Madison Valley Conservation Assessment

Madison Valley Study Area

Suites of Species Make Better Umbrellas

Fish Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Oncorynchus clarki lewisi Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, Oncorynchus clarki bouvieri Arctic Grayling (fluvial), Thymallus arcticus Amphibians Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum Northern Leopard Frog, Rana pipiens Columbia Spotted Frog, Rana luteiventris Boreal Chorus Frog, Pseudacris maculata Boreal Toad, Bufo boreas boreas Reptiles Rubber Boa, Charina bottae Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, Thamnophis elegans Western Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis Birds American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histionicus Barrow's Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis Ferruginous Hawk, Buteo regalis Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus Blue Grouse, Dendragapus obscurus Greater Sage Grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus Great Gray Owl, Strix nebulosa Red-naped Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus nuchalis Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus Black-backed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus Olive-sided Flycatcher, Contopus cooperii Brown Creeper, Certhia americana Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus American Pipit, Anthus rebescens American Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii Black Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte atrata Mammals Masked Shrew, Sorex cinereus Townsend's Big-eared Bat, Corynorhinus townsendii Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus Snowshoe Hare, Lepus townsendii Beaver, Castor canadensis Pine Squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Northern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus Northern Pocket Gopher, Thomomys talpoides Southern Red-backed Vole, Clethrionomys gapperi Heather Vole, Phenacomys intermedius Sagebrush Vole, Lemmiscus curtatus Coyote, Canis latrans Gray Wolf, Canis lupus Mountain Lion, Felis (Puma) concolor Canada Lynx, Lynx canadensis Wolverine, Gulo gulo River Otter, Lontra canadensis American Marten, Martes americana Fisher, Martes pennanti Black Bear, Ursus americanus Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos Pronghorn, Antilocapra americana Bison, Bison (Bos) bison Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis Wapiti (Elk), Cervus elaphus Moose, Alces alces Mule Deer, Odocoileus hemionus Candidate Pool Entering Species Selection Common name, Latin binomial

5 criteria for selecting landscape species area vulnerability functionality heterogeneity socio-economic significance Selecting Landscape Species

Species Ranking

Final Landscape Species WolverineWolverine Bighorn sheepBighorn sheep MooseMoose Grizzly bear (CERI)Grizzly bear (CERI) Pronghorn (CERI)Pronghorn (CERI) Elk (CERI)Elk (CERI) Red-naped sapsuckerRed-naped sapsucker Sage grouseSage grouse Boreal toadBoreal toad Columbia spotted frogColumbia spotted frog Black-backed woodpeckerBlack-backed woodpecker Warbling vireoWarbling vireo Yellow warblerYellow warbler West slope cutthroat troutWest slope cutthroat trout Arctic graylingArctic grayling Riparian HabitatRiparian Habitat

A Simplified Approach Problem: Find the minimum set of focal species that will umbrella all major habitats Major Habitat Types Habitat 1 Habitat 2 Habitat 3 Habitat 4 Habitat 5 Habitat 6 Habitat 7 Habitat 8 Habitat 9 Characteristics of Good Focal Species Large Area Requirements Sensitive to Habitat Change Compliments Other Focal Species Species 1 Species 2 Species 3

Species 2 Species 1 Species 3 Species 4

Habitat Elements vs. Species Needs Importance Habitat GeneralistHabitat Specialist Vegetation Structure Community Composition

Selecting Habitat Types 1.Identify Broad Habitat Types (e.g. coniferous forest, riparian, grassland steppe, etc.) 2.Subdivide by important topographical classes (lowland, alpine, etc) 3.Include specialty habitats (e.g. whitebark pine, cliff faces, standing burnt forest)

Choosing Focal Species Start With: Need large areas to survive and persist Are sensitive to human threats or activities and optionally: Are keystone species-species whose loss would significantly alter the ecosystem Add: Species as close to target as possible Do not overlap habitat requirements with previous species

human landscape (peoples activities) biological landscape (species requirements) intersections define the conservation landscape identify Priorities direct and focus interventions Landscape Species Approach

Human landscapes

Conservation Target: Maintain viable meta-populations of Columbia Spotted Frog Direct threat (stress): Predation and competition Intervention: Inventory for breeding sites in MVPU Direct threat (stress): Mortality Indirect threat: Inadequate information on breeding sites Indirect threat: Local and regional environmental contamination Indirect threat: Management emphasis on sport fishery Intervention: Elevate importance of amphibians and their mgmt Intervention: Reduce spreading through education Intervention: Mitigate contamination around breeding sites Source: Disease??? Direct threat (stress): Habitat loss Source: Loss of floodplain pools due to river regulation by dams Source: Loss of beaver Intervention: Beaver restoration Intervention: Lease water rights for conservation Source: Dewatering from irrigation, loss of beaver Intervention: Remove nonnative fish Source: Historical non- native fish introductions Goal: To conserve and restore all major wildlife habitat types and their component species with emphasis on ungulate winter range, riparian ecosystems, and linkages between mountain chains and mountain valleys. Conceptual models

Mapped Human Influences Housing (Structures) Density (Weighted) Road Density Roadway Salting Motor Recreation (Snowmobiling) Grazing (Public Lands) Mining Water Quality Dewatering Fish Stocking (Non-native Introductions) Fire Severity

Habitat Models Information Sources Existing Models Literature Review Expert Interviews Workshops

Habitat

connectivity

Focal Species (Scientific name) Current Status: Current Threats: Habitat Analysis: Conservation Strategies: Species Report Outline

summary Analysis

Umbrella effects

Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (378 vertebrate species)

Setting priorities Species Richness Connectivity Hotspots Addressing Key Threats

Current Biodiversity potential

Loss of Biodiversity Potential

Papoose Creek to Raynolds Pass Sagebrush Steppe Norris Hill to North Meadow Creek Jack Creek Drainage Madison Willow Flats Priority Areas for Conserving Biodiversity

Potential habitat connectivity

Current Habitat Connectivity

Change in habitat connectivity

Priority Areas for Wildlife Connectivity Wolf Creek to Raynolds Pass Norris Hill to North Meadow Creek Central Valley Major Drainages and foothills Virginia City Hill

Analyzing threats

Priorities Based on Threats Protect and restore aquatic habitats that support fish and amphibians. Restore natural fire patterns to restore fire-dependent habitats and fire-dependent species. Protect and restore sagebrush and native grassland habitats. Reduce the impact of subdivision development on wildlife. Mitigate the impact of roads through improved design through travel corridors.

So What? Madison County Planning Board (decision support tool, conservation overlay) Forest Service Management Plans Madison Valley Futuring Committee Individual Landowners

Fine-scale analysis

Area Growth Maps and Animation Compliments of the Sonoran Institute

Predicted Loss of Wildlife Habitat Predicted loss of grizzly bear habitat using growth projections for 2025

Major supporters M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust The Turner Foundation Wildlife Conservation Society Special thanks to: The Madison Valley Ranchlands Group, US Forest Service, MT Fish Wildlife and Parks, The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, MT Audubon Society, and Trust for Public Lands

Choosing a Focal Species Suite to Create a Complete Conservation Umbrella Goals: Conserve sufficient quantity and quality of all major habitat types to support ecologically functional populations of all native species present in the planning area. Implement mitigation strategies that effectively reduce the impact of all activities that significantly threaten the persistence of any native species to levels that insure a high likelihood of persistence for the next 100 years. Ensure the continuation of all natural ecosystem processes (either through natural occurrence or simulation by prescription) that are necessary for the long-term persistence of all native species within their natural range of variability of abundance. Respect the importance of wildlife to local economies and culture, and implementing strategies to maximize positive, and minimizes negative, effects of wildlife on these economies while preserving cultural values.

Complete Conservation Requires Multiple Umbrellas Area Complete Communities - all native species in natural abundance Complete Ecosystem Function Human Values Habitat Threats Processes

Hierarchy of Conservation Needs Area Sufficient area to support individuals and populations at ecologically functional levels Habitat Availability of appropriate habitat types in sufficient quantity and quality to support individuals and populations Security Security from direct and indirect threats that threaten the survival or natural abundance of individuals or populations Ecological Processes Allow or simulate natural processes to sustain natural habitat heterogeneity Social Acceptance Public values that support conservation

Using Focal Species to Address Conservation Needs Need Focal Species Attribute AreaLandscape Species Select large area generalists to protect sufficient area and diversity of habitat types HabitatHabitat Types Make sure suite of focal species covers all major habitat types in the area SecurityThreats Make sure suite of focal species covers all major threats that impact wildlife populations in the area Ecological Processes Ecological Processes and Key Species Include key species needed to maintain natural community, and species that depend on ecological processes to sustain ecologically functional populations Social AcceptanceSocio-economic Values Identify values that compliment or conflict with conservation objectives

Two Day Selection Process One day pre-workshop preparation One day workshop

Pre-workshop Preparation List of native species sorted by area requirements List of major habitat types in planning area List of major threats in planning area List of important ecological processes List of key species List of important socio-economic values

Candidate SpeciesMajor Habitat Types Major ThreatsKey SpeciesImportant Ecological Processes Important Socio- Economic Values American Badger American Beaver American Bison American Black Bear American Kestrel American Marten American Mink American Pika Big Brown Bat Bighorn Sheep Black-tailed Jackrabbit Blue Grouse Bobcat Boreal Chorus Frog Boreal Owl Bull Snake Bushy-tailed Woodrat California Myotis Canada Lynx Cinereus Shrew Columbian Ground Squirrel Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Cougar Coyote Deer Mouse Desert Cottontail Dwarf Shrew Elk Ermine Ferruginous Hawk Fisher Golden Eagle Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel Gray Wolf Great Basin Pocket Mouse Great Gray Owl Great Horned Owl Grizzly Bear Hispid Pocket Mouse Hoary Bat Least Chipmunk Little Brown Bat Long-billed Curlew Long-eared Myotis Long-eared Owl Long-legged Myotis Long-tailed Vole Long-tailed Weasel Meadow Vole Merriam's Shrew Montane Shrew Montane Vole Moose Mountain Cottontail Mule Deer Muskrat North American Porcupine Northern Flying Squirrel Northern Goshawk Northern Grasshopper Mouse Northern Harrier Northern Pocket Gopher Northern Pygmy-Owl Northern Raccoon Northern River Otter Northern Saw-whet Owl Northern ShrikeOrd's Kangaroo Rat Prairie Vole Preble's Shrew Pronghorn Red Fox Red Squirrel Red-tailed Chipmunk Red-tailed Hawk Richardson's Ground Squirrel Rough-legged Hawk Ruffed Grouse Sage Grouse Sagebrush Vole Sharp-shinned Hawk Short-eared Owl Silver-haired Bat Snowshoe Hare Southern Red-backed Vole Spotted Bat Spruce Grouse Striped Skunk Swainson's Hawk Tiger Salamander Townsend's Big-eared Bat Turkey Vulture Uinta Chipmunk Uinta Ground Squirrel Vagrant Shrew Water Shrew Water Vole Western Harvest Mouse Western Heather Vole Western Jumping Mouse Western Rattlesnake Western Screech-Owl Western Toad Western Small-footed Myotis White-footed Mouse White-tailed Deer White-tailed Jackrabbit Wolverine Wyoming Ground Squirrel Wyoming Pocket Gopher Yellow-bellied Marmot Yellow-pine Chipmunk Yuma Myotis Agriculture Alpine Meadow Aspen Foothill Shrub/Xeric Woodland Lentic Water Lotic Water Mesic Shrub Montane Conifer Native Grassland Non-Native Grass Recently Burnt Forest Riparian Forest Riparian Shrub Rock/Cliff/Tal us Shrub-steppe Subalpine Forest Wetlands (Marsh) Dewatering Exotic Disease Farming Fencing Fire Fire Suppression Fishing Grazing Harvest (Hunting) Homesite Development Invasive Aliens Loss Of Ecosystem Integrity Management/Pr edator Control Migratory Sensitivity Mineral Mining Motorized Recreation Nonmotorized Recreation Nonnative Introductions Oil/Gas/Cbm Pollution Powerlines Road Chemical/Sedi mentation Roading Timber Harvest Vehicular Traffic Weed/Pest Control American Beaver American Bison Elk? Gray Wolf Periodic Fire Grazing Riparian Flooding Sport Hunting and Fishing Cattle Ranching and Rural Lifestyle Open Space, Wild Areas, and Wildlife Viewing Opportunities

Species Area Requirements Five functional categories Large Landscape –Classic landscape species –Habitat generalists requiring large contiguous, or connected areas of habitat (> 500 ha). Meso-scale –require moderately size contiguous habitat areas (~ ha). Habitat Selectors –travel between relatively small habitat patches but not sensitive to habitat changes between patches. Restricted or Sedentary –Small home ranges < 5 ha Habitat Specialists –Majority of seasonal use tied to one, or few habitat types. –Critical habitats often small patch sizes Microhabitat Specialists –Restricted to very specific and very small habitats (e.g. warm springs)

Species PoolLand Area Requiremen t Category Cohort 1Cohort 2Cohort 3Cohort 4Cohort 5Cohort 6 Wolverine Sage Grouse Grizzly Bear Ferruginous Hawk Gray Wolf Golden Eagle American Bison Elk Long-billed Curlew Cougar American Black Bear Canada Lynx Western Toad Turkey Vulture Boreal Owl Pronghorn Bighorn Sheep Western Rattlesnake Common Raven Moose Tiger Salamander Northern Goshawk Coyote Fisher Mule Deer Boreal Chorus Frog Bull Snake Blue Grouse Bobcat Rough-legged Hawk White-tailed Deer Great Horned Owl Red-tailed Hawk Swainson's Hawk Northern River Otter American Marten LL-1 LL-2 LL-3 LL-4 LL-5 LL-6 Meso-1 Meso-2 Meso-3 Meso-4 Meso-5 Meso-6 Meso-7 Meso-8 Wolverine Sage Grouse Grizzly Bear Ferruginous Hawk Gray Wolf Golden Eagle Gray Wolf Golden Eagle American Bison Elk Long-billed curlew Cougar American Black Bear Canada Lynx Western Toad Turkey Vulture Boreal Owl Pronghorn Bighorn Sheep Western Rattlesnake Common Raven Moose Tiger Salamander Moose Tiger Salamander Northern Goshawk Coyote Fisher Mule Deer Boreal Chorus Frog Bull Snake Blue Grouse Bobcat Rough-legged Hawk White-tailed Deer Great-horned Owl Red-tailed Hawk Swainsons Hawk Northern River Otter STOP

Complete Conservation Requires Multiple Umbrellas Habitat Threats Agriculture Alpine Meadow Aspen Foothill Shrub/Xeric Woodland Lentic Water Lotic Water Mesic Shrub Montane Conifer Native Grassland Non-Native Grass Riparian Forest Riparian Shrub Rock/Cliff/Talus Subalpine Forest Wetlands (Marsh) Shrub-steppe Recently Burnt Forest Dewatering (P) Exotic Disease (P) Farming (P) Fencing Fire Suppression (P) Fishing Migratory Sensitivity (P) Oil/Gas/CBM (P) Power lines Grazing Harvest (Hunting) Homesite Development Invasive Aliens Loss Of Ecosystem Integrity Management/Predator Control Mineral Mining Motorized Recreation Nonmotorized Recreation Nonnative Introductions Pollution Road Chemical/Sedimentation Roading Timber Harvest Vehicular Traffic Weed/Pest Control

Special Elements: Habitats Covered Under Umbrella Habitats Outside Cumulative Umbrella Threats Covered Under Umbrella Threats Outside Cumulative Umbrella Special Elements Added to Complete Umbrella Focal Species Suite Sage GrouseShrub-steppeRecently Burnt Forest (P) Farming (P) Oil/Gas/CBM (P) Power lines Dewatering (P) Exotic Disease (P) Fencing Fire Suppression (P) Fishing Migratory Sensitivity (P) Sage Grouse Pronghorn Westslope Cutthroat American Beaver – key species (replaces otter) Black-backed Woodpecker Grizzly Bear Elk Western Toad Bighorn Sheep Northern Goshawk Northern River Otter – replaced by beaver as special element Special Elements: Sage Grouse Pronghorn Westslope Cutthroat American Beaver Black-backed Woodpecker PronghornRecently Burnt Forest (P) Fencing Migratory Sensitivity (P) Dewatering (P) Exotic Disease (P) Fire Suppression (P) Fishing Westslope Cutthroat Recently Burnt Forest (P) Dewatering (P) Exotic Disease (P) Fishing Fire Suppression (P) American Beaver Lotic WaterRecently Burnt Forest (P) Fire Suppression (P) Black- backed Woodpecker Recently Burnt Fire Suppression (P) Completing the Conservation Umbrellas

Complete Conservation Requires Multiple Umbrellas Area Complete Communities - all native species in natural abundance Complete Ecosystem Function Human Values Habitat Threats Processes