Southern Appalachian Ecosystem Studies Unit (SACESU)
Habitat/Ecosystem Restoration and Endangered Species Team
First Meeting, April 20, 2005
University of Tennessee Conference Center
Knoxville, Tennessee
Introductions were made and the some minor housekeeping details given and
the meeting began.
Materials were handed out by Keith Watson outlining issues and priorities in
other southern Appalachian areas. These initiatives and issues were the results
of planning efforts by various groups, often multi-agency, multi-disciplinary
efforts. They consisted of: bird conservation plans developed by the Partners in
Flight (PIF) initiative and included plans from the Southern Blue Ridge, Northern
Cumberland Plateau, Southern Cumberland Plateau/Ridge and Valley, MidAtlantic Ridge and Valley; US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Ecosystem Team
strategic plans from the Southern Appalachians, Lower Tennessee-Cumberland
(Rivers) Ohio River Valley; the USDA Forest Service Southern Forest Resource
Assessment; and the Southern Man and the Biosphere (SAMAB) Southern
Appalachian Assessment.
Keith gave a short PowerPoint presentation showing geographic areas
represented by the above initiatives.
Two additional initiatives, from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Southeast
GAP (US Geological Survey) were also mentioned that covered Appalachian
interests.
The team purpose was stated briefly to be that we needed to review regional
restoration and endangered (threatened also) species and habitat priorities and
develop at least two projects that could be conducted through the SACESU and
its partners, where the SACESU could provide this function more efficiently than
without its facilitation and coordination.
Some discussion was centered on what geographic area to use for this team’s
purpose and the team decided to focus attention on issues rather than
geopolitical boundaries.
Discussion followed on priorities for the region and the team agreed to align
with current priorities and not try to establish new ones for the group’s
purpose.
Discussion followed on potential funding opportunities through the North
American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and how these funds are
administered through partnerships called Joint Ventures affiliated with Waterfowl
Flyways; the southern Appalachians are in the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture,
spanning 21 states and US territories in the Caribbean. State Wildlife Grants
were also mentioned. USDA National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
has a lot of funding potential.
Back to priorities, many of the priorities in initiatives seemed to focus on rare
communities or various aspects of those communities. Recent efforts to vitalize
restoration efforts in high elevation forests (a common restoration priority across
various initiatives) was discussed and Carolyn Wells in Asheville FWS is working
to develop this initiative (a brief summary of the status of that effort is attached as
separate file). Several agency specific species and habitat modeling efforts and
needs were recognized. Dr. David Buehler’s proposal for restoration of Oak
Woodland Savannah in the southern Appalachians was discussed. Dr. Buehler
was asked to attend the meeting and make a presentation on his proposal.
Dr. Buehler gave a PowerPoint presentation on his proposed work to restore
southern Appalachian Oak Woodland Savannah habitats and associated
species.
LUNCH
Following lunch, the discussions focused on potential topics that could be used to
develop a new restoration/endangered species project or support existing
restoration/endangered species projects.
Topics included threatened and endangered species (Brad Cook – Tennessee
Technological University (TTU)) who has been working cooperatively with a lot of
partners on aquatic threatened and endangered species and conservation for a
long time. This group has some really well developed ideas and even a proposal
that might be considered for use by the SACESU; mussels, fishes, mountaintop
mining, data synthesis, new species to science were all a part of the discussion.
Of course, there’s a lot more to those discussion that given here, and to articulate
that would mean a lot of writing by me and a lot of reading by you (maybe).
The team decided to list potential projects and distinguish between terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems/endangered species but realizing there is a common and
critical link between these focus areas. Here’s the list and a few notes from
each.
Terrestrial Project Ideas
1.
Oak Woodland Savannah Restoration by Dr. David Buehler, University
of Tennessee. The team should consider using this proposal and
approach Dr. Buehler to see if he would be interested in expanding the
proposal to include other biotic elements such as bats, small
mammals, plants, butterflies, etc., and aquatic considerations as they
2.
3.
4.
relate to wildfires and their frequency and erosion/soil nutrient loss;
National Park Service (NPS) areas such as Great Smoky Mountains
National Park and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
could be used as a control areas; proposal would need to be expanded
to include other elements and other CESU members.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Working Group: to address decline of Eastern
Hemlock and associated elements. Seemed like the Hemlock Woolly
Adelgid Working Group was working on this idea a lot, but more work
could be done. The team decided this needed more thought and
coordination before advancing.
American Chestnut Reintroduction. A project NPS is very interested
in, especially implications of chestnut reintroduction on other elements
of these forests and landscapes. The team decided this needed
further coordination as well, since 6-8 more years will be required
before a resistant chestnut hybrid will be available for reintroduction.
High Elevation forests, especially Spruce-fir forests. Discussions
centered around coordinating a conference/symposium for revitalizing
efforts in this system. The team needed additional information on
current status of effort before advancing.
Aquatic
1.
2.
3.
Synthesis of Regional Aquatic Resources Data to include lakes,
rivers, streams, bogs, fens, etc. and include information on
conditions, trends, threats, etc. This would be similar to SAMAB’s
assessment but more detailed for aquatic resources and updated.
Restoration of Rare Fish Communities on the Cumberland Plateau
Fish Response to Upland Habitat Change in Emory Creek
watershed.
Results: The group decided to select two projects, one from each terrestrial
and aquatic areas to develop projects from.
1. Terrestrially, the group decided to focus on Oak Woodland Savannah
Restoration by Dr. Buehler. Kaye Franzreb and Ray Albright agreed to
convene a meeting with Dr. Buehler to see if he would be interested in
expanding this proposal to include other biotic elements the SACESU
thought would be valuable to include in the restoration.
2. Aquatically, the group decided to consider a combined project that Dr.
Brad Cook is working on within an existing framework of partners in the
Cumberland Mountains. Dr. Cook was not sure how the current partners
would respond to such a request, but he has agreed to approach the
partners with the idea of developing a project to Synthesize existing
aquatic resources data and utilizing fish responses to upland habitat
change in Emory Creek watershed to model similar responses
throughout the southern Appalachians.
Kaye and Brad will make their contacts and let team leader Keith Watson
know what transpired. Keith will relay responses to the team.
A next meeting was not deemed necessary at this time.
Meeting adjourned
Attendees
Robb Turner
Larry Hartmann
Ray Albright
Kaye Franzreb
Keith Taniguchi
Keith Watson
Joe Clark
Frank Van Manen
Dan Combs
Brad Cook
SAMAB
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
SACESU – NPS
SACESU – USDA Forest Service
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division
US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University