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Aging infrastructure is creating a pressing national need to align priorities between civil engineering and other interests. Restoring ecological connectivity of river networks that are fragmented by dams and road crossings has become a prominent objective for environmental managers across the country. A mature decision-support framework and newly available data on the condition of dams throughout the Lake Michigan basin offer unique opportunities to test for potential cost-efficiency gains from sharing the costs of removing decrepit dams between environmental and engineering organizations. At sites where these interests align, genuine win-win scenarios could advance both ecological connectivity and infrastructure...
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Completion of the National Wildlife Inventory has been identified as a top science priority for the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes-LCC (UMGL). Some areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin still have not been mapped to NWI standards. Completion of NWI is integral to developing geospatial models based on landscape-level land use. Completion of NWI will also aid in monitoring of wetlands to assess effects of climate change. Funding for this project has been leveraged with several other larger projects to improve digital wetland mapping infrastructure for Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. This project is targeting a portions of Wisconsin, at least six counties, for digital conversion and updating of Wetland Inventory maps....
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Indiana’s State Wildlife Action Plan was completed in 2005. The plan identified Indiana’s priority needs for all fish and wildlife species and priority efforts to address those needs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) developed a network of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs). The purpose of the LCCs is to provide applied science to increase the efficiency of conservation delivery for conservation priorities shared by FWS, the States and other conservation partners in the face of climate change and other landscape-scale conservation challenges. Identification of evolving fish and wildlife needs and priorities, among the State and Federal fish and wildlife management agencies and their partners, is...
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The project had four explicit objectives: 1) Conduct a climate vulnerability assessment of Species of Greatest Need of Conservation and major habitat types 2) Identify conservation strategies that increase resiliency or adaptive capacity, or mitigate the effects of climate change 3) Outline an adaptive management approach for informing management decisions 4) Recommend changes to existing monitoring programs and identify research needs
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Researchers assessed how an expansion of forest reserves and climate-adaptive management may improve ecological connectivity and resilience under different climate scenarios. Resilience is measured as the capacity for these systems to maintain extant forest communities and aboveground live biomass. Forest landscape change was simulated via a spatially explicit forest ecosystem model, LANDIS-II. Simulations covered areas in northern Minnesota and northern lower Michigan that represent northern Great Lakes forest types. Restoring and maintaining ecological connectivity is one of the primary climate change adaptation strategies available to land managers, in addition to silvicultural practices. This study is...
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Climate change is expected to alter the distributions and community composition of stream fishes in the Great Lakes region in the 21st century, in part as a result of altered hydrological systems (stream temperature, streamflow, and habitat). Resource managers need information and tools to understand where fish species and stream habitats are expected to change under future conditions. Fish sample collections and environmental variables from multiple sources across the United States Great Lakes Basin were integrated and used to develop empirical models to predict fish species occurrence under present-day climate conditions. Random Forests models were used to predict the probability of occurrence of 13 lotic fish...
Categories: Data, Project; Types: Downloadable, Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service, Shapefile; Tags: 2011, 2011, 2012, 2012, 2013, All tags...
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In the United States, many resources devoted to conservation are routed through states, but animal and plant populations do not conform to state boundaries. Consequently, neighboring states can enhance their collective conservation impact by coordinating natural resources management. In order to support managers as they review and revise state Wildlife Action Plans in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, this project identified regional conservation priorities for streams and grasslands of the Upper Midwest.Specifically, we (1) selected stream and grassland species of common conservation interest to partnering states, (2) modeled and mapped regional distributions of these species, and (3) used predicted species...
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Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide critical habitat for many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, and provide essential spawning and nursery habitat for many fish species of ecologic and economic importance. Additionally, coastal wetlands trap, process, and retain nutrients and sediment. Unfortunately, half of the coastal wetland area that was present before European settlement has been converted to other land uses and many remaining wetlands are impacted by invasive species, fragmentation, nutrient loading, and hydrologic manipulation. Because of their ecological value and the extensive degradation that has occurred in coastal wetlands, interest in protection and restoration has increased dramatically...
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Capacity to prioritize barrier removals in the Great Lakes basin is currently limited by lack of data on the passability of road crossings and dams for both unwanted invasive species and desirable native migratory fishes. Building upon our initial barrier inventory, this project has two key elements. First, we are testing whether our landscape statistical models accurately predict the upstream limits of fish migrations along the Wisconsin coast of Lake Michigan. This involves intensive field work to determine the actual upstream limits of suckers, pike, and steelhead during the spring migration. Second, we are collecting systematic data on the size and condition of dams throughout the Lake Michigan basin. These...
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Working within the constraints of the SWAP revision timeline, we propose to advance biodiversity conservation within the region by enhancing the regional effectiveness of SWAPs and the ability of the LCC to address regional biodiversity priorities. We propose to accomplish these outcomes through engagement of SWAP coordinators and LCC professionals in the creation of a set of detailed best practices and learning resources tailored to needs that they help to identify. We will regularly engage with the SWAP coordinators as we develop these resources to allow each state to influence and employ the resources as needed, recognizing that time and resources to participate in this project will vary among states. As part...
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The Nature Conservancy - Great Lakes Program is leading the development of a scalable (Great Lakes wide, individual lake basin, to coastal reach within a lake basin) rule-based spatial model for ranking the relative importance of coastal lands and waters as habitat for migrating birds. Results will guide conservation actions including land acquisition, land and water management and restoration, and development of wind energy facilities. Specifically, the team will: 1) refine, create and integrate migratory bird stopover habitat models which depict the distribution of potential stopover sites along or near the shorelines of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario; and, 2) develop an online portal that will deliver...
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Mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera) (a.k.a. EPT taxa) are the most environmentally sensitive of freshwater insects. They are utilized the world over as indicators of water quality in flowing waters. Their decline has been documented in Asia, Europe, and North America. A 220,321 record dataset of new and museum EPT specimen records covering much of the Midwest and Maximum Entropy (Maxent) software were used construct to current and future, climate influenced distribution models. Nearly 100 physical and historic vegetation variables and 9 BIOCLIM variables derived from downscaled climate data for the region were employed in this process. A total of 426 EPT species were...
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Waterfowl are ecologically, culturally, and economically important and their annual and long-term distributions in North America can substantially impact ecological relationships and have economic impacts. In Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana alone, recent annual sales of Federal Duck Stamps equal $2.4 million. An intensive study in Mississippi estimated the annual total economic impact of waterfowl hunting in that state was $86.8 million. North American waterfowl number in the millions, use a diversity of aquatic and terrestrial foraging niches, and can feed at rates capable of depleting local food resources. In recent years, waterfowl appear to be wintering at more northern latitudes. Sustained northern...
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Ecological connectivity between the Great Lakes and their tributaries is widely impaired, and many agencies and organizations are currently investing in restoring these connections to enhance target fish and wildlife populations. To assist in targeting these investments, we have been developing spatial data on the location and attributes of barriers (dams and road-stream crossings) and fish breeding habitat throughout the Great Lakes basin to analyze the optimum strategy for enhancing connectivity and restoring fish migrations. The proposed work will result in guidance for barrier restoration at scales from individual watersheds to the entire basin, refine methodologies for spatial analysis of barriers, and provide...
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This project directly addresses the need for integration of climate change information and strategies into Wisconsin’s Wildlife Action Plan (WWAP) as identified by Upper Midwest and Great Lakes Land Conservation Cooperative. Wisconsin’s WWAP is used as a major conservation planning tool by state agencies and partners, but this tool currently lacks information on climate change. At the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the WWAP informs master planning for state‐owned properties, influences land acquisition priorities, and provides direction for management, inventory, and research. As a user‐friendly, detailed, web‐based resource, the WWAP is also available to other conservation organizations and private...
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Full life-cycle vulnerability assessments are identifying the effects of climate change on nongame migratory birds that are of conservation concern and breed in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. Full life-cycle analyses are critical, as current efforts likely underestimate the vulnerability of migratory land birds due to a focus on assessing only one component of the annual cycle. The approach provides a framework for integrating exposure to climate changes, sensitivity to these changes, and the potential for adaptation in both winter and summer seasons, and accounts for carry-over effects from one season to another. The results of this work will inform regional management by highlighting both local and...
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This scenario planning decision support tool for the Kankakee River basin as a first case study/proof-of concept. Hydrology models, both surface water and groundwater, and ecology of the Kankakee River watershed will be combined to evaluate the effects of habitat restoration on water suppy ecosystem services, agricultural irrigation demands, urbanization, and waterfowl habitat, and sportsman and recreational user interests. Various scenarios for restoration identified with peer input were tested for the watershed. Each scenario results in different individual and aggregate values for ground water recharge, surface water storage, waterfowl habitat, sportsman and recreational use, and agricultural capacity. Some...
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This project will improve tribal and First Nation engagement in cooperative natural resource conservation efforts. Researchers are fostering networking among tribes, First Nations and other relevant partners in the upper Midwest – Great Lakes region, and engaging tribal and First Nation representatives in the development of a set of principles and strategies for their authentic, robust inclusion in regional resource conservation cooperative frameworks. The project is conducting an environmental scan of current climate and landscape change planning initiatives as well as mitigation and resilience-building projects being implemented by tribes and First Nations in the region. The results will lead to broader inclusion...
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The study seeks to provide a retrospective analysis of the relationships among bird abundance and distribution and changes in land cover and climate in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. The resultant models will be used to provide spatially explicit forecasts of future avian responses. Using data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and a hierarchical modeling framework that accounts for imperfect detection during surveys, species distribution and abundance is estimated. Historic aerial photos are being digitized and classified to measure landscape covariates. Once species-specific relationships between distribution parameters (i.e., occupancy, colonization, extinction) and landscape covariates...
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After two funding cycles, the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes (UM&GL) Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) decided a more strategic approach was needed to address theconservation priorities of the region. LCC Staff sought a needs assessment that would better highlight the shared priorities and concerns of the conservation community, in addition to helping the LCC find its most effective niche in a region where collaborative conservation is fairly standard practice. This assessment was intended to: • Clarify the most effective role(s) for the LCC in this region• Identify the criteria that would guide the bounds of work undertaken by the LCC • Gather information regarding participant understanding and familiarity...


map background search result map search result map On-a-wing and a (GIS) Layer: Prioritizing migratory bird habitat along Great Lakes shoreline Regional decision support tool for identifying vulnerabilities of riverine habitat and fishes to climate change Moderization of National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) mapping Manajiwin: Respecting tribes, First nations and cultural resources in cooperative landscape and climate change decision-making Distribution and abundance of breeding birds in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region as influenced by climate and land cover change Full life cycle vulnerability assessments for the birds of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes Predicting climate change effects on riverine aquatic insects in the Upper Midwest Re-establishing ecological connectivity between the Great Lakes and their tributaries: Prioritization in a complex system Scenarios for forest reserve expansion and adaptive management under alternative climate change scenarios in the northern Great Lakes Shared Conservation Priorities Assessment 2012 Integrated models for estimating influences of climate change on waterfowl  populations, waterfowl habitat, and hunter opportunity and demographics Assessment of Waterfowl Habitat Restoration as an Adaptive Mechanism for Water Sustainability in the Grand Kankakee River Watershed Facilitating the Effectiveness of State Wildlife Action Plans at Multiple Scales in the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes LCC Region A decision support system for prioritizing protection & restoration of Great Lakes coastal wetlands Adapting Conservation to a Changing Climate: An Update to the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan Climate Change Impacts on Wisconsin's Natural Communities and Conservation Opportunities Areas: Updating Wisconsin's Wildlife Action Plan Field Assessments of Great Lakes Barriers Identifying Regional Priority Areas for Focusing Conservation Actions in Streams and Grasslands Optimization at the infrastructure-connectivity nexus: boosting cost-efficiency of restoration using dam condition data for Lake Michigan A climate change update to Indiana's State Wildlife Action Plan Assessment of Waterfowl Habitat Restoration as an Adaptive Mechanism for Water Sustainability in the Grand Kankakee River Watershed A decision support system for prioritizing protection & restoration of Great Lakes coastal wetlands Optimization at the infrastructure-connectivity nexus: boosting cost-efficiency of restoration using dam condition data for Lake Michigan A climate change update to Indiana's State Wildlife Action Plan Adapting Conservation to a Changing Climate: An Update to the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan Climate Change Impacts on Wisconsin's Natural Communities and Conservation Opportunities Areas: Updating Wisconsin's Wildlife Action Plan Moderization of National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) mapping Scenarios for forest reserve expansion and adaptive management under alternative climate change scenarios in the northern Great Lakes On-a-wing and a (GIS) Layer: Prioritizing migratory bird habitat along Great Lakes shoreline Regional decision support tool for identifying vulnerabilities of riverine habitat and fishes to climate change Manajiwin: Respecting tribes, First nations and cultural resources in cooperative landscape and climate change decision-making Full life cycle vulnerability assessments for the birds of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes Predicting climate change effects on riverine aquatic insects in the Upper Midwest Re-establishing ecological connectivity between the Great Lakes and their tributaries: Prioritization in a complex system Shared Conservation Priorities Assessment 2012 Facilitating the Effectiveness of State Wildlife Action Plans at Multiple Scales in the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes LCC Region Field Assessments of Great Lakes Barriers Identifying Regional Priority Areas for Focusing Conservation Actions in Streams and Grasslands Distribution and abundance of breeding birds in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region as influenced by climate and land cover change Integrated models for estimating influences of climate change on waterfowl  populations, waterfowl habitat, and hunter opportunity and demographics