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Invasive annual grasses are a primary, severe, and challenging threat to habitat conservation and restoration for sage-dependent wildlife across federal, state and private lands. Successful management solutions for sagebrush rangelands are likely to be multiphasic, involving some sequence of interventions such as herbicides, seeding of competitive natives that also create habitat, and temporarily altering land use, in an adaptive-management approach. The proposed work tests different herbicides and options for applying them with different seeding and land uses, across a gradient of climate and soils in Interior Regions 5 and 7.This research will examine the efficacy of management options for controlling cheatgrass...
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Conifer encroachment is one of the most significant threats to sagebrush habitats and the species that rely on them. Removal of encroaching conifers is beneficial for Greater Sage-Grouse, but impacts on other sagebrush-obligate species are not well understood. This project aims to quantify the impact of conifer removal on sagebrush songbird abundance and reproductive success. Work has been initiated through a previously-supported (by IR5/7 SA) Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit project across six conifer-removal and six conifer-remaining (control) plots of ca. 55 ha each. Initial results suggest that conifer removal benefits both abundance and nesting success of sagebrush-obligate species (Brewers Sparrows...
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The Wind River Reservation in Wyoming contains over 2 million acres of the best and most diverse and intact habitats in the contiguous US. It is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. In collaboration with Tribal Fish and Game, the USFWS Lander Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office and the USGS Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit, partners have been conducting an investigation of the migration patterns of 113 GPS-collared mule deer that began in 2018. As part of our SA diversity and inclusion efforts with a $60,500 investment, this project will extend the ongoing work and engage various segments of the tribal community in the research as a means to further understanding of fish and wildlife management...
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The US Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) has experienced some of the highest rates of grassland loss in North America over a time that coincides with dramatic declines in grassland songbird populations yet increasing abundance of most grassland-nesting duck species except for northern pintail. To provide more insight into this contradiction, we propose to capitalize on long-term databases to evaluate how a key population driver nest survival for North American ducks has responded to system changes in the region including landscape and climatic factors. Outcomes of these analyses will contribute to testing primary conservation planning assumptions for the PPJV a vital component of the PPJV Strategic Habitat Conservation...
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Using a solutions-oriented, multi-agency collaboration, we propose to pilot a large-scale assessment of an alternative (herding, electric- and virtual-fence) grazing strategy designed to mimic pre-colonial grazing patterns by bison, to ascertain their value for local- and regional-scale assemblages ofsagebrush- and grassland-associated birds in Montana. A fundamental goal of most wildlife-based grazing programs is to foster a mosaic of patches that represent the broadest possible spectrum of habitat types that benefits different sagebrush- and grassland-associated birds in different parts of the landscape (for example, western meadowlarks, vesper sparrows, and thick-billed longspur in open, heavily grazed areas;...
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Grassland loss to woody encroachment is widespread and ongoing. Mechanical removal of Eastern Red Cedar (ERC) is the most cost-shared practice to address this threat. Cost-share is provided based on acres with different levels of infestation. Delineation of the different levels of infestation is time consuming butrequired to ensure the appropriate amount of cost-share is provided and contractors are not over/under compensated. The Rangeland Brush Estimation Toolbox(RaBET) is geospatial tool that can accurately automate this process. Unfortunately,wet-meadows and other wetland features cause the tool to overestimate woody cover. This project will provide funds to finish the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). This...
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This project will support the use of the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data to calculate current populations, population trend, and ultimately desired population objectives for the priority species outlined in the IR 5/7 SHC Plan. Benchmarks will be estimated to highlight grassland and sagebrush habitat needed to support desired populations as outlined in the Partners in Flight Plan by 2050. The BCR specific population targets provide a solid foundation to continue to build and refine the R6 SHC Teams Work towards effective planning and ultimately effective on-the-ground conservation delivery. A $55,000 investment supports conservation priorities for both Grassland and Sagebrush Ecosystems.
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The Conservation Efforts Database (CED) in a web-based monitoring and reporting tool that captures data about the conservation, restoration, and recovery actions for the imperiled sagebrush ecosystemand sage-grouse. Funding support from FWS (Science Applications and Nevada Ecological Services) have allowed the CED Team to develop a module for recording data about conservation actions, habitat condition, demography, and genetic information for Lahontan Cutthroat Trout and we propose to expand that effort to include aquatic systems in Legacy Region 6. We propose to use funding to engage with stakeholders to scope the information gaps and tool needs to record and monitor conservation actions and information focused...
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FY2019Multijurisdictional, international landscape with many shared priorities but lacks landscape (inter-jurisdictional) perspective. Landscape conservation design process will provide landscape context and future scenarios to support coordinated conservation investment.FY2020Entering Phase 2 of a 3-year project, a Landscape Conservation Design (LCD) will deliver a set of strategies that the Crown Managers Partnership and dozens of stakeholders can deploy to achieve desired ecological conditions based on defined, measurable resource outcomes across the Crown of the Continent ecosystem. LCD is a holistic, participatory process bringing stakeholders together to define a desired future for the Crown landscape and...
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In collaboration with LRs 1 and 2, LR 6 willcommit funds toUM via the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (CWRU) in direct support of Native American graduate education to increase the diversity of wildlife biologists with advanced degrees. Graduate research conducted by students will focus on non-hunted species in need of conservation.
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RaBET (Rangeland Brush Estimation Toolbox for Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs)) is an online ArcGIS toolbox that generates accurate geospatial and tabular data describing canopy cover at the tract level to streamline landowner agreements (USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife PFW) and/or NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contracts for brush management. Priority MLRAs cover 33.8 million acres with 20.6 million acres of grasslands. This project supports the integration of RaBET into project planning and contract development and is projected to increase the number of contracts and acres impacted by 25% (23,750 acres) in these MLRAs in Kansas and Nebraska through NRCS EQIP alone, based on 2020 enrollment....
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This project will develop demographic and population data from existing databases, including state creel surveys, annual sampling efforts, and state Natural Heritage programs for a suite of species (aquatic, terrestrial, pollinator) that inhabit the sagebrush-steppe and grassland ecosystem. Collecting this information is a vital first step toward understanding these species response to climate change, including changes in water quality/quantity, flooding recurrence, and persistence of instream and riparian habitats in sagebrush and grassland systems over time. Support for this foundational work will enable the FWSIR5/7 Sagebrush Ecosystem Team to develop population models and associated threat-based models to inform...
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The CED has been coordinating with CO ES and GUSG Stakeholders to identify needs for tracking implementation (and effectiveness) of recovery actions for GUSG. We propose to develop a CED-module aimed at monitoring recovery actions identified in the [draft] GUSG Recovery Plan and associated Implementation Strategy. We will engage stakeholders/partners to develop an easy-to-use system and dashboard for reporting accomplishments and assessing the progress made to meeting goals/objectives identified to recovery GUSG across their range. This funding would be focues on the dahsboard reporting feature of the module.This effort will provide a necessary tracking system that improve transparency and inform broad-scale planning,...
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Recovery of the endangered pallid sturgeon is comprised of interrelated programs (including, Conservation Propagation and Stocking Program (CPSP), and Pallid Sturgeon Population Assessment Program (PSPAP) with numerous contributing agencies. These programs are in need of improved database architecture to integrate and share the capture, tagging, propagation, stocking, genetics, and other critical data to meet program and population monitoring requirements and to measure progress toward recovery. A range-wide relational database architecture or decision support system is needed to manage and integrate the large amounts of data collected by numerous partners and programs in order to evaluate progress toward downlisting...
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Grassland birds have declined more rapidly than any other group of land birds in North America in the last 50 years with populations of Spragues Pipit, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspur, and Bairds Sparrow having declined 65-94% during this period. This cross-programmatic collaborative project will expand on a growing network of Motus automated receivers (stations) to provide the first fine-scale quantitative assessment of the migratory period for regional priority grassland songbirds which will inform key knowledge gaps about migration routes and stopover locations. Data collected via Motus automated telemetry tracking will allow the FWS and partners to inform full-life cycle models to reveal limiting...
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Grassland birds have declined more rapidly than any other group of land birds in North America in the last 50 years, with populations of Spragues Pipit, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspur, and Bairds Sparrow having declined 65-94% during this period. This proposed cross-programmatic collaborative project between Migratory Birds and Refuges will expand on a growing network of Motus automated radio telemetry receivers (stations) to provide the first fine-scale quantitative assessment of the migratory period for regional priority grassland songbirds, which will inform key knowledge gaps about migration routes and stopover locations. Data collected via Motus automated telemetry tracking will allow the FWS and...
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There are multiple ongoing applied science technical projects and concepts for sagebrush SHC efforts that require additional capacity in the form of a dedicated full-time post-doctoral candidate to accelerate project delivery and follow up. For example, State of the Sagebrush Spatial Conservation Planning, WAFWA Conservation Design, NatureServe validation of FY21 Conservation Design, Incorporation of Ungulate Migration Areas into Conservation Design. These projects have been delayed due to lack of capacity and tangible results would be benefited and accelerated with the addition of additional capacity via a two-year hire. This $100,000 SA investment supports conservation priorities for the Sagebrush Ecosystem and...
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The funding will support a post-doctoral researcher for 2 years to work directly on regional projects focused on invasive annual grasses: Combining multiple existing data sets over multiple years from Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Idaho, and New Mexico using a meta-analytical framework to evaluate:1) Relationship between invasive annual grass abundance and desirable plant community characteristics (productivity, diversity, abundance, etc.), 2) Responses of desirable plant communities to invasive annual grass management (herbicides first, then other management methods), and 3) Enhance an existing project to develop an index of sagebrush quality and susceptibility to impacts from invasive annual grasses. The groundwork...
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This collaborative project will result in the first fine-scale quantitative assessment of the migratory period for regional priority grassland songbirds (Spragues Pipit, Chestnut-collared and McCowns Longspurs, Bairds and Grasshopper Sparrows, and Lark Bunting). Data collected via automated telemetry tracking will inform full-life cycle models to reveal limiting factors and identify critical habitat for these species throughout the annual cycle, particularly migration.
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This Phase II project will complete the funding needs for the modeling and product components to revise existing priority protection and restoration watersheds for 5-7 aquatic species guilds and 4-8 priority aquatic species across the Grassland Ecosystem. The project will utilize and update the original model platform used to create the first priorities for the Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership (GPFHP) in 2011 and utilize input from the Partners Council fishery experts of the GPFHP, which is composed of twenty state and federal agencies and nonprofits focused on aquatic conservation in the Great Plains as well as meet Grasslands Initiative goals. Benefits of the proposed outcome will be a broad consensus on...
map background search result map search result map Crown of the Continent Landscape Conservation Design CED: Gunnison Sage-grouse Recovery Tracking Module Dashboard US FWS UM Collaboration to Support Native American Graduate Students in Wildlife Biology Assessing annual grass management effectiveness in the sagebrush biome Expansion of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System network for assessing movements, distribution, and survival of priority grassland songbirds in the Great Plains Developing a Decision Support System for the Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Program Amplifying Brush Management for the Birds - RaBET tool development in collaboration with NRCS and ARS Expansion of the Motus network Dedicated individual to develop and refine the BBS trend data by state portion of Bird Conservation Regions (11, 17, 18, 19) to develop population objectives Implementing SHC in the sagebrush ecosystem through enhanced technical support Impacts of Conifer Removal on Sagebrush Songbirds Enhancing Regional Decision Making for Invasive Grass Management Wind River Tribal Engagement/Mule Deer Migration Develop demographic and population data from existing databases, including state creel surveys, annual sampling efforts and state Natural Heritage programs for a suite of species that inhabit the sagebrush-steppe and grassland ecosystem Motus network development on National Wildlife Refuges for tracking declining grassland songbirds Evaluating patterns of long-term system change and demographic response for grassland nesting ducks in the US Prairie Pothole Region Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership Phase II: Identifying and prioritizing restoration and protection areas for Grassland aquatic species Conservation Efforts Database: Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout Module Scoping Wetland Mask to Improve Woody Cover Mapping Assessing Traditional and Emerging Grazing Strategies for Creating a Mosaic of Diverse Habitat Patches for Grassland- and Sagebrush Associated Birds US FWS UM Collaboration to Support Native American Graduate Students in Wildlife Biology Wind River Tribal Engagement/Mule Deer Migration Impacts of Conifer Removal on Sagebrush Songbirds Wetland Mask to Improve Woody Cover Mapping Crown of the Continent Landscape Conservation Design Amplifying Brush Management for the Birds - RaBET tool development in collaboration with NRCS and ARS Assessing Traditional and Emerging Grazing Strategies for Creating a Mosaic of Diverse Habitat Patches for Grassland- and Sagebrush Associated Birds CED: Gunnison Sage-grouse Recovery Tracking Module Dashboard Developing a Decision Support System for the Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Program Expansion of the Motus network Motus network development on National Wildlife Refuges for tracking declining grassland songbirds Evaluating patterns of long-term system change and demographic response for grassland nesting ducks in the US Prairie Pothole Region Expansion of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System network for assessing movements, distribution, and survival of priority grassland songbirds in the Great Plains Enhancing Regional Decision Making for Invasive Grass Management Conservation Efforts Database: Rocky Mountain Cutthroat Trout Module Scoping Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership Phase II: Identifying and prioritizing restoration and protection areas for Grassland aquatic species Assessing annual grass management effectiveness in the sagebrush biome Implementing SHC in the sagebrush ecosystem through enhanced technical support Dedicated individual to develop and refine the BBS trend data by state portion of Bird Conservation Regions (11, 17, 18, 19) to develop population objectives Develop demographic and population data from existing databases, including state creel surveys, annual sampling efforts and state Natural Heritage programs for a suite of species that inhabit the sagebrush-steppe and grassland ecosystem