1. Incorporating Climate Change into Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan
PA GAME COMMISSION
Wildlife Diversity
Dan Brauning
With Thanks to PA Fish & Boat Commission
And Dave Day

2. State Wildlife Diversity Needs
“Nongame” == 500+ species (vertebrates)
80% of PA’s verts; 27% imperiled
Endangered species prevention
Permanent dedicated funds for conservation
Earmarked for wildlife diversity efforts
 State Wildlife Grants – Beginning
2001, annual federal appropriation

3. Federal Requirement of State Wildlife Grant Funds. . .
SWG Planning
 Wildlife Action Plan (WAP)
-- October 2005
-- 8 Required Elements

4. WAP Required Elements Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)
Status, distribution, abundance
Location and relative condition of key habitats
Threats impacting species and habitats
Prioritized research and survey needs
Prioritized conservation actions
Monitoring protocols
Plan updating, agency coordination, public input
For species selection and conservation needs, went to PABS – the technical experts

5. Guiding Principles
The WAP vision and purpose encompass five guiding principles:
Conserving Species At Risk
Keeping Common Species Common
Recognizing Pennsylvania’s Unique Roles
Voluntary Partnerships for Species, Habitats, and People
Comprehensive Strategy

6. Prioritizing Species Global rank, State rank
Federal Status, Regional Status
State status/PABS status
Partners in Flight status (birds)
Threats, trends, habitat, genetics issues
PA Responsibility

7. Conservation Priority Tiers
Immediate Concern
High-Level Concern
Maintenance Concern
PA Vulnerable

8. Immediate Concern – E. Small-footed Bat
Global Rank G3
State Rank S1
NE Region Priority
Warrants Fed pre-listing
PA Threatened
PA Responsibility
Immediate & focused species management
Allegheny Packrat

9. Immediate Concern Allegh.Woodrat - R Delmarva Fox Squirrel Indiana Bat
West Virginia Water Shrew
Loggerhead shrike
Native bobwhite
Olive-sided flycatcher
Piping plover
Sedge wren
Short-eared owl
Upland sandpiper

10. High Level Concern Henslow’s Sparrow Global rank G4; state rank S4B; NE Region – yes; PIF 1; PA responsibility Species/habitat mgt. & focused research
Appalachian Cottontail
Golden-winged Warbler

11. High Level Concern Appalachian cottontail - R Eastern spotted skunk
Least shrew
Northern flying squirrel
Silver-haired bat
SE fox squirrel
American bittern
Bald eagle
Black tern
Cerulean warbler - R
Dickcissel
Golden-winged warbler - R
Long-eared owl
Peregrine falcon

12. Maintenance Concern – Wood Thrush
Global rank G5
State rank S5B
PIF I priority
PA Watch List
Range-wide declines
Indicator species
PA Responsibility
Periodic monitoring &
habitat level mgt.

13. Maintenance Concern Eastern red bat Fisher Hoary bat Least weasel
N. water shrew
River otter
Rock shrew
Snowshoe hare
S. bog lemming
American woodcock
Blue-winged warbler - R
Louisiana waterthrush - R
Scarlet tanager - R
Tundra swan - R
Worm-eating warbler - R

14. Responsibility
PA lies at core of range of Scarlet Tanager, with about 18% of population in PA
TOTAL POPULATION SIZE: 575,000 males (558, ,000 )

15. PA Vulnerable – Great Egret
S1B
PA Endangered - not genetically distinct
PA peripheral - not genetically distinct

16. PA Vulnerable Rock vole Management Implications ?
Black-crowned night heron & yellow
Blackpoll warbler
Common tern
King rail
Least bittern
Northern goshawk
Osprey

17. SGCN Conservation Actions
Identified 5 and 10 year Species Actions
Based on Priority
Priority Habitats
5 and 10-year actions

18. $$$$
WAP Implementation = State Wildlife Grants

19. Implementation Successes
Private Landowner Assistance Program
Barrens management
Vernal pools registry
Wind Power assessment
Invertebrate assessment
Woodrat recovery plan and workshops (rock habitat mgt and restoration)

20. NE Region Priorities Habitat classification
Monitoring and performance reporting
Habitat cover maps
Waterway connectivity
Impact of invasive species
Avian indicators – threats, outcomes
Conservation status of key habitats
Biomass and early-successional species
Implementing action plans for shrubland species

21. Future Priorities - continued
Plan revision – full revision due 2015
emerging issues – climate, disease, invasives
address WAP shortcomings
Physiographic area focus
Integration within other PGC efforts
Integration with partner efforts
Conservation Measures
Support State and Federal funding

22. A Minor Amendment to the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan:
 Climate Change – An Emerging Issue in
Fish and Wildlife Management
Submitted to:
 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  By:
Pennsylvania Game Commission &
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
  18 December, 2009

23. Table of Contents 2.0. Pennsylvania’s Anticipated Climate Future 1
1.0. Background
2.0. Pennsylvania’s Anticipated Climate Future 1
3.0. Broad-scale Impacts to Natural Resources in Pennsylvania 3
3.1. Water Resources
3.2. Forests and Wildlife
3.3. Aquatic Ecosystems and Fisheries 5
3.4. Fish and Wildlife-Based Outdoor Recreation 5
4.0. Conservation and Management Implications 6
5.0. Vulnerable Species of Greatest Conservation Need 7
6.0. Potential Climate Change Adaptation Strategies 11
6.1. Goals and Objectives of a Climate Change Strategy 11
Reduce the impact of non-climate threats
Manage for ecological function and protection of biodiversity 11
Maintain and restore habitat quality and landscape connectivity 12
Manage high-priority SGCN negatively impacted by climate change 12
Use adaptive management to help cope with climate
change uncertainties and ensure long-term success 12
6.2. Selecting Conservation Targets
6.3. Potential Climate Change Adaptation Strategies 13
6.4. Selecting the Most Appropriate Strategies for Management 14
6.5. Identifying Statewide Priority Conservation Actions 15
6.6. Statewide Habitat-Based Priorities 15
7.0. Summary 16
8.0. Sources Sorry

24. Broad Categories
3.0. BROAD-SCALE IMPACTS TO NATURAL RESOURCES IN PENNSYLVANIA
(The following section adapted from ENRI PSU 2009)
25.4. CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
The predicted changes to Pennsylvania’s natural resources described could trigger substantial changes to the fish and wildlife populations of the Commonwealth

25. 6.0. POTENTIAL CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES
6.1. Goals and Objectives of a Climate Change Strategy
6.2. Selecting Conservation Targets
6.3. Potential Climate Change Adaption Strategies
6.4. Selecting the Most Appropriate Strategies for Management
6.5. Identifying Statewide Priority Conservation Actions
6.6. Statewide Habitat-Based Priorities

26. 6.0. POTENTIAL CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

27. WAP – on the Web Get PA Wildlife Action Plan at: www.pgc.state.pa.us
 Point to “Wildlife” tab
Select “Wildlife Action Plan”
Climate Change Amendment should be available next week