​Northeast Landscape Wildlife Conservation Committee

​MISSION

​The mission of the of the Northeast Landscape Wildlife Conservation Committee is to provide leadership and direction from the NEAFWA Directors and leadership within the Northeast Region of the USFWS on efforts related to large-scale landscape conservation needs and opportunities, including the development and coordination of shared priorities and interjurisdictional efforts.

​WHO WE ARE 

Steering Committee
Paul Johansen, Chair (WV)
Kyla Hastie, Co-chair (FWS)
Mark Tisa (MA)
Becky Gwynn (VA)
Bryan Burhans (PA)
Dave Golden (NJ)

Working Group
Jenny Dickson (CT) - Northeast Wildlife Administrators
Todd Richards (MA) - Northeast Fisheries Administrators
Eve Schluter (MA) Northeast Fish & Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee (Terrestrial)
Mark Ferguson (VT) Northeast Fish & Wildlife Diversity Technical Committee (Aquatic) 
Mike Slattery - FWS Science Applications Program 
Colleen Sculley - FWS Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program
Scot Williamson – Wildlife Management Institute

Staff
Coordinator - Andrew Milliken (FWS)
NEAFWA Coordinator – Gordon Batcheller

​Contact
Andrew Milliken (andrew_milliken@fws.gov; cell 413-835-5538)

MEETING SUMMARIES

Coming soon! Please check back. 

​PRIORITY LANDSCAPES 

​Appalachian Corridor Highlands and Streams
The Appalachians is an ancient chain of largely forested mountains, valleys, wetlands, and rivers interspersed with communities, spanning about 2,000 miles from Alabama through the heart of the Northeast Region to Canada. The diverse terrestrial and aquatic systems support globally important hotpots of biological diversity and form headwaters to major east coast river systems.  The Appalachians is one of the most important south-north corridors in North America, providing critical pathways for species migration in the face of climate change.  The northern forests of the Appalachians also connect east-west to the northern tier forests of southern Canada and the Midwest.  The diverse forests support important breeding and migratory stopover habitat for priority forest birds and the streams, wetlands and riparian areas support brook trout, rare fish and freshwater mussels, at risk turtles and invertebrates.  An integrated, strategic, landscape conservation approach is needed to build on the existing partnerships and communities to restore, connect and manage these highly diverse habitats and species and maintain the Appalachians as a resilient and connected corridor.  

Atlantic Coast: Coastal Resiliency and Coastal Habitat Restoration
The Atlantic Coast of the Northeast Region includes a diverse complex of wetlands, beaches, bays, estuaries, and rivers that support significant concentrations of resident and migratory fish and wildlife alongside human development.  In addition to impacts from human modification and encroachment, the marshes, beaches, and other coastal habitats and species are increasingly being impacted by rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms such as Hurricane Sandy.   A coordinated landscape approach is needed to build on existing efforts by states and partners to accelerate planning and implementation of coastal habitat restoration resulting in increased resiliency of coastal natural systems, habitats, at risk listed and other priority species, and coastal communities in the face of these impacts.