2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Special Symposia
(S01) Wildlife Diseases in the Northeast
TIME: Monday, April 15 | 1:20pm - 5:00pm
Contact: Julie Ellis, Director, Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, jellis04@vet.upenn.edu
Co-organizers: Jenny Dickson, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division. Jenny.Dickson@ct.gov
Overview: The NWDC is hosting a symposia to explore wildlife disease issues in the NE. Topics will include some case studies such as common eider mass mortality events, development of an assay to detect P. tenuis in moose and other cervids, and surveillance of flu viruses in wild ducks along with a discussion of how climate change is impacting wildlife diseases, what that means, and how it impacts wildlife conservation and management.
Contact: Julie Ellis, Director, Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative, jellis04@vet.upenn.edu
Co-organizers: Jenny Dickson, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division. Jenny.Dickson@ct.gov
Overview: The NWDC is hosting a symposia to explore wildlife disease issues in the NE. Topics will include some case studies such as common eider mass mortality events, development of an assay to detect P. tenuis in moose and other cervids, and surveillance of flu viruses in wild ducks along with a discussion of how climate change is impacting wildlife diseases, what that means, and how it impacts wildlife conservation and management.
(S02) Salmon and People in a Changing World
TIME: Monday, April 15 | 1:20pm - 3:00pm
Contact: Jean Higgins, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, jean.higgins@noaa.gov
Co-Organizers: Steve Gephard, CT. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection;Julie Crocker, NOAA, NMFS
Overview: Salmon are at risk from environmental change and human activities across the Northern Hemisphere, especially in New England where our wild Atlantic salmon population is listed as endangered. Known as the “King of Fish,” Atlantic salmon make epic migrations through rivers into the oceans crossing international borders. Through their travels these fish provide a connection between our ecosystems, cultures, and economies. The sustainability of their populations remind us of the health of our land, air, rivers and oceans. Saving these beautiful and influential creatures requires that people come together at many different levels ranging from international to local collaborations. This symposium focuses on 2019’s International Year of the Salmon initiative, as well as the efforts that are underway to manage wild Atlantic salmon andto raise awareness of what humans can do to better ensure salmon and their varied habitats are conserved and restored against the backdrop of increasing environmental variability.
Theme/Topic: IYS, international year of the salmon, salmon recovery, river conservation
Contact: Jean Higgins, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, jean.higgins@noaa.gov
Co-Organizers: Steve Gephard, CT. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection;Julie Crocker, NOAA, NMFS
Overview: Salmon are at risk from environmental change and human activities across the Northern Hemisphere, especially in New England where our wild Atlantic salmon population is listed as endangered. Known as the “King of Fish,” Atlantic salmon make epic migrations through rivers into the oceans crossing international borders. Through their travels these fish provide a connection between our ecosystems, cultures, and economies. The sustainability of their populations remind us of the health of our land, air, rivers and oceans. Saving these beautiful and influential creatures requires that people come together at many different levels ranging from international to local collaborations. This symposium focuses on 2019’s International Year of the Salmon initiative, as well as the efforts that are underway to manage wild Atlantic salmon andto raise awareness of what humans can do to better ensure salmon and their varied habitats are conserved and restored against the backdrop of increasing environmental variability.
Theme/Topic: IYS, international year of the salmon, salmon recovery, river conservation
(S03) From the Seas to the Mountains, Momentum is Building to Support Fish and Wildlife Adaptation to Climate Change
TIME: Monday, April 15 | 1:20pm - 5:00pm
Contact: Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc., kt.tci@outlook.com
Co-Organizers: Michelle Staudinger, Toni Lyn Morelli and Jeanne Brown- Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Karen Terwilliger and Elizabeth Crisfield- Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.
Overview: More than many fields, the science of climate change is growing at a rapid pace as we move from predictions to realized impacts each year. Habitat management under static environmental conditions has never been completely certain or easily prescribed, but when the desired condition is a moving target even the most experienced fish, wildlife and land managers can struggle to synthesize the latest information and put it into practice. Northeast states have increasingly experienced extreme coastal storms and seasonal precipitation events. Fish and wildlife managers across the region are concerned about habitat changes, phenological mismatches and other climate impacts. Many agencies are working proactively to protect coastal, freshwater and forest ecosystems and anticipate how climate change may exacerbate persistent threats from invasive species and wildlife diseases to Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center has funded a number of studies to address priority challenges in wildlife management and provide tools in support of climate adaptation decision making. Examples include: a report to help state agencies incorporate climate change into the 2015 state wildlife action plans (SWAPs), projections of local sea level rise, a network to inform invasive species management, an online mapping tool for fish habitat, and a range of climate-adapted best management practices for desired future forest habitat conditions. This symposium will convene land managers, wildlife biologists, and climate scientists to learn from each other about the greatest challenges in addressing climate change threats and the most recent findings to inform best practices.
Theme/Topic: climate change, adaptation, resilience
Contact: Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc., kt.tci@outlook.com
Co-Organizers: Michelle Staudinger, Toni Lyn Morelli and Jeanne Brown- Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Karen Terwilliger and Elizabeth Crisfield- Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.
Overview: More than many fields, the science of climate change is growing at a rapid pace as we move from predictions to realized impacts each year. Habitat management under static environmental conditions has never been completely certain or easily prescribed, but when the desired condition is a moving target even the most experienced fish, wildlife and land managers can struggle to synthesize the latest information and put it into practice. Northeast states have increasingly experienced extreme coastal storms and seasonal precipitation events. Fish and wildlife managers across the region are concerned about habitat changes, phenological mismatches and other climate impacts. Many agencies are working proactively to protect coastal, freshwater and forest ecosystems and anticipate how climate change may exacerbate persistent threats from invasive species and wildlife diseases to Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center has funded a number of studies to address priority challenges in wildlife management and provide tools in support of climate adaptation decision making. Examples include: a report to help state agencies incorporate climate change into the 2015 state wildlife action plans (SWAPs), projections of local sea level rise, a network to inform invasive species management, an online mapping tool for fish habitat, and a range of climate-adapted best management practices for desired future forest habitat conditions. This symposium will convene land managers, wildlife biologists, and climate scientists to learn from each other about the greatest challenges in addressing climate change threats and the most recent findings to inform best practices.
Theme/Topic: climate change, adaptation, resilience
(S04) Conservation and Management of Pyrogenic Wildlife in the Northeast
TIME: Tuesday, April 16 | 8:00am - 12:00pm
Contact: Neil Gifford, Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commision, ngifford@albanypinebush.org
Co-Organizers: Inga Parker La Puma, Ph.D., inga.lapuma@rutgers.edu, Science Communications Director, North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange (NAFSE), and the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact. Art Canterbury, Regional Fire and Emergency Management Coordinator, USDI, US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Overview: Fire-dependent habitats are some of the rarest ecological communities within the Northeastern United States, persisting in an archipelago of habitat islands between West Virginia and Maine. As such, it is of little surprise that the region’s inland and coastal pine barrens, native grasslands, heathlands, woodlands and savannas support not only globally-rare species, but also some of the largest concentrations of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), including threatened and endangered species. In this symposium, we will explore a sample of the region’s fire-adapted SGCN wildlife and the work of public and private agencies and institutions to conserve these species and their xeric habitats. Case studies will highlight research examples from a variety of taxonomic groups including reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and pollinating insects. Management case studies will highlight how managers are using prescribed fire, alone and in combination with other tools, to successfully restore and maintain these important wildlife habitats and advance the goals of State Wildlife Action Plans for SGCN wildlife. We will conclude with an open-forum discussion to synthesize the current state of wildland fire management for wildlife in the Northeast.
Theme/Topic: Fire-dependent wildlife, Xeric habitat SGCN
Contact: Neil Gifford, Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commision, ngifford@albanypinebush.org
Co-Organizers: Inga Parker La Puma, Ph.D., inga.lapuma@rutgers.edu, Science Communications Director, North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange (NAFSE), and the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact. Art Canterbury, Regional Fire and Emergency Management Coordinator, USDI, US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Overview: Fire-dependent habitats are some of the rarest ecological communities within the Northeastern United States, persisting in an archipelago of habitat islands between West Virginia and Maine. As such, it is of little surprise that the region’s inland and coastal pine barrens, native grasslands, heathlands, woodlands and savannas support not only globally-rare species, but also some of the largest concentrations of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), including threatened and endangered species. In this symposium, we will explore a sample of the region’s fire-adapted SGCN wildlife and the work of public and private agencies and institutions to conserve these species and their xeric habitats. Case studies will highlight research examples from a variety of taxonomic groups including reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and pollinating insects. Management case studies will highlight how managers are using prescribed fire, alone and in combination with other tools, to successfully restore and maintain these important wildlife habitats and advance the goals of State Wildlife Action Plans for SGCN wildlife. We will conclude with an open-forum discussion to synthesize the current state of wildland fire management for wildlife in the Northeast.
Theme/Topic: Fire-dependent wildlife, Xeric habitat SGCN
(S05) Freshwater Fisheries Management in the Northeast: Challenges, Successes, and Failures in a Changing World
TIME: Tuesday, April 16 | 8:00am - 12:00pm
Contact: Joe Overlock, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, joe.overlock@maine.gov
Overview: Achieving the balance between angler desires and resource needs is fundamental to successful fisheries management. Scientific data collection to support science based management decisions can be challenging in the real world. Freshwater fisheries managers must adapt, be creative, and maintain strong conviction to respond to changes in angler use, harvest, and species preference. This symposium offers an opportunity to learn from other resource managers on current challenges, new techniques, and recent successes while navigating the changing realm of freshwater fisheries management in the Northeast.
Theme/Topic: Freshwater fisheries management
Contact: Joe Overlock, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, joe.overlock@maine.gov
Overview: Achieving the balance between angler desires and resource needs is fundamental to successful fisheries management. Scientific data collection to support science based management decisions can be challenging in the real world. Freshwater fisheries managers must adapt, be creative, and maintain strong conviction to respond to changes in angler use, harvest, and species preference. This symposium offers an opportunity to learn from other resource managers on current challenges, new techniques, and recent successes while navigating the changing realm of freshwater fisheries management in the Northeast.
Theme/Topic: Freshwater fisheries management
(S06) Conserving and Managing Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need Across State Boundaries
TIME: Tuesday, April 16 | 8:00am - 3:00pm
Contact: Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc., kt.tci@outlook.com
Co-Organizers: Rebecca Gwynn, VDGIF and Chair of the Northeast Fish and Wildlife Diversity Committee; Lisa Holst, Co-chair NY DEC; Karen Terwilliger and Elizabeth Crisfield- Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.
Overview: The 14 northeast State (including DC) Fish and Wildlife Agency Wildlife Diversity Programs’ 30-year history of collaboration was significantly strengthened in 2005 when states wrote their first State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs). Northeast states agreed to pool a portion of their State Wildlife Grant money to fund projects of Regional Conservation Need (RCN). States partnered with multiple USFWS R5 programs to develop a priority list of Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN), and agreed upon a common framework for SWAP elements (the Lexicon) for more consistent opportunity for Element and action implementation tracking. This enabled the region to fund on the ground conservation of highest priority RSGCN to preclude listing. Most notably has been the New England Cottontail, followed by the Blanding’s Turtle and other priority RSGCN taxa following this model. A strategic series of priority regional support tools were then developed to inform the 2015 SWAP revisions. Current regional data from state, federal and partner projects were compiled and synthesized (Northeast Conservation Synthesis report and The Northeast Database (using the classification systems and the Lexicon) created as a foundation for consistency, was streamlined to the Northeast SWAP Database, which captured key SWAP Elements1-4 data from all 14 SWAP revisions SWAP Database. These strategic and sequential investments have been made to identify and guide conservation actions best implemented through regional collaboration and leverage the actions and resources of individual states and partners into benefit the 304 RSGCN. Research, survey, management of priority RSGCN efforts will be presented for most taxa including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, fish, freshwater mussels and other invertebrates. All have been accomplished through the vision and oversight of the NEFWDTC of NEAFWA.
Theme/Topic: RSGCN, RCN, greatest conservation need
Contact: Karen Terwilliger, Terwilliger Consulting, Inc., kt.tci@outlook.com
Co-Organizers: Rebecca Gwynn, VDGIF and Chair of the Northeast Fish and Wildlife Diversity Committee; Lisa Holst, Co-chair NY DEC; Karen Terwilliger and Elizabeth Crisfield- Terwilliger Consulting, Inc.
Overview: The 14 northeast State (including DC) Fish and Wildlife Agency Wildlife Diversity Programs’ 30-year history of collaboration was significantly strengthened in 2005 when states wrote their first State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs). Northeast states agreed to pool a portion of their State Wildlife Grant money to fund projects of Regional Conservation Need (RCN). States partnered with multiple USFWS R5 programs to develop a priority list of Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (RSGCN), and agreed upon a common framework for SWAP elements (the Lexicon) for more consistent opportunity for Element and action implementation tracking. This enabled the region to fund on the ground conservation of highest priority RSGCN to preclude listing. Most notably has been the New England Cottontail, followed by the Blanding’s Turtle and other priority RSGCN taxa following this model. A strategic series of priority regional support tools were then developed to inform the 2015 SWAP revisions. Current regional data from state, federal and partner projects were compiled and synthesized (Northeast Conservation Synthesis report and The Northeast Database (using the classification systems and the Lexicon) created as a foundation for consistency, was streamlined to the Northeast SWAP Database, which captured key SWAP Elements1-4 data from all 14 SWAP revisions SWAP Database. These strategic and sequential investments have been made to identify and guide conservation actions best implemented through regional collaboration and leverage the actions and resources of individual states and partners into benefit the 304 RSGCN. Research, survey, management of priority RSGCN efforts will be presented for most taxa including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, fish, freshwater mussels and other invertebrates. All have been accomplished through the vision and oversight of the NEFWDTC of NEAFWA.
Theme/Topic: RSGCN, RCN, greatest conservation need
(S07) Wild Trout Management
TIME: Tuesday, April 16 | 1:20pm - 5:00pm
Contact: Adam Kautza, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, adam.kautza@state.ma.us
Co-Organizer: Gabe GriesFish Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Overview: Targeted management and diverse angling opportunities for wild stream-dwelling trout have become increasingly important outcomes desired by the angling public. States and provinces in the region are addressing this by developing, or revising, wild trout or trout stream-specific management plans. However, many state and provincial resource management agencies lack some of the necessary data and resources to support the development or timely revision of a wild trout management plan.Fisheries professionals working on wild trout management in rivers and streams throughout the region need an avenue to share their knowledge and experiences with others who have been or are currently dealing with similar issues. Providing a means of sharing useful knowledge and experience will allow managers to learn from one another and help to inform the development of wild trout management plans with a greater likelihood of successfully meeting intended goals and objectives.The objective of this symposium is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information among fisheries biologists and managers in an effort to better facilitate effective management of wild trout resources in streams and rivers.
Theme/Topic: Wild trout and wild trout management
Contact: Adam Kautza, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, adam.kautza@state.ma.us
Co-Organizer: Gabe GriesFish Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Overview: Targeted management and diverse angling opportunities for wild stream-dwelling trout have become increasingly important outcomes desired by the angling public. States and provinces in the region are addressing this by developing, or revising, wild trout or trout stream-specific management plans. However, many state and provincial resource management agencies lack some of the necessary data and resources to support the development or timely revision of a wild trout management plan.Fisheries professionals working on wild trout management in rivers and streams throughout the region need an avenue to share their knowledge and experiences with others who have been or are currently dealing with similar issues. Providing a means of sharing useful knowledge and experience will allow managers to learn from one another and help to inform the development of wild trout management plans with a greater likelihood of successfully meeting intended goals and objectives.The objective of this symposium is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information among fisheries biologists and managers in an effort to better facilitate effective management of wild trout resources in streams and rivers.
Theme/Topic: Wild trout and wild trout management
(S08) Saltmarsh Sparrow Conservation and Management
TIME: Tuesday, April 16 | 1:20pm - 5:00pm
Contact: Chris Elphick, University of Connecticut, chris.elphick@uconn.edu
Co-Organizer: Brian Olsen, University of Maine, Orono
Overview: Saltmarsh sparrows occur only in salt marshes, nesting primarily in the higher elevation portions of the marsh. Populations are declining rapidly across the species’ range, marsh conditions are changing due to sea-level rise and other factors, and demographic data suggest that extinction is likely by mid-century. The species is considered globally endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and is being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. In this symposium, we will bring together researchers, refuge managers, and conservation agency staff to provide an overview of the species’ status and the conservation work being done to protect it. Talks will include an overview of past work on the species, updates on the most recent research, and descriptions of management actions that are underway or being considered. Talks will close by describing the long-term plans being developed to protect the species and other saltmarsh specialists. This will be followed and a round-table discussion focused on how to implement research and management activities that have been identified as high priorities in the soon-to-be-launched Eastern Saltmarsh Bird Conservation Business Plan, and by the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Saltmarsh Sparrow Working Group.
Theme/Topic: endagered species; salt marshes; climate change
Contact: Chris Elphick, University of Connecticut, chris.elphick@uconn.edu
Co-Organizer: Brian Olsen, University of Maine, Orono
Overview: Saltmarsh sparrows occur only in salt marshes, nesting primarily in the higher elevation portions of the marsh. Populations are declining rapidly across the species’ range, marsh conditions are changing due to sea-level rise and other factors, and demographic data suggest that extinction is likely by mid-century. The species is considered globally endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and is being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. In this symposium, we will bring together researchers, refuge managers, and conservation agency staff to provide an overview of the species’ status and the conservation work being done to protect it. Talks will include an overview of past work on the species, updates on the most recent research, and descriptions of management actions that are underway or being considered. Talks will close by describing the long-term plans being developed to protect the species and other saltmarsh specialists. This will be followed and a round-table discussion focused on how to implement research and management activities that have been identified as high priorities in the soon-to-be-launched Eastern Saltmarsh Bird Conservation Business Plan, and by the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Saltmarsh Sparrow Working Group.
Theme/Topic: endagered species; salt marshes; climate change
(S09) Persistent and Emerging Ectoparasites Affecting Wildlife and Public Health Alike
TIME: Tuesday, April 16 | 1:20pm - 5:00pm
Contact: Scott Williams, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, scott.williams@ct.gov
Co-Organizer: Dr. Megan Linske, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Overview: The field of vector biology/ecology is becoming increasingly important as tick presence and tick-borne diseases continue to impact both wildlife and public health. From the blacklegged tick that incurs upwards of 300,000 cases of Lyme disease annually to the winter tick that continues to plague populations of moose in northern New England, the need for relevant research that can aid in informed management decisions has become a necessity. Issues arising from established tick species are only compounded with the expanding range of southern ticks such as lone stars which continue to move northward along coastal New England and are beginning to push inland. Additionally, emerging, exotic species like the Asian long-horned tick have been recently documented in several mid-Atlantic and northeastern states and impacts to humans, livestock, and wildlife remain largely unknown. This symposium seeks to shed light on newer invaders to the region and what implications their presence, as well as established ticks, will have on the health of us all.
Theme/Topic: Vector biology, zoonotic diseases, wildlife health
Contact: Scott Williams, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, scott.williams@ct.gov
Co-Organizer: Dr. Megan Linske, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Overview: The field of vector biology/ecology is becoming increasingly important as tick presence and tick-borne diseases continue to impact both wildlife and public health. From the blacklegged tick that incurs upwards of 300,000 cases of Lyme disease annually to the winter tick that continues to plague populations of moose in northern New England, the need for relevant research that can aid in informed management decisions has become a necessity. Issues arising from established tick species are only compounded with the expanding range of southern ticks such as lone stars which continue to move northward along coastal New England and are beginning to push inland. Additionally, emerging, exotic species like the Asian long-horned tick have been recently documented in several mid-Atlantic and northeastern states and impacts to humans, livestock, and wildlife remain largely unknown. This symposium seeks to shed light on newer invaders to the region and what implications their presence, as well as established ticks, will have on the health of us all.
Theme/Topic: Vector biology, zoonotic diseases, wildlife health
(S10) Collaborative Conservation of At-Risk Species in the Northeast Region
TIME: Monday, April 15 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Contact: Ken Elowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ken_elowe@fws.gov
Co-Organizers: Jean Brennan, Tony Tur, Steve Fuller, Scott Schwenk, Bridget Macdonald –USFWS, Northeast Region
Overview: Hundreds of species in the Northeast are at risk of becoming threatened or endangered, as identified in State Wildlife Action Plans and Endangered Species Act petitions. Dozens more are at risk of extinction.
But “at risk” means there’s still time.
If we work together across boundaries and organizations, and make the best use of our resources and varied portfolios, we have an opportunity of epic proportions.
These species live across private, corporate, defense, and public lands in the region. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), the northeastern state fish and wildlife agencies, and landowners and land managers are collaborating to identify the needs of these species and actions that might improve their conservation status to the point that they do not become or are no longer threatened or endangered.
This symposium will explore where we've come over the past several years, some of what we – the conservation community of states, the Service and other federal agencies, landowners, and organizations – are working on now, and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Theme/Topic: Collaborative, Large-scale Conservation, At-Risk Species
Contact: Ken Elowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ken_elowe@fws.gov
Co-Organizers: Jean Brennan, Tony Tur, Steve Fuller, Scott Schwenk, Bridget Macdonald –USFWS, Northeast Region
Overview: Hundreds of species in the Northeast are at risk of becoming threatened or endangered, as identified in State Wildlife Action Plans and Endangered Species Act petitions. Dozens more are at risk of extinction.
But “at risk” means there’s still time.
If we work together across boundaries and organizations, and make the best use of our resources and varied portfolios, we have an opportunity of epic proportions.
These species live across private, corporate, defense, and public lands in the region. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), the northeastern state fish and wildlife agencies, and landowners and land managers are collaborating to identify the needs of these species and actions that might improve their conservation status to the point that they do not become or are no longer threatened or endangered.
This symposium will explore where we've come over the past several years, some of what we – the conservation community of states, the Service and other federal agencies, landowners, and organizations – are working on now, and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Theme/Topic: Collaborative, Large-scale Conservation, At-Risk Species