Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Project SWANSON LAKES WILDLIFE AREA (SLWA)

Project Acquire Sharp-tailed Grouse Habitat at the SLWA

PROJECT LAND OWNERSHIP

SLWA Cover Types Cover TypeAcres Shrub-steppe14,676 Ephemeral pond98 Lacustrine132 Wetland83 Wet meadow1,754 Riparian Shrub35 Conifer1 Cliff/Talus485 Agriculture275 Conservation Reserve (CRP)2,396 Farmstead65 TOTAL20,000

Shrubsteppe

More Shrubsteppe

Yep, Looks Like Grass to Me!

A little more to the left Ive got hay fever!

Wet Meadow/Vernal Pool

Riparian Shrub - Deciduous Forest If you think Im going in there..

Wetlands

Lacustrine

In Contrast……….

Sharp-tailed Grouse Acquisition Cover Types

…and other shrubsteppe obligate species

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 18,000 shrubs/trees planted

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 243 ha of agricultural land converted to native-like grassland

Grass/Shrub Plantings

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 16 ha Food Plots

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 93 km of Fence

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS MONITORING & EVALUATION HEP/VEGETATION BASELINE TRANSECTS CONDUCTED WILDLIFE SURVEYS

MONITORING & EVALUATION Replicated HEP transects-2000 Established vegetation transects using M&E protocols Monitored sharp-tailed grouse leks and neo-tropical birds etc. Grassland fertilizer trials

M&E RESULTS – VOR Null hypothesis (H o ): VOR measurements observed in 1992 and 2000 are equal Alternative hypothesis 1 (H A1 ): VOR measurements observed in 1992 are greater than VOR measurements recorded in 2000; Alternate hypothesis 2 (H A2 ): VOR measurements observed in 1992 are less than VOR measurements recorded in 2000.

Grassland VOR Results Example No Disturbance Disturbed

VOR

TSSTSS SHRUBLAND VOR RESULTS vn1vn1 VN1-TSS (not disturbed) NE1-TSS (disturbed ) TR1-TSS ( not disturbed ) S71-USS High Power Low Power

RANGE FERTILIZER TRIALS

WILDLIFE MONITORING Shrubsteppe Bird Surveys Hunter Harvest Surveys Waterfowl Surveys Deer Surveys Sage Grouse Surveys

REGIONAL & SUB-BASIN GOALS

FUTURE OBJECTIVES AND TASKS 1. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARP- TAILED GROUSE TO 400 BY Augment existing population Monitor and control recreational use of project lands.

FUTURE OBJECTIVES AND TASKS 2. Implement the SLWA Management Plan. Control introduced vegetation Maintain shrub and tree enhancements Maintain boundary fence Construct new fence as needed Maintain equipment/infrastructure etc. Maintain sharp-tailed and sage grouse nesting habitat.

FUTURE OBJECTIVES AND TASKS -Monitor leks -Search for new leks -Conduct sharp-tailed grouse nesting and brood rearing surveys 3. Conduct sharp-tailed grouse research….in conjunction with WDFW statewide efforts.

FUTURE OBJECTIVES AND TASKS 4. Monitor wildlife and habitat response to protection, enhancement, and maintenance measures annually. Conduct HEP and vegetation transects and establish photo points. Monitor big game, sage grouse, waterfowl, and neo-tropical birds populations/hunter harvest.

SUB-BASIN NEEDS AND LIMITING FACTORS The Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area and the Sharp-tailed Grouse Habitat Acquisition proposals address the following major sub-basin needs and limiting factors: 1. Declining shrubsteppe habitat quality and quantity and subsequent impacts on obligate species. 2. Shrubsteppe habitat fragmentation 3. Loss of deep soils plant communities. 4. Alteration of the plant community due to weeds, grazing, and wildfire.

IN CLOSING………. SWANSON LAKES WILDLIFE AREA Project Acquire Sharp-tailed Grouse Habitat at the SLWA Project 25001

REQUESTED FUNDING Swanson Lakes WA 2002: $296, : $290, : $265,137 SHGR Acquisition 2002: $237, : $32, : $5,000

THANK YOU