Chris S. Pease U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force

Transcription

1 --to build upon Gulf coast geographies to link protected lands and waters, working landscapes, and other open spaces that conserve ecosystem processes and provide associated connections and services to human communities. Chris S. Pease U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force RAE Conference Tampa, Florida October 23, 2012

2 Image: Gulf-of-Mexico.com

3 Final strategy released December 5, 2011 Developed based on input from states, tribes, federal agencies, and citizens Unprecedented collaboration to address the health and restoration of the Gulf 3

4 1. Restore and Conserve Habitat 2. Restore Water Quality 3. Replenish and Protect Living Coastal and Marine Resources 4. Enhance Community Resilience Photo: USFWS 4

5 Ecosystem Restoration also includes protecting and conserving ecosystems so they can continue to reduce impacts from tropical storms and other disasters, support robust economies, and assist in mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Executive Order 13554, October 5,

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7 Is the existing suite of Gulf coast conservation lands adequate in size, location and connectedness for the long-term sustainability of fish and wildlife and the coastal communities that depend upon natural systems for a diverse array of ecosystem services?

8 A Climate- Change Adaptation Framework to Reduce Continental- Scale Vulnerability Across Conservation Reserves Magness et al Refuges sorted into high, moderate, and low vulnerability categories.

9 The Need to develop a coordinated, stakeholderdriven, science-based conservation framework to identify priority habitats and important connections while building upon the existing regional, state, federal, and NGO conservation planning efforts ongoing across the Gulf region.

10 Draft Framework under review by Task Force Engaged USGS and the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives co-located at the National Wetlands Research Center to initiate shared data collection and mapping of conservation priorities at multiple scales. (8) Gulf Coast Prairie LCC (9) Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks LCC (14) South Atlantic LCC (12) Peninsular Florida LCC USGS

11 Technical support interest by NRCS National Water Management and Geo-Spatial/Technical Centers, NOAA Gulf of Mexico Data Atlas and the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program Office. Form a Technical Advisory Committee from Task Force members to guide the development of the Conservation Framework and facilitate information gathering from their respective agency or state. Stakeholder input will be solicited in workshops and public meetings in sub-regional venues around the Gulf.

12 Programs and Initiatives Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy State Wildlife Action Plans America s Great Outdoors Initiative USDA Regional Landscape Initiatives Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation National Ocean Policy Regional Planning Body (CMSP)

13 Potential Phases of Project Prioritization Phase 1 A near-term assessment of priority areas using datasets such as: Existing priority areas and initiatives Proximity to public & private conservation lands Natural areas linkages and corridors Elevation and Sea Level Rise Downscaled climate change projections Phase 2 An enhanced prioritization structure with detailed datasets: Habitats/Land Cover (status and trends) Biodiversity/Surrogate Species Ecosystem Services Assessments Threats and Stressors Freshwater Inflows and water quality Climate Change Adaptation Modeling

14 DRAFT

15 DRAFT Florida Panhandle Landscape Implementation Region

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17 Florida Ecological Greenways Network (CLIP: Ver. 2.0; 2011)

18 TNC Least Cost Corridors Map

19 DRAFT

20 Maintain ecosystem services -- clean air and water, fertile soil, storm buffering, productive fisheries, and abundant recreational opportunities Provide for mitigation and adaptation of natural and human communities in response to a changing climate and sea level rise Enhance landscape connectivity and permeability improving the quality and sustainability of habitats Reduce vulnerability of rare or at-risk species and protecting biodiversity

21 Questions? Image: Gulf-of-Mexico.com