Designing Landscapes for Sustainable Bird

Populations

Structured Decision Making WorkshopAtlantic Coast Joint Venture

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Presentation Outline Strategic habitat conservation? Project Goals

– Vision for the final products– Process – structured decision making

Decision support tool roadmap– Defining and dividing the problem– Priority birds

Objectives – bird habitat conservation Alternatives – selecting focal (surrogate) species Consequences of the selection

– Landscape characteristics Objectives Mapping priorities

Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC)

Strategic Habitat Conservation? Biological planning

– Ecological context (Threats and limiting factors)– Selecting surrogate bird species (SDM)– Population objectives – SAMBI Plan– Species-habitat relationships – Jaime, Steve, Matt

Conservation Design– Habitat required to meet the population objectives - ???– Desired landscape configuration (SDM) – Decision support tool

Where will we get the best response from conservation?

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LMV JV decision support tool One focal habitat –

bottomland hardwood forests

Landscape dominated by agriculture

Goal: target populations of surrogate forest bird species

Primary means – Reforestation

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EGCP JV open pine decision tool One focal habitat Complex landscape Goal: target populations of

surrogate open pine bird species

Primary means:– Longleaf restoration– Improved management of

existing habitat– Habitat acquisition

Similar projects

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Vision for the final product(s) Multiple habitats Complex, dynamic landscape

– Urban growth– Climate change

Goal: target populations of many surrogate bird species

Product(s)– Map of highest priority areas for each habitat type

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How do we get there? Structured Decision Making

– Process for making smart choices References

– Gregory, R.S., and R.L. Keeney. 2002. Making smarter environmental decisions. Journal American Water Resources Association. 38(6):1601-1612

– Hammond, J.S., R. L. Keeney, and H. Raiffa. Smart choices: A practical guide to making better decisions, by Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Massachusetts, 1999.

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Introduction to SDM Important decisions are made in any action or policy Smart decisions are fundamental to success Tools available to professionals:

– Economics– Psychology– Statistics– Biology and ecology– Project management

Ignore basic principles of sound decision making– Not just an “art”

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Five core elements - PrOACTProblem – Solve the right problemObjectives – Describe the desired outcomesAlternatives – Consider any reasonable actions that

achieve the outcomesConsequences – Describe how well alternatives

meet objectivesTradeoffs – Evaluate consequences of each

alternative

– Core of structured decision making (Hammond et al., 1999).

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Three additional elements - URL

Uncertainty – Understand the limits of the data and models

Risk Tolerance– Low tolerance ~ grave consequences– High tolerance ~ less serious consequences

Linked Decisions– Do choices made today influence choices to make

tomorrow?

More advanced concepts

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Reasons for SDM process

Group psychology encourages conformity– Results in erroneous choices– Fail to address individuals’ priorities

Don’t explore minority views

Real decisions left to someone else– Managers provide “competent options”– Dealing with complexity -> administrators– Neglects importance of individual decision making– Overlooks diversity of approaches/perspectives