Landscape Conservation Cooperatives:

A Place for Friends

Southeast Regional Friends ConferenceCrystal River NWR, Crystal River, Florida Sunday, April 11, 2010

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives:

The Right Conservation in the Right Places

DOI POD BriefingFebruary 3, 2010

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs):

The Right Science in the Right Places

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 75th North American Wildlife & Natural Resource Conference

Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks Landscape Conservation Cooperative

Development and Operations Plan

Sustaining the Nation’s Treasured Natural Resources

December 2009

Landscape Conservation CooperativesFact Sheet

Responding to National-scale Stressors

October 2009

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives Science partnerships that develop decision-support tools to implement Strategic Habitat Conservation on a landscape scale.

• Self-directed, applied conservation science partnerships that will drive success at landscape scales.

• A seamless, national network of interdependent partnerships between the Service, USGS , other federal agencies, states, tribes, NGOs, universities and other entities which will inform resource management decisions to address national-scale stressors, including climate change.

• Scientific and technical support for landscape-scale conservation in the Strategic Habitat Conservation framework.

• Closely integrated with Regional Climate Impact Response Centers to conduct site specific climate impact studies and develop landscape-scale conservation plans.

Landscape Conservation CooperativesARE:

• Deliver on-the-ground conservation. That’s up to the Service, the states and other partners.

• Focus solely on climate adaptation. They provide science support for conservation actions addressing a variety of broad-scale challenges including water scarcity, invasive species and wildlife disease.

• Replace existing science capacities. Rather, it will compliment and build on current science and conservation work.

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives DO NOT:

Shared objectives stated as biological outcomes

Shared objectives stated as biological outcomes

Models tie populations to sites

and landscapes

Models tie populations to sites

and landscapes

Partners Deliver Conservation

Partners Deliver Conservation

Monitoring and assessment

Monitoring and assessment

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BiologicalPlanning

ConservationD

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Assumption-basedResearch

ConservationDelivery

LCCs:“Resource Management SCIENCE Partnerships”

Climate Change – DOI Secretarial Order No. 3289

Issued September 14, 2009

includes the following:

“A network of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives will engage DOI and federal agencies, states, tribal and local governments and the public to craft practical, landscape-level strategies for managing climate change impacts…” = LCCs

LCCs are resource management science partnerships. LCCs will inform on-the-ground implementation to ensure the right science in the right place.

LCCs will be a national and international network.

Function of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives

Form of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives

LCCs will have:– Steering committee of

executive/management level representatives from partner organizations;

– LCC Coordinator(s);– Science and Technology Coordinator(s);

and– GIS capability and other expertise as

needed.

LCCs - Lower 48 (Caribbean not shown)

14

National Geographic Framework

US Fish & Wildlife Service

LCCs established in FY 2010

• Arctic• California• Great Northern• Great Plains• Gulf Coastal Plains &

Ozarks• North Atlantic• Pacific Islands• Plains and Prairie

Potholes• South Atlantic

Gulf Coastal Plain and Ozarks LCC

Interior Highlands

West Gulf Coastal Plains

East Gulf Coastal Plains

Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Florida FWCCLouisiana DWF

Missouri DC

Texas DPW

Auburn University

National Wild Turkey Fed

TNC

Northern Bobwhite Initiative

DU

Arkansas GFC Alabama DCNR Kentucky DFWR

Mississippi DWFP

Tennessee WRA

USGS

USFWS USFSABC

National Audubon Society

WMI

Oklahoma DWC

Lower Mississippi Valley JV East Gulf Coastal Plains JVCentral Hardwoods JV

GCPO – The Complexity (12 States; 3 JVs; 3 FWS, NPS, USGS Regions; 2 USFS and BLM Regions; 5 NPS I&M and others)

• Integrate Explicit Biological Objectives for Aquatic and Terrestrial Species/Systems (Linked to Larger “Plans” e.g., NAWMP, SARP, Recovery Plan)

Forest Breeding Birds Alligator Gar

Open Pine Forest Birds

Strategic Habitat Units:Priority Freshwater Mussels

Establishing the Science FoundationStepping Stones

South Atlantic LCCCoordinator – Ken McDermond

Development and Operations Plan

Key Partners: USGS RCCRCNPSAtlantic Coast Joint Venture

Identify Priority Species and Habitats

Identify Conservation Needs

Regional Climate Science Centers

• 8 CSCs across the nation– FY2010 in AK, NW, and the SE– FY2011 in SW and North Central regions

Arctic

AK Boreal

Boreal Transition

N. Pacific Maritime

Aleutian Islands

Western Tundra

2000-2009

2090-2099

2000

• Appalachian• Desert • Great Basin • Great Lakes • Gulf Coast• North Pacific• Peninsular Florida • Southern Rockies

LCCs in the Planning Stages

Peninsular Florida LCC

Interim Coordinators - Dawn JenningsTodd HopkinsSteve Traxler

Guiding Coalition- Paul SouzaDave HanklaJohn GalvezSylvia PelizzaCharlie PelizzaPaul TritaikBill Miller Dan Kimball (NPS)Barry Rosen (USGS)Tim Breault (FFWCC) Thomas Eason (FFWCC)

State Wildlife Action Plans

Data from State Plans included in LCC planning and design

LCCs offer opportunity for states and partners to develop regional adaptation strategies.

2010 Funding USFWS

─ $20 M for LCCs (capacity for conservation science) NPS

─ Positions for LCCs─ Inventory and Monitoring

USGS ($15 M)─ National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center─ Regional Climate Science Centers─ Support for LCCs ($5 M)

Additional 2010 Funding USFWS Program Funding for Climate Change

─National Wildlife Refuges ($12 M)─ Partners for Fish and Wildlife ($6 M)─ Fisheries ($2 M)

State Wildlife Grants Increased funding in FY 2010 ($15 M)

State Wildlife Action Plans will be updated to incorporate climate change

FY2011 Proposed Increased Funding for LCCs and CSCs

• FWS - $ 8.5 M • USGS - $ 10.4 M• NPS - $ 10 M• BLM - $ 2.5 M• BOR - $ 3.5 M• BIA - $ 200 K

How Can Friends Help?

•Learn more about LCCs in your area

•Contact the LCC Coordinator to offer partnership

•Assist in advocating for resources needed to conduct the planning, conservation design, and

inventorying & monitoring

•Volunteer to assist refuges in conservation delivery

http://www.fws.gov/southeast/LCC/#http://www.fws.gov/science/SHC/lcc.html

Dan Ashe, U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceCindy Dohner, U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceMarvin Moriarty, U. S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceBill Knapp, U. S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceTodd Hopkins, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Credits

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives - A Tribute to SAM HAMILTON’s Vision and Leadership

“His forward-thinking approach to conservation – including his view that we must think beyond boundaries at the landscape scale – will continue to shape our nation’s stewardship for years to come “

Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar