Transcript Structured Decision Making & Rapid Prototyping

Designing Landscapes
for Sustainable Bird
Populations
Structured Decision Making Workshop
Atlantic Coast Joint Venture
Biological planning - Ecological context
Problem

2
Develop a methodology for assessing and designing
landscapes for sustainable populations of birds [and other
wildlife] in the SAMBI area that can be applied in other areas of
the eastern United States.
–
Prioritizes landscape based on current and potential future
conditions
–
Conservation implementation on the priority areas is expected to
result in target populations of birds associated with these
ecosystems.
–
Selection of areas based on fundamental concepts of landscape
ecology and conservation biology.
–
Can be updated periodically as new data become available.
Biological
Conservation
planningDesign
– Species
– Desired
Selection/Habitat
Landscape Relationships
Configuration
Workshop objectives

Determine which species should be used to design
landscapes based on their habitat requirements.
–

Determine important landscape characteristics for
each habitat
–
–
3
Which species represent unique map-able habitat
requirements?
Which habitat landscape characteristics are important in
prioritizing areas?
Which characteristics are compensatory and which are
limiting?
Biological planning – Species Selection/Habitat Relationships
Species selection


Determine which species should be used to design
landscapes
Classify surrogacy of each species
–
–
–
–


Determine habitat characteristics for each species
Determine the intangible tradeoffs
–
4
Flagship – charismatic species that attract public support
Umbrella – species that require large areas of habitat, thus
conferring protection to other species
Biodiversity– presence may indicate high species richness
Keystone – species that are critical...
Bio-political constraints
Conservation Design – Desired Landscape Configuration
Habitat and landscape criteria

Determine habitat characteristics that are critical to the
landscape design

Classify surrogacy of each habitat
–
Flagship – charismatic habitat that attracts public support
–
Biodiversity – possess high species richness
–
Unique – required for some species to be present

Determine landscape criteria for each habitat

Identify limiting factors

Determine the intangible tradeoffs
–
5
Bio-political constraints
Designing Landscapes
for Sustainable Bird
Populations
Structured Decision Making Workshop
Atlantic Coast Joint Venture
Five core elements - PrOACT
Problem – Solve the right problem
 Objectives – Describe the desired outcomes
 Alternatives – Consider any reasonable actions that

achieve the outcomes

Consequences – Describe how well alternatives
meet objectives

Tradeoffs – Evaluate consequences of each
alternative
–
7
Core of structured decision making (Hammond et al., 1999).
Problem

8
Develop a methodology for assessing and designing
landscapes for sustainable populations of birds [and other
wildlife] in the SAMBI area that can be applied in other areas of
the eastern United States.
–
Prioritizes landscape based on current and potential future
conditions
–
Conservation implementation on the priority areas is expected to
result in target populations of birds associated with these
ecosystems.
–
Selection of areas based on fundamental concepts of landscape
ecology and conservation biology.
–
Can be updated periodically as new data become available.
Biological planning – Species Selection/Habitat Relationships
Dividing the problem
9

Problem1: Identify a group of birds (focal species) associated
with open pine systems that represent co-occurring species,
are a reliable tool for biodiversity assessment, and are sensitive
to resources, area, connectivity, and natural processes.

Problem2: Identify characteristics of priority areas for
conserving and restoring open pines systems that satisfy
criteria for quantity, configuration, and location to achieve target
populations of the umbrella species.
Biological planning – Species Selection/Habitat Relationships
Species selection



Determine which species should be used to design
landscapes
Determine key habitat characteristics for each
species
Classify surrogacy of each species
–
–
–
–

Determine the intangible tradeoffs
–
10
Flagship – charismatic species that attract public support
Umbrella – species that require large areas of habitat, thus
conferring protection to other species
Biodiversity– presence may indicate high species richness
Keystone – species that are critical to ecosystem function.
Bio-political constraints
Biological planning – Species Selection/Habitat Relationships
Assessing consequences
–
Species
BASP
Low %
Canopy
Cover
X
Basis
Habitat Characteristics
Diverse,
Low
 Preference
to high priority species
HerbBasal
 Unidentified
attributes? Large
aceous
Area/
Understory
Tree
Density
X
X
X
BRNU
11
HESP
X
X
X
NOBO
X
X
X
RCWO
X
X
AMKE
X
X
Old
trees
X
Snags
Patch
Size
Growing
Season
Fire
X
X
X
X
Bare
Ground
Wet
Savannah
/ Bogs
X
X
X
High Fire
Frequency
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Designing Landscapes
for Sustainable Bird
Populations
Structured Decision Making Workshop
Atlantic Coast Joint Venture
Conservation Design – Desired Landscape Configuration
Dividing the problem
13

Problem1: Identify a group of birds (focal species) associated
with open pine systems that represent co-occurring species,
are a reliable tool for biodiversity assessment, and are sensitive
to resources, area, connectivity, and natural processes.

Problem2: Identify characteristics of priority areas for
conserving and restoring open pines systems that satisfy
criteria for quantity, configuration, and location to achieve target
populations of the umbrella species.
Conservation Design – Desired Landscape Configuration
Habitat and landscape criteria

Determine habitat characteristics that are critical to
the landscape design

Identify limiting versus compensatory characteristics

Classify “surrogacy” of each habitat

–
Flagship – charismatic habitat that attracts public support
–
Biodiversity – possess high species richness
–
Unique – required for some species to be present
Determine the intangible tradeoffs
–
14
Bio-political constraints
Homework

Review the problem statement
–

Look over the species x habitat attributes tables
–

SAMBI species and habitat characteristics are next
Look over the landscape prioritization objectives
–
15
Did we get it right?
What other characteristics are important?