1B. Conservation Targets Conservation Coaches Network Workshop Presentation 1B. Conservation Targets

Adaptive Management Workshop Presentations 1A-1B. Team, Scope, Vision 1B. Conservation Targets 1B. Viability Assessment 2A-1. Strategy Selection 2A-2. Results Chains 2A-3. Goals and Objectives 1C. Threat Rating 1D. Conceptual Models 2B. Monitoring Plan

This Presentation What are Conservation Targets? Example Conservation Targets Common Issues in Target Selection

Conceptualize Conservation Targets

What biodiversity are we trying to conserve or restore? Define Targets Conservation Targets What biodiversity are we trying to conserve or restore? or captures array of ecological systems, communities, and species at the project area, and the multiple spatial scales at which they occur

Define Targets Conservation Targets Conservation Targets: The ecosystems and species that a project has chosen to concentrate on. Together, all of your conservation targets should represent the entire array of biodiversity at your site. Their conservation collectively will ensure the conservation of all native species within a functional landscape. This, however, does not mean to restore or sustain “pristine” conditions in each project’s landscape rather ecologically “functional” ones. or captures array of ecological systems, communities, and species at the project area, and the multiple spatial scales at which they occur

Define Targets Conservation Targets Conservation Targets: You won’t have the right strategies unless you have the right targets! Ecological Systems Assemblages of communities that occur together on the landscape; linked by environmental processes Terrestrial, freshwater, marine Ecological Communities Globally imperiled vegetation associations or aquatic alliances Species Imperiled, endangered, special concern Assemblages of species with similar conservation requirements Globally significant aggregations

Varied Spatial Scales of Conservation Targets Regional Coarse Intermediate Local Species Matrix Large Patch Small Patch Terrestrial Ecological Systems Medium/Large River Systems & Large Lake Systems Stream Systems & Medium Lake Systems Aquatic Macro- habitats Aquatic Systems Make sure that you have considered species and ecological systems across all relevant scales.

Selecting Focal Conservation Targets Matrix forest 3rd order river system Emergent wetland Select 8-12 Focal Targets (fewer are better) Start with Ecological Systems (which often include “nested” targets) Then Screen for Species that have Special Conservation Requirements

Selecting Focal Conservation Targets Group conservation targets related by ecological processes and that co-occur into systems or species assemblages. Reassess conservation targets at the site and ask if these systems and species are sufficient.

Selecting Focal Conservation Targets Group conservation targets related by ecological processes and that co-occur into systems or species assemblages. Examples: Lowland Tropical Rainforest Coral Reefs Barrier Island Complex Mainstem/Tributary Fish Assemblage Mussel Assemblage

Selecting Focal Conservation Targets 2. Reassess conservation targets at the site and ask: Do any species or communities need specific management Are any so rare that they need specific attention Are any dependent on ecological processes (connectivity) Are any not captured by other conservation targets (anadromous fish) Do any species utilize multiple systems (large predators, amphibians, bats)

Nested Conservation Targets A subset of conservation targets assumed to be conserved if the Focal Conservation Target is conserved Bering Sea Example: 1. Seabirds 2. Pinnipeds 3. Pelagic Fish 4. Sea Ice Ecosystem 5. Sea otter 6. Whales 7. Coastal Lagoons & Freshwater Wetlands 8. Pribilof arctic fox Kittiwakes Murres Cormorants Northern fur seal Stellar sea lion Harbor seal Pacific salmon Pollock Spectacled eider Walrus Polar bear Sea otter Kelp forests Orca Gray whale Beluga whale Coral & sponge gardens Juvenile fish & shellfish Herring Pribilof rock sandpiper Pribilof arctic fox

The Big Idea…. Conservation Targets When the focal targets are all assembled you have in fact captured all the parts of your ecosystem and the critical processes that drive and sustain it.

Lumping or Splitting Targets? Conservation Targets “Lump” conservation targets if they meet all of the following tests: Co-occur on the landscape Require similar ecological processes Have similar viability Have similar threats Therefore may require similar conservation strategies Examples Fish & mussel assemblages Grasslands & grassland nesting birds Mixed conifer-hardwood forest & embedded plant community

Your conservation targets may evolve. Selecting Targets Conservation Targets Your conservation targets may evolve.

Map Your Targets Conservation Targets Connecticut River Tidelands Project Coastal Dunes Brackish Marsh Freshwater Marsh Riverine System Matrix Forest Tiger Beetle Defining the targets and the project area is an iterative process.

This Presentation What are Conservation Targets? Example Conservation Targets Common Issues in Target Selection

Our Example – Swan Coastal Plain Wetlands Conservation Targets Throughout our presentations, we use example outputs from the Wetland Watch project from WWF Australia that we have modified slightly to reflect the structure and products of the CMP Open Standards. The intent is to give a real-world example of how the Standards have been applied. Adapted from WWF Australia’s WeltlandsWatch Project

Swan Coastal Plain Conservation Targets Seasonally flooded wetlands Eucalyptus-Melaleuca woodlands Fringing shrublands Permanent lakes Blue-billed ducks This region supports significant breeding numbers of the near threatened Blue-billed Duck.

Initial Map of Swan Coastal Plain Project and a Target Conservation Targets Even a simple sketch made with Google Maps helps… Permanent Lakes

Targets in Miradi Conservation Targets

Targets in Miradi Conservation Targets In Miradi Diagram mode, if you double click on the target oval, you will get a dialogue box that looks like this. We recommend including a brief (1-2 sentence) description of your target in the Details box.

Neversink Basin Conservation Targets 2001 -- Communities and Ecological Systems -- Species Terrestrial Freshwater Regional Delaware Basin Diadromous fish Chestnut oak/conifer upland ecological system (dry) - (Shawangunk) Mixed hardwood upland system (moist) - (Catskill) Coarse Inter- mediate Today, our targets span across spatial scales, aquatic to terrestrial, species to ecological system. This suite of targets gives us a much better foundation for developing conservation strategies to conserve the complete range of biological and ecological processes that make up this landscape. Freshwater mussel assemblage Low gradient groundwater influenced riverine and bottomland swamp ecological system (Bashakill) Low alkaline headwater riverine and riparian ecological system (Upper Neversink & tributaries) Critical Insects Local

This Presentation What are Conservation Targets? Example Conservation Targets Common Issues in Target Selection

Common Issues & Recommendations Conservation Targets Issue: Large project area or too many targets Try defining a large project using just the major system types Consider a separate process for rare, fine scale components Start with large number of targets - then look for shared threats where an over-arching strategy could benefit the system Identify a wide-ranging species or species guild that uses a broad range of habitats across the area

Common Issues & Recommendations Conservation Targets Issue: Project area is only part of the range of a wide-ranging species Simply recognize that only part of the species’ range (e.g., winter vs. summer range) will be protected – but be clear about what important functions occur in the project area OR Consider working with other teams in other areas to meet the full needs of the wide ranging species If your project site covers just a portion of the species range, then reflect this in the target name – e.g., Mule deer (summer range)

Common Issues & Recommendations Conservation Targets Issue: Non-biological targets (e.g. groundwater, open space, pollination, archeological sites, etc.)? ALWAYS Up to the team whether to include diverse target types… Important to be clear about the scope of the project Create a shared vision statement Important to be clear about the relationship between the targets Note that some strategies may actually conflict Conservation Target Nutrient Cycling NTFPs Water Provision Health Wealth Education Empowerment Culture Conservation Targets Ecosystem Services Human Welfare Targets Human Wellbeing Targets are covered in the Situation Analysis PPT. Encourage participants to wait until then to address this topic. NOTE: This is addressed much more thoroughly later, in the Situation Analysis PPT.

Common Issues & Recommendations Conservation Targets Issue: the targets are no longer present at the site or are barely present Advice: can be targets for restoration

Common Issues & Recommendations Conservation Targets Issue: How to incorporate ecological processes (fire, hydrology, water quality, etc.) and connectivity Advice: ecological processes and connectivity are “key ecological attributes” of the conservation targets We will address this in the next step, so hold those thoughts!

Key Points Conservation Targets Targets are of Critical Importance What is the appropriate scale – Spatial? Biological? Coarse-filter vs. fine-filter Target Setting is an iterative Process Project “boundary” is ideally based on targets Targets will end up dictating strategies Get the appropriate scale right, based on project scope and/or targets - Scale will always be a play between spatial extent of the team’s “mandate” (e.g. Protected area management unit) vs. the scale at which the targets and the processes that sustain them and the threats acting upon them really operate. Understand the difference between coarse filter and fine filter targets. And start with the coarse filter targets when identifying. Don’t worry about getting the targets right during the first step – later steps (threat rating, drivers) will provide a reality check. Ideally, the project boundary will be based on the targets, but it is sometimes vice versa.