Download GNLCC High level Priorities 2016 DRAFT

DRAFT
Outcomes: GNLCC High level Priorities 2016
DRAFT
Executive Summary
GNLCC Advisory Team convened for 8 sessions from January-July 2016 to identify a subset of high level priorities for
GNLCC. Objective was to refine upcoming FY17 funding guidance to a set of commonly shared, high priority achievable
outcomes with specific objectives and science needs that will guide funding for next 5 years. The following are a
summary of results to date.
Advisory Team and staff recommended that GNLCC focus on where it can add most value to greatest landscape
conservation need over urgency or program uniqueness. Participants then reviewed GNLCC’s 5 sub-goals [briefly: (1)
maintaining large intact blocks of functioning habitat, (2) enhancing connectivity and landscape permeability, (3)
maintaining aquatic integrity, and (4) fostering disturbance regimes within a range of future natural variation, and (5)
maintain landscapes where people, communities, stories and identities are supported (see Chambers et al. 2013)] and
agreed that connectivity (sub-goal 2) and aquatic integrity (sub-goal 3) with explicit consideration of the cultural goal (5)
are high level priorities, recognizing that all elements of the socio-ecological system are interconnected. .
The Advisory Team drafted 2 synthetic Results Chains (Fig. 1-2), which can be summarized as:
Focal Goal: Connectivity
Focal Landscape Stressors: Land Use Change and Climate Change
Conservation Outcomes and SMART Objectives: Develop and implement a GNLCC Connectivity Strategy through the
collaborative efforts of multi-jurisdiction/multi-sector decision makers. This Strategy is intended to mitigate loss of or
restore connectivity throughout the GNLCC.
Actions & Outputs (abbreviated for brevity):
Science:
 Conduct baseline connectivity analysis (current and projected future) at the GNLCC scale;
o Synthesize all connectivity and connectivity-relevant data across GNLCC
o Incorporate riparian condition, fire refugia, phenology and other data
 Determine conservation deficits—difference between current and desired future condition
o Employ ecological site condition as estimates of baseline & departure
 Build upon existing connectivity tools—the Data Atlas and Connectivity Hub
o Coalesce the best of all tools (veg projection models landscape-wide) on broad scales for adaptation
planning for multiple targets (habitat and species specific)
o Orient toward guidance for implementation (i.e., partner capacity)
 Develop and implement a Connectivity Communication Strategy
Capacity:
 Link sub-regional (e.g., Columbia Plateau, Crown of Continent) outcomes to GNLCC-wide analysis
 Identify priority areas and management actions to address the deficit
 Support Focal Connectivity Areas as they analyze available data, develop and implement connectivity strategies
Policy Coordination:
 Assess, develop, and coordinate connectivity policy GNLCC-wide
 Leverage top-down approach to engage district decision makers and technical staff
Longer-range objectives:
 Integrate aquatic connectivity into existing terrestrially-focused connectivity activities
Focal Goal: Aquatic Integrity
Focal Landscape Stressors: Climate Change
Conservation Outcomes and SMART Objectives: Identify and promote cold water refugia for native and culturally
important species (salmon), wetland systems that maintain high function and provide ecosystem services, and riparian
and floodplain vegetation and structure that provide natural resilience to climate-driven changes
Actions & Outputs (abbreviated for brevity):
Science:
 A landscape-wide, dynamic mapping tools describing relative ecological function of watersheds
 Overlay with other conservation strategies and targets to identify areas where aquatic integrity on multiple levels
can be addressed by partners (web-based models that support 'place-based’ use and planning for threat reduction)
Wetlands
 Conduct a GAP analysis of existing wetlands monitoring system.
 Develop a strategy to fill the GAPs in a wetland monitoring program
Riverine
 Comprehensive mapping effort (like NorWest) on floodplain connectivity (location of dikes, levees and
irrigation/drainage) and riparian habitat distribution
 Spatially explicit modeling framework (potentially a 3-D map) for hyporheic corridors; include water
dynamics above and below land surface; consider cumulative (terrestrial and floodplain) effects
Riparian
 Develop a riparian condition assessment including gap analysis using PNW Riparian Climate Corridors
(Krosby et al.) spatial data and Aquatic Integrity Model (Wilhere et al.) to identify key priority areas to focus
capacity efforts
Capacity
 Support expansion of NorWest throughout the GNLCC and maintenance of the system into the future
 Define “ecologically important flow levels” and guidance to promote flow levels are met at critical times of the year
 Identify groups that are working to maintain native salmonids and cultural important aquatic species; analyze how
GNLCC can best support these efforts
 Identify groups that are working to reduce impact of drought; analyze how GNLCC can best support these efforts
 Deliver/support/train users on scaled approaches to riparian management, where outcomes would deliver on
GNLCC goals
Policy Coordination
 Understand and coordinate inter-jurisdictional standards for managing aquatic resources (riverine, wetland, and
riparian) being considerate of traditional management schema (e.g., water quality regulations) and emphasizing a
landscape-scale approach to supporting aquatic integrity in face of stressors
 Facilitate acceptance of best practices
Longer-range objectives:
 Link Connectivity and Aquatic Integrity goals at riparian/floodplain integration point
Next Steps
Advisory Team will prioritize among the above Actions and Outputs (amend as needed) to formulate outline of FY17
Strategic Science Program funding guidance and related 5-year work plan.
Figure 1:
Figure 2: