1. BLM’s Landscape Approach REAs and Related Landscape Initiatives Karen Prentice, BLM, Healthy Landscapes Coordinator, kprentic@blm.gov, 202-912-7223 Gordon Toevs, BLM, Assessment Inventory and Monitoring Coordinator, gtoevs@blm.gov, 202-912-7202kprentic@blm.govgtoevs@blm.gov

2. 2 Purpose of Today’s Discussion  Overview of the BLM’s Landscape Approach  Rapid Ecoregional Assessments  Monitoring and adaptive management

3. 3 Vision for BLM’s Landscape Approach 3 Develop business practices to manage resources and uses at multiple scales in the face of compounding stressors. These practices will help the BLM and partners identify what to sustain, at what scale, and the associated trade-offs. Traditional PracticeLandscape Approach Project and Site FocusedLandscape Focus Stove pipedIntegrated Tends to authorize uses and mitigate ecological values Considers ecological values and use authorizations equally Ecological Component (Individual Species) Ecological Function and Service Develop new business practices to support this transition Frame the issue: Build conceptual models with conservation elements and change agents.

4. 4 BLM’s Landscape Approach 4 Monitoring for Adaptive Mgmt. Scale Appropriate Direction Field Implementation Scale Appropriate Assessments Science Integration (CSCs & LCCs) The Landscape Approach is based on management questions and an understanding of the system (represented here by the blue circle)

5. 5 BLM’s Landscape Approach Monitoring for Adaptive Mgmt. Ecoregional Direction Field Implementation Rapid Ecoregional Assessments Science Integration (CSCs & LCCs) Rapid Ecoregional Assessments are the first step in the Landscape Approach

6. 6 Rapid Ecoregional Assessments Underway  10 REAs initiated to date  7 REAs covering more than 370 million acres will be completed in 2012  Negotiations in progress for additional REAs this year

7. 7 Three Components of REAs Conservation Elements+Change Agents =Management Questions EX: Species Habitat Soils EX: Species Habitat Soils EX : Invasive Species Fire Climate Change Human Development EX : Invasive Species Fire Climate Change Human Development EX: Where is intact sage- grouse habitat threatened by climate change? “what we want to conserve” “what is threatening our resources” “what land managers need to know”

8. Current (dark blue) and historic distribution of Greater sage grouse (light blue) Current and Historic Greater Sage Grouse Distribution 8

9. Terrestrial Landscape Intactness 9 Potential for Climate Related Change

10. Colorado Plateau: Terrestrial Intactness within Current Distribution of Greater and Gunnison Sage Grouse 10 Gunnison Sage Grouse This map shows terrestrial intactness “clipped” to currently occupied habitat of GSG and GUSG. This map shows projected climate change for 2060 “clipped” to currently occupied GSG habitat.

11. 11 Monitoring and Adaptive Management 11 CHANGE AGENTS CONSERVATION ELEMENTS & STRESSOR INTERACTIONS ( Vegetation, Wildlife, Soil Resources, Soil-Plant-Water Interface) CONSERVATION ELEMENTS & STRESSOR INTERACTIONS ( Vegetation, Wildlife, Soil Resources, Soil-Plant-Water Interface)

12. 12 Foundations  Broadly applicable, cross-program indicators “Program” Indicators Core Terrestrial Indicators/Methods Core Aquatic Indicators/Methods Grazing / Range Wildlife Energy Rec. “Core” Indicators

13. 13 Sample Design  Low-intensity, “extensive” national sampling effort  Higher-intensity, “intensive” local sampling effort (driven by local management questions)

14. 14 Extensive Sampling* Intensive Sampling* Low density network of sampling locations Higher-density sampling for local management needs Integrated Sampling Intensive data combined with extensive network Increases precision of extensive sampling resource estimates Comparability of resource values across scales and jurisdictions Sample Design *Hypothetical points for illustration only

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16. 16 BLM’s Landscape Approach Monitoring for Adaptive Mgmt. Scale Appropriate Direction Field Implementation Scale Appropriate Assessments Science Integration (CSCs & LCCs)