Multi-species Approach
to Evaluating Forest Condition
John D Alexander, PhD
Forest Service Research and Development Seminar Series:
Innovations in science and technology for
monitoring, assessment, and inventory efforts
April 29, 2014
Klamath Bird Observatory
(Alexander et al. 2004; KS Ecology Proceedings)
U.S.F.S.
Advancing bird and habitat conservation through
science, education, and partnerships.
Outline
• Challenges:
Science – Management Divide
Closing Adaptive Management Cycle
• Learning communities for ecosystem management:
Participatory Social Science
Strategy for Applied Science and Delivery
• Avian Conservation Science Tools:
Adaptive Management Applied – beyond NEPA
Examples: Northwest Forest Management
• Innovations:
Fine-scaled Modeling
Landscape Change
• Conclusions:
Meeting IM&A Objectives
J Stephens
CJ Ralph
B Bresson
N Seavy
B Altman
M Betts
S Veloz
S Shirley
K Halstead
G Geupel
M Pitkin
S Cuenca
D Clayton
S Stresser
A Marcus
T Will
V Sturtevant
M Scott
K Rosenberg
D Jongsomjit
N Elliot
L Salas
G Ballard
Z Yang
R Hutchinson
K McGarigal
J Rousseau
J Livaudais
Acknowledgements
Science-based Tools • Species assessment database
• Standard monitoring techniques
• Conservation plans
• Data-rich models
• Conservation design process
(Alexander 2011; NABCI 2011)
Context
Challenges
• Science and Management
Separate Traditions
Compartmentalized
Ineffective Science
Delivery & Application
• Community Learning
Collective Knowledge
Challenge Norms
Compartmentalized
Relevant Applied Science
& Tools
(Bliss1999; Smith 2000; Roux et al. 2006; Bormann et al. 2007; Scott et al. 2007; Graffy 2008; Hall & Fleishman 2010)
Participatory Action Research •Degree of community control
•Reciprocal production of knowledge
•Utility and action of outcomes
Engage agency community for better understanding and change
(McIntyre 2008; Wulfhorst et al. 2008,; Alexander 2011)
Challenges: Science Not Used
Culture - When to engage?
Consultants, Science-based NGOs,
Environmental Advocates
ORWACA Meeting – April 2005
Conservation Objectives Management Objectives
Monitoring & Research
•Relationships
•Early Collaboration
•Applied Science
•Delivery
(communications)
(Alexander 2011)
Science-based
NGOs
Bridging the Science-Management Divide
Avian Conservation Science Tools Applied
Adaptive Management
• Cost effective
• Engage leadership
• Consensus
Decision Support Tools
• Who is the audience?
• What is the question?
• What are the information gaps?
• Where are the transfer points?
(Alexander et al. 2009; Williams et. al. 2009; Stephens et al. 2011)
Catalyst for Adaptive Management
Avian Knowledge Network
(Iliff 2009)
Stewardship Responsibility/Opportunity (NEPA)
(Rich et al. 2004; USFWS 2008; NABCI 2011; Panjabi et al., 2012)
Quantitative Habitat and Population Objectives
Beyond NEPA
• Align with broad objectives of RMPs/LMPs
• Multiple species at multiple scales
Focal Species – Habitat Attributes
(Altman and Alexander 2012; Chase and Geupel 2005)
Conservation
Objectives
Chapparal and Oak woodland
Bewick's Wren
Bullock's Oriole
California Towhee
Lesser Goldfinch
Western Scrub-Jay
Western Wood-pewee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broadleaf-conifer mix
Bushtit
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
*Black-thr. Gray Warbler
Nashville Warbler
High volume conifer
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
*Brown Creeper
*Hermit Warbler
*Pacific-slope Flycatcher
*Winter Wren
Low volume conifer
Mountain Chickadee
Green-tailed Towhee
Conifer generalists
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
(Betts et al. 2010; Seavy and Alexander 2011; Altman and Alexander 2012)
Forest Management Habitat Models
* Oregon-Washington PIF Focal Species (Western Coniferous Forests)
Chapparal and Oak woodland
Bewick's Wren
Bullock's Oriole
California Towhee
Lesser Goldfinch
Western Scrub-Jay
Western Wood-pewee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broadleaf-conifer mix
Bushtit
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
*Black-thr. Gray Warbler
Nashville Warbler
High volume conifer
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
*Brown Creeper
*Hermit Warbler
*Pacific-slope Flycatcher
*Winter Wren
Low volume conifer
Mountain Chickadee
Green-tailed Towhee
Conifer generalists
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
(USDA 2008)
Ashland Forest Resiliency EIS
* Oregon-Washington PIF Focal Species (Western Coniferous Forests)
Chapparal and Oak woodland
Bewick's Wren
Bullock's Oriole
California Towhee
Lesser Goldfinch
Western Scrub-Jay
Western Wood-pewee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broadleaf-conifer mix
Bushtit
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
*Black-thr. Gray Warbler
Nashville Warbler
High volume conifer
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
*Brown Creeper
*Hermit Warbler
*Pacific-slope Flycatcher
*Winter Wren
Low volume conifer
Mountain Chickadee
Green-tailed Towhee
Conifer generalists
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
(USDA 2008)
Ashland Forest Resiliency EIS
* Oregon-Washington PIF Focal Species (Western Coniferous Forests)
Climate-wise Sceince
Rufous Hummingbird
(Veloz et al. 2013)
(Veloz et al. 2013)
Bird Conservation Hotspots (Zonation)
Conifer
species
Grassland
species
Oak woodland
species
Riparian
species
(Veloz et al. 2013)
Forest Restoration Priorities
Forest Restoration Priorities
Focal Species Habitat Objectives
(Altman and Alexander 2012)
Focal Species Habitat Objectives
(Altman and Alexander 2012)
New Modeling Approach
• High-resolution Predictions
• Habitat Change Detection
• Informed by Habitat Relationships
Boosted Regression Tree Models
Average AUC - 40 species
0.87 (SD = 0.067)
0.71 to 0.99
Band 1 + 2 + 3 etc. = Presence/Absence
(Shirley et al. 2013)
Stacked Distribution Models
(Halstead 2013) Etc… N = 48 species
Predicted species richness
or habitat suitability
Chapparal and Oak woodland
Bewick's Wren
Bullock's Oriole
California Towhee
Lesser Goldfinch
Western Scrub-Jay
Western Wood-pewee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broadleaf-conifer mix
Bushtit
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
*Black-thr. Gray Warbler
Nashville Warbler
High volume conifer
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
*Brown Creeper
*Hermit Warbler
*Pacific-slope Flycatcher
*Winter Wren
Low volume conifer
Mountain Chickadee
Green-tailed Towhee
Conifer generalists
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
(Betts et al. 2010; Seavy and Alexander 2011; Altman and Alexander 2012)
Forest Management Habitat Models
* Oregon-Washington PIF Focal Species (Western Coniferous Forests)
Chapparal and Oak woodland
Bewick's Wren
Bullock's Oriole
California Towhee
Lesser Goldfinch
Western Scrub-Jay
Western Wood-pewee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broadleaf-conifer mix
Bushtit
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
*Black-thr. Gray Warbler
Nashville Warbler
High volume conifer
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
*Brown Creeper
*Hermit Warbler
*Pacific-slope Flycatcher
*Winter Wren
Low volume conifer
Mountain Chickadee
Green-tailed Towhee
Conifer generalists
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
(Betts et al. 2010; Seavy and Alexander 2011; Altman and Alexander 2012)
Forest Management Habitat Models
* Oregon-Washington PIF Focal Species (Western Coniferous Forests)
Chapparal and Oak woodland
Bewick's Wren
Bullock's Oriole
California Towhee
Lesser Goldfinch
Western Scrub-Jay
Western Wood-pewee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Broadleaf-conifer mix
Bushtit
Lazuli Bunting
Spotted Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
*Black-thr. Gray Warbler
Nashville Warbler
High volume conifer
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire
*Brown Creeper
*Hermit Warbler
*Pacific-slope Flycatcher
*Winter Wren
Low volume conifer
Mountain Chickadee
Green-tailed Towhee
Conifer generalists
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-rumped Warbler
(Betts et al. 2010; Seavy and Alexander 2011; Altman and Alexander 2012)
Forest Management Habitat Models
* Oregon-Washington PIF Focal Species (Western Coniferous Forests)
IM&A System Objectives
Goal 1: Support effective decision-making by providing relevant and
credible information.
Objective 1: Priority management questions
Objective 2: Integration and scalability
Objective 3: Ensure relevant science.
Objective 4: Quality and consistency
Objective 5: Timely and accessible
Goal 2: Ensure that all activities are inclusive and comprehensive.
Objective 1: Understand partner and stakeholder interests and address
shared information needs
Objective 2: Address issues across boundaries
Goal 3: Ensure system is responsive and adaptive to change
Objective 1: Supports management and is responsive to change
Objective 2: Responsive and adaptive to changing agency capacity
Testimonial:
Barb Bresson
Service First:
US Forest Service Region 6
Oregon Washington BLM
Avian Conservation Program Coordinator
Questions / Discussion
John Alexander
jda@KlamathBird.org