Training and Workshops: Presentations

Conservation Planning Overview
Jeff Lerner
Defenders of Wildlife

Slide 2: Outline

• What are we trying to do for biodiversity?
• What conservation planning is out there?
• What are the trends?
• What is in Arkansas?
• What do transportation planners need?

Slide 3: Biodiversity At Risk

1,311 Threatened and Endangered species in the U.S. (66% found on private lands)

More than 15,000 Globally Imperiled species in the U.S. (NatureServe)

Slide 4: Endangered Species

• Recovery Plans
• Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)
• Safe Harbors
• Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCAs)

Slide 5: Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs)

• Permitting program for destruction of habitat for endangered species in exchange for protection elsewhere
• HCPs involve minimization and mitigation of harm to species
• Applies to non-federal landowners

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Slide 6: HCPs Approved Per Year

Image:
Graph indicating the number of HCPs approved each year between 1983 and 2005. The number of HCPs approved each year was below 5 until 1994. Since that time the number of HCPs approved each year has vacillated widely ranging from approximately 20 to approximately 90.

Slide 7: Size of HCPs

Image:
Graph depicting the number of HCPs by the size of the HCP.

• 1 acre approx. 70
• 10 acres approx.55,
• 100 acres approx.60,
• 1,000 acres approx.35,
• 10,000 acres approx.20,
• 100,000 acres approx.15
• 1,000,000 acres approx.10
• 10,000,000 acres approx. 1

Slide 8: Large Acreage HCPs

Image:
Map of the United States depicting counties with large acreage HCPs States with large acreage HCPs include Washington, Montana, Wisconisn, Oregon, California, Nevada, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia.

Slide 9: GAP Analysis

• Goal: Keep Common Species Common
• Statewide (38) and regional (3)
• Vegetation and animal distribution
• Gaps in protection

Image:
Three different small maps of Arkansas.

Slide 10: Taxa or Habitat Specific Plans

• North American Waterfowl Management Plan
• Partners in Flight Plans
• U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan
• North American Waterbird Conservation Plan
• North American Bird Conservation Initiative

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Slide 11: Statewide Biodiversity Planning

Status in 2001

Image:
Map of the United States indicating states where Statewide Biodiversity Planning had been completed, was in progress, or had potential in 2001. States that have completed statewide biodiversity planning include MA, NJ, MD, FL, and OR.

Slide 12: Florida Strategic Habitat Conservation Areass

Image:
Map of Florida depicting strategic habitat areas and public land areas.

Slide 13: Oregon Biodiversity Project

Image:
Map of Oregon depicting ecoregions, current conservation network, and conservation opportunity areas.

Slide 14: Massachusetts Statewide Plan

Image:
Map of Massachusetts depicting BioMap Core Habitat and BioMap Supporting Natural Landscape.

Slide 15: State Wildlife Action Plans

October 2005

Image:
Map indicating that every state had completed a State Wildlife Action Plans as of October 2005

Slide 16: Habitat Conservation: Mapping is Key

40% of States produced maps showing conservation focal areas

Image:
Map 1: Map of United States indicating states that have State Wildlife Plans that 1) map focal areas; 2) Map priority habitats
Map 2: Map of Nebraska depicting "Biologically Unique Landscapes in Nebraska"

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Slide 17: TNC Ecoregional Plans

Image:
Map depicting 70+ ecoregions of the United States

Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan
Major elements:

• Critical Habitat & Biological corridors
• Riparian Protection
• Ranch Conservation
• Mountain Parks
• Cultural Resources

Slide 18: Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan

Major elements:

• Critical Habitat & Biological corridors
• Riparian Protection
• Ranch Conservation
• Mountain Parks
• Cultural Resources

Incorporated conservation plan into comprehensive plan

Image:
Map depicting the "Priority Biological Resources of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan"

Slide 19: Chicago Wilderness

Image:
Map of Chicago area depicting "Protected Land in the Chicago Wilderness Region"

Slide 20: Maine: Beginning with Habitat

GOAL
To provide municipal officials, land trusts, and other conservation organizations with the most up-to-date wildlife and plant habitat information available for use in open space, conservation, and comprehensive planning efforts. www.beginningwithhabitat.org

Image:
Graphic of brochure titled "What do you want your town to look like in 50 years" depicting layers of mapped habitat data.

Slide 21: Building a Landscape

Images:
Map depicting GIS overlays.

Environmental Planning
Southeast Ecological Framework

• EPA Region 4
• Regional conservation strategy
• 43% of land area across 8 states
• Emphasis on connectivity

Slide 22: Environmental Planning

• Southeast Ecological Framework
• EPA Region 4
• Regional conservation strategy
• 43% of land area across 8 states
• Emphasis on connectivity

Image:
Map of Southeast region of the United States

Slide 23: Maryland GreenPrint

Image:
Graphic of brochure titled "What do you want your town to look like in 50 years" depicting layers of mapped habitat data.

Slide 24: Principles of Habitat Conservation

• Protect quality sites first
• Restore strategically
• Connect fragmented parcels
• Large sites better
• Native habitats
• Terrestrial and aquatic systems
• Link reserves and working landscapes

Image:
Map of Maryland depicting "Hubs" and "Corridors"

Slide 25: Conservation Planning Principles

• Plans should be spatial
• Plans should address landscape context (i.e. ecological processes)
• Plans should work at different scales
• Plans should be habitat-based

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Slide 26: Overall Trends in Conservation Plans

• Do not identify majority of landscape (25-40%)
• Rely heavily on existing protected areas
• Do identify private lands where necessary
• Improvements in landscape analysis, addressing a wider suite of species and habitats
• Plans are not expensive to produce (~$1 million)
• Response to habitat loss caused by sprawl

Slide 27: Transportation Needs

• Maps of where and where not to build
• Access to information
• Current information
• Documentation to make and defend decisions
• Working relationship with resource agencies
• To save time and money

Slide 28: Conclusions

• Roads are a problem for wildlife
• ESA implementation will continue to be controversial
• Need to plan better for roads, related infrastructure and a wider suite of species and habitats
• All states have the information and tools to do spatial conservation plans
• SWAPs are the latest innovation in planning. Some attempt to synthesize existing conservation planning and provide a framework to build upon

Slide 29: For more information on conservation plans:

www.defenders.org/statewildlifeplans
www.biodiversitypartners.org
Jeff Lerner
Director, Conservation Planning
202-772-0291
jlerner@defenders.org

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