Conservation Guidelines for Nongame Wildlife in Maryland James M. McCann MD Dept. Natural Resources Natural Heritage Program What is Jim going to talk about? • Overview of nongame wildlife diversity • Species/habitat conservation priorities • Causes of decline and extinction • Habitat conservation guidelines – – – – – – Forests Streams Unique/rare habitats Grasslands Early successional habitats Backyards Maryland’s Amazing Wildlife Diversity Rarity as an indicator of extinction risk Rarity and extinction risk tend to be closely related and influenced by three main factors: 1. Range 2. Population size 3. Habitat specificity MD DNR Natural Heritage Program • MD NHP tracks status of ~1,100 species of native plants and animals as well as distinct natural communities • 607 species (439 plants, 168 animals) state listed as In Need of Conservation, Threatened, Endangered, or Endangered Extirpated • Listed under the state law “Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act” Species Status Review Criteria Factor Category Factor Rarity (0.5) Range extent Area of occupancy Population size No. occurrences/populations No. occurrences with good viability Environmental specificity Trends (0.3) Short-term (contemporary) Long-term (historical) Threats (0.2) Threats analysis (scope, severity, immediacy) Intrinsic vulnerability Species Statuses State Rank State Legal Status S1 – Highly State Rare Endangered/Extirpated S2 – State Rare Endangered S3 – Watchlist Threatened S4 – Apparently Secure In Need of Conservation S5 – Demonstrably Secure SH - Historical SX - Extirpated Black Rail (Natureserve 2013) Proportion of state and globally rare animal species in Maryland by taxonomic group 90 80 % Globally Rare 70 % State Rare % species 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 C Ti F av Mu g e But Od on is h ss e te r In r B ee fli e a ta v e e ls tl e s rt s s A R M m ep Bir am ph ds ti l m ib es al ia s ns Summary of no. state rare, threatened and endangered bird species by physiographic region and breeding habitat. Physiographic Region1 Breeding Habitat AP RV PD UCP LCP Total Forest 22 10 8 3 4 23 Shrubland 3 2 0 0 1 4 Grassland 6 7 7 4 4 9 Nontidal wetland 13 5 12 11 10 22 Tidal wetland -- -- -- 27 43 43 Total 38 23 27 33 49 1Physiograhic regions: AP=Allegheny Plateau, RV=Ridge & Valley, PD=Piedmont, UCP=Upper Coastal Plain, LCP=Lower Coastal Plain Putting Priority Species to Work Priority species help set priorities for… Photo by George Jett • Land acquisition • Conservation easements • Habitat restoration/mgt • Ecosystem protection • Monitoring & research Photo by George Jett How many species have we lost? • 111 plant species • 23 animal species GONE… Passenger Pigeon Carolina Parakeet Heath Hen Gray Wolf Swainson’s Thrush Photo by Ken Schneider Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Photo courtesy USFWS Natl Digital Library Snowshoe Hare Red-cockaded Woodpecker Hessel’s Hairstreak Extinct/Extirpated Species Others? Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona) Maryland Darter (Etheostoma sellare) Maryland’s State-Listed Animals (168 sp) Fish Amphibians 19 8 Reptiles 11 74 32 Birds Invertebrates 24 Mammals Primary Threats and Causes of Decline • • • • Habitat loss, degradation & fragmentation Invasive species Climate change Loss of natural disturbance regimes (e.g., periodic fires) • Pollution/toxins • Disease • Illegal collecting/overexploitation Forest Fragmentation - 41% of MD forest cover is gone - MD loses >9500 forest ac/yr to suburban sprawl Edge Effects • • • • • Lower native plant diversity More invasive plant species Lower forest bird reproduction Fewer forest insect pollinators Lower diversity of other wildlife groups (salamanders, land snails, etc.) • Edge avoidance by some species Southern Rock Vole (Microtus chrotorrhinus carolinensis) Stonecat (Noturus flavus) Eastern Hellbender (Crytobranchus alleganiensis) Photo courtesy OH Dept. Natural Resources 4th Hellbender Symposium, Kentucky June 23, 2009 Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma magister) Green Floater (Lasmigona subviridis) Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle (Cicindela patruela) Olympia Marble (Euchloe olympia) Bog Turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii) Barking Treefrog (Hyla gratiosa) Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) Photo by Carol Foil Frosted Elfin (Calloprhys irus) Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis) Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) Sea-level rise projection for Dorchester Co. by 2100 Oak Beauty Moth (Phaeoura quernaria) Photo by Mary Keim Insect biodiversity…not an option • Plant-eating insects can only eat plants with which they’ve coevolved • 90% of all plant-eating insects can only feed on plants from 3 or fewer plant families • Most can only survive on just a few closely related plant species • Native plants support a far greater diversity and number of insects than non-native plants; e.g., oaks in mid-Atlantic = 557 moth species • Greater native plant diversity = greater insect diversity = more diverse, abundant and reliable food sources for insect-eating species = greater biodiversity and ecosystem services What can we as landowners do? Protect your land in perpetuity. Don’t contribute to sprawl. Forested Habitats • • • • • • • • • Minimize forest fragmentation Avoid permanent forest openings & roads Minimize length, number & width of roads Maintain canopy closure over roads Maintain 300 foot no-cut riparian buffers Reserve some areas as future old-growth Favor uneven-aged management (use single-tree & small group selection), longer rotations Control invasive species Reduce deer densities Photo by NJ Birds American Redstart Protect Streams and Riparian Forests • Maintain/restore forested riparian floodplains and buffers • No disturbance buffer of > 300’ • Keep livestock and ATV’s out Mtn Dusky Salamander Photo courtesy Mark Tegges Louisiana Waterthrush Photo courtesy W. H. Majoros Protect unique or sensitive habitats ● Rock outcrops ● Cliffs ● Talus slopes Maintain forested buffers around these unique habitats Protect unique or sensitive habitats Shale Barren Fen/Wet Sedge Meadow Seepage Wetlands Delmarva Bays & Vernal Pools Tiger Salamander Marbled Salamander Barking Treefrog Carpenter Frog Spotted Salamander Photo courtesy John White Delmarva Bays & Vernal Pools January June - Seasonally flooded nontidal wetlands - No fish = amphibian breeding pond Life Zones Pond Timber Harvest Guidelines for Delmarva Bays & Vernal Pools - Conservation Zone 1: wetland plus 100 ft buffer - No timber harvesting - Conservation Zone 2: wetland plus 500 ft buffer - > 75% of buffer should always contain pole-sized (> 10” dbh) or larger trees - favor long rotations - maintain ≥70 ft2/acre basal area - ≥ 50% hardwoods - Maintain uncut or lightly cut forest corridors between wetlands Grasslands • Serpentine grasslands • Limestone glades • Oak savannas Grassland Birds • • • • • • Suite of 15 bird species Minimum of 10 acres, some species require 100’s of acres Habitat shape important – minimize edge, circles or squares vs. narrow rectangles Avoid mowing/prescribed burns during at least May-July (April-August if possible) Rotate areas for mowing/prescribed burns to provide different grassland conditions Maintain soft edges around field borders Bobolink Photo courtesy USFWS Natl Digital Library Eastern Meadowlark Henslow’s Sparrow Photo courtesy Ken Schneider Early Successional Habitat Early Successional Habitat Early Successional Habitat Early Successional Habitat Early Successional Habitat • Allow natural succession to occur in existing fields and openings • Let beavers do the work • Create soft edges (avoid hard edges) • Consider prescribed burns as a mgt tool • Timber harvesting minimize fragmentation Photo by George Jett focus near existing edges retain some canopy trees, snags and slash in harvest area control invasive plants Backyard Management BACKYARD CONSERVATION PRACTICES - Minimize grass/turf cover in favor of native vegetation Landscape with locally native plants Provide variety of wildlife food sources and cover Provide snags, downed logs, brush piles Bird feeders, bird baths Provide habitat for pollinators, butterflies Install variety of wildlife nest boxes and platforms Keep cats indoors Check out MD DNR’s “WILD ACRES PROGRAM” for lots of ideas! http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/wildacres.asp A few more recommendations… • Control deer populations at or below K (< 20/sq. mile) • Prevent establishment of invasive species, eradicate them before they spread • Don’t let your ATV become a toy of destruction • Create soft forest-field edges • Know when not to “manage” • Think beyond your property (surrounding landscape conditions) when considering mgt objectives Protect your land in perpetuity. Don’t contribute to sprawl. The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" Aldo Leopold