Green Mountains to Adirondacks Habitat linkage (Wide-Ranging Mammals)

Green Mountains to Adirondacks Habitat linkage (Wide-Ranging Mammals)

Paul MarangeloThe Nature Conservancy – VT Chapter

Dr. Robert LongWestern Transportation Institute

35 k

42 k

Region with best connectivity potential

Linkage ConservationLinkage Conservation

Connectivity assessment (modeling)

Threat identification

Strategy development and implementation

Focal Species ApproachFocal Species Approach

Black Bear

Bobcat

Fisher

• Goal maintaining “minimum level of permeability” to preserve genetic integrity of WRM populations in “core” habitats.

Linkage assessment approach: multiple models and genetic analysisLinkage assessment approach: multiple models and genetic analysis

Least-cost-path analysis based on focal species

Overlay with wildlife road crossing assessment models developed by VTF&W

Microsatellite DNA analysis of fisher populations to assess role of Lake George as dispersal barrier

Future – FUNCONN analysis for focal species

Least Cost Path AnalysisLeast Cost Path Analysis

Most probable pathways for movement

Analysis frame East to west directionality

Empirical habitat suitability models from field data used to code land-cover with habitat suitability to produce cost surfaces.

Predeicted Ease of Movement

Value

High

Low

Predeicted Ease of Movement

Value

High

Low

Interpretation of resultsInterpretation of results

Suggests a primary potential movement corridor for target species.

Useful tool for evaluating the relative conservation value of potential connectivity zones - can prioritize land conservation or restoration efforts with the intention of increasing connectivity for the target species.

High volume north-south roads (particularly US Route 7 in Vermont) appear to be primary immediate threats to east-west connectivity.

CAVEATS:CAVEATS:

Least-cost path approaches will identify and rank paths across landscapes regardless of whether or not such paths are viable for species movement.

Actual movement between Green Mts and ADKs

exceptionally difficult to document

Green Mtn – ADK linkage partnershipGreen Mtn – ADK linkage partnership

State, NGOs, Regional Planning commission

Technical assistance to towns (community visioning for conservation values – local support for connectivity and wildlife habitat)

Incorporate connectivity language into town plans

Identify specific road crossing sites: implement strategies to enhance permeability across roads

Additional modeling (FUNCONN)

Working with UncertaintyWorking with Uncertainty

Poor information regarding permeability of large water bodies

Connectivity restoration or connectivity protection?

Risk of investing in a “bridge to nowhere”

Selling need to protect/enhance permeability for a low-use corridor/road crossing

2008: FUNCONN analysis2008: FUNCONN analysis

Graph theoretic/least cost hybrid

Additional relevant points:Additional relevant points:

• Partnership goal for this linkage: Permeability across multiple pathways.

• Geographical extent of TNC analysis is limited.

Assessment of outcomesAssessment of outcomes

Analysis has motivated a partnership to work on ADK – GM linkage.

Reasonably well-received by a county-wide transportation committee made up of representatives from town planning boards.

Need to identify specific attributes on road corridor that facilitates wildlife crossing to move forward with recommendations to local planning boards.

Key Project Aspects: Question being addressed/Application Type of Analysis

• Addressing structural or functional connectivity?• Structural: physical continuity or connectedness of the

landscape• Functional: connectedness of the landscape as perceived by

one or more focal organisms or ecological process• Based on focal species?• Based on field data, models, or both?

Final Products• Geographic extent (local, statewide, regional)

How effective was the project and how well did it answer the original question

Green Mountains/Adirondacks Habitat linkage partnershipGreen Mountains/Adirondacks Habitat linkage partnership

Linkage area may be larger than TNC analysis frame.

Looking forward, this is one of many possible focal efforts within the linkage area.• Individual initiatives will likely comprise of a subset of the

larger group of partners interested in working on this linkage.

Combining existing assessments:Combining existing assessments:

Considering limitations of any one habitat modeling methodology, corroboration of results from different models helps strengthen our hypotheses.

1. Overlay VTF&W Wildlife Crossing Values for road corridors

2. 2008: Apply additional habitat connectivity models

• FUNNCON: Graph theoretic/least cost path hybrid (Theobald)

• Pathway Analysis Through Habitat (PATH)

Interpretation of resultsInterpretation of results

Primary potential movement corridor for target species has some corroboration with WCS study.

What is Next (research)?What is Next (research)?

Results from Lake George Fisher microsatellite DNA study

Contract for additional connectivity modeling work (FUNNCON)

What’s next (on the ground)?What’s next (on the ground)?

Develop a partnership to identify/implement strategies to maintain/enhance permeability on key segment of Rt. 7.• Road crossing focus

• Where?• Study suggests Rt 7 between Brandon and Pittsford• Where is greatest opportunity for success?

Strategies: Where to start?

The rest of the meeting: discussionThe rest of the meeting: discussion

#1 Decide on focal road segment

#2 Decide (discuss) conservation goals

#3 Decide on strategies and action steps to achieve goals.

#4 Do the work

Predeicted Ease of Movement

Value

High

Low

Importance of regional connectivity/habitat linkagesImportance of regional connectivity/habitat linkages

Wide-ranging mammals: maintain genetic diversity by maintaining ability of individuals to disperse between regional “core” habitats

• bobcat

• black bear

• fisher

• moose

Predeicted Ease of Movement

Value

High

Low

Functional connectivity for WRM between Green Mountains and Adirondacks:Functional connectivity for WRM between Green Mountains and Adirondacks:

Is connectivity at present sufficient to allow for movement of wide-ranging mammals between the Adirondacks and Green Mountains?

Threats

Abating threats (road permeability)

Estimating ease of east-west movement: Fisher

Estimating ease of east-west movement: Fisher

Predicted Occurrence Model: Fisher

Predicted Ease of East-West Movement: Fisher

East-west cost-distances with the corridor function in ArcGIS used to identify the highest ranking areas for providing connectivity across the region.

Predeicted Ease of Movement

Value

High

Low