1. Introducing Emphasis Areas Changing Our Approach to be More Effective

2. Our Reality Service wide: Tighter budgets More congressional scrutiny Continued progress on Strategic Habitat Conservation In the Southwest Region: Workforce = less capacity –2012 staff = 1080 2014 staff = 935 Endangered species workload –≥ 90 listing/critical habitat determinations over the next several years Water availability/quality Border issues Energy development Climate change – wildfire and drought

3. Addressing Realities: a Strategic Approach We have identified areas that promise the highest return on our conservation investment

4. Criteria Employ efficiencies to achieve conservation results ( R eturn O n I nvestment) Provide Regional flexibility to deal with Region-specific context High ecological value Where we have a presence Where we can use / leverage our resources wisely

5. Criteria Focus on species and habitats across our region to maximize conservation benefit Define success and gauge our progress along the way Collaborate with State partners We are One Service with the shared purpose of conservation

6. Science and Strategic Habitat Conservation

7. Strategic Habitat Conservation: Coastal Texas - Aransas

9. Habitat decline Habitat increase Predicted Carrying Capacity WCs 2008 2100 Aransas NWR 415 239 Study area 3,342 2,249 Coastal Texas - Aransas

10. Putting the Pieces Together

11. Emphasis Areas

12. The Gulf Coast WHY? Biological Richness FWS has a significant presence along the Texas Gulf Coast (450,000 acres) Recreational and commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico Central Flyway (80% of the continental population of redhead ducks) Mottled duck, Ocelot, Whooping Crane Only population of federally endangered Attwater’s prairie chicken

13. Great Plains WHY? Resource Values One of the most compromised landscapes in the country Sits atop the largest aquifer (Ogallala) in North America 6 habitat types need conservation attention Hosts more than 200 species of birds and other wildlife annually

14. Rio Grande Watershed WHY? Partnerships Lifeblood of New Mexico – 63% of the population lives in this watershed Largest remaining cottonwood woodlands in the U.S. More than 450 species of birds utilize the RG river corridor Native fish and aquatic species of conservation concern for Texas and New Mexico

15. Mogollon Rim WHY? Conservation Priority/Endangered Species Recovery Mexican gray wolf, native fish Major floristic and faunal boundary of Rocky Mountains – Sierra Madre Occidental – Madrean Sky Islands Ponderosa pine forests – critical importance to 9 declining avian species Public and private conservation opportunities

16. East Texas & Oklahoma Water Systems WHY? Water/Climate Change One of world’s largest limestone aquifers Enormous aquatic biological diversity Water quality is being impacted by human activities and climate change

17. Next Steps Creation of Emphasis Area Teams RDT members will serve as Team leads Gulf Coast – Aaron Archibeque Great Plains – Dana Roth Rio Grande – Greg Hughes Mogollon Rim – Stewart Jacks East Texas and Oklahoma – Michelle Shaughnessy

18. Next Steps Communications Internal Workshops and Field Meetings External Engaging Federal, State, NGO, non-traditional partners

19. Next Steps Focusing resources on these areas: Monarch Conservation Initiative Science Support Partnership / Quick Response Program ( SSP/QRP ) Gulf Coast Funding Prairie Chicken Funding Urban Initiative Funding Landscape Conservation Design – LCD (Aransas) Cooperative Recovery Initiative Funding Land Acquisition Funds Seed money from programs to initiate target projects

20. Next Steps Assessment in 5 years

21. One Service…One Region Working together… Changing Our Approach to be More Effective Emphasis Areas: Strategic Conservation in Region 2