Conserving habitat through partnerships Intermountain West Joint Venture Conserving habitat through partnerships  Idaho Avian Tools Workshops  November 2016 

U.S. Habitat Joint Ventures Self-directed public-private partnerships Six original JVs born out of NAWMP in late 1980s All-bird /seamless network today Two principles: Science foundation to conserve continental bird populations at desired levels Partnership-based habitat conservation delivery – leveraging resources IWJV The JV story began in 1986 with the signing of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan by the governments of the United States and Canada: a landmark international agreement to address severely declining duck populations and extensive habitat loss. The framers of NAWMP realized that the only viable option was to encourage a network of regionally based, self-directed partnerships committed to strategic waterfowl habitat conservation. Public-private partnerships –Joint Ventures-- were needed to leverage science-based planning and evaluation and ensure on-the-ground habitat conservation. In 1990, the Landbird initiative Partners in Flight was established which precipitated nation-wide conservation planning for these species. Then, in 1994, Mexico signed the NAWMP, completing the continental partnership for waterfowl conservation. Over the next 10+ years, other conservationists concerned with the plight of other bird groups—shorebirds, colonial waterbirds, and resident game species—adopted the NAWMP/JV model as they developed their own conservation plans and strategies. All these events spawned development of new JVs and expansion of existing ones such that an essentially seamless network of JVs now exists across the United States, as well as Canada and portions of Mexico. Existing JVs expanded their roles to encompass the bird conservation goals and objectives of the various new initiatives and new JVs were formed as all-bird from the start. Because joint ventures work across the landscape and focus on conserving all bird species, their work also benefits habitat types such as uplands, grasslands and woodlands. The IWJV was formed in 1994.

Conserving habitat through partnerships IWJV Mission To conserve priority bird habitats through partnership-driven, science-based projects and programs Conserving habitat through partnerships

Science-based, partnership-driven bird habitat conservation… from the ground up

State Conservation Partnerships … Where the magic happens

Building and Strengthening Partnership-based Initiatives Science Targeting Conservation Field Delivery Capacity Funding Support Communications Human Dimensions

www.iwjv.org Science & Planning Efforts Strategic Habitat Conservation Model Focal Species Identified 3 Priority Habitats: Wetlands, Sagebrush, and Grasslands Key Sites and Focal Areas Identified Step-down Population Objectives Population-Habitat Modeling for Wetland-Dependent Birds in Key Landscapes Strategic Communications The IWJV developed the 2013 Implementation Plan to guide science and planning into the future. How to access the plan… www.iwjv.org

Science Priorities 2013-2018 Linking Continental Goals and Local Conservation actions “Plan partners (IWJV) should have a strategic approach to meet population goals through science-based application of local or regional scale habitat conservation actions… Conservation Triage (Bottrill et al. 2008) Biological Return on Investment “Conservation strategies that considered net biological returns and cost were 69% more efficient in reaching species protection goals than those that acted randomly” – (Underwood et al. 2008) Adaptive Framework Additionally, their two scientists, Josh Vest and Patrick Donnelly, developed

Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) Cranes Summer Habitat Ecology Study Local space use / habitat type / land use Blackfoot Valley, MT RMP seasonal distribution and study area map. Locations represent fall staging sites. Colors indicate population trends from 1996 - 2014; green = increase, yellow = stable, and red = decline. Black points identify highest bird densities and represent >90% of the known population. Rates of rural land-use change will be measured in these areas (black points) and proximal breeding habitats to examine factors impacting changing crane distribution and abundance.   Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) Cranes Summer Habitat Ecology Study Read slide to explain content.

Field Delivery Capacity -Addressing bottlenecks to conservation -Boots on the Ground -Capacity to bring people and resources together -Help accessing new programs or partnerships -Working across agencies and jurisdictions -Addressing NEPA/cultural resources issues -Reaching traditional conservation stakeholders (e.g. private landowners) or new non-traditional stakeholders (e.g. urban users)

BLM-NRCS-USFS Collaborative Framework for Sage-grouse and Sagebrush Habitat Control invading conifers in mutually agreed upon priority watersheds. Implement practices across land ownerships designed to reduce the risk of fire and invasive species as identified by the FIAT in the Great Basin, and in the Rocky Mountain States when similar tools become available. Restore and enhance wet meadow habitats in mutually agreed upon priority watersheds. Develop science tools that refine delivery of priority conservation practices, jointly track implementation, assess benefits of such practices, and quantify resulting biological outcomes. Coordinate communications to amplify outcomes achieved in conservation. Coordinate, where appropriate, the planning and implementation of range structural improvements.

BLM-IWJV Intra-Agency Agreement Purpose: Provide coordination and staffing to increase field-level capacity in priority landscapes, develop science capacity and technical transfer to better focus implementation and evaluate outcomes, enhance communications and outreach, and strengthen partnerships for projects related to sage-grouse and sagebrush ecosystems. Funding: Up to $5M over 5 years, with $2M funding the initial task order for 2 years

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