Event ID: 2348198
Event Started: 4/29/2014 10:47:07 AM ET
Please stand by for realtime captions. [Captioner is on hold, waiting for event to begin.]
Okay let's get started. Good morning, my name is [Laughter] OMI? Good morning -- OMI? -Good morning welcome to the AVN conservatives -- AVN can survey sure signs tools for
strategic forest planning -Avian Conservation Science Tools for Strategic Forest Planning, our speaker today is John
Alexander, the executive director of the calamus Bird Observatory, can everybody hear me
online okay? -- Klamath Bird Observatory, can everybody hear me okay?
All participants are in directive talk mode.
Yes it is good this is Monica.
Thank you Monica.
Is another -- all participants are listen only mode, this is additional seminar we are bringing to
new ideas and how to achieve our innovations and science objectives, in increasing our budgets
and staffing and continuing to strive, of doing new ways a business. -- Inventory monitoring, and
assessment strategy, these can also be applied through other management systems as well such as
climate change scorecard, and the [Indiscernible]. -- Before I formally introduce our speaker I'd
like to ask my colleague Michelle to say that the words on the IMA strategy.
Thank you Karl, this is Michelle Perez, I am here representing the team which consents of Jamie
Barbara, and myself, I am that employee of ego management system resource management
group, Jamie and I are tasked with implementing the strategy, last July implementing the
strategy, last July 2014, it was a result of the work of the Core Team, research and development,
national for system staff, and input from the national Fish and Wildlife Service, and the national
Association of State Forest, currently the forest service has activities that do not allow us to
effectively and consistently ask is conservation questions particularly at the regional and national
level. The strategy detailed for need of integration, line with being efficient, climate change
vulnerability, assessments, watershed, restoration, and Barb Rod scale monitoring and
assessment -- broadscale monitoring and assessment.
Jamie and I would like to think RND -- R&D for discussing techniques for monitoring.
Thank you Michelle. As a cofounder and Executive Director John has been working on resource
management in specific North West he is focused on bird conservation science as a tool for
ecosystem, internationally and nationally, it includes research, ecological monitoring research
and sampling technique, the use of scientific results for overcoming land challenges, and applied
science tools of teaching materials for natural -- resource management and community members
of research of all ages. John I would like to turn it over to you.
Thank you. I would like to thank [Indiscernible] , and Monica for inviting me to participate in
this series. We will go ahead and get started. Does this work for advancing slides? We are
waiting for the slide to advance. As we do that I guess I will go ahead and introduce the and -the Klamath Bird Observatory, we use bird and but -- bird communities taking the approach
taking the different ecosystem types, I will be focusing on some of our work in forest
management, we grew out of partners of like, which is an international bird conservation that
involves federal and non-federal partners working together to overcome challenges in bird
population decline that have been documented throughout [Indiscernible]. With this is -- specific
Southwest region, working with other agencies in California another and -- Southern Oregon and
Northern California areas, and Democratic monitoring, where we put different kinds of methods
for monitoring to look at long-term trends, and begin to use birds as indicators of of forest
conditions and management and we did expand this throughout the specific North West. We are
having trouble advancing slides again.
What I will do today is talk about the challenges that we have been working to address over the
last decade, and how we use science approaches to bring communities of scientists and managers
together to overcome those challenges. Then to look at the aviation conservation tools have
evolved, it as a result of that process and communication, I will finish off with a new innovative
moderately -- modeling method we are using. It will apply to a lot of challenges, and then
conclude about some of the things I am talking about the inventory monitoring and assessment
strategy I would like to address many different partners. I will be summarizing many decades
worth of work you can see here this is not exhaustive of many different people and organizations
that have contributed to the work I will talk about, this is including some of the authors and the
papers I will present information from. Federal agencies as well as law and government
organizations academic institutions and the like. The context of this work focuses on the West, as
we reached the 20th anniversary of partners in flight inception, we had a series of tools in place.
They were very much designed issues, in the West we recognize this early on, and have more
recently documented this in the state on public land, that much of the land based in the West
especially forest habitat, is in public courtship -- ownership. Much of which is the Bureau
[Indiscernible], this shows distribution across the entire landscape and divides 50% of those birds
into the different agency. Recognizing these partners in flight have developed a broad assessment
of species and their conservation concern, in pulling standard monitoring techniques throughout
the country. Very concentrated examples in the West they develop broadscale conservation plans
that address continental issues, and then regional plans that started to be more specific about
habitat and population needs. In various regions. From the monitoring technique we built bird
and habitat information. Buildings from the management plan, defined the process.
We were finding that we are challenged by many challenges that are more general when it comes
to those integration of science and management, in that these tools are not being used as much as
we would like them to. -- Like them to be.
We were realizing that we developed all this information and that it wasn't getting put in the
ground as a way the Partners In Flight partners hoped it would, in that point in time during the
growth of Partners In Flight, this was a huge investor of the science, we wanted to make sure that
the science was being used. In general we were suffering from some of the things that science
and management have suffered from in some of the literature, it is very well-documented. From
research and management results and come part in the life systems, an example of such systems
often research -- Carman the lysed -It is compartmentalized.
This becomes a blockade for effective delivery and application of the science been developed, in
the literature there is often approaches to overcoming these challenges through community
learning, and science approaches, bringing collaboratives together to develop systems and to
challenge the norm to carpark analyze that -- to compartmentalized that they're -- that.
Recognizing that we are suffering from this in Partners In Flight in Oregon, we had a meeting in
2005 to bring our communities together, we employees the fundamentals of territory -participatory research academic research, and nongovernmental organizations that did applied
science research on the ground, together we looked at what the problems were, we identified
those problems and getting these Partners In Flight science to be used. Our intention we learned
not only did we wanted to be used for the can -- the sake of the bird conservation, but as a
catalyst toward [Indiscernible] management process. To learn and develop a strategy and came
out with outcomes that were very specific, our science was not being used in one night in a fight
problem was when to engage competent -- when to engage, we are finding as those of us who
were very influential in the West including the bird observatory, we are following, there was a
misconception, they were often hired to do some of the work when it came to forest planning,
and then perceived as advocates when in fact most of the organizations were non-advocates nongovernment organizations that were based in their sole mission was better conservation, through
this process we engage the agency in the community and helping us understand what the
problems were. Engage them in change, as a result we came up with a strategy to integrate
science and the science of monitoring and applied research so that we can take the objectives and
leaked them with the management objectives that are being designed in management lands to
overcome the endangered speech he's -- species. And using our lands in a most efficient way.
In maintaining relationships early in the process, making sure that the people who were
responsible and understanding the science work involved in early collaboration especially in the
early process. That our science became applied and we work continuously to make sure that the
science was relevant and that we does deliver -- that we delivered the science. Tools were easily
assimilated and rectally applied through the challenges that the managers were facing. We
identified the critical roles, bridging the gap between academic approach to research and the
management challenges that were on the ground in our area. We have a delay in slides again.
The next slide will show one of the outcomes of the meeting which is a US and Fish and Wildlife
technical publication that took the success stories and how we engaged science in the adaptive
management process demonstrating through this it was developed and we were meeting core
aspects that make adaptive management, and assimilate this data in the very cost-effective way,
engaging leadership, Partners In Flight is April -- proactive approach. Therefore people are
encouraged to come to the table because they want to, it is a consensus driven process, and the
way that we apply our science, the other thing we identified was the need for scientists to engage
with educators and decision support tools, we identified key identify patient gaps -- the key gaps,
and transcend science through to the management. What we are noticing is that management was
being designed and implemented. Often times we are being asked to monitor after the
management has been designed, what we have started to do after doing this, is built this arsenal
of data, with the real gap was, not only was the monitoring being used to evaluate the
management happening. But as management is being designed, the data is being used in the
assessment of the alternative for the management. If we can use the data we have in hand, and
during scoping, then monitoring no longer becomes an afterthought the data we collected is used
that measurable executives -- objectives.
Monitoring comes as part of the process. One of the things that happened after this meeting is the
employer efficient -- the specific data system that brought all of the data in North America
together. There is going to be a talk later in the series that would go into detail, and involves not
only the data users but the contributors, but those partners that are developers of the data of
regional or taxonomic protocol specific. -- Notes. One of those Nodes shows the intense amount
of data shown, data that was collected by many partners, Park service, this states, private
organizations throughout this Pacific Northwest, and then data that was brought in a part of that
California aviation data. Down in telephone you. This data most of these points have bird
abundant data from demographic information, and information on composition, our process first
of all we wanted to support the need for process. This is an interesting experience that we have
had with regard to the challenges of the culture, and sometimes the divide between research and
management. In that a lot of NGOs have been working hard to streamline the need for process,
sometimes there is resistance and participation for NGOs in the need from the Forest Service,
sometimes this is where the culture close the door. In fact we are trying to bring in resources that
will allow us to streamline maybe, streamline. In these conservation needs -- this tells us which
species assessment database that was developed in Partners In Flight with Association with
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, all of this information feeds into the migratory Bird program,
which is a memorandum of understanding for bird conservation direct the agencies with regard
to species by prioritization in NEPA, to have one-stop shopping for the best science. For the bird
and conservation concern, so that we can move beyond NEPA, and then use bird conservation
and concerns, and from that continental scale from a concern in the West we employed a system
about focal species, not only the concern but the representative for how the habitat for interest,
we identify quantitative habitat. For the systems. These are aligned with broadscale objectives
that are management land management plans. They take approaches that are very data risk. This
is an example of a schema it looks at Western habitat, species with habitat interest -- attribute
interest. We see at the top old-growth, across the top you can see habitat characteristics, such as a
large snack of -- snag and representative of those habitats across the land, there are many species
not just a single, we will have them associated with different stages and then habitat attributes
within the stages. There is also the speeches of conservation concern that will benefit by
management that will benefit the broad you.
So from our data set we developed pretty defined scales habitat relationship, we define them
using variables when we use and think about forest management. Vegetation volume, how much
is there? And then it shows a very simple measurement and conservation, to the right conifer,
then you can see the species associated with the different areas, that represents this dynamic of
the session and forced condition. You can imagine an older forest when it burns, generally we
are dealing with post-servants they will recover into a hard word dominated system, it will
emerge out of those systems, and not until they are established to help trees that will require
shade that will emerge. You will have a cycle of forest lands, if we think about these fine scale
cycles of succession as they relate to forest management, we often not let this happen that was
natural, and when they did, our management has been very, centric -- [Indiscernible] -- these
birds in Oregon or Washington are most in decline birds we have been actively management -managing.
In forest management implodes -- approach, I will show a multiparty project lead by partners by
the city of Afrin, and the restoration group than others, what we did was look at the data from the
watershed, we looked at multi-space, what a individual species is doing, and the broader way in a
from cushioning -- in a functioning watershed, it was less diverse. The species associated with
these conifer parts, were Dems -- dence, so then we predicted that if the restoration project was
successful we would see a broadening of the bird, position within that system. That was the
baseline data that was actually integrated into the environmental impact statement management
is on the ground, we will be waiting to do post management monitoring. To see if these birds of
these habitat conditions that are targeted, we want to send these forests out and make them
resilient to fire, but not limit their ability it -- to still be suitable to other objectives, we can use
bird communities within the space to understand how we are managing for that pattern.
We started to develop climate wise science tools so that we can put protections -- projections as
it relates, and using forest management system, this is a model that came out of the North
specific -- the observatory in many partners, 26 species modeled their current distribution, and
their future distribution and came up with a model based on lands Data, this will be -- Gap Data,
this will be important later on when I discuss this. We use approach called [Indiscernible], for
coniferous first -- forest birds. One way we are carrying the support tools in the management,
this is an example of the data that cames -- came out of the calamus -- Klamath national Forest is
using this approach is what they are data fighting in red, they are relegating -- allocating them in
different national Forest these are based on things like length, area within the watershed the
amount of timber, and different variables to identify priority watersheds. I will zone in on this
area near the other watershed in the North region, we are in the Southwest region, if you go in
you can see the three watersheds and the hexagon that are driving those watersheds, these are
three high priority restoration watersheds, one of the things that we wanted to sum up with a very
general description for these watersheds, how can our data help inform those descriptions. We
look at our can never us forest -- coniferous forests, this is an area that is recognized for
outstanding [Indiscernible] in these specific watersheds the darker red based on the climate
change, we want to manage in these habitats were make -- for a mix of coniferous habitat.
We can look very specifically at these habitats in the species associated with them, we can use
them to help develop more defined description biggest on Oak and others mixed in with the
conifer management that happens within those areas. We hope to use birds to describe the
description or the prioritize restoration on the climate -- on the Klamath National Forest.
Hopefully they will inform the development of the restoration project in those areas, that is with
really great collaboration. On this model we mentioned gap data, and how these relationships
between management and Hyatt resolution management, for forest structure, how can we predict
over time, there is a lot happening on the side of Washington right now. They are doing
innovative accelerated restoration in dry and wet forest within the range of the northern
[Indiscernible], how can we use birds as indicators? At the wildlife Society, a year or so ago we
heard in interesting comment, and then managing we are spotting, is eating Jell-O chopsticks -with chopsticks. In understanding the ability, it to restore -- to restore this process.
What we did was take the raw data conveyed imagery that comes directly from the satellite, we
wanted to get the Gap Data, this is where the real innovation comes in this is the next set, we
need to apply the science, we can see we have eight good modeling approach that uses this data,
we can re-predict the distribution of many different landscapes, or if there is management, we
can ask if it is happening in the relevant scale, if it is affecting it in ways to use the bird
community both by counting and modeling. Here is an example where we stack these
distribution models to look at habitat suitability, to get a very fine resolution based on the
occurrence of species whose habitat relationships we know a lot about, where these species are
likely to occur, and over time how they lands -- how the lands can affect these changes.
Back to this model if we think about this is our bird habitat relationship model that we collected
on the ground, we have done a lot of research where we have done impacts of fire, we can use
these models to predict the distribution of birds post disturbance. In a very effective way pretty
much with very good talent, we think about the restoration programs that we use for spotted owl
habitat, when think about management reducing value -- volume, and then the regrowth of for us
to create habitat out of the areas expected to be spotted owl habitat, these models will be an
excellent approach to understanding our ability to do that. Why those to those different habitat
models out there? Owl monitoring database, suitable habitat database, and we relate our
distribution models with that to understand a broad way, and habitats where there are 8200 years
out and we are trying to manage those to be suitable for the owl. This is a broad away -- these are
years out.
These are following the same approaches and using multi-species modeling, we are using science
to make sure that we are engaging with the managers in a community-based approach to make
sure that our science relates to priority management questions. Integrating them across scales
from watersheds, ensuring that are science is irrelevant, and quality inconsistency based on the to
being -- based on techniques are consistent.
We are trying to make sure that we understand our partner and stakeholder birds are a great
catalyst to do this. Not only relating to management and research management, but to the local
community, adjusting these issues across boundaries. An excellent example is the DLM
management is divided into regions, and then responsive to change and management. This is
where they can look at landscape change, and the effects of service whether it be national or
across the landscape.
With that said I will pass it over to our partner Barb, who is a reason partner in award winner in
her 20 years of working with us, BLM the Forest Service, the research community, the
nongovernment organization, to make sure that this work that we do is relevant and on the
ground for the targeted communities.
My name is Barb, I served as they risk -- I'm working part-time for the BLM, and the forest
service, I'm trying to get this cremation out on the ground working with the biologist on the
ground there and our various partners. We are trying to use these bird communities and
indicators of the condition, what I'm doing is pulling together our partners of what we call
traveling road toes -- roadshows, we traveled to the corners of the state and give a one-day
workshop on the tools we developed. Had a use these bird conservation plans, how you integrate
these into your process. We developed to help streamline are executive order and understanding
same that we will do a lot for the birds in NEPA document, we have put a lot of language so that
people can cut-and-paste in there document to alleviate that portion of the document. Then to
show the aviation alliance and all the tools they can use in their process. We try to do those
workshops at least every other, to three years -- every other year, to 3 years.
It has brought us brought -- it has brought us full circle. To bring these ideas to the table and get
folks to use them, we have a few forest that are innovators that are thinking outside of the
bopping -- outside of the box and incorporating this information. Again these are non-adversarial
partners, they are science-based folks that are trying to use the best science-based approach to get
us on the ground. I was really encouraged with the monitoring assessment strategy and the
comprehensive approach that you have in that document, that was the goal and gives to be
transparent and inclusive with our partners this is really encouraging to us we hope that we can
get this information out on the ground and get folks using it.
Thank you Barb and thank you John. These are very promising and we are excited to hear more
about these tools. Would I'd like to do now is open up the lines for questions, I'd like to start with
the folks in the room who have a question or two for John, or Barb, and then we will open up the
phone lines.
Folks do you have any questions for John or Barb?
We have a question, in that time role we describe the role of what we call species, which is to
determine integrity of the systems, the composition structure, connectivity all of that, what you
describe is from a different way, you describe from a habitat conservation, so we -So we suffer from different words being used and meaning the same thing, and different words
being used and meaningless -- and meaning different things. We have a publication by
describing partners in focal speed, what this describes is across a landscape I actually think the
terms that we are using are more similar, then we are thinking. I would like more dialogue on
that they're if I think the is array -- when I think of the array, more bolder to allow a story to
grow, and different stories. With the focal species represent habitat attributes not just one, a suite
of habitat attributes when interested of thinking of [Indiscernible] habitat. -- There is an at risk
species what is important is that at risk species and the [Indiscernible], when we think about the
certain restoration project the Trinity River has been dammed for years, they have become
decadent and channels streamed then -- streamline. We are bulldozing those habitats to create
early [Indiscernible] -- how do we know we have a function -- functioning system? That is our
approach, I would like to see how well they integrate, or we need to develop a diagram for each
terms, for the Fish and Wildlife Service is and how they relate to our wildlife species. We do
have location that described this. Of Lee that disclaims it -- hopefully that explains it.
It depends on the details. How you did the into the different structural stations, Ford example the
Association of what it is you are actually tracking, composition, that kind of stuff, with those
species. I am assuming you are doing more than just sampling you are probably looking at
numbers?
Exactly we are looking at one of the innovative things from the distribution models they provide
not only a current, but abundant centers, so that we can follow any circle on the map, and come
up with estimates. Based on change and Lance K.
Have you been monitoring log enough now to test your predictability's? And are they performing
in the way that you wanted?
They have. There was a fire, we happen to have in intense survey prior to the court survey -prior to that court fire, we have done both short-term and long-term studies, a lot of the models
showing that was some of the data going into them. 123 years -- 1 to 3 years, if we look at 2 to 3
years disturbance, it may take a little time before they colonize, a newly changed habitat, 1 to 2
years is noisy, 1-5 years, and whether they are experiencing different models, and the
interactions of those two, the interactive model that relates with questions of management. If I
am going to send to create a hard word -- would dominance -hard woodDominance.
We also that last slide was from Kate Hoffman, she looked at those lands variables, we train the
models, and used the curve to predict the models based on the subset of the data, she collected
old model, the adaptability considering were using light from outer space to predict distribution,
we are powerful.
Thank you.
Thank you another question from folks around the table? State your name.
IEM -- I am with [Indiscernible] -- one of the challenges we have is consistency comparability
across broad regions which you have addressed here. My question is what about the rest of the
country? What is happening with this kind of information, and can we apply this type of data
across the continental US? How compatible are the systems? This is one of the challenges that
we face when developing ecosystem assessment is looking at national data. To answer national
management questions.
The Forest Service was instruments don't -- instrumental, at their basic core we get more specific
with different protocols, as long as they are built on a fundamental standard, the data can be
applied across the country, the aviation network is pulling them in from different regions. The
Rocky Mountain Bird is doing very similar work, there is a Southeast and a more thieves -- a
northeast that is all tie into the aviation network, it is not just for storing data but delivering data.
The people that are trying to apply this data it to the different regional, they are different needs
across the region. Right now we are pulling the database from the USGS old database system,
and then there is Ebert -- this is probably the most data set biological information in the world,
all of these have been integrated into these different modes. This is been applied in different
places. There are data gaps, some of those gaps is that we need to get the data. Other gaps may
be an investment that we made they're -- made. If there is a half life of data is 60 years, we need
to get the data and get them in come make sure that new data is going directly into the system,
based on open-source stop where, that is very inexpensive. So I think that it is very applicable
across the country. That is what we are attempting to do.
What about you did models that you were talking about forest condition and other similar
approaches.
There are similar approaches happening across the country, some of the work I showed is out of
Oregon State University come these are getting larger and larger datasets. One of the issues is,
what we are trying to solve with using raw spec trim data, what land cover do we do? The
national bird conservation initiative is addressing issues about several initiatives simultaneously
looking for land cover and change cover, we are trying to bring all of those out of inflation and
out of coordination -- insulation, and out of coordination, we can identify based on the burp -bird.
It is just a matter of applying how do we do that? We would like to demonstrate the use of that
spectrum data and looking in issues like old-growth management, or to suitability, and begin to
apply regionally. It is such an approach that can be applied in several regions. I think that pine
forests in the Southeast, woodpeckers would be another great opportunity to do such thing.
Thank you John.
What I'd like to do now is open it up to the folks online. Can you pick up the meal -- take off the
mute button.
Folks it is your turn online please state your name and offer your question.
Hi this is Chrissy can you hear me? Great -- I was wondering if you can elaborate on partners in
flight tools can be used at the project level, perhaps give an example, Barb mentioned some of
the forest were thinking outside of the box, that may not be exactly the phrase she used, I be
curious -- I would be curious to learn more and have that information highlighted.
Thank you Christie.
You're welcome. [Music ] -- there we go. I think the best approach for the BLM in the West,
think of the purposes in need, and then link the conservation of Jack this with -- objectives with
the larger scale planning. Then we can use the models both habitat objectives and the other
objectives to put forth several different opted -- alternatives.
Really quickly Chrissy those measurable objectives are outlined in your plan? You are there in
California?
For example as a part of the objectives to manage, on some landscapes, what might that look like
quantitatively? How much of a wait -- a mix versus other parts of the land with older growth. We
would use these to look at the alternatives and model the alternatives and a landscape design
process. What are we trying to achieve puts in the example -- achieve? Looking at this classic
example where there scheduler, is broad objectives. What we can do is go in and understand
what the bird community would look like in that desired condition, use that bird community to
be more prescriptive in the design of the management on the ground, we can talk about old -Oak within a habitat. Another example -- we will use that example, as a prescription, and then
we can monitor, pre-or post of servants, using these cost effective habitat and burn -- bird
abundant habitats. Based on before and after images that come out of these resolution dataset,
they are using bird conservation plan to help design, there is an example on the Panhandle of the
traitor like national -- traitor like -CratorLike national parks. We only have photographs, they are limited. We also understand with
the bird population trend is doing, and the birds with this historic habitat, or think about a future
habitat in a certain way, we can be specific in what we think that habitat might look like by
understanding what birds we want there, for hundred of years we've been establishing these
birds, we have a good understanding, we can actually repeat the structural components of the
habitat based on the birds that we are trying to manage forth in that situation. Or the birds that
represent the ecosystem that we are trying to manage for, and little bit more prescriptive based
on biological need as opposed to the guesswork. If fires had up been allowed to burn, hopefully
this answers your question.
Thank you. How with these models, what is the pixel size? What is the minimum mapping unit
that these would be applicable at? What range?
The current models are much broader that you can see, those are still somewhat blocky, the
models we are looking at with the land set data we are using consensual -- consecutive circles,
the models performed differently we were getting down to 200 m on the Rob -- Ross that term -On the Raw Spectrum data. -- That is what the species are responding to, some more specific
habitats, where they may be more important to other species that we are looking that it varies.
Thank you.
Thank you John, and thank you Barb and thank you Chrissy for the question. We have one more
quick question on the phone is there anybody else who would like to ask a question? Not hearing
any, I have a quick question for Barb. You mentioned a number of workshops you are putting on
I have a to -- I have 2 quick questions who is the audience you're talking -- targeting an are you
taking that beyond?
Yes a lot of Viola gives on the ground -- biologists on the ground, whoever wanted to attend we
did take it to various areas they did not have overnight cost. Recently Idaho has taken this, they
have sent similar workshops and there are other regions that are studying as well, trying to get
the Bulls out on the ground.
Thank you I would like to thank John, and Barb giving us a great introduction to this topic, I
would like to thank the folks in the room and on the phone for participating. We have a one-hour
lock set aside -- block set aside for John and Barb, if you would like to participate, hang up and
call back in 5 min. The other comment I would like to make, this is the third installment of our
series, we have another one coming up this Thursday, May 1, this one will be on the current
application of EMA for a quantic species, -- exotic -A quantic -This is scheduled for 10 a clock on Thursday. Check your flyers, please participate with that we
are done thank you again John, and Barb. We look forward to talking with you in the next
session.
Thank you everybody.
[Event Concluded]