March 26, 2010 Planning for Priority Species and Vegetation: Health Assessment A Systematic Framework to Plan for Biological Resources In the BLM’s Land Use Planning Process

2 How does it work? Species / Vegetation Health Assessing Effects Monitoring Plans Develop Strategies SYSTEMATIC FRAMEWORK BLM LEARNING NETWORK LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

On – Site Training CORE CONCEPTS Develop monitoring framework Identify priority species and vegetation Assess health Identify management strategies Assess effects LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

List of Priority Species and Vegetation LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Accounts for all BLM required species and vegetation Captures major vegetation types of the planning area Accounts for species that require special attention Is not comprehensive, but representative

Matrix forest 3rd order river system Emergent wetland Selecting Focal Targets Select Priority Species and Vegetation (keep number manageable) Start with Ecological Systems (which often include “nested” species) Then Screen for Species that have Special Requirements LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Group vegetation and species that are related by ecological processes and that co-occur into systems or species assemblages. Examples: –Pine Forest Matrix (4 communities/13 species) –Barrier Island Complex (5 communities/20 species) –Rare Mainstem/Tributary Fish Assemblage (11 species) Selecting Focal Conservation Targets LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Identify Priority Species and Vegetation Greater Sage-Grouse Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Sagebrush Shrublands Salt Desert Scrub Lower Montane Riparian Ponderosa Pine Woodlands Declining Grassland Birds LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Vegetation type Nested Systems Nested Species Scientific nameCommon name BLM SSS T & E species Global rank SAGEBRUSH SHRUBLANDS Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe Colorado Plateau Mixed Low Sagebrush Shrubland Amphispiza belliiSage sparrow G5 Centrocercus minimusGunnison Sage-grouseX G1 Athene cuniculariaBurrowing owl G4 Cryptantha gypsophilaGypsum Valley cat-eye G1 Pediomelum aromaticumAromatic Scurf PeaX G3 Penstemon breviculusLittle penstemon G3 Gambelia wislizeniiLongnose Leopard LizardX G5 Cynomys gunnisoniiGunnison Prairie Dog G5 Puccinellia parishiiParish's Alkali Grass G2 Lanius ludovicianusLoggerhead shrike G4 Spizella breweriBrewer's sparrow G5 LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Lumping or Splitting? “Lump” if they meet all of the following tests: Co-occur on the landscape Require similar ecological processes Have similar health scores, or one can serve as an indicator for the other Have similar effects Examples –Grasslands & grassland nesting birds –Matrix forest & embedded plant community Therefore may ultimately require similar strategic actions Selecting Targets LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

On – Site Training CORE CONCEPTS Develop monitoring framework Identify priority species and vegetation Assess health Identify management strategies Assess effects LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

What is our best estimate of how priority species and vegetation are doing? LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Health Health of a priority species or vegetation is the measure to which the species or vegetation is……. Resistant to change in its structure and composition in the face of external effects and Resilient – able to recover upon experiencing occasional severe disturbance * Natural Range of Variation* LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

To clearly define priority species and vegetation Science-based foundation for establishing current status of a priority species or vegetation and setting desired future condition (goals) Helps to identify effects on the health of each priority species and vegetation and understand with more precision how these disrupt the priority species or vegetation Assists in developing good objectives and focused strategies Guides the design of monitoring protocol and measures of success Helps identify critical knowledge gaps about the system LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Why assess Health?

Aspects of the priority species or vegetation that clearly define or characterize the species or vegetation and determine its distribution and variation over space and time. Characteristics of the species or vegetation, that if eliminated or significantly altered, would result in the demise of the species or vegetation or would shift it into something quite different. Parrish et al. Bioscience 2003 LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Key Ecological Attributes

Size Species abundance…or Minimum dynamic area Size Species abundance…or Minimum dynamic area Condition Composition (e.g. native vs. nonnative) Structure (e.g. age class distribution) Biotic Interactions (e.g. reproduction) Condition Composition (e.g. native vs. nonnative) Structure (e.g. age class distribution) Biotic Interactions (e.g. reproduction) Landscape Context Environmental regimes/processes (e.g. fire) Connectivity (e.g., access to habitats/resources; ability to disperse, migrate, re-colonize) Landscape Context Environmental regimes/processes (e.g. fire) Connectivity (e.g., access to habitats/resources; ability to disperse, migrate, re-colonize) Key Ecological Attributes LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Selecting Key Ecological Attributes  Pick factors that are critical for long-term persistence o What factors, if degraded, would seriously jeopardize ability to persist for 100+ years?  Look for attributes that may be seriously degraded by future human-caused activities  Look for a small number of really key ecological attributes (e.g. 3 to 5) o …versus many desirable or descriptive characteristics  Key attributes may be refined over time  Attributes are what’s important; indicators are what you will measure  Pick factors that are critical for long-term persistence o What factors, if degraded, would seriously jeopardize ability to persist for 100+ years?  Look for attributes that may be seriously degraded by future human-caused activities  Look for a small number of really key ecological attributes (e.g. 3 to 5) o …versus many desirable or descriptive characteristics  Key attributes may be refined over time  Attributes are what’s important; indicators are what you will measure LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Sage Grouse Population size Habitat quality Habitat connectivity PJ Woodlands Patch size Species composition Fire Regime Assess Health LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Establish criteria for condition ratings (key ecological attributes) Size Condition Landscape context

Indicators Measurable entities used to assess the status and trends of a priority species or vegetation’s Key Ecological Attribute(s). Indicators should be:  biologically relevant (reflect species or vegetation health)  socially relevant (recognized by stakeholders)  sensitive to anthropogenic stress (reflect threats)  anticipatory (early warning)  measurable  cost-effective (max. information/unit effort) LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Current and Desired Condition Habitat Availability Population Size Connectivity of Populations Cover near leks Mean # males on leks Distribution of leks Indicator Linkage Between Key Attributes & Indicators Key Attribute LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Very Good: Ecologically desirable status; Requires little intervention for maintenance Poor: Restoration increasingly difficult; May result in extirpation Fair: outside acceptable range of variation; Requires human intervention Good: Indicator w/in acceptable range of variation; Some intervention required for maintenance LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Natural Range of Variation When these variations are predominantly influenced by non-human factors (e.g., climate, biotic interactions) the variations can be said to be “natural,”or at least “acceptable.” The aim is to manage a priority species or vegetation’s attributes within their acceptable range of variation. Native species & vegetation evolved over long periods with natural variation within their environments. Virtually all key attributes vary over time. LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Accept uncertainty! General Guidance: View main purpose as capturing the current state of knowledge Don’t worry about information gaps Don’t focus on filling out all boxes! Can return during later planning stages to add more detail (if necessary) LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Assess Health - GROUSE TypeKey Attribute IndicatorPoorFairGoodVery good SizePopulation size Number of displaying males on leks < 200 birds, (3- yr running average) birds birds > 700 birds ConditionHabitat quality for X sage grouse Condition of lek habitat Leks surrounded by 5 km Leks surrounded by >100 acres of high quality habitat and water between km Leks surrounded by > 100 acres of high quality habitat and water < 3 km LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Assess Health – PJ Woodlands TypeKey Attribute IndicatorPoorFairGoodVery good Landscape context Fire regimeFire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) >50% of the acres in FRCC 3 (signif. altered) 25-50% of the acres in FRCC % of the acres in FRCC 3 and/or >50% in FRCC 2 >50% of the acres in FRCC 1 and <10% in FRCC 3 ConditionSpecies composition / dominance Presence of knapweed Invasives with major potential to alter PJ are >10% cover with patches >1 acre 5-10% cover; patches some patches >1 acre 1-5% cover; few patches >1acre 1 acre LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

General guidance Good/fair threshold is most critical – good usually defines ecological desired condition Don’t get stuck on getting the “right” indicators or values. Fill out, document, and send out for review Prioritize filling gaps for key attributes based on: –Level of concern (poor status), or –Link to actions (what BLM will or could do) LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Health Assessment - Summary An iterative process with “successive approximations” Begin with a “credible first iteration”  Identify really key ecological attributes for each priority species or vegetation type  Determine what you’ll measure for each attribute -- indicators  Complete indicator ratings  Focus on the difference between Good & Fair thresholds  Unless you have a Poor rating for an indicator (then focus on Fair/Poor)  Rate the “Current Status” for each attribute  Present your initial findings to colleagues/experts for review Continue to improve over time…  Identify attributes, indicators & ratings where your uncertainties are most vulnerable LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

Assess Health - GROUSE TypeKey Attribute IndicatorPoorFairGoodVery good SizePopulation size Number of displaying males on leks < 200 birds, (3- yr running average) birds birds > 700 birds ConditionHabitat quality for X sage grouse Condition of lek habitat Leks surrounded by 5 km Leks surrounded by >100 acres of high quality habitat and water between km Leks surrounded by > 100 acres of high quality habitat and water < 3 km CURRENT CONDITION LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

TypeKey Attribute IndicatorPoorFairGoodVery good Landscape context Fire regimeFire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) >50% of the acres in FRCC 3 (signif. altered) 25-50% of the acres in FRCC % of the acres in FRCC 3 <10% in FRCC 3 ConditionSpecies composition / dominance Presence of knapweed Invasives with major potential to alter PJ are >10% cover with patches >1 acre 5-10% cover; patches some patches >1 acre 1-5% cover; few patches >1acre 1 acre CURRENT CONDITION LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Assess Health – PJ Woodlands

LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Priority Species/Vegetation Landscape ContextConditionSize Health Rank Grade Greater Sage-GrouseFair Pinyon-Juniper WoodlandsGoodFairGood Sagebrush ShrublandsFairPoorGoodFair Ponderosa/ Warm Dry Mixed ConiferFair GoodFair Riparian/AquaticPoorFair Semi-desert ShrublandsFairPoorGoodFair Semi-desert grasslandGoodFairGood Mixed Grass PrairieFairGood Project Area Health RankFair Health Summary Current Condition Overall Rating By Priority Species/ Vegetation

LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Priority Species/Vegetation Landscape ContextConditionSize Health Rank Grade Greater Sage-GrouseFairGood Pinyon-Juniper WoodlandsGoodFairGood Sagebrush ShrublandsFairGood Ponderosa/ Warm Dry Mixed ConiferFairGood Riparian/AquaticFairGoodFair Semi-desert ShrublandsFairGood Semi-desert grasslandGoodFairGood Mixed Grass PrairieFairGood Project Area Health RankGood Health Summary Desired Ecological Condition Overall Rating By Priority Species/ Vegetation

‘NO ACTION’ DATASET HEALTH ASSESSMENT Use this information to help formulate alternatives -Evaluate health under current management -Predict health under No Action Alternative during the life of the plan LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION

LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION Priority Species/Vegetation Landscape ContextConditionSize Health Rank Grade Greater Sage-GrouseFair Pinyon-Juniper WoodlandsGoodFairGood Sagebrush ShrublandsFairPoorGoodFair Ponderosa/ Warm Dry Mixed ConiferFair GoodFair Riparian/AquaticPoorFair Semi-desert ShrublandsFairPoorGoodFair Semi-desert grasslandGoodFairGood Mixed Grass PrairieFairGood Project Area Health RankFair Health Summary Prediction under No Action Alternative Overall Rating By Priority Species/Vegetation

LAND USE PLANNING FOR PRIORITY SPECIES AND VEGETATION