A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC-PRIVATE CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP Jens C. Hilke Integrating natural resource and transportation agencies into the Staying Connected Initiative VT Fish & Wildlife Department

Today Vermont Is 80% Forested 81% of Land in Vermont Is Private.

Climate Change Forecasts From Union of Concerned Scientists – Confronting Climate Change in the Northeast (NECIA 2007)  Current: Temperatures have increased 1.8°F since 1970, with winter rising faster.  Projected: Average temperatures are projected to rise 9°F to 13° F in winter by late-century.  Current: Precipitation has increased 15-20% over the past 50 years with 67% of this falling in heavy precipitation events.  Projected: Winter precipitation will increase on the order of 20-30% with less snow - more rain.  Projected: Short-term summer droughts are projected to occur 2x as often

Map: Progress Report of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force: Recommended Actions in Support of a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, October 5, Changes in Precipitation

Connecting the Blocks Mansfield Worcester Groton West Mountain Stannard Laraway

Landscape Scale EcoRegional Vision to Local Implementation

Connectivity at Multiple Scales RegionalLocal

Many ways of moving forward Range of options No one tool is right for every landowner or town Bylaws Town Plan Zoning Education & Outreach Municipal Inventory Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Landowner Management decisions Management Agreements Incentive Programs Conservation Easements Education Landowner

Staying Connected

Linkage Areas Greens to Adirondacks Greens to Taconics North Greens Worcesters to Kingdom Blue = SCI Linkage Area Boundaries Red = Structural Pathways

Primary Strategies  Conservation Science  Land-Use Planning  Road Barrier Mitigation  Land Protection Structural Connectivity Modeling Functional Connectivity Analysis Roadside Tracking Tech. assistance on town plans & bylaws Work with Regional Planning Commissions Outreach and Education Providing science to Transportation Agencies Project Review (FWD) Identification of problem infrastructure Retrofits New targets – roadsides & connecting land Adding on to core habitats Landscape Scale

Convergent Strategies? Transportation Case Study Significant Investment in over-sizing a box culvert to allow for deer movement to wintering ground Subsequent residential development (In accordance with Town Plan and Zoning)

Coordination at Multiple Scales  Maine Audubon  Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife  Maine Department of Transportation  National Wildlife Federation  New Hampshire Audubon  New Hampshire Department of Transportation  New Hampshire Fish and Game Department  New York Department of Transportation  New York Department of Environmental Conservation  Northeast Wilderness Trust  The Nature Conservancy (NY, VT, NH, and ME)  Trust for Public Land  Tug Hill Commission  Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust  Two Countries, One Forest  Vermont Agency of Transportation  Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife  Vermont Land Trust  Vermont Natural Resource Council  Wildlands Network  Wildlife Conservation Society (Adirondacks)

Local Collaboration

Place-Based

Conservation science GIS modeling Sharing Information Interpreting Results (unified data and results) Partners Two Countries One Forest The Nature Conservancy (ME, NH, VT, NY & TNC Canada Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Wildlands network

Land protection 79 permanent land protection projects (more than 288,000 acres) Ten projects covering more than 43,000 additional acres (pending) Partners The Nature Conservancy Trust for Public Land Vermont Land Trust The Conservation Fund Northeast Wilderness Trust Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Land Use Planning 41 communities Seven regional planning commissions (RPCs) 13 towns (5 in works) town plans Six zoning and subdivision codes One (Three in works) regional plan Two new Conservation Commissions; One new Conservation Fund. Partners Tug Hill Commission Wildlife Conservation Society-Adirondacks Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Vermont Natural Resources Council The Nature Conservancy Wildlands Network National Wildlife Federation Maine -Beginning with Habitat

Road Permeability Identified priority road segments Wildlife tracking Data Sharing Vermont Transportation and Habitat Connectivity Guidance Document Rapid assessment models in NY & ME Trainings for Agencies of Transportation Two Northeast Transportation and Wildlife Conferences. Partners Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maine Department of Transportation National Wildlife Federation New Hampshire Department of Transportation New Hampshire Fish and Game Department New York Department of Transportation New York Department of Environmental Conservation The Nature Conservancy (NY, VT, NH, and ME) Vermont Agency of Transportation Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Vermont Natural Resource Council Wildlands Network

Context for Restoration

Thank You