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)
Steve Kuennen (U.S. Forest Service)
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)
Paul Johansen, Chair (WV)
Kyla Hastie, Co-chair (FWS)
Mark Tisa (MA)
Becky Gwynn (VA)
Bryan Burhans (PA)
Dave Golden (NJ)
Steve Kuennen (U.S. Forest Service)
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
PRIORITY LANDSCAPES
The Northeast Landscape Wildlife Conservation Committee identified an initial set of 21 priority landscapes and themes focused on habitat types and associated species as well as specific watersheds in the region. The working group reviewed, discussed, organized, grouped, and prioritized this information and agreed on the following subset of seven landscape priorities and themes. The Steering Committee agreed that the first two landscapes listed here (Atlantic Coast: Coastal Resiliency and Coastal Habitat Restoration and Appalachian Corridor Highlands and Streams) would be both the initial focus for NEAFWA and be the top two priorities to be submitted to the AFWA Joint Task Force on Landscape Conservation for consideration by the Department of the Interior as regional priorities for the America the Beautiful Challenge Grant program (and potentially other federal funding). The Steering Committee agreed that the other five priority landscapes are also priorities for ongoing collaboration in the region.
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.
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.
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.
Northeast Region River, Stream and Watershed Restoration
The Northeast Region includes a network of rivers and streams connecting the mountains to the Atlantic Coast and major lakes. This network and the associated riparian areas, wetlands and floodplains provide habitat and connectivity for a diversity of aquatic and semi-aquatic species including freshwater mussels, eastern brook trout, diadromous fish species, listed and at risk fish species, wetland dependent birds, wood turtle and other at risk reptiles and amphibians. A coordinated regional watershed-based approach to conservation in the region building on and tying together existing and planned watershed and taxa-based partnerships is needed for the restoration of rivers, streams, riparian areas including restoration of aquatic (and associated terrestrial) connectivity and fish passage on rivers and streams in the Northeast to restore the health and resiliency of systems, species and communities under both current and predicted conditions including warmer temperatures, lower flows and increased frequency of floods and droughts.
The Northeast Region includes a network of rivers and streams connecting the mountains to the Atlantic Coast and major lakes. This network and the associated riparian areas, wetlands and floodplains provide habitat and connectivity for a diversity of aquatic and semi-aquatic species including freshwater mussels, eastern brook trout, diadromous fish species, listed and at risk fish species, wetland dependent birds, wood turtle and other at risk reptiles and amphibians. A coordinated regional watershed-based approach to conservation in the region building on and tying together existing and planned watershed and taxa-based partnerships is needed for the restoration of rivers, streams, riparian areas including restoration of aquatic (and associated terrestrial) connectivity and fish passage on rivers and streams in the Northeast to restore the health and resiliency of systems, species and communities under both current and predicted conditions including warmer temperatures, lower flows and increased frequency of floods and droughts.
Appalachian and Northern Forests
The matrix habitat of the Northeast region is forest including the Appalachian Mountains and the Northern Forest of New England and New York extending north into Canada. Conservation and management of these forests in various successional stages is needed to support a diversity of birds, bats, other mammals, and other species as well as to sequester carbon. Early successional, young and mature forest habitats support a range of at risk forest birds including Golden-Winged Warbler, Wood Thrush and Cerulean Warbler, priority gamebirds including Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock, bats such as the northern long-eared bat, other mammals such as New England cottontail and wide ranging mammals such as black bear, moose and Canadian lynx. Conserving, restoring, and managing a diverse well-connected network of core forest areas is critical for allowing species to move and adapt and for maintaining the integrity of aquatic systems and small patch habitats within the forest matrix.
The matrix habitat of the Northeast region is forest including the Appalachian Mountains and the Northern Forest of New England and New York extending north into Canada. Conservation and management of these forests in various successional stages is needed to support a diversity of birds, bats, other mammals, and other species as well as to sequester carbon. Early successional, young and mature forest habitats support a range of at risk forest birds including Golden-Winged Warbler, Wood Thrush and Cerulean Warbler, priority gamebirds including Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock, bats such as the northern long-eared bat, other mammals such as New England cottontail and wide ranging mammals such as black bear, moose and Canadian lynx. Conserving, restoring, and managing a diverse well-connected network of core forest areas is critical for allowing species to move and adapt and for maintaining the integrity of aquatic systems and small patch habitats within the forest matrix.
Conservation of Pine Barrens, Grasslands and other Xeric Barrens Habitat and Dependent Species in the Northeast
An adaptive approach for actively monitoring and managing natural pine barren habitat, grasslands, and other xeric barrens habitat is important to maintain these rare disturbance-dependent habitats for a range of barren-dependent at risk, Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need and listed species such as frosted elfin, Whip-poor-will, aerial insectivores, Karner blue butterfly, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Upland Sandpiper. Military and other managed lands are important for maintaining habitats for these species across the region.
An adaptive approach for actively monitoring and managing natural pine barren habitat, grasslands, and other xeric barrens habitat is important to maintain these rare disturbance-dependent habitats for a range of barren-dependent at risk, Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need and listed species such as frosted elfin, Whip-poor-will, aerial insectivores, Karner blue butterfly, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Upland Sandpiper. Military and other managed lands are important for maintaining habitats for these species across the region.
NEAFWA Support and Coordination for Watershed and Other Delivery Partnerships
The Northeast Region includes multiple large watershed-based and other landscape partnerships including funded partnerships in the Delaware River watershed, Chesapeake Bay watershed, Highlands region, Great Lakes and other areas. There are also emerging watershed partnerships actively organizing and seeking Congressional authorizations and appropriations including New York-New Jersey Rivers and the Connecticut River Watershed. Coordination of regional scale landscape conservation planning and delivery with these funded and emerging watershed and landscape delivery partnerships is critical to ensure incorporation and funding of NEAFWA priorities through these partnerships and to address common priorities and utilize consistent information to guide planning and implementation.
The Northeast Region includes multiple large watershed-based and other landscape partnerships including funded partnerships in the Delaware River watershed, Chesapeake Bay watershed, Highlands region, Great Lakes and other areas. There are also emerging watershed partnerships actively organizing and seeking Congressional authorizations and appropriations including New York-New Jersey Rivers and the Connecticut River Watershed. Coordination of regional scale landscape conservation planning and delivery with these funded and emerging watershed and landscape delivery partnerships is critical to ensure incorporation and funding of NEAFWA priorities through these partnerships and to address common priorities and utilize consistent information to guide planning and implementation.
Northeast One Health Initiative: Wildlife Disease Monitoring, Response, Management
Human health is dependent on wildlife health and ecosystem health. Wildlife are facing increased risk of new and emerging diseases. As humans continue to share space closely with wildlife, the risk of zoonotic diseases also increases. It is important for the Northeast Region to take a broader, cooperative approach to addressing One Health issues within and beyond state and federal fish and wildlife agencies. These approaches need to be built into landscape conservation in the region.
Human health is dependent on wildlife health and ecosystem health. Wildlife are facing increased risk of new and emerging diseases. As humans continue to share space closely with wildlife, the risk of zoonotic diseases also increases. It is important for the Northeast Region to take a broader, cooperative approach to addressing One Health issues within and beyond state and federal fish and wildlife agencies. These approaches need to be built into landscape conservation in the region.