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State Wildlife Grants Program and the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy

State Wildlife Grants Program and the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Jenny A. Landry. Conserving Biodiversity. US laws and policies place primary responsibility for wildlife management in the hands of the states

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State Wildlife Grants Program and the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy

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  1. State Wildlife Grants Program and the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Jenny A. Landry

  2. Conserving Biodiversity • US laws and policies place primary responsibility for wildlife management in the hands of the states • State Wildlife Grants provides Federal dollars to support cost effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered.

  3. Background of the State Wildlife Grants Program • The program was first authorized by congress in 2002 • Program grew out of Conservation and Reinvestment Act compromise language • Program is subject to annual congressional legislation

  4. What does the program do? • SWG program is intended to assist states in biodiversity preservation • Tied to “species in greatest need of conservation” • These are species which have not traditionally received funding for management • Intended to avoid new listings of endangered species

  5. How does the program work? • Congress makes an annual appropriation • The funds are apportioned to each state based on a formula • States had to commit to write a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy by Oct. 2005 • Targeted toward “species of greatest conservation need”

  6. How does the program work? (cont’d) • The individual states apply for their apportionment annually from USFWS • The program pays for both species investigations and implementation projects • Match required - 50%

  7. Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy • Mandated by congress to remain eligible for funding • Submitted to USFWS for acceptance

  8. Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy Structure • Organized by major watersheds of the state • Species information analyzed by each watershed • List species occurring in the basin • List critical habitats of the basin • Priority conservation actions in the basin • Information from other planning documents reviewed and included.

  9. N

  10. Fish Highlights • Sturgeon • American eel • Longear sunfish • Brook trout • Anadromous species • Winter flounder • Gilt darter

  11. Bird Highlights • Raptors • Shorebirds • Marsh birds • Common nighthawk • Waterfowl • Colonial nesters

  12. Mammal highlights: • Bats • Lynx • Cougar • Wolf • American marten • River otter

  13. Amphibian and Reptile Highlights: • Snakes • Salamanders • Frogs and toads • Turtles • Hellbender

  14. Invertebrate Highlights: • Moths • Dragonflies and damselflies • Mussels • Chittenango ovate amber snail

  15. Top Threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need Statewide • Habitat loss and fragmentation • Only 15% of state land area in public ownership • Contaminant deposition • Acids • Mercury • Nitrogen products • Degraded water quality & altered hydrology

  16. Top Threats to Species of Greatest Conservation Need Statewide (cont’d) • Invasive species • Changing farm and forestry practices • Direct human-wildlife interactions • Collisions • Poaching • Unregulated harvest • Climate change

  17. Outcomes – Conservation Recommendations • Data Collection • Planning • Management and Restoration • Land Protection • Regulatory and Legislative • Information Dissemination • Incentives and Disincentives

  18. Outcomes – Policy and Practice • Moving away from single species management. • Integrating fish and wildlife management with environmental quality. • Dealing with species metapopulations • Integrating fish and wildlife disciplines through habitat management.

  19. New Ways of Working Under SWG • Addressing both natural resources and environmental quality issues • Creating stronger interdivisional relationships • Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources • Division of Lands and Forests • Division of Water

  20. NY’s SWG funding so far…

  21. New Staff • Federal Fiscal Year 2004 funds were used to hire 9 ecologists within 11 major watersheds and 1 data coordinator • This single year of funds will cover staff salaries for at least three years • New staff will implement the SWG program and the recommendations in the CWCS

  22. New Biologists’ Duties • Develop and write 5-year action plans in consultation with Watershed Team and Agency Staff • Recruit Watershed Team members • Annual watershed priority development for RFA • Watershed project oversight/management • Watershed project implementation • Annual grant reporting • Communicate CWCS issues with Watershed Team, other DEC Divisions and programs in the regions

  23. New Staff

  24. NY Forests • Forest cover has returned to 60% of the land area of New York concurrent with the decline of agriculture. • Need active management of vegetative succession • Sustainable forest practices, in accordance with BMPs, improve forest health and resilience

  25. 72% of forest land in New York is privately owned.

  26. NYFOA Contract • Develop Materials and Website • Publicize CWCS implementation needs to Forest Owners • Landowner visits • Database • Map of landowners and critical habitats • Strategic Plan

  27. Boreal Forest Birds

  28. Deciduous/Mixed Forest Breeding Birds

  29. Early Successional Forest/Shrubland Birds

  30. Forest Breeding Raptors

  31. High Altitude Conifer Forest Birds

  32. Tree Bats

  33. Vernal Pool Salamanders

  34. Woodland/Grassland Snakes

  35. Thank you! Jenny Ann Landry NYSDEC jalandry@gw.dec.state.ny.us 585-226-5491

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