for Shorebird Habitat February 17 2011 Dorie Stolley Rhode Island NWR Complex David Brownlie Monomoy NWR Kevin Holcomb Chincoteague NWR Edwin B Forsythe NWR Monomoy ID: 702065
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessmen..." is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Shorebird Habitat February 17, 2011
Dorie
Stolley
,
Rhode Island NWR Complex
David
Brownlie
,
Monomoy
NWR
Kevin Holcomb, Chincoteague
NWRSlide2
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR
Monomoy
NWR
Chincoteague NWRSlide3
Monomoy
National Wildlife Refuge
ContextSlide4
“Rookie” Mgr. (01/2010) after leadership turnover
Draft CCP in progress
(
2010-2011
)
Some
Honeymoon?
WHSRN Vulnerability
Assessment
2010 team
approach
essential for the
Rookie
Monomoy
National Wildlife RefugeSlide5
Monomoy NWR
Mashpee NWR
Massasoit NWR
Assabet River NWR
Oxbow NWR
Great Meadows NWR
Nomans Land Island NWR
Nantucket NWR
Connecticut
River Watershed
Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex
WHSRN Assessment Team
Facilitator – Dorie Stolley
Proj. Ldr. – Libby Herland
Supv. Biol. – Steph Koch
Ref. Mgr – The Rookie
Other ConsultantsSlide6
WH
S
horebird
RN
Monomoy
NWR Shorebird Renown:
30± shorebird spp. –
Red Knot SB
Dowitcher
Hudsonian
Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Whimbrel
Dunlin
Sanderling BB Plover
Semipalmated
plover
G/L Yellowlegs Least sandpiper
Semipalmated
sandpiper
(NO, this fire retread still can’t ID them all correctly)
Fall migration, concentrates > 30K
Food (fuel) & Rest stop – a rarity
Many spring migrants stop-over
Some stay and nest
≥10% of MA’s PIPL nesting
American oystercatcher & WilletSlide7
SAND & WAVE ENERGY @ Center
Landmass – migrating, persistence?
SLAMM
Geise
, et al (2010)
Energy Reserves
Fuel (food) – intertidal
infauna
Rest (disturbance) – People, Pets & Predators
Assessment Preparations --
Waves Always Win! Slide8
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Habitat
Vulnerability Score
Habitat Value (62)
(Y-axis)
Explanation
(Tidal) Marsh
15.00
45
Coastal Storm Vulnerability 6.00
BCR major
marsh area decline trend (=3 pts) weighting (6X) despite local area increase expected
Beach
8.50
46Precip + Temp Vulnerabilities (8 & 9), But, Coastal Storm Vulnerability 0.00Dry Upland8.5041Precip
+ Temp Vulnerabilities (8 & 9), But, Coastal Storm Vulnerability 0.00Tidal Flat
0.00
40
BCR tidal
flat area increase trend (=0 pts) weighting (6X), “trumped” highest relative importance value (8/8) weighting (4X)
Note: Results relatively insensitive to Ecosystem Goods/Services Value ScoresSlide9
Monomoy
Draft
CCP/EIS
3 Alternatives (± 90-95% complete)
6 Main Goals w/ SMART Objectives & Strategies
Monitoring Elements
Key GCC/SLR Strategies
Adaptation -- resilience
Mitigation – reduce carbon footprint
Engagement -- partnersSlide10
(Draft)Preferred Alternative –
Strategies for Shorebirds & GCC/SLR
13 Adaptation (Resilience) Strategies
? Mitigation Strategies
5 Engagement Strategies
Monomoy
Draft
CCP/EISSlide11
The Best is Yet to Come –
Work in Progress
Internal Service Review
Public Review/Comment
Final CCP
Devil is in the details,
CCP only a beginning:
Step-Down Plans – More specific/detailed Habitat Mgt. Plan & Annual Habitat Work Plan
Wilderness Stewardship PlanInventory & Monitoring Plan
Monomoy
Draft
CCP/EISSlide12
Conclusions:
The
WHSRN Shorebird Vulnerability Assessment process and team approach:
Substantially shortened a Rookie Manager’s “learning curve”
Allowed a more rapid and effective engaging with FWS staff & partners during the CCP Alternative formulation phase
Positioned for Conservation Delivery addressing GCC/SLR impacts on shorebirds when
Monomoy
CCP process is complete
Guidance for Step-Down plans and future Inventory & Monitoring
One model for climate change vulnerability assessment, potentially adaptable to other FWS resources of conservation concernSlide13
Recommendations:Be considerate of those who follow!
Leave successors a roadmap… route and turns where your “team” applied professional judgment to the best available science
This WHSRN Assessment roadmap for
Monomoy
NWR warrants periodic revisiting
Consider adapting the WHSRN Assessment model to other refuge resources of conservation concernSlide14Slide15
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife RefugeHeld a two workshops with partners
Site Assessment Tool
Climate Change
Engaged
partners to collect thought and information to complete the climate change
moduleUsed workshop to explain what the refuge is doing, find out what the partners are working on and identify potential participants for various sections of the assessmentSlide16
The Site Assessment Tool (SAT)
Review the state of
conservation
Identify
the critical threats at the sites and the conservation actions in need.
Assess the effectiveness of site management and conservation efforts. Identify priorities for action, information gaps, monitoring
and research needs, outcomes of management and conservation actions. Slide17
Atlantic
Audubon Society
PartnershipsSlide18
Outcomes of the Assessment WorkshopsEngaged partners in Refuge shorebird management
Strengthened existing relationships
Created new partnerships and friendships
O
utlined management strategies
Clarified misconceptions (rumors)Promoted “transparency”Identified research needsSlide19
Feedback from Refuges
Looking forward to SLAMM 6 runs and more accurate elevation data(LiDAR)
Appreciated the input of coastal
geomorphologists
Need more information on the effects of climate change on invertebrate food base of many shorebirds
Request modeling on future shorebird range shifts and what importance their refuge will have in the flyway in the future for different species
Used the workshop format as a way to engage partners and pave the way for future collaborations.Slide20
Public Education and Engagement
Incorporated
into many of the adaptation
options
Climate
change education is already finding its way into displays, brochures and programs now, and will lead to a better-educated public and better local partners
Forsythe is designing new exhibits for visitor center to illustrate climate change researchSlide21
Thank youDorie Stolley
,
Rhode Island NWR Complex
David
Brownlie,
Monomoy NWRKevin Holcomb, Chincoteague NWR