Landscape Conservation- Science Policy and Adaptive Management A Bold Approach Ronald D. Rempel

1991- DOI and CA Resources Agency- Species Focused Conservation to Ecosystem Conservation – NCCP Program Initial focus- Orange and SD Counties Conflicts and Local Interest Biodiversity Hotspot

Resource Competition

6 Geography Size Population Region Partners NGOs Agencies Envir. Gps. Business Gps. Public

Habitat loss Due to land use change – urbanization, grazing, agriculture Invasive species cover Habitat alteration from invasive plants Trampling By vehicles, people, livestock Fi re Natural drivers Current Human-Caused Drivers Climate Change Altered hydrology Due to water diversion, dams, mining Hydrology Available habitat Episodic floods create openings Number populations (patches) Status of populations Historical Anthropogenic Drivers Southern CA Natural Communities A B C Management Responses A)Restore Key Vegetation Components B)Remove Exotics C)Reintroductions D)Fire Planning and Response E)Construct Wildlife Crossings Reduction/Loss of Connectivity Data Analysis

Invasive species cover Habitat alteration from invasive plants Fi re Current Human-Caused Drivers Climate Change Hydrology Change in Status and Trend of populations Southern CA Science Based Decisions Potential Management Decisions A)Do nothing B)Restore Key Vegetation Components C)Remove Exotics D)Reintroductions E)Fire Planning and Response F)Construct W/L crossings/acquire land Reduction/Loss of Connectivity Data Analysis

“Monitoring is important, it is difficult, and it is often avoided or overlooked.” (Schoonmaket 2005) Monitor covered species and ecosystem integrity- is there connectivity?

1-2A 1-2B 2-3B 2 - 3A

Visualization of “genetic landscapes” Genetic Analyses informing connectivity decisions Wildlife Crossings Land Acquisition Translocation Local extinction

12 Response and Recovery of Faunal and Floral Communities to the 2003 and 2007 San Diego Wildfires

13 Wildfire - important ecosystem driver in chaparral systems Wildfire - important ecosystem driver in chaparral systems Historically- Summer fires (lightning-strikes) Historically- Summer fires (lightning-strikes) Today Today Increased fire frequency, Increased fire frequency, increased size of fires increased size of fires Fall and Winter fires Fall and Winter fires Increased urban/wildland edge leads to: Increased urban/wildland edge leads to: Increased ignition sources Increased ignition sources Increased loss of life and property – fuels management Increased loss of life and property – fuels management Prescribed burning of scrublands – conversion and exotics Prescribed burning of scrublands – conversion and exotics

14 Management Implications To maintain animal biodiversity may require reintroductions Within preserve area connectivity is important Prefire/preattack planning might reduce post fire preserve management costs

Complex Relational Database Stores data from multiple projects Queried for Statistical Programs Queried for ESRI Applications ArcGIS, ArcIMS, ArcSDE Captures positive and negative data MUST INCLUDE VISION OF ANALYSIS NEEDS!! Need Vision for Data Storage Integrated Data Management

Data Efficiently: Collect- PDAs Manage – QAQC Integrate across studies, time and location Share with partners Analyze Utilize for making science based management decisions