Median Estimates of Direct Anthropogenic Bird Mortality (Loss et al. 2014)

The Future?

Current state: “Death by 1,000 Cuts”

Reducing Take: A Path Forward How Do We Improve Bird Conservation? Protect, repair, and enhance bird populations and habitats

How Do We Achieve Our Conservation Goal Reduce bird loss Offset unavoidable bird loss Rectify environmental impacts thru Strategic Habitat Conservation Why are we not achieving full bird conservation benefit now?

Promotes: Inconsistent application of conservation measures No clear path to success Inconsistent technical assistance Reluctance of Proponents to invest resources No assurances No matter what you do…still violating the law No incentive to compensate for unavoidable impacts No ability to compensate for bird take Habitat compensation is voluntary Current Approach To Addressing Migratory Bird Impacts

Impact Management A Solution to Project-related Impacts Ensures information is accessible and consumable Empower project proponents with solutions Logical step-wise process

The Solution: Focus on Stressors A stressor is any alteration of or addition to the environment that affects birds and/or their resources

Stressors vs. Threats Use “Vegetation Removal” vs. Habitat Fragmentation Use “Artificial light” vs. Displacement Using stressors provides a “plain language” approach that project proponents understand with no need for complex biological interpretation.

Stressor Management Approach A stressor is any alteration of or addition to the environment that affects birds and/or their resources Artificial Light Human Presence Chemical Substances Invasive Species Noise Vegetation removal Water removal

Why Stressors Stressors separate the problem from the activity Regularly, the activity cannot be avoided Problems can be avoided or minimized

Stressors Clarify the Problem  Finite list of problems  Tractable list of solutions

Stressor Management Use Effects Pathway to link cause and effect relationships – project activity and bird demography (e.g., survival, fecundity) A pro-active approach that advises… – Solutions to address the problem before it occurs – Rather than managing the consequences (effects)

Deconstruct the Action Identify Project-related Stressors Understand Exposure and Response Identify Effects Steps of an Impact Analysis

Deconstructing the Action Identify PROJECT TYPE Identify ALL ACTIVITIES associated with the Project Project Type Activity 1Activity 2Activity 3Activity 4

Deconstructing the Action Identify PROJECT TYPE Identify ALL ACTIVITIES associated with the Project Identify STRESSORS produced by ALL activities Project Type Activity 1Stressor 1Stressor 2Stressor 3Activity 2Activity 3Activity 4

Understanding Exposure and Response Exposure Interaction between a stressor and a bird or the resources it depends on Response How a bird behaves once it or its resources exposed to a stressor

EXPOSURE + RESPONSE = EFFECT Determining Effects Consequences to the Individual or Population

Understanding How Stressors Work Bird Conservation Needs Breeding Sheltering Feeding

Resources Appropriate Vegetation Structure – Nest sites – Food – Shelter from weather “Healthy Space” (natural balance) – Predators – Parasites – Competitors – Disease – Other Disturbances

EFFECTS PATHWAY Project Type Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3 Activity 4 Stressor 1 Stressor 3 Stressor 2 Resource 1 Resource 2 Breeding Feeding Sheltering Species 1 Wind Solar Pipeline Transmission Grading Cement pads Culvert placement Develop lay down areas Noise Human presence Artificial light Shrubs Nectar IMPACTS EFFECTS FOCUS ON THE IMPACTS Collisions Conservation Needs Hummingbird Glass

Benefits of this Approach Achieve effective take management – No biological interpretation is needed – Empower project proponents to implement solutions to identified problems – Compliance with the intent of MBTA (due diligence) – Creates record of decision-making showing the measures implemented to address impacts