In May 2014, the GNLCC Steering Committee approved two pilot projects explore approaches to landscape-scale coordination to enhance science-based management across the GNLCC. The two ‘Shared Landscape Outcomes’ pilots were designed to assess and focus on specific pairs of a GNLCC Goal and a priority landscape stressor as defined in the Strategic Conservation Framework and focus the approach at the entire GNLCC scale. The two pilot projects focused on (1) the Aquatic Integrity goal and Invasives stressor (described here) and (2) the Connectivity goal and Land Use Change stressor (see: https://www.fws.gov/science/catalog)
AIS Pilot:
The challenge of managing for invasive species creates an opportunity for the GNLCC to provide leadership on landscape scale stressors where there is a need for coordination of planning and on the ground activities. Currently, to the best of our knowledge, the north-western part of the North American continent remains free of quagga and zebra mussels. Infestation of aquatic systems in the GNLCC by quagga and zebra mussels would be economically, socially and environmentally devastating. An infestation in one of the jurisdictions within themussel-free northwest would likely lead to domino effect. It is therefore critical that managers recognize the interconnectednessof the ecosystems comprising the GNLCC and take action to coordinate preventative measures across them by utilizing the information, experience, and data that is available today.
FY2014In 2014, a team including GNLCC Advisory Team, Steering Committee members and Partners initiated a pilot to address aquatic integrity and invasive species challenges and opportunities across the GNLCC geography.
Objectives for this pilot were to: 1) contribute to the conservation goal of promoting Aquatic Integrity by keeping the GNLCC free of quagga and zebra mussels; 2) identify collaborative monitoring and response protocols; 3) identify the potential benefits of concerted action (enhance capacity, limit individual agency/jurisdiction costs); 4) develop a strategy that enhances and complements state programs; 5) incorporate findings from the work at the partner forum scale (CrownManagers Partnership); and 6) support the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) agenda (e.g., perimeter control) and other initiatives at the meso-regional scale.
The intent is to develop a well-conceived regional approach to prevention that can be endorsed by all jurisdictions and stimulate new thinking at the federal level in the USA and Canada about how to fund collaborative, regional efforts.
