State Wildlife Grants Program and the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Jenny A. Landry

Conserving Biodiversity US laws and policies place primary responsibility for wildlife management in the hands of the states State Wildlife Grants provides Federal dollars to support cost effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered.

Background of the State Wildlife Grants Program The program was first authorized by congress in 2002 Program grew out of Conservation and Reinvestment Act compromise language Program is subject to annual congressional legislation

What does the program do? SWG program is intended to assist states in biodiversity preservation Tied to “species in greatest need of conservation” These are species which have not traditionally received funding for management Intended to avoid new listings of endangered species

How does the program work? Congress makes an annual appropriation The funds are apportioned to each state based on a formula States had to commit to write a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy by Oct. 2005 Targeted toward “species of greatest conservation need”

How does the program work? (cont’d) The individual states apply for their apportionment annually from USFWS The program pays for both species investigations and implementation projects Match required - 50%

Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Mandated by congress to remain eligible for funding Submitted to USFWS for acceptance

Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Structure Organized by major watersheds of the state Species information analyzed by each watershed List species occurring in the basin List critical habitats of the basin Priority conservation actions in the basin Information from other planning documents reviewed and included.

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Fish Highlights Sturgeon American eel Longear sunfish Brook trout Anadromous species Winter flounder Gilt darter There are several fish species that present unique management challenges and decisions. Species such as alewife are considered invasive in some parts of the state, but are important forage species in decline in the marine district. Smelt are abundant in upstate streams but in decline in coastal areas. Past fishery management techniques have potentially altered the genetic composition of native brook trout populations. Recruitment failure in winter flounder may be partially attributed to climate change.

Bird Highlights Raptors Shorebirds Marsh birds Common nighthawk Waterfowl Colonial nesters

Mammal highlights: Bats Lynx Cougar Wolf American marten River otter

Amphibian and Reptile Highlights: Snakes Salamanders Frogs and toads Turtles Hellbender

Invertebrate Highlights: Moths Dragonflies and damselflies Mussels Chittenango ovate amber snail

Top Threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need Statewide Habitat loss and fragmentation Only 15% of state land area in public ownership Contaminant deposition Acids Mercury Nitrogen products Degraded water quality & altered hydrology

Top Threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need Statewide (cont’d) Invasive species Changing farm and forestry practices Direct human-wildlife interactions Collisions Poaching Unregulated harvest Climate change

Outcomes – Conservation Recommendations Data Collection Planning Management and Restoration Land Protection Regulatory and Legislative Information Dissemination Incentives and Disincentives

Outcomes – Policy and Practice Moving away from single species management. Integrating fish and wildlife management with environmental quality. Dealing with species metapopulations Integrating fish and wildlife disciplines through habitat management.

New Ways of Working Under SWG Addressing both natural resources and environmental quality issues Creating stronger interdivisional relationships Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources Division of Lands and Forests Division of Water

NY’s SWG funding so far… Federal Fiscal Year National Total NY Allocation FFY 2001 $50 M $2.33 M FFY 2002 $85 M $3.73 M FFY 2003 $65 M $2.78 M FFY 2004 $70 M $2.95 M FFY 2005 $69.12 M $2.94 M FFY 2006 $68.5 M $2.90 M FFY 2001 funds were used for watershed planning activities. FFY 2002 & 2003 allocations were used to fund 45 different projects that we will highlight in the 2nd half of the presentation. FFY 2004 funds were allocated to pay for new watershed biologists for 3 years. FFY 2005 funds are allocated to the current Request For Applications due later this week. FFY 2006 money available to NY, but we have not yet applied.

New Staff Federal Fiscal Year 2004 funds were used to hire 9 ecologists within 11 major watersheds and 1 data coordinator This single year of funds will cover staff salaries for at least three years New staff will implement the SWG program and the recommendations in the CWCS

New Biologists’ Duties Develop and write 5-year action plans in consultation with Watershed Team and Agency Staff Recruit Watershed Team members Annual watershed priority development for RFA Watershed project oversight/management Watershed project implementation Annual grant reporting Communicate CWCS issues with Watershed Team, other DEC Divisions and programs in the regions

New Staff Jason Smith Lower Hudson – LI Bays & Atlantic Ocean Region 2 Office, Long Island City Gregg Kenney Delaware & Upper Hudson Region 3 – New Paltz Paul Novak Upper Hudson Region 4 – Schenectady Joe Racette Lake Champlain Region 5 – Raybrook Angelena Ross NE Lake Ontario Region 6 – Watertown Tom Bell Susquehanna Region 7 – Cortland Amy Mahar SE Lake Ontario Region 8 – Avon Jenny Landry SW Lake Ontario VACANT Lake Erie & Allegheny Region 9 – Allegany Carl Herzog Data Management Central Office - Albany

NY Forests Forest cover has returned to 60% of the land area of New York concurrent with the decline of agriculture. Need active management of vegetative succession Sustainable forest practices, in accordance with BMPs, improve forest health and resilience However the structure of the forest is different due to the loss of American chestnut and American elm. Invasive species Hemlock wooly adelgid, Asian longhorn beetle, sirex woodwasp We must work with private land owners in forest management in our state. NYFOA has already requested recommendations for private forest management for wildlife diversity.

72% of forest land in New York is privately owned.

NYFOA Contract Develop Materials and Website Publicize CWCS implementation needs to Forest Owners Landowner visits Database Map of landowners and critical habitats Strategic Plan

Boreal Forest Birds

Deciduous/Mixed Forest Breeding Birds

Early Successional Forest/Shrubland Birds

Forest Breeding Raptors

High Altitude Conifer Forest Birds

Tree Bats

Vernal Pool Salamanders

Woodland/Grassland Snakes

Thank you! Jenny Ann Landry NYSDEC jalandry@gw.dec.state.ny.us 585-226-5491