The South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative’s Third Thursday Web Forum Filling the Gaps in the Blueprint: This Year and Next Thursday, May 17, 2012

Third Thursday Web Forum Agenda Introductions Updates Monthly Topic: Filling the Gaps in the Blueprint: This Year and Next Questions & Discussion of Monthly Topic Questions & Discussion of SALCC Close

Introductions Ken McDermond, Coordinator Rua Mordecai, Science Coordinator Janet Cakir, Socioeconomic Adaption Coordinator Amy Keister, GIS Coordinator Laurie Rounds, Gulf Coast Landscape Conservation Liaison Ginger Deason, Information Transfer Specialist/Forest Service Liaison

Updates SALCC 2012 Request for Proposals open SALCC Co-Chair elected – Marshall Williams Innovation in Technology-Enhanced Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution Award Conservation Planning Atlas team, led by Amy, deciding on platform Cultural Resources Call, led by Janet Welcome Hilary Cole – SCEP student!

Filling gaps in the blueprint Mission: Create a shared blueprint for landscape conservation actions that sustain natural and cultural resources

Filling gaps in the blueprint Mission: Create a shared blueprint for landscape conservation actions that sustain natural and cultural resources Blueprint: An interactive, living plan that describes the places and actions needed to meet the SALCC’s conservation targets in the face of future change

2012 process Phase 1: Science assessment  What’s already available that covers entire cooperative?  What are the immediately limiting gaps?

2012 process Phase 1: Science assessment  What’s already available that covers entire cooperative?  What are the immediately limiting gaps? Phase 2: Filling the gaps  What are the most important limiting gaps for this year?  Which projects can best fill those gaps?

Phase 1: Science assessment

What’s already available that covers entire cooperative? JV/fish partnership priorities, Recovery plans, SWAPs, etc. VDDT models, NBCI cons planning tool Urban growth models, Southern forest futures… OCS models… Connectivity models…

What are the immediately limiting gaps? Building on other efforts to set SALCC indicators and measureable targets Impact of hydrologic restoration Impact of smart growth practices… Sensitivity analysis on planning models… Integration of High/low marsh mapping

Definitions Priority: Desired conservation outcome that is difficult to measure (e.g., Ecological Integrity of rivers and streams) Indicator: A way to measure a priority (e.g., Miles of fishable and swimmable streams) Target: A numeric goal for an indicator (e.g., Maintain total miles of fishable and swimmable streams)

Some examples Integrity of open pine systems (priority) - Brown- headed Nuthatch (indicator) - Increase coastal plain population by 50% (target) Integrity of estuarine and marine systems (priority) - Sea grasses collectively (indicator) - Double the area of sea grasses (target)

Science assessment: 2012 timeline 3/8: SALCC science assessment complete 3/8 - 3/27: Assessment review (partnership committee, steering committee, consulting team, surrounding LCCs) 4/3 - 4/14: Revised assessment review (web community)

Lessons learned for next year Need more detail More opportunities for involvement

Phase 2: Filling the gaps  What are the most important immediately limiting gaps for this year?  Which projects can best fill those gaps?

What are the most immediately limiting gaps for this year? Mid-April: Science gap ranking (partnership committee and additional folks if recommended by consulting team) Mid/late April: Draft RFP and ranked gaps to steering committee Mid/late April: Draft RFP and ranked gaps to surrounding LCCs (opportunities for partnering on process)

What are the most immediately limiting gaps for this year? Top 12 gaps identified All were in the top 8 for multiple partnerships

Gaps for 2012 RFP Synthesis and integration of mapping of high and low marsh Locations of small dams and obstructions on rivers and streams Effects of uncertainty in SALCC future landscape models on ecologic response models Synthesis of mapping of estuarine and marine habitats

Gaps for 2012 RFP Future changes in major pathways for species invasions Predictive model of the impact of hydrologic restoration on natural, cultural, and socioeconomic resources Improve SALCC SLEUTH urban growth model to predict the impact of smart growth practices on suburban/exurban development

Methods for other immediately limiting gaps Project support from USGS  Improved range shift models for all taxa (except landbirds) For Climate Science Center  Incorporation of vegetation range shifts and agricultural change into future landcover predictions  Predictions of future changes in non-forest agriculture (i.e., crop and pasture) For SALCC Natural Resource Indicators team  Identify SALCC indicators and measurable targets for those indicators while building on existing planning efforts and measureable targets

Which projects can best fill those gaps? 5/4: Approved RFP released 5/23: 1 page statements of interest due Statement of interest review (partnership committee and additional subject experts recommended by consulting team and steering committee)

Which projects can best fill those gaps? Full proposal review (partnership committee and additional subject experts recommended by consulting team and steering committee) Final check in with surrounding LCCs Project recommendations to Steering Committee Final review and recommendation from Steering Committee

Lessons learned More time needed Start with trying to fill gaps through specific partners and use SALCC RFP to fill what’s missing?

2012 process Phase 1: Science assessment  What’s already available that covers entire cooperative?  What are the immediately limiting gaps? Phase 2: Filling the gaps  What are the most important limiting gaps for this year?  Which projects can best fill those gaps?

Questions/Comments Questions or comments from presentation about filling gaps in the blueprint? Questions or comments in general about the SALCC, what we’re doing, where we’re going, etc.?

Contacts Ken McDermond – Rua Mordecai – Janet Cakir – Amy Keister – Laurie Rounds – Ginger Deason –