Item #2 - Updated income and expenditures Review revised income/expenditures Review options for remaining balance Vote on preferred option

2013 Financial Resources (Mississippi State CESU) IncomeAmountBalance FY FWS $135,000 Expenditures Gulf Coast LCC Coordinator $ 30,000$105,000 In-stream flow – Phase II $105,000 +$0

2013 Financial Resources (Operations) IncomeAmountBalance FY-2013 FWS $533,000 Expenditures Salaries $451,000$ 82,000 Travel $ 26,500$ 55,500 Equip, Supplies, Phone $ 20,000$ 35,500 Contracts (Facilitators, Web design, meeting space) $ 35,500$ 0

2013 Financial Resources (Science) InvestmentsAmountBalance FY-2013 FWS $669,000 FY-2013 USGS $ 60,000$729,000 Expenditures Marine Indicators (USGS) $ 60,000$669,000 Terrestrial Indicators (Natureserve) $ 98,000$571,000 Terrestrial Indicators (USGS NC Coop) $ 87,000$484,000 Freshwater Aquatic Indicators (USGS FL Coop) $ 70,000$414,000 Design Postdoc – 2 years (USGS NC Coop) $ 174,000$240,000

Criteria Simplified procurement Minimal staff oversight Supports strategic plan goals

Options for balance ($240k) Option 1: Provide support for conservation investment decisions Quantifying the carbon value of hydrologic restoration of peatlands ($240k) Option 2: Improve the Blueprint Aquatic Connectivity ($150k) More detailed habitat vulnerability assessment ($~90k)

Carbon sequestration value of restored wetlands Peatland restoration helps combat sea-level rise, reduce catastrophic wildfire, and fight climate change by converting areas from carbon sources to carbon sinks Help get new investment in ecosystem restoration. Major limitation is quantification of carbon Peatlands exist throughout LCC (VA-FL) but needed data only exist for NC. Project will expand data that to cover the entire LCC (VA – FL)

Aquatic Connectivity: Improved estimates of small dams and obstructions Current aquatic connectivity project is working with existing data but major gaps still exist Help identify the importance of small dams and culverts not captured in existing data Project will improve aquatic connectivity estimates to be used in the Blueprint

More detailed habitat vulnerability Expand assessment from the 7 SALCC terrestrial ecosystems to the 49 ecological systems that are nested within them. Help field staff and the blueprint itself prioritize efforts within the SALCC ecosystem types Takes results from existing projects and makes the information more accessible and useable

Summary Two recommended options; Option 1 shows commitment of Cooperative to facilitate investment in conservation action; Option 2 provides funding to improve the blueprint Questions? Vote