1. State Wildlife Grants Program and the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
Jenny A. Landry

2. Conserving Biodiversity
US laws and policies place primary responsibility for wildlife management in the hands of the states
State Wildlife Grants provides Federal dollars to support cost effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered.

3. Background of the State Wildlife Grants Program
The program was first authorized by congress in 2002
Program grew out of Conservation and Reinvestment Act compromise language
Program is subject to annual congressional legislation

4. What does the program do?
SWG program is intended to assist states in biodiversity preservation
Tied to “species in greatest need of conservation”
These are species which have not traditionally received funding for management
Intended to avoid new listings of endangered species

5. How does the program work?
Congress makes an annual appropriation
The funds are apportioned to each state based on a formula
States had to commit to write a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy by Oct. 2005
Targeted toward “species of greatest conservation need”

6. How does the program work? (cont’d)
The individual states apply for their apportionment annually from USFWS
The program pays for both species investigations and implementation projects
Match required - 50%

7. Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
Mandated by congress to remain eligible for funding
Submitted to USFWS for acceptance

8. Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Structure
Organized by major watersheds of the state
Species information analyzed by each watershed
List species occurring in the basin
List critical habitats of the basin
Priority conservation actions in the basin
Information from other planning documents reviewed and included.

9. N

10. Fish Highlights Sturgeon American eel Longear sunfish Brook trout
Anadromous species
Winter flounder
Gilt darter
There are several fish species that present unique management challenges and decisions. Species such as alewife are considered invasive in some parts of the state, but are important forage species in decline in the marine district. Smelt are abundant in upstate streams but in decline in coastal areas. Past fishery management techniques have potentially altered the genetic composition of native brook trout populations. Recruitment failure in winter flounder may be partially attributed to climate change.

11. Bird Highlights Raptors Shorebirds Marsh birds Common nighthawk
Waterfowl
Colonial nesters

12. Mammal highlights:
Bats
Lynx
Cougar
Wolf
American marten
River otter

13. Amphibian and Reptile Highlights:
Snakes
Salamanders
Frogs and toads
Turtles
Hellbender

14. Invertebrate Highlights:
Moths
Dragonflies and damselflies
Mussels
Chittenango ovate amber snail

15. Top Threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need Statewide
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Only 15% of state land area in public ownership
Contaminant deposition
Acids
Mercury
Nitrogen products
Degraded water quality & altered hydrology

16. Top Threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need Statewide (cont’d)
Invasive species
Changing farm and forestry practices
Direct human-wildlife interactions
Collisions
Poaching
Unregulated harvest
Climate change

17. Outcomes – Conservation Recommendations
Data Collection
Planning
Management and Restoration
Land Protection
Regulatory and Legislative
Information Dissemination
Incentives and Disincentives

18. Outcomes – Policy and Practice
Moving away from single species management.
Integrating fish and wildlife management with environmental quality.
Dealing with species metapopulations
Integrating fish and wildlife disciplines through habitat management.

19. New Ways of Working Under SWG
Addressing both natural resources and environmental quality issues
Creating stronger interdivisional relationships
Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources
Division of Lands and Forests
Division of Water

20. NY’s SWG funding so far…
Federal Fiscal Year
National Total
NY Allocation
FFY 2001
$50 M
$2.33 M
FFY 2002
$85 M
$3.73 M
FFY 2003
$65 M
$2.78 M
FFY 2004
$70 M
$2.95 M
FFY 2005
$69.12 M
$2.94 M
FFY 2006
$68.5 M
$2.90 M
FFY 2001 funds were used for watershed planning activities.
FFY 2002 & 2003 allocations were used to fund 45 different projects that we will highlight in the 2nd half of the presentation.
FFY 2004 funds were allocated to pay for new watershed biologists for 3 years.
FFY 2005 funds are allocated to the current Request For Applications due later this week.
FFY 2006 money available to NY, but we have not yet applied.

21. New Staff
Federal Fiscal Year 2004 funds were used to hire 9 ecologists within 11 major watersheds and 1 data coordinator
This single year of funds will cover staff salaries for at least three years
New staff will implement the SWG program and the recommendations in the CWCS

22. New Biologists’ Duties
Develop and write 5-year action plans in consultation with Watershed Team and Agency Staff
Recruit Watershed Team members
Annual watershed priority development for RFA
Watershed project oversight/management
Watershed project implementation
Annual grant reporting
Communicate CWCS issues with Watershed Team, other DEC Divisions and programs in the regions

23. New Staff Jason Smith Lower Hudson – LI Bays & Atlantic Ocean
Region 2 Office, Long Island City
Gregg Kenney
Delaware & Upper Hudson
Region 3 – New Paltz
Paul Novak
Upper Hudson
Region 4 – Schenectady
Joe Racette
Lake Champlain
Region 5 – Raybrook
Angelena Ross
NE Lake Ontario
Region 6 – Watertown
Tom Bell
Susquehanna
Region 7 – Cortland
Amy Mahar
SE Lake Ontario
Region 8 – Avon
Jenny Landry
SW Lake Ontario
VACANT
Lake Erie & Allegheny
Region 9 – Allegany
Carl Herzog
Data Management
Central Office - Albany

24. NY Forests
Forest cover has returned to 60% of the land area of New York concurrent with the decline of agriculture.
Need active management of vegetative succession
Sustainable forest practices, in accordance with BMPs, improve forest health and resilience
However the structure of the forest is different due to the loss of American chestnut and American elm.
Invasive species Hemlock wooly adelgid, Asian longhorn beetle, sirex woodwasp
We must work with private land owners in forest management in our state. NYFOA has already requested recommendations for private forest management for wildlife diversity.

25. 72% of forest land in New York is privately owned.

26. NYFOA Contract Develop Materials and Website
Publicize CWCS implementation needs to Forest Owners
Landowner visits
Database
Map of landowners and critical habitats
Strategic Plan

27. Boreal Forest Birds

28. Deciduous/Mixed Forest Breeding Birds

29. Early Successional Forest/Shrubland Birds

30. Forest Breeding Raptors

31. High Altitude Conifer Forest Birds

32. Tree Bats

33. Vernal Pool Salamanders

34. Woodland/Grassland Snakes

35. Thank you! Jenny Ann Landry NYSDEC jalandry@gw.dec.state.ny.us