North Slope Rapid Ecoregional Assessment A Bureau of Land Management Project North Slope Borough Planning Commission Barrow September 26, 2013

Contents of this presentation Who we areWho we are What we propose to doWhat we propose to do Who is guiding and assisting usWho is guiding and assisting us Our community engagement strategyOur community engagement strategy Your roleYour role Our future planOur future plan

Project Team University of Alaska Alaska Natural Heritage Program (AKNHP - UAA)Alaska Natural Heritage Program (AKNHP - UAA) Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER - UAA)Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER - UAA) Scenarios Network for Alaska & Arctic Planning (SNAP - UAF)Scenarios Network for Alaska & Arctic Planning (SNAP - UAF) Margaret J. King & Associates community engagement and facilitation

Science Integration Project-level Monitoring for Adaptive Management Ecoregional Direction Field Implementation Rapid & Other Ecoregional Assessments Landscape- scale & other Inventories AIM- Monitoring at multiple scales Local-scale assessment, inventory, and monitoring BLM’s Landscape Approach

What is an REA? Broadly speaking, REAs try to… Identify things of value in the environment and how they are changing over time, and what may be causing that change Identify things of value in the environment and how they are changing over time, and what may be causing that change Focus on large areas and look at the really big picture instead of a particular lake or river Focus on large areas and look at the really big picture instead of a particular lake or river

Identify Focal Areas

Identify Risks & Opportunities

What does an REA provide? REAs do not make decisions or allocate resources They provide information and tools for land managers Current status of things of value in the environmentCurrent status of things of value in the environment Future status (25, 50 years out)Future status (25, 50 years out) Identify data gaps and science needsIdentify data gaps and science needs Suggestions for land managers on how they might use this informationSuggestions for land managers on how they might use this information

North Slope Ecoregion Assessment Area

Who is guiding and assisting us? Assessment Management Team (AMT) - A team of land managers and experts in land management from various federal and state agencies that guide the project - A team of land managers and experts in land management from various federal and state agencies that guide the project Technical Team (Tech Team) - Experts in various relevant science fields that evaluate and advise on the technical aspects - Experts in various relevant science fields that evaluate and advise on the technical aspects

Assessment Components Management Questions (MQs) Conservation Elements (CEs) Change Agents (CAs)

Management Question Selection Identified the most relevant outstanding questions from previous research AMT voted three times and identified the 20 most important questions Examples: AF 1. What are baseline characteristics and trends in fish habitat (lakes and streams), fish distribution, and fish movements? AF 1. What are baseline characteristics and trends in fish habitat (lakes and streams), fish distribution, and fish movements? AT 2. What potential impacts will oil/gas exploration and development have on CE habitat? AT 2. What potential impacts will oil/gas exploration and development have on CE habitat? TC 4. What are the expected changes to habitat as a result of coastal erosion and coastal salinization? TC 4. What are the expected changes to habitat as a result of coastal erosion and coastal salinization? TF 2. What are caribou preferences for vegetation communities? Where do these vegetation communities exist? TF 2. What are caribou preferences for vegetation communities? Where do these vegetation communities exist?

These are the things of value in the environment. They can be: Conservation elements (CEs) On landIn water Environment and associated conditions Land cover (Ex: coastal plain) Aquatic cover (Ex: shallow connected lakes) Individual speciesEx: CaribouEx: Arctic grayling

Land Cover CEs Tidal marsh - high bird use Marine beach/beach meadow Coastal Plain - Fresh water marsh Coastal Plain - High-centered polygons

Land Species CEs Important as consumers but also as prey (including carcasses) for the large and medium-sized predators. Important subsistence resources. Caribou Nearctic collared lemming Arctic Fox Lapland Longspur Raptor concentration areas Willow ptarmigan Spectacled Eider

Aquatic Cover CEs Classes based on winter water availability and connection to stream network Deep connected lakes Shallow connected lakes Disconnected lakes Classes based on differences in origin Glacial rivers Clear water rivers Coastal plain rivers Mountain streams Coastal plain streams Estuaries

Broad whitefish Aquatic Species CEs Dolly Varden Arctic grayling Lake trout (or burbot)

Change agents They change the status of the conservation elements Five primary agents of change: Human uses Human uses Climate change Climate change Fire Fire Permafrost Permafrost Invasive species Invasive species

Human Uses Any use of land by humans or associated activities Subsistence Subsistence Natural resource extraction Natural resource extraction Transportation and communication Transportation and communication Recreation Recreation Energy development Energy development

Climate Change Impacts at regional and local level Multiple aspects of climate change (e.g. mean temperature & precipitation, extremes, seasonal timing) Drives multiple types of change

Changing fire dynamics impact landscape landscape Land cover Land cover Permafrost Permafrost Frequency of fires change Fire

Invasive Species Non-native species that causes economic or environmental harm or harm to human health (Executive Order 13112)

Non-Native Plant Occurrences in North Slope They harm economic or environmental conditions and human health Invasive Species

How it all works Conservation ElementChange Agent REAs collect and compile data, and estimate these impacts Land managers, at all levels, can use this information in their decisions Management Question

Example of CA effects on CEs The effects of wildfire on caribou range Caribou herd range map Fire history

Example of CA effects on CEs

Community Engagement News letters for all interested stakeholders Community meetings to inform and get feedback North Slope Borough Planning Commission North Slope Borough Planning Commission Is representative Is representative Makes decisions on land use Makes decisions on land use Approves land use plans Approves land use plans Often may have need for information on possible future situations Often may have need for information on possible future situations

What we request from you Encourage dialogue in your communities Follow our newsletters and keep yourself informed Feel free to contact us with your ideas Encourage others to contact us with their ideas We will come back after some progress in early Spring 2014

Review Questions? Observations? Comments?