Download Habitat Conservation Planning for the Threatened

Habitat Conservation Planning
for the Threatened Florida Scrub‐Jay
(Aphelocoma coerulescens)
in Charlotte County, Florida
Presented by Dr. Reed Bowman (Archbold Biological Station) Andy Stevens (Charlotte Co) and representatives from Quest Ecology and USFWS, Vero Beach Field Office
Agenda
• Biology of the Florida scrub‐jay
• Distribution of scrub‐jays in Charlotte County
• Endangered Species Act
• Current regulations
• What is an HCP?
• Development of an HCP for Charlotte County
• Methods
• Costs and benefits
Florida Scrub‐Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
• Florida’s only endemic bird species
• Cooperative breeder
– Lives in groups of 2‐8
– Most helpers are kin
– Long‐lived
• Resident, non‐migratory
–
–
–
Maintains year‐round, all‐purpose territory
Short‐distance dispersal
Males short, females longer
• Omnivore
– Arthropods and acorns primary foods
– Acorns “bridge” seasonal decline in insects
– Nestlings fed exclusively arthropods
Florida Scrub‐Jays are native to xeric oak scrub, Florida’s primordial community, formed by the sea and maintained by fire
Charlotte County
Over the millennia, rising and receding seas have exposed and covered much of the Florida Peninsula, depositing deep sands as ridges throughout Florida.
Charlotte County
Following glacial stages, polar ice‐caps melted, waters rose, and the series of ridges stood as islands in a vast ocean that covered most of Florida. Isolated from their distant relatives, plants and animals existing on these ridges evolved unique characteristics. Charlotte County
During the last glacial stage ‐‐ 20,000 years ago ‐‐ the peninsula's land mass was nearly doubled. This connected Florida to the American southwest and narrowed the Gulf of Mexico. Conditions throughout Florida were drier, and plants and animals adapted to the arid conditions. Time, isolation, and harsh conditions resulted in a large number of species endemic to Florida scrub
Charlotte County
Xeric oak scrub has a characteristic structure
LOW AND OPEN
• Dominated by oak shrubs less than 2 m tall
• Few if any trees
• Bare sandy patches throughout
Lightning‐ignited fire is the natural process
by which scrub is maintained as low and open
Florida is a global hot spot for lightning
Oak scrubs probably burned every 12‐20 years
and most plant and animals adapted to that frequency of fire
In the absence of fire, xeric oak scrub succeeds
into sand pine forest or xeric oak hammock
• Structural characteristics change
• Behavioral adaptations of endemic species become less effective
• Survival and reproduction decrease
• Populations begin to decline
Chronological response of FSJ populations to fire
7
Unit 18E, Archbold Biological Station
# Scrub-Jay Territories
6
5
4
16-17 years
3
2
1
FIRE
FIRE?
0
1980
1985
1990
1995
Year
2000
2005
Scrub can be managed through prescribed fire or mechanical
means of simulating fire to maintain the structure and composition necessary to maintain viable populations
of native species
Another source of habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation is suburban residential development
Native
Suburbs
Fledglings/Pair
1.8
1.2
Juvenile Survival
0.33
0.24
Yearlings/Pair
0.60
0.29
Adult Survival
0.76
0.72
1.25 ↑
0.50 ↓
Rate of Increase
Suburban jay populations are not likely to persist
Residential development
Ecological changes with urbanization?
•
•
•
Natural habitat
Frequent fire regime
Mosaic of natural habitats
•
•
•
Suburban habitat
Fire interval lengthened
Habitat fragmentation and perforation
• Increased edge with non‐native habitats, roads
Ecological changes with urbanization?
•
•
•
•
Terrestrial predators
Species richness increases
Introduction of novel predators
Changes in habitat structure and composition may alter vulnerability to different predators
•
•
•
Avian predators/competitors
Changes in sympatry
Changes in habitat structure and composition may alter niche overlap thereby increasing competition
Ecological changes with urbanization?
•
•
•
•
Terrestrial predators
Species richness increases
Introduction of novel predators
Changes in habitat structure and composition may alter vulnerability to different predators
• Avian predators/competitors
• Changes in sympatry
• Changes in habitat structure and composition may alter niche overlap thereby increasing competition
Ecological changes with urbanization?
•
•
•
•
•
Anthropogenic food
Variety of different sources
Unlimited availability
Predictable in space and time
High quality for adults, but suitable for nestlings?
• Natural food
• Less abundant per oak stem
• Less scrub therefore fewer oak stems
• Less abundant Lepidopteran
larvae and Orthopterans
The Florida Scrub‐Jay’s Dilemma:
the need for conservation
• Extreme habitat specialist
• Evergreen oak scrub on xeric soils
• Patches sharply defined
• Fire‐maintained habitat, much is degraded
• Only fragments remain, small and isolated
• Suburban populations unstable, declining
• Local extinctions widespread
Florida Scrub‐Jays in
Charlotte County
• County retained Center for Avian Conservation in 2001; survey completed December 2002, updated by Miller 2007 and Quest Ecology 2009
• Charlotte County is home to 164 Florida Scrub‐Jay family groups with ~490 individuals.
• Grouped in four separate areas (Gulf Cove, mid‐
county, Deep Creek/Harbor Heights and east of the Peace River).
Current Distribution of oak scrub habitat potentially capable
of supporting Florida Scrub-Jays in Charlotte County
West County Scrub‐Jays
• 5 sub‐populations totaling 50 family groups
• 4 of the family groups are on conservation land.
• The remaining 46 family groups are on lands with no permanent conservation protection.
Gulf Cove North
Englewood
Gulf Cove South
Current
Distribution of
oak scrub and
scrub-jays in the
West County
region
Mid‐County Scrub‐Jays
• 3 sub‐populations totaling 16 family groups
• 4 of the family groups are on existing or proposed conservation land. The remaining 12 family groups are on lands with no permanent conservation protection..
Eleanor Avenue
Tippecanoe
Current Distribution of oak
scrub and scrub-jays in the
mid-County region
Deep Creek/Harbour Heights Scrub‐Jays
• 2 sub‐populations totaling 60 family groups
• None of these family groups are on conservation land.
• The remaining 60 family groups occur on lands with no permanent conservation protection.
Deep Creek
Current
Distribution of oak
scrub and scrubjays in the Deep
Creek region
Peace River and Punta Gorda
Scrub‐Jays • 7 sub‐populations totaling 35 family groups
• 10 of the family groups are on conservation land.
• The remaining 25 family groups are on lands with no permanent conservation protection.
Peace River Shores
Prairie Creek Preserve
Prairie Creek
Estates
Prairie-Shell Creek
SWFWMD
Washington Loop
Shell Creek Preserve
Charlotte Ranchettes
Jones Loop
Current
Distribution of
oak scrub and
scrub-jays in the
Prairie Creek
region
The ESA
• Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act prohibits the “take” of fish or wildlife listed under the ESA as Threatened or Endangered
• Section 10 allows for the “incidental take” of listed species provided the applicant submit a conservation plan (HCPs) that specifies the measures to be taken to minimize and mitigate impacts
• Destruction of habitat constitutes “take”
• The USFWS encourages regional HCPs because they offer many benefits to both landowners and listed species
The “status quo” for FSJs in Charlotte County under the ESA
Current permitting regulations (USFWS)
What is an HCP?
• At a regional scale, it is a reserve design that protects, restores, and manages enough habitat to ensure the long‐term persistence of jays in Charlotte County.
• Biological criteria by which the plan is evaluated
• The plan, “to the maximum extent practicable”, minimizes and mitigates the impacts..
• The taking will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the species in the wild
• i.e. the plan should not reduce the reproduction, numbers, or distribution of that species
To develop a viable HCP that will meet USFWS’ criteria for acceptance…
• Complete surveys of habitat and jays
• Apply spatially‐explicit demographic models to estimate population goals and trajectories
• Run alternative reserve designs through models
• Identify key land parcels for protection and restoration
• Develop Key Elements of HCP
• Definitions and biological goals and objectives
• On‐the‐ground strategies
• Implementation and follow‐through
Key Elements of the HCP
Definitions and biological objectives
• Biological objective: Return to and maintain population levels from 2002, i.e. ~ 135 groups of FSJs
• Biological goal: 95‐99% likelihood of long‐term persistence of FSJs in Charlotte County, with viable populations in each of the four regions Key Elements of the HCP
On‐the‐ground strategies
• Restore and manage all existing protected habitat
• Ensure FSJ populations at carrying capacity through effective management
• Acquire key parcels to augment existing preserves
• Protect and restore movement corridors to ensure maximum extent of dispersal
Key Elements of the HCP
Implementation and follow‐through
• Develop management plans and population goals for all protected sites
• Monitor restoration and jay reproduction and numbers
• Adapt management as needed
• Develop scrub mitigation fund to ensure all mitigation proceeds applied within County
• Develop cooperative agreements with Sarasota and Manatee counties for managing jays at the metapopulation level
Benefits of a county‐wide HCP
• Maximize flexibility and available options in developing mitigation
• Reduce the regulatory burden for individual landowners
• Reduce economic burden by ensuring that all mitigation funds remain in Charlotte County
• Reduce uncoordinated decision making, resulting in increased impacts and further mitigation while also negatively affecting listed species
• Bring a broad range of activities under the permit’s legal protection
• Provides the permittee long‐term planning assurances
• Provides best possible outcome for listed species
Questions?